Along with the professional and elite amateur racers who will take the streets in Ephrata for Sunday afternoon’s criterium, some of the area’s youngest pedalers will also be given a chance to shine.
There will be kid’s races on Sunday on Ephrata’s Main Street in conjunction with the Tour de Ephrata. Children ages 4&5 and 6&7 will race a 250-foot sprint at 1:30 p.m., following the men’s Category 4 race. At 3:30 p.m., following the men’s masters competition, children ages 8&9 will sprint 450 feet, then children ages 10 through 12 will race 1,000 feet.
Registration for the kid’s races will be from noon to 3:15 p.m. near the start/finish line, at the Ephrata National Bank. There is no entry fee, but children must have a properly fitting helmet, and a bicycle in good condition. Tricycles will not be allowed. Winners will receive medals.
In addition to the races, downtown Ephrata businesses and eateries will be open. There will be displays, educational booths and a children’s bike rodeo.
The criterium takes place on a .7-mile circuit in downtown Ephrata beginning at 12:50 p.m. It is the third and last stage of the Tour de Ephrata. It follows the Pain Mountain Time Trial on Sunday morning, beginning at 7:42, and Saturday’s Jackson Road Race, beginning at 8:45 a.m. The road race is being held in Jackson Township, in southern Lebanon County, near Myerstown. It had been held near Farmersville in previous years.
Nearly 415 racers had registered in advance for the race by today.
The kids sprint races will be the only venue set aside for juniors at this year’s Tour de Ephrata. Event organizer Red Rose Races has cancelled the planned juniors 15-16 and 17-18 age groups due to insufficient registration. Six 15-16-year-olds had registered. There was just one in the 17-18 age group.
