Clarksville, TN – Several downtown streets will close and the transit service will be temporarily relocate on Saturday, May 19th, 2018 when Clarksville hosts its first High Roller Criterium (crit).
The Clarksville Transit System will be staging on Cooper Place and Academy Avenue behind Cumberland Bank & Trust (off of Madison Street) during the event.
Parking meters will be bagged at 5:00p.m. on Friday, May 18th.
Any vehicle still parked in bagged spaces at 7:00am on Saturday, May 19th is subject to towing or confined inside the racing event until the conclusion of the race at 8:00p.m.
Downtown Clarksville Street closures are:
- Main Street will be closed from Spring Street to Third Street
- Franklin Street will be closed from Public Square to Third Street
- Public Square will be completely closed
- First Street will be closed from Main Street to Franklin Street
- Second Street will be closed from College Street to Commerce Street
- Third Street will be closed from Madison Street to Main Street
For pedestrian safety and the safety of the bicycle racers, please find a course marshal to help with crossing the course at a designated course crossing. Course crossings and marshals will be along the course at the center of Franklin Street, at the corner of Main Street and First Street, at the corner of Third Street and Franklin Street, and at the corner of Commerce Street and Second Street.
Clarksville Police Officers will be at all the major intersections. Barricades and cones will also be in place and pedestrians are urged to use extreme caution and if possible remain on sidewalks.
Anyone with mobility issues should find a marshal and ask them to contact race officials for assistance.
A criterium, or crit, is a bike race consisting of several laps around a closed circuit, the length of each lap or circuit ranging from about 500 to 1000 meters. In Clarksville’s case, the course is a flat four-corner course, .8 miles in length, with tight turns around Franklin Street, Public Square, Main Street, and Commerce Street, at South Second Street and South Third Street.
“We are excited to host this new type of event in Clarksville,” said Visit Clarksville Board Chairman Jerry Allbert. “We’ve seen crits be very successful in other Tennessee cities and thought it would be a great fit to bring more people to Clarksville and to showcase our beautiful downtown.”
The event will launch from Downtown Commons, 215 Legion Street, and include live music, a food zone, kids races, family activities and an after party.
Eleven categories of races take place from 10:00am until 6:15pm, with race times ranging from 20 minutes to 60 minutes. Registration for adult competitions is $40.00 until May 17th, or $45.00 the day of the race. Two youth-level races are $5.00 each. Individuals may register in advance at www.usacycling.org or in person on the day of the race.
For details about race requirements, categories, start times and prizes, see www.visitclarksvilletn.com/crit.
Visit Clarksville and Riverside Bicycle Racing thank race sponsors F&M Bank, Blackhorse Brewery, Riverview Inn, Hand Family Companies, Two Rivers Company, City of Clarksville, Montgomery County Government, Jenkins & Wynne, and D & D companies, Inc.
In the 2017-18 fiscal year, Clarksville will host 18 amateur and professional sports events, including football, softball, baseball, basketball, soccer, road racing, horseshoe, cycling, and track and field. These events will bring more than 41,000 visitors to the community and produce $14.6 million in new spending.
About Visit Clarksville
The Clarksville-Montgomery County Tourism Commission was established by the State of Tennessee in 1979 to positively influences tourism in the Clarksville-Montgomery County area by promoting tourist attractions, hosting conventions, group tours and engaging in large-scale marketing efforts. In 2015, the organization adopted the Visit Clarksville brand.
