Missouri’s marquee cycling event, the Gateway Cup, is expected to draw 2,400 cyclists over four days of racing, with top riders competing for more than $70,00 in combined prize money. The event’s four courses, which each showcase a different St. Louis neighborhood, are set up as 1-mile laps that organizers expect will be surrounded by 10,000 fans per day.
The race format, know as “criterium,” means the pack of cyclists, or “peloton,” will pass by every few minutes, allowing spectators to observe cyclists’ strategies and really get into the action. “Criterium bicycle racing is really adrenal and exciting to watch—so it’s a great day outside for the whole family,” says Mike Weiss, Gateway Cup event director and owner of Big Shark Bicycle Co. “We hope that kids and families are inspired by the races and the talent of the riders, as well as the communities that become the ‘stadium’ each day.”
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The courses—situated in Lafayette Square, Francis Park, Benton Park, and The Hill—will also host children’s races, in which each participant will receive an official race number, as well as a T-shirt and finisher’s ribbon. Race registration costs $7, and additional donations will benefit the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. Parents and guardians who want their kids to participate should print a permission slip from the Gateway Cup website and register on race day.
“We give each kids’ race the same announcers and set up as the biggest races in the sport—kind of like batting practice at Busch Stadium,” says Weiss. “For the kids, they are the center of attention for their races. The announcers who call out the Tour de France [and] Tour of California literally are going to get them across the finish line.”
Other events include charity rides, a Trailnet Fun Ride (with registration fees of $8 or $10 for Trailnet members and $11 and $16 for non-members), and a free Ride to Unite that will allow participants of all ages and abilities to ride the Francis Park course alongside pro cyclists and celebrities.
To Weiss, these events are a lot like cycling itself: inclusive activities that allow everyone to participate, whether as a professional, an amateur, or an enthusiast spectator. “By participating in the kids’ races or the rides that surround the event, fans and families get to experience what it is like to cross the same finish line as the pros,” he says. “Families can ride together. And at the Gateway Cup, parents and siblings can cheer each other on.”
