Last Spring Sparta Cycling held its first annual Berkshire Cycling Classic, which helped launch CRCA member, Ann Marie Miller to her eventual double world masters championship victories in Pietermaritzburg, South Africa in August. Now Sparta Cycling is adding another event in October, the Putnam Cycling Classic in New York, and this event is bidding to become the only American stop on the UCI World Cycling Tour (UWCT). The Putnam Cycling Classic will take place Sunday, Oct. 14, and will feature a 68-mile ride with more than 5,800 feet of climbing, and a 37-mile ride with nearly 3,000 feet of climbing. The event is the initiative of Putnam County Tourism Director and former First Lady of New York, Libby Pataki, who is working on creating a cycling playground near to New York City. Doing the event is a perfect way to support this effort.

"There is a good chance that it will become the UCI qualifying event for their UCI World Cycling Tour World Championship - so come check out the racecourse before the race it hits again next spring," says Sparta Cycling Principle John Eustice. He continues, "We have chip timing and age-group rankings. So bragging rights are available. If you are fed up with going hard, with all the frustrations that racing brings your way, just come up and have a nice ride. Police everywhere, feed zones, and smooth passage through beautiful Putnam County. Should you have a non-cycling friend or spouse who wants to come, Cold Spring is a terrific town, with magnificent views of the Hudson and West Point, choc full of antique shops and restaurants. One-hour train ride away and no bicycle permit required. Excellent post-ride meal with beer and wine, it's a terrific deal and lovely day in the country."

As part of its bid to be part of the UWCT, event partner Metro-North has created a “Putnam Classic Express,” which leaves Grand Central Terminal and, after a one-hour ride, drops participants off on the start line in Cold Spring. Tickets for the inaugural “Putnam Classic Express” are available along with event registration on BikeReg.com.

For more information, or to register for the event, visit www.putnamcyclingclassic.com. For the latest news on events taking place in Putnam County, visit: http://visitputnam.org. To learn more about Sparta Cycling’s events, visit www.spartacycling.com.