It has created a lot of controversy in town, but the bicycle race on Sunday, Sept. 14, is an important event for area racers.

The proper name is the Historic Downtown Wake Forest Criterium, billed as a community event to promote lifelong health and wellness through the sport of cycling.

The net proceeds will benefit the Wake Forest Boys and Girls Club.

One of the downtown features residents do not pay much attention to – the incline from Brooks Street to South Main with even more of a climb as you head south on South Main – is billed as one of the features of the “exciting downtown course.”

Registration for the races is $30, $15 for juniors, and $5 is added for a late fee for registrations on Sunday. The online registration at www.pre-reg.com closes Friday.

The planners, which include Wake Forest builder and developer Daryl Cady, suggest the Wake Forest Hampton Inn as the host hotel. The races are sponsored by the Raleigh All Stars Cycling Team.

There will be 12 races beginning at 8 a.m. and extending through late afternoon, and the races are for everyone from masters older than 55 to children to the men’s pro-level racers. That race, beginning about 3:30, will last an hour with prize money of $1,965.

That same day there will be an antique car show in the Renaissance Place (formerly Wake Forest Plaza) parking lot as well as a bike safety rodeo for youngsters.

AUTHOR BIO

Carol Pelosi, a 37-year resident of Wake Forest, brings 13 years experience with a local newspaper and 16 years as a purchasing agent to her editorship and writer for The Wake Forest Gazette. She has volunteered in local schools, been a member of the town and county planning boards and has been a student of local history for years.

GAZETTE

The Wake Forest Gazette is a free on-line weekly newspaper about Wake Forest government, growth, history and events that has been published on Wednesday evenings since 2003. Editor Carol Pelosi welcomes comments, letters to the editor, subscribers to her weekly notification and advertisers.