11th annual Albany Unchained Bike Race Weekend set for today and Sunday

ALBANY — Downtown Albany will be crowded this weekend with the 11th Annual Albany Unchained Bike Race Weekend set for today and Sunday. In addition, Dougherty County’s four public high schools will hold their graduation exercises today at the Albany Civic Center beginning at 9 a.m.

Although this is the 11th year Albany has hosted the downtown bike races, it is only the third year that the event has been part of the Southeast Regional Series. The race serves as the second leg of four that sees cyclists compete in four states in four months.

CVB officials said by late Thursday night a record 413 riders had registered to race.

Today’s races are known as the criterium and will feature multiple races throughout the day. In addition to Saturday’s criterium, there will also be longer distance road races on Sunday in Lee County.

Races on both days will feature different competition categories based on gender, age and skill levels, including pro races that typically feature fierce competition.

Today’s races are set to begin at 11 a.m., with the final race starting at 5:20 p.m. Each class will traverse the same course which begins on Pine Avenue near The Albany Herald building, turns left onto Jackson Street, left onto Broad Avenue, left onto Front Street, and finally left back onto Pine.

Sunday’s race will feature eight different categories of riders traveling different distances on a route through Lee County.

In addition to today’s criterium races, this year’s Unchained event will also feature time trials, where single riders will ride a separate course and try to post a faster time.

The trials start at 8 a.m. on Washington Street. Riders will travel the inside lane of the one-way street, turning left on Seventh Avenue, left on Jackson Street, followed by a left onto Pine Avenue, where they will finish in front of the Government Center.

According to Kristen Schuette, marketing and communications manager for the Albany Convention and Visitors Bureau, the races are expected to draw riders from all across the southeast. She said last year’s race had a $109,000 economic impact on the city.

This year’s race is being sponsored by Prince Automotive Group, Michelob Ultra, U Save It Pharmacy, the Pecan City Peddlers cycling club, and the CVB.