On April 7, 2013 the twisted cycling minds at Spy Optic are rolling out their “Hell Of The North County” Belgian Waffle Ride for the second year in a row. The 200k race features 10,000 vertical feet of knee blasting climbs, dirt roads, creek fordings, river crossings, bone jarring descents while winding its way through San Diego, California’s beautiful, yet perilous North County region.
Here’s how event founder and Spy President and CEO Michael Marckx describes it.
“Belgium has been for a century the epicenter of international professional cycling in the early spring race season, and the SPY Belgian Waffle Ride is an homage to the storied history and folklore of bike racing in that region, a tribute to the incredibly arduous competitions staged there, and a celebration of our cycling heritage as a brand,” Marckx says. “With some similar terrain to Belgium that North County offers, we’ve done our best to emulate the race experiences of rural Ghent, Wevelgem, Flanders, Liege and Bastogne, with wearisome rolling hills, steep climbs, gravel and dirt roads, water crossings and a distance that few racers will ever contend with in the United States. We’ve also baked-in a fun Belgian breakfast and dinner, a whole lot of twists in the way of awards, and there’s a great foundation (CAF) that we’re excited to support through donations this year.”
So at least there’s a good cause for all this pain. For the official word from Spy, follow the jump.ULTIMATE CYCLING EVENT SPRINGS FORTH AGAIN IN SAN DIEGO
SPY Happily Rallies Stars of Cycling to Grueling, Hilly 125-Mile Charity Event & Celebration
CARLSBAD, Calif.—San Diego-based innovative eyewear brand SPY®—known for its happy irreverence—is back with the second edition of their unique and extremely challenging Spring Classic cycling event, the SPY Belgian Waffle Ride, in true Flemish fashion with moules-frites, ale, waffles, and more ale, plus a 125-mile cycling extravaganza with 10,000 feet of climbing through scenic North County San Diego. The second annual fete—deceivingly known as the SPY Belgian Waffle Ride—has attracted a who’s who of cycling icons, including Olympians; World, National and State champions; local professional and amateur cyclists; and surf, motocross and bike industry luminaries.
“Belgium has been for a century the epicenter of international professional cycling in the early spring race season, and the SPY Belgian Waffle Ride is an homage to the storied history and folklore of bike racing in that region, a tribute to the incredibly arduous competitions staged there, and a celebration of our cycling heritage as a brand,” says Michael Marckx, SPY president, CEO, and creator of the event. “With some similar terrain to Belgium that North County offers, we’ve done our best to emulate the race experiences of rural Ghent, Wevelgem, Flanders, Liege and Bastogne, with wearisome rolling hills, steep climbs, gravel and dirt roads, water crossings and a distance that few racers will ever contend with in the United States. We’ve also baked-in a fun Belgian breakfast and dinner, a whole lot of twists in the way of awards, and there’s a great foundation (CAF) that we’re excited to support through donations this year.”
The uniquely challenging event kicks-off at 6:30 a.m., April 7, with a catered breakfast for the 150 participants, replete with authentic Belgian waffles. The ride ensues at 8:30 with a 20-mile “neutral” processional through Carlsbad and Oceanside, before things heat up around the 100-mile-to-go mark, where the first of 15 categorized climbs begins with dirt, water and mud thrown in to accentuate the 10,000 feet of climbing. Riders will be treated to food and beverages on-course from a variety of sponsors, while contending for Sprint, King of the Mountain, King of the Dirt or Hardman categories, or simply attempting to survive. There will be an event expo on Saturday, April 6th from noon until 5:00 p.m., at SPY Headquarters, where event sponsors will be showcasing their products, athletes can pick up there numbers and race packets, and people can gather to discuss survival tactics for the next day’s grueling journey. The expo will also run all day long on the 7th, while the event is being conducted.
At the end of the day on the 7th, while specially crafted BWR Bad Ass Ale from The Lost Abbey Brewery is being enjoyed, a number of honors will be awarded for both efforts and lack-thereof. Custom-made Squadra jerseys, designed by Joe Yule of StageOne, will go to the overall winner (“General Classification—King of the Waffle”); the best overall dirt rider (“King of the Dirt”); the best overall climber (“King of the Mountain”); the hardest working rider (“Belgian Hardman”) and the most aggressive sprinter. There will also be a distinction for the most selfish, uncooperative, inconsiderate rider—the “Wawful Freddy”—who will be nominated by a panel of on-course marshals.
“I’ve done hundreds of races all over the world and thought I had experienced just about everything; I was wrong,” says Neil Shirley, inaugural BWR co-champion, 3rd at the USPRO Road Race in 2007 and Editor of Road Bike Action Magazine. “The Belgian Waffle Ride’s unique recipe will take you from having the ride of your life, to the darkest of days in the span of a few leg crushing minutes. Conquering the BWR is impossible, but getting through it with pride still intact is the ultimate goal.”
Registration for the event is available at http://belgianwaffleride.kintera.org/. Registered SPY Belgian Waffle Riders will help support the event’s cause, the Challenged Athletes Foundation® (CAF), whose mission is to provide opportunities and support to people with physical disabilities so they can pursue active lifestyles through physical fitness and competitive athletics. Sponsors of the event include The Lost Abbey Brewery, SQUADRA, BRL Sports Nutrition, GIANT Bicycles, SRAM/ZIPP, RIDE Cyclery, WD-40, Skins, SKLZ, PowerBar and WD-40.
“It’s going to be a great day—hundreds and hundreds of cycling buddies mixing it up over 125 miles in one of the greatest cycling areas I have ever had the chance to live in,” remarks Ryan Trebon, inaugural BWR co-champion, two-time National Cyclo-Cross Champion; National Cross Country Mountain Bike Champion; and two-time U.S. Gran Prix of Cyclo-Cross Champion. “Just when I think I’m going to get a break from racing or start getting serious about my mountain bike season, SPY again offers up this torturous ride that is just crazy enough to pull me in. Waffles, beer, dirt, mud, soul-crushing and bikes… what could be a better time!?”
For more information about the SPY Belgian Waffle Ride, go to www.facebook.com/SPYBWR. For more information about SPY’s cycling, multisport and endurance sports goings-on, log-on at www.facebook.com/spyperformance. For info about SPY products, athletes and events, log-on at www.spyoptic.com and www.facebook.com/spyoptic.
About SPY Inc.
SPY® is the official eyewear of USA Cycling. The brand sponsors some of the nation’s most important cycling series and competitions, and the world’s most inspiring athletes, including 2011 U.S. Pro Cycling Champion and RadioShack Nissan Trek member Matthew Busche; reigning U.S. Pro Cyclo-cross National Champion Jonathan Page, former U.S. Pro Mountain Bike and U.S. Pro Cyclo-cross Champion Ryan Trebon and top U.S. Pro Cyclo-cross racer Nicole Duke; U.S. Pro cyclist Phil Gaimon; Mountain Bike World Champions Sam Hill and Troy Brosnan; Triathlon Champion Lukas Verzbicas; Ironman Champion Chris McDonald and Ironmen Leon Griffin, Ian Mikelson and the entire Zoot team; and denizens of professional, amateur and collegiate teams nationwide, including MS NOW Novartis, Ritte, Lux Pro, Stage 17, SquadraSF, Big Orange, Swami’s Cycling and the SPY GIANT RIDE and SPY liv/GIANT RIDE teams. The SPY brand was born in the early 1990s during the renaissance of domestic cycling in a hotbed of U.S. bike culture—San Diego, California. SPY’s founders raced bikes, motorcycles, and they surfed, of course. They rode a lot because, unless the waves were good, it’s what you did in So Cal. SPY is founded on the idea that you can be innovative, technical and all about victory, but not look like a fool. With unsurpassed quality and innovative designs and unmatched style. SPY’s anti-fogging frame technology, and oleophobic and hydrophobic lens coatings were born of this passion for riding. Today, SPY is led by an array of expert racers, including active elite racers and former world champions in a variety of pursuits, inspiring the brand to serve the needs of cycling culture. Whether you’re rocking our Performance Series the Screw, winner of Road Bike Action’s “2012 Eyewear of the Year Award,” or Alphas, Quantas, Rivet, our Klutch or Whip Goggles, or our revolutionary Happy LensTM, we hope you’re stoked with what SPY is up to on the roads, trails and faces of cyclists worldwide. There’s more to come. It’s what we do.
About The Challenged Athletes Foundation® (CAF)
t is the mission of the Challenged Athletes Foundation® (CAF) to provide opportunities and support to people with physical disabilities so they can pursue active lifestyles through physical fitness and competitive athletics. CAF believes that involvement in sports at any level increases self-esteem, encourages independence and enhances quality of life.
About The Lost Abbey
In the beginning there was Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden. They were told not to eat the fruit from the apple tree. They were tempted by the serpent and made a “choice” to eat from the tree. Their actions were not preordained but rather the actions of beings with free will. At every fork in the road, there are signs marking the struggle of Good vs. Evil. The Lost Abbey was imagined as part of a crusade in this ongoing story of Good vs. Evil beer. Everywhere we turn these days, there is a battle being waged between those who make good beer and those who make evil beer.
About BRL Sports Nutrition
BRL Sports Nutrition is a division of Biomedical Research Laboratories, the leading developer and distributor of bioactive, pharmaceutical grade nutritional endurance supplements. We are dedicated to providing the highest quality scientifically-engineered natural products to help endurance athletes reach their peak performance through science and nutrition. “Our hope is that with our products you will be able to train and excel at the sport that you love.” BRL Sports strives to provide athletes access to formulas that are developed to maximize their performance and endurance at any level of competition.
About Squadra
For over a decade Squadra has been creating the best custom sublimated cycling and triathlon gear on the planet. We have focused solely on these two highly technical sports to hone our products and processes. 2010 marked a landmark year as we introduced “Pro Issue” as the premier custom collection available to the market in addition to our highly successful “Team Gear.”
About WD-40
Think back to your first bicycle. Your second… and beyond. Chances are, WD-40® Multi-Use Product was there. Now, a whole new line of bike-specific products is here from WD-40 BIKE. Developed for the whole bicycle, WD-40 BIKE products have been meticulously tested to provide superior cleaning, lubrication and protection for all bikes. WD-40 BIKE is a proud supporter of the BWR and will handing out lube samples during the morning of the event along with a clean & lube station at the finish.
About StageOne
Official designer of the SPY BWR apparel, StageOne wields over twenty years experience designing high-end, stylish and race-proven cycling wear. Avid cyclists, StageOne founders are passionate about the sport and cycling lifestyle. They know that great design and superior manufacturing are only half the equation. It’s also about relationships, service and going the extra mile to exceed our customers’ expectations.
About SKINS
SKINS rules the world in gradient compression performance equipment and is worn by professional athletes and active consumers worldwide including cyclists, runners, and triathletes, and is also the official compression supplier to professional cycling teams Lotto Belisol and Wiggle Honda. Originally developed in Australia in 1996, the brand was designed to take on a massive challenge: create a sports garment that improved performance and aided recovery. SKINS continues to make their number one focus research and development in order to improve, rigorously test and expand its range of products. SKINS is the only therapeutic compression sportswear brand supported by numerous independent studies published in peer reviewed medical journals and is also the only compression garments recommended and endorsed by the Australian Physiotherapy Association. For more information, visit the brand online at www.skins.net.
About SKLZ
SKLZ is committed to elevating the athlete in each of us by guiding and serving athletes on their journeys to be their personal best. As the flagship brand of Pro Performance Sports, SKLZ develops innovative athletic performance and skill development training products, technology and knowledge for serious athletes of all ages, skill levels and sports. Based in San Diego, California, SKLZ delivers durable, high-performance trainers that can be found around the world at major sporting goods retailers, specialty shops, and mass merchants, as well as on the SKLZ web site www.sklz.com.
