Stage two brings the Bridges Resort circuit race, on a 19.5-mile loop through farmland and small villages. The Pro/1 men will race over a distance of 72 miles and the P/1/2/3 women will cover 52 miles.
Stage three includes the 70-mile champion system Mad River road race. The course features two climbs over the spine of the Green Mountains. This year for the first time racers will ride though Waitsfield, crossing the covered bridge and climbing East Warren Road before taking on the Granville Gulf.
Thirty-five miles into the stage comes the first shakedown of the freshly repaved Middlebury Gap. While the vertical gain may be only slighter over 1,000 feet, much of it comes in the final mile, with sustained grades of over 10 percent. After covering several small, punchy hills on the run into Bristol, the race culminates with the ascent of Appalachian Gap - more than 2,000 vertical feet and at grades of over 15 percent.
Stage four includes the Dealer.com Burlington criterium, with a one-kilometer course through the downtown district to the finish line view overlooking Lake Champlain and the Adirondack Mountains.
Race director Gary Kessler said: “This is one of the strongest fields we have ever had at the GMSR. It is great to have so many elite racers participating during this 10th anniversary edition of the event.”
Large fields are pre-registered for the many amateur categories, with some having filled weeks ago. Special this year will be recognition for the dozen or so riders who have competed in every edition of the GMSR.
For more information, visit www.gmsr.info.
Champion System - Stage 1
Start location: Flat Iron Road Warren Village
Distance: 5.7 miles
Finish: East Warren Rd.-Waitsfield Common Road intersection
Course Description: From Flat Iron Road take a right onto Brook Road. This Climbs for 2.3 miles until the Roxbury Gap Road. At this point the course rolls along tending to be slightly downhill and will be fast! At mile 5.2 you will enter the “dip” at the bottom you will immediately encounter a short sharp climb out. Once at the Rolston Road the climb relents and as your legs and lungs burn you will drive the final .3 miles which is slightly uphill to the finish at the Waitsfield Common Road intersection.
Best place to watch: Warren Village, Behn Road (steepest part of the first climb), Roxbury Gap Road, Rolston Road (in the dip) and the finish.
The Bridges Circuit Race - Stage 2
Start location: Harwood Union High School, Duxbury
Distance: 19.5 mile circuit, 13.6 mile finish section
Finish: Ward Access Rt. 100B Moretown
Course Description: A rolling circuit with a gradual 2-mile climb and net elevation gain of 700 feet of per lap. Riders start at base of the climb and then descend towards Waterbury (brand new pavement on Rt. 100). Riders then roll along the flats of the Winooski River Valley toward Middlesex. The course travels over an iron bridge and up a short hill into Middlesex and then turns right onto Rt. 100B. The course follows the Mad River heading east where you will pass the Ward Access, which is the finish line. The course then passes through Moretown Village and then turns right onto Rt. 100 up the climb and past the start where the feed zone is located.
Mad River Road Race - Stage 3
Start location: Start at Mt. Ellen Base Area Sugarbush Resort.
Distance: 70 miles
Finish: Finish @ Summit of App Gap
Course Description: Mt. Ellen Base Area, left on German Flats to Rt. 17 east. Route 100 South to Hancock, right onto Rt. 125 (Middlebury Gap). Right onto Rt. 116. Right onto Rt. 116/17 (Stony Hill Road) into Bristol. Right onto Rt. 17 Baby Gap Finish @ Summit of App Gap
Dealer.Com Burlington Criterium - Stage 4
Start/Finish: Main Street, Burlington
Distance: 1 kilometer per lap
Course description: Proceed east on Main Street and make a left onto Church Street. Proceed one block north and make a left onto College Street. Go one block west and make a right onto St. Paul Street. Head one block north and make a left onto Bank Street. Proceed one block west and make a left onto Pine Street. Go 2 blocks and make a left onto Main Street to head back to the start/finish line.
{loadnavigation}
