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Ronde van DeLongenA fall classic, a chance for the Virginia Tech cycling road team to get out and sort out things before the winter training season. The route will be technically and physically challenging but hopefully will be fun and a chance for those in town that race road bikes and are planning on racing road to get to know each other.
The Route mapped on Strava
https://www.strava.com/routes/1094106
Strava Segment
https://www.strava.com/segments/628637
The Ronde Van DeLongen is a Handicap race
This event is for the current VT cycling team members to help sort out what category you would like to race come the spring road season. The event will have alumni and riders from around the Blacksburg area and even some special guests that will travel in for the event. This should be a great chance for newer riders to meet the cycling community, learn some racing tactics, etiquette, and see who will be taking the spring road race season seriously.
To level the playing field and give every one of the different levels a chance at the win, the event will be a Handicap race. The slowest cyclist starts the earliest and the fastest starts the latest, making the end of the race really close. An ideal handicap race is one in which all participants finish around the same time. Don’t forget to work together to outrun the groups chasing.
Handicap starting
15min head start for the C – D men and B – C women
5min head start for the Men B and women A
A riders: chase.
Meet at Bollo’s Cafe 206 Draper Rd, Blacksburg, VA at 10am
The ride out of town will be parade style on the same route as Wednesday worlds. No attacking or riding fast. Parade route is down Draper, right turn on Airport Rd, cross S Main St onto Ellet Rd. Follow Ellet Rd down the Cedar Run descent, at the bottom of the descent you will be on Lusters Gate Rd, follow this to the corner of Harding rd. The group will stop for instructions and starting of the handicap groups. From that point, open racing will begin.
Important things to keep in mind:
1. The road is open. Keep your head up and eyes open.
2. Do not cross or crowd the yellow line.
3. Be careful at all turns and at the one stop sign on Mt. Tabor.
4. This is intended to be fun. Make it so.
Print below the turn list to have turn directions during the ride.
Ronde van DeLongen
Leg Dir Type Turns on to Road Names Total Notes
0.8 → Right Turn right onto Airport Rd 0.8
1.3 ↑ Straight Continue onto Ellett Rd 2.1
2.2 ← Left Turn left to stay on Virginia 603/Cedar Run Rd 4.2 Decent
0.4 ↑ Straight Continue onto Lusters Gate Rd/State Route 723 4.7
Start Stop at corner of Harding Rd and Lusters Gate Rd. for handicap start
3.9 → Right Turn right onto VA-785 N/Catawba Rd 8.5
4.0 ← Left Turn left onto Dry Run Rd/State Route 628 12.5 Gravel
2.7 → Right Turn right onto Virginia 624/Mt Tabor Rd 15.2
8.1 → Right Turn right onto Sandy Ridge Rd/State Route 697 23.4 Decent
1.5 → Right Turn right onto VA-785 S/Blacksburg Rd 24.9
1.2 → Right Turn right onto Gravel Hill Rd/State Route 650 26.1 Climb
1.2 → Right Turn right onto Virginia 624/Newport Rd 27.3
2.8 → Right Turn right onto Sandy Ridge Rd/State Route 697 30.2 Decent
1.5 → Right Turn right onto VA-785 S/Blacksburg Rd 31.7
2.8 → Right Sharp right onto Gallion Ridge Rd/State Route 630 34.5 Gravel climb
1.6 ← Left Turn left onto Virginia 624/Mt Tabor Rd 36.1
9.3 ← Left Turn left onto Happy Hollow Rd 45.5 Decent into climb
1.8 ← Left Turn left onto VA-785 N/Harding Rd 47.2 Decent
1.4 → Right Turn right onto Lusters Gate Rd/State Route 723 48.6
4.3 → Right Turn right onto Virginia 603/Cedar Run Rd 52.9 final climb
1.5 ↑ Finish Top of Cedar run climb, Green “Blacksburg Corporate Limit” sign. 54.4 Finish
Champions
2009 Ben King
2010 John DeLong
2011 John DeLong
2012 Justin Crawford
2013 Mike Reidenbach (Some dude on Raleigh)
2014 Marcos Lazzarotto
2015 Marcos Lazzarotto
2016 Sam James
2017 Luis Leme
2018 Clayton Travis
2019 Max Koschnitzke
2020 Clayton Travis
2021 Spencer McGehee
2022 Adam McNeeley
2023 Christian James
Women’s Champion
2012 Rebecca Stimson
2013 Cora Olson
2014 Kathleen O’Neil
2015 Kate Buss
2016 Kate Buss
2017 Kate Buss
2018 -
2019 Katy Lobeda
2020 -
2021 Catie George
2022 -
2023 -
2023 Photos: by John DeLong and Mary VanSteenberghe
https://www.instagram.com/p/Cy9Vg0IOfEM/?utm_source=ig_web_button_share_sheet&igsh=ZDNlZDc0MzIxNw==
2022 Photos: by John DeLong and Catie George
https://www.facebook.com/media/set?set=a.509472907864305&type=3
2021 Photos: by Kevin Picard
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.4470463619705702&type=3
2020 Photos: by John DeLong
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.4391961260889272&type=3
2019 Photos: by John DeLong and Derek Johnson
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.2518967578188659&type=3
2018 Photos: by John DeLong
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.1927951833956906&type=3
2017 Photos: by John DeLong
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.1519242668161160.1073741981.135456576539783&type=1&l=cbe90bf81c
2016 Photos: by John DeLong
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.1160138147404949.1073741952.135456576539783&type=1&l=fe1f890739
2015 time-lapse video: by John DeLong
2015 Photos: by John DeLong and Derek Johnson
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10103871501222373&type=1&l=85f7cacede
2014 Photos: by John DeLong
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10102931315522053&type=1&l=0c0883c250
2013 photos: by John DeLong
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10102034708135443.1073741849.6228845&type=1&l=d4dc892d9a
2012 video: by John Gardner
2012 photos: by John DeLong
https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10101278051072263.2890914.6228845&type=1&l=c4bee6f0a6
2011 video: by TheSW
https://vimeo.com/52645385 commentated by: Dan Repella
Blacksburg Classics
Spring Season
Andrew Gold
Started in 2007, as a warmup for the Owen Cup, held the weekend before.
Owen Cup
Virginia Tech cycling team started a tradition in 2006 where they gather to test their road racing skills and endurance and this test was named the Owen Cup. The Owen Cup is held each year the weekend before the first collegiate race of the season.
Fall season
Ronde van DeLongen
New in 2009, a fall classic, a chance for the VT cycling road team to get out and sort out things before the winter training season. The route will be technically and physically challenging but hopefully will be fun and a chance for those in town that race road bikes and are planning on racing road to get to know each other.
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Event Venue & Nearby Stays
Bollo's Cafe & Bakery, 153 College Ave, Blacksburg, VA 24060-7401, United States,Blacksburg, Virginia
