MOUNTAIN VIEW COUNTY – The fifth edition of the Hay City Road Race in Mountain View County welcomed the most riders in the event’s history to date and also introduced new categories for youth.
“We had 148 participants, which is our record number for us,” said race organizer Jason Proche.
“Last year we had 143,” said Proche.
Although a modest increase of registered racers over 2024, this year’s number represents a substantial jump since the inaugural 2019 event that brought out approximately 100 cyclists, he said.
Following the pandemic disruptions that led organizers to cancel the event in 2021 and 2022, the race has since returned annually, he said.
The Alberta Bicycling Association (ABA) sanctioned event was held on Saturday, May 3 with a staging area set up at the Hainstock Community Centre approximately 10 minutes northwest of Olds.
“It was a fantastic day in terms of weather and for us as organizers,” said Proche, adding there were some flat tires as tends to happen at road races but that there were otherwise no injuries and the medics’ services were not required.
“Nobody got hurt, which is awesome.”
And new to this year was offering younger racers an opportunity to get involved.
“We did introduce the youth categories, which are still kind of growing,” he said, adding there were only nine racers but that it was the first time that had been made available.
The race also offered them more than just a chance to compete in a formal, sanctioned event.
“It was actually a selection race for some of the under 17 riders to see if they qualify for upcoming provincial and national teams,” he said.
“It’s a way for young riders to actually move through the ranks if they wanted to ever get to become pros.”
There are only four road races in Alberta, with Hay City being among them, he said.
“It is early season, but (ABA) chose this one in terms of evaluating the riders or allowing riders to have a chance to qualify for these provincial and national spots.”
The one-day event featured a 29-kilometre circuit, but the total distance racers actually tackle depends on their category.
“Some of the lower categories and the youth categories will do two laps, so around 58 kilometers, whereas the elites will do 118 kilometers (four laps),” he said.
“The feedback that I heard was it’s just a fun, challenging course.”
The race became that much more interesting in the afternoon when the winds picked up as the higher-level cyclists were getting started, he said.
“That adds a dynamic to the race,” he said. “At that level, it gets pretty strategic.”
The course is essentially a big square with a backside that is really hilly where the racers were dealing with a crosswind, which impacts how they ride, he said, adding cyclists are much less inclined to attempt a breakaway burst – especially into a headwind.
“Because you really get that advantage of being in the pack – in the peloton – where other riders are breaking the wind,” he said, likening the situation to the Formula One where drivers draft their cars.
“There’s about 30 per cent savings in energy because of that draft effect,” he said. “When the wind increases, it exacerbates the effects, so you’ll have less and less attacks.”
There were some contenders in the men’s elite race who attempted to fly ahead, but they weren’t successful once they fought the wind upon hitting that portion of the course, he said.
But there was a section coming out of the staging area where they turned north on Range Road 23 where the wind was on their side.
“It was on that section that they had a really good tail wind,” he said.
Proche expressed gratitude for the opportunity granted to his Calgary-based cycling club called bicisport – branded with a lower case ‘b’ – to host the Hay City Road Race.
“We recognize that we’re in another community,” he said, adding riders come from all over the province.
“In that regard, investing in the community is really important to us, and we’ve chosen the Mountain View Emergency Shelter Society,” he said, adding the club has contributed $2,500 over the last couple of years with plans to give another minimum donation of $1,500 this year.
“We’re really supportive of their mission.”
