Race Day Details
The CHGG is all about the experience and everyone gets to experience the gravel of Northwest Arkansas. Come out for a great day in the saddle and see a hidden gem in the Lake Wedington Recreation Area.
Saturday, Oct 28 (8am mass start):
- 109 Mile - 8:00 am
- 63 Mile - 8:00 am
- 42 Mile - 8:00 am
- The ride/race begins and ends inside the park. All groups will exit the park on the same route as the finish. Neutral roll-out for 0.5 miles and then the hammer drops.
- Aid Stations:
- Main aid stations with have sodas, water, electrolytes along with sweet and salty snacks. There will also be speciality items from our aid station sponsors, so get ready for some fun! See Course link for exact locations. All riders should be prepared to have extra nutrition and hydration in case of unforeseen conditions.
- Course Cutoff Times:
- 109 mile - riders who have not made it to Mile 51.5 (County Road 4624) by 11:30 am will be re-directed for 2.6 miles to the 41 mile to go marker of the main course. This will result in a total distance of 95 miles.
- All riders remaining on the course will be picked up at 5:30pm unless inside the final 2.1 miles of the course.
EVENT RULES & REGULATIONS:
- Be Safe, Have Fun and Follow Rules of the Road
- Riders must wear an ANSI certified helmet at ALL times.
- Follow the Rules of the Road. The roads are OPEN to vehicle traffic, so treat them as such! These rules include, but are not limited to: Follow the centerline rule. Keep your bike on the right side of the road.
- We encourage you to ride as far right as safely possible. Most of the paved sections have a shoulder, but if not, stay as close to the right as possible
- On the gravel roads, please stay on your “side of the road”. This is especially important when going around corners. Residents are going to expect that you ride as they drive...on the right side of the road at all times.
- No direct outside support on the course is allowed. Riders accepting support from a source not available to all riders will be disqualified.
- Please see the Course Map for recommended race viewing locations (to be noted on map)
- Treat this race the same as being out for a ride. Just because it is a “RACE” doesn’t mean that there is a safety bubble. The roads are OPEN.
- Pass with care! Use that helmet-protected brain of yours. Do NOT pass in blind corners, let someone know that you are going to pass them (especially on the paved sections) and pass on the left. This should mean that the cyclist you are passing is staying as far RIGHT as possible.
- No headphones, ear buds or texting while riding. If you need to document the ride, please pull over to the right side, come to a complete stop and share away.
- Flashing taillights are always helpful for vehicles who may come upon you during the race.
- Be courteous and respectful at all times. This goes for your actions towards other racers, spectators, volunteers (they are here to help you on their own time), the community and vehicles. We get to ride these roads all the time and we would love for our community to keep supporting us!
- Riders are expected to be prepared to deal with mechanical issues. Please bring extra tubes, a hand pump and/or CO2, etc. There will be neutral support on the course, but be prepared to be self sufficient as their proximity to you is unknown.
- In the event of a natural disaster or weather that could be potentially dangerous to racers or volunteers, the race will be delayed, shortened, postponed or canceled without refund.
- Your jersey has pockets. Not only do they store your food, but they store your trash. Please Leave No Trace.
- Stay on the course. This is a race. That means that everyone (in their respective distance category) must follow the same path. It is YOUR responsibility to be in the right place. Study the map, find someone who can show you how to download/upload the GPX file from RIDE WITH GPS to your bike computer….have some idea of where you are going. The course will be well-marked, but sometimes things happen. Wind, vandals, rogue wildlife….have a back-up plan.
- If you cut the race short you will be disqualified. RWGPS and Strava don’t lie.
- Listen to race officials. If a Marshall or Race Official gives you a specific direction, you must follow it. If they tell you to stop, it is for a good reason!
- We are racing on a variety of county roads and highways. Please treat them with respect.
- If you find yourself needing to drop from the race, please notify the nearest Aid Station or Event Official
- We reserve the right to make any last minute course/timing changes as deemed necessary for a safe and successful race day.
TIMING & SCORING:
- Gravel rides are based upon lowest time and are scored per each distance and gender. See Awards and Prizes for full details
