Barry-Roubaix is a

classic A classic is an outstanding example of a particular style; something of lasting worth or with a timeless quality; of the first or highest quality, class, or rank – something that exemplifies its class. The word can be an adjective (a ''c ...

-style road/off-road

cycling race Cycle sport is competitive physical activity using bicycles. There are several categories of bicycle racing including road bicycle racing, cyclo-cross, mountain bike racing, track cycling, BMX, and cycle speedway. Non-racing cycling s ...

featuring a variety of terrain and surfaces to test

cyclists Cycling, also, when on a two-wheeled bicycle, called bicycling or biking, is the use of Bicycle, cycles for transport, recreation, Physical exercise, exercise or sport. People engaged in cycling are referred to as "cyclists", "bicyclists", ...

of all skill levels. Named to the Global Cycling Network's ''Top Five Gravel Events'' and ''Nine Coolest Races of 2018'', the event is known as the World's Largest Gravel Road Race. The course is located in

Barry County, Michigan Barry County is a county in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2020 United States Census, the population was 62,423. The county seat is Hastings. History Before the present era, the Michigan peninsula was long occupied by bands of the Potow ...

near the Gun Lake Unit of

Yankee Springs Recreation Area Yankee Springs State Recreation Area is a state-managed protected area located in Yankee Springs Township in Barry County, Michigan. The park is in area. It has 120 rustic, 200 modern and 25 equestrian camping sites, plus two cabins. There are ...

. Most years, Barry-Roubaix consists of rolling gravel roads (80%), pavement, one mile of rough two-track, rocks, sand, mud, and possibly snow and ice, along with 2200 feet of climbing. The race features three distinct levels of competition corresponding to different race course distances. The Beginner/Intermediate riders complete a 22-mile course, the Expert riders complete a 36-mile course, and the Elite/Pro riders complete a 62-mile course. The name "Barry-Roubaix" was selected in a naming competition; it is a reference to the famous

spring classic The Livamol Classic is a Weight-for-age Thoroughbred horse race run at Hastings Racecourse in Hawke's Bay and was at one stage New Zealand's richest horse race. It is run at a distance of 2040m. The race is run in October. The weather in the Haw ...

Paris–Roubaix Paris–Roubaix is a one-day professional bicycle road race in northern France, starting north of Paris and finishing in Roubaix, at the border with Belgium. It is one of cycling's oldest races, and is one of the ' Monuments' or classics of th ...

one day professional cycling race held in France. Barry-Roubaix is held annually on the third Saturday in March unless Easter happens to fall on that weekend. Participants use a variety of bicycle types ( cyclocross,

mountain A mountain is an elevated portion of the Earth's crust, generally with steep sides that show significant exposed bedrock. Although definitions vary, a mountain may differ from a plateau in having a limited summit area, and is usually highe ...

road A road is a linear way for the conveyance of traffic that mostly has an improved surface for use by vehicles (motorized and non-motorized) and pedestrians. Unlike streets, the main function of roads is transportation. There are many types of ...

fat In nutrition, biology, and chemistry, fat usually means any ester of fatty acids, or a mixture of such compounds, most commonly those that occur in living beings or in food. The term often refers specifically to triglycerides (triple est ...

), depending on course conditions and individual preferences.

Results

Summary Results Table

History

2009

Started in 2009, Barry-Roubaix's inaugural event staging took place at the historic

Long Lake Outdoor Center The Long Lake Outdoor Center, also known as the Long Lake Group Camp Historic District, is a recreational facility located at 10370 Gun Lake Road in Yankee Springs Township. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1996. His ...

, in

Middleville, Michigan Middleville is a village in Thornapple Township, Barry County, in the U.S. state of Michigan and part of the Grand Rapids metropolitan area. The population was 4,295 at the 2020 census. History The first white settler to own land in the vil ...

, a

community. On March 28, the 274 racers were treated to perfect conditions; cool and sunny weather prevailed.

2010

For 2010, the race start/finish location moved to the Gun Lake beach area at

to accommodate the anticipated growth in attendance. On race day (March 27), the Sheriff escorted the 673 racers through a controlled, ''neutral roll out'' of 2.5 miles. Racers faced sunny but cold conditions; the temperature at the time of the race start was only degrees, while a biting wind blew out of the southeast.

2011

The 2011 edition was held on March 26, in very cold conditions. Over 1000 participants started the race, but only 896 finished; 114 racers completed the 65 mile course (male winner: Erik Box, female winner: Samantha Brode); 564 racers completed the 35 mile course (male winner: Don Cameron; female winner: Kathy Everts); and 218 racers completed the 23 mile course (male winner: Trevor Smela; female winner: Sherry Martin).

2012

In 2012, Barry-Roubaix: Killer Gravel Road Race served as the second of five events in the American UltraCx Championship Series (stages ranging from 80 to 115 km). In the weeks leading up to the race, ''kolo t.c.'' riders previewed the course, sharing elevation profiles and tips for succeeding on challenging course sections including the ''Eye of the Tiger'' climb, ''Sager Road'', and the ''Three Sisters''.

2013

Consistent with the increase in popularity of gravel road racing (also known as 'Gravel Grinders') in the United States, the 2013 event was moved again, this time to downtown

Hastings, MI Hastings is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan, the county seat of Barry County as well as the county's only city. The population was 7,350 at the 2010 census. The city borders Hastings Charter Township on the north, east, and south, and R ...

. The new start/finish area was well received by the City, local residents and racers. Registration for the fifth annual Barry-Roubaix: Killer Gravel Road Race increased by almost three-fold, to 2873 registered participants. An unexpected snowstorm created unusually harsh conditions, and the race course was altered at the last minute to avoid the treacherous ''Sager Road'' two-track section. Despite the course alteration, the race almost lived up its "Killer" name, as a participant collapsed on the course but was later revived by a medical team. The 2013 title sponsor was

Founders Brewing Canal Street Brewing Co., L.L.C., doing business as Founders Brewing Company, is a brewery in Grand Rapids, Michigan, known for producing several highly rated and award-winning craft-style ales, including KBS (Kentucky Breakfast Stout), Centenn ...

2014

The 2014 edition was held on March 22; the event has been classified as the world's largest gravel road race with over 3000 participants.

2015

Media coverage leading up to the 7th annual Barry-Roubaix (28 March 2015) focused on a forecast for unseasonably cold temperatures, and anticipation of a large field size and podium payouts. In both the men's and women's 62 mile Open Category races, early breakaways defined the outcome of the day.

2008 Summer Paralympics The 2008 Summer Paralympic Games (), the 13th Summer Paralympic Games, took place in Beijing, China from September 6 to 17, 2008. As with the 2008 Summer Olympics, equestrian events were held in Hong Kong and sailing events in Qingdao. It was f ...

Gold medalist Mackenzie Woodring ( Lowell, MI) took the 2015 Barry-Roubaix Women's Open trophy with a finish time more than five minutes faster than runner-up and 2015 UCI Cyclo-cross World Championships Team United States Elite Women's Team Member, Crystal Anthony (

Beverly, MA Beverly is a city in Essex County, Massachusetts, and a suburb of Boston. The population was 42,670 at the time of the 2020 United States Census. A resort, residential, and manufacturing community on the Massachusetts North Shore, Beverly incl ...

). This win marked Woodring's fourth Barry-Roubaix victory in seven attempts. In contrast, Men's Open Category 2015 Barry-Roubaix Champion, David Lombardo (

Crystal Lake, IL Crystal Lake is a city in McHenry County in the U.S. state of Illinois. Named after a lake southwest of the city's downtown, Crystal Lake is 45 miles northwest of Chicago. The population is 40,269 as of the 2020 Census, a 1.2% decrease from 20 ...

), established and held an early lead for most of the 62 mile race, but finished only 14 seconds ahead of runner-up Nathaniel Beams (

Fort Collins, CO Fort Collins is a home rule municipality that is the county seat and the most populous municipality of Larimer County, Colorado, United States. The city population was 169,810 at the 2020 census, an increase of 17.94% since 2010. Fort Collins ...

2016

In January 2016, 65 permanent road signs were installed in Barry County to mark the three Barry-Roubaix course routes for race participants and recreational cyclists who visit the area to train on the course year-round. The annual economic impact of the Barry-Roubaix event has grown to over US$500,000. The 2016 Barry-Roubaix was pushed back until April 16, 2016 to avoid a conflict with Easter. The later starting date presented riders with a new and virtually unheard of challenge for this race, heat. The average temperature for the 62 mile race was 70F which was a full 41 degrees warmer than the average temperature from previous year. Dry and dusty course conditions made for a fast race which took on the character of a road race with large pelotons staying together until the finish. The top four riders all had the same finishing time (2:54:56), with Rudyard Peterson (Team Credit Velo-Trek; Michigan, USA) winning the sprint at the line. The top nine riders came in within one second of one another. On the women's side, it was a different story with Rachel Langdon (

Kentucky Kentucky ( , ), officially the Commonwealth of Kentucky, is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States and one of the states of the Upper South. It borders Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio to the north; West Virginia and Virginia ...

, USA) finishing almost 7 minutes ahead of Christine Thornburg (Team Psimet Racing,

Illinois Illinois ( ) is a state in the Midwestern United States. Its largest metropolitan areas include the Chicago metropolitan area, and the Metro East section, of Greater St. Louis. Other smaller metropolitan areas include, Peoria and Rockf ...

USA) with a time of 3:08:37. On 26 Jan 2017, the tourism and economic development impact of ''Barry-Roubaix'' was recognized as the event tied for ''The Destination Award'', an annual award given by the

Chamber of Commerce and Economic Development.

2017

Held March 25, 2017, the 9th edition of Barry-Roubaix was one of eight events in the ''Michigan Gravel Race Series'', a points series that debuted in 2017. The male winner of the 62 mile 'Killer' race was Mat Stephens, who edged out Mac Brennen and Ansel Dickey in a sprint for the finish line. The female winner of the 62 mile race was Lily Williams. The event was notable due to the freezing rain that had come in shortly after the race began.

2018

The tenth anniversary edition of the '' Founders Barry-Roubaix Killer Gravel Road Race'' was held 21 April 2018. To commemorate this anniversary, race organizers added a longer, more challenging race, such that four cycling races occurred simultaneously: * The Panaracer Psycho-Killer () * The

SRAM Corporation SRAM LLC is a privately owned bicycle component manufacturer based in Chicago, Illinois, United States, founded in 1987. SRAM is an acronym comprising the names of its founders, Scott, Ray, and Sam, (where Ray is the middle name of the company's ...

Killer () * The Smith Optics Thriller () * The Lauf Chiller () The Men's 62 mile ''Killer'' race winner was 2017 winner Mat Stephens (Team ''Panaracer/Stan’s NoTubes''), finishing 11 minutes faster than the previous year. The time is a new course record. Daniel Yankus (Team ''Athletic Mentors/ Fabri-Kal Greenware'') placed second, and Timothy Rugg (Team The High Roost p/b Lauf) finished third. The 2018 Women's 62 mile ''Killer'' race was decided in a sprint finish, with the top three finishers' times separated by three seconds. Race winner Rachel Langdon (Team Gray Goat Mobile) also won in 2016. Finishing in 2:59:57, Langdon set a new course record, bettering Mackenzie Woodring's 2013 record by seven minutes. Mary Penta (Team Women's Racing Project) and Kae Takeshita (Team Panaracer/Stan's NoTubes) finished second and third. Jeff Jacobi, a

Grand Rapids, Michigan Grand Rapids is a city and county seat of Kent County in the U.S. state of Michigan. At the 2020 census, the city had a population of 198,917 which ranks it as the second most-populated city in the state after Detroit. Grand Rapids is the ...

cyclist, completed the 36 mile ''Thriller'' gravel race on a Penny-farthing vintage ''high wheeler'' bike, raising over $10,000 (USD) for the charity

Gilda's Club ] Gilda's Club is a community organization for people with cancer, their families and friends. Local chapters provide meeting places where those who have cancer, their families, and friends can join with others to build emotional and social suppor ...

References

{{Reflist

External links

Barry-Roubaix: Killer Gravel Road Race
official race website
American UltraCX Championship Series

Full Length Race Video from 2016 62 Mile Race

Full Length Race Video from 2015 62 Mile Race
Cycle races in the United States Cyclo-cross races Recurring sporting events established in 2009 2009 establishments in Michigan Cycling in Michigan Sports competitions in Michigan Gravel cycling