Bad weather last year and a cold early part of this year threw a bit of a wet blanket on early registration for the 3-State, 3-Mountain Challenge century ride, but ride director Dawn Salyer says that things are starting to pick up in advance of the 27th running of the event on May 3.
“Bad weather the previous year always knocks things back the following year,” says Salyer. “And it’s been so cold this winter in the north where some of our out-of-town riders live that some folks just haven’t been thinking about riding until recently.”
Heavy rainfall during the 2013 3-State, 3-Mountain caused many people to abandon the ride early and slick roads may have played a role in the tragic death of Florida rider Antonio Jose Desousa Ribeiro on Ochs Highway at the bottom of Lookout Mountain.
While there is always a risk in cycling, Salyer says that incident has prompted some changes to the route for this year.
“There have been concerns about the congestion coming down Ochs and into St. Elmo,” she says. “That area has become more congested, so we’ve decided to make a change.”
Instead of the descent down Ochs Highway on Lookout Mountain, riders will now come down Lookout on Nickajack Road into Flintstone, Ga., and ride up St. Elmo Avenue and into town.
Another new edition for 2014 will be competition in the form of the King of the Mountain Challenge for full-century riders. Riders will be timed for the climbing portion up Raccoon, Sand and Lookout mountains and the rider with the best cumulative time will win a Mavic wheel set.
Also, former professional cyclist George Hincapie will return to Chattanooga to lead out the ride for a second consecutive year. He will be at the packet pick up and rider expo on May 2 to meet fans, as well as on the day of the ride.
With the weather finally turning warmer and the new changes on the horizon, Salyer is hopeful that the 3-State, 3-Mountain Challenge sign-ups will begin to pick up in the final month.