2011 Harwood Road Race

The Anne Arundel County Police informed ABRT that they had denied our road race application for the entire 2011 season. Although no specific reasons were given it was explained to us that we were collateral damage caused by their additional denial of the TriRock Sprint Triathlon Race scheduled for May 14 in Annapolis.

ABRT is dedicated to bringing quality racing to the Mid Atlantic region and we are truly disappointed that we will not hold a road race this season. We promise the cycling community to be back on the schedule in 2012 with either Harwood or Walkersville.

All participants who registered through BikeReg will be given a full refund.

Registration | Course Preview | Fields | Additional Details

New for 2011! The Harwood Road Race is the only road race in Anne Arundel County, ABRT's "home turf". The course utilizes a 6.8 mile loop used by ABRT and many other local cyclists for group rides. The course features rolling terrain, smooth roads and a killer uphill (about 12% grade) finish. This uphill section also provides the opportunity for a separate “aggressive rider sprint” contest with a $20.00 cash prize that will be awarded to the first rider over the line on each lap prior to the finishing lap.

Registration

Registration will be open on BikeRe.com (http://www.bikereg.com/events/register.asp?eventid=12709) at 8 pm on March 7 and close at 11:59 on March 27. More details about the race particulars can be found on BikeReg. For more information and questions, please email: abrtroadrace@gmail.com

Course Preview

All races will start at Southern Middle School and proceed to the race course as a neutral rolling start. The race will start on Bayard road (Rt 422) at the race official's discretion prior to South Polling House Road proceeding straight on Bayard Road. The riders will continue on a clockwise loop taking a right on Polling House Road and turning right on South Polling House Road, up through the finish line and taking another right back onto Bayard road. The Bayard-Polling House-South Polling House loop then repeats for the prescribed number of laps for each field.

The notable attributes of the course are fast flat sections on the early part of Bayard Road followed by a rolling terrain and fast descent prior to the turn on Polling House Road. Polling House begins with a sharp downhill section followed by a 90 degree turn, steadily increasing uphill rollers to the turn at South Polling House. This is where the fun begins. Shortly after turning onto South Polling House, there is a long fast descent, then a set of stair steps that continue up to and past the finish line just before the turn back onto Bayard Road.

Watch the video below as we travel the length of the course from the neutral rollout to the completion of one lap.

Fields:

Confirmed Riders

Additional Details

Minimum field: A minium of 30 riders in all field except for the Women’s senior open field which has a 21 rider minimum and the Women’s 4 field which has a minimum of 10 riders. The Juniors’ fields have a minimum of 10 riders for each age category.

Race Category Cancellation: The Race Promoter reserves the right to cancel any race that has less than the minimum field after online registration closes. Races that are cancelled may be replaced with a field from the wait list.

Racer Sign In: will occur at Race Headquarters at Southern Middle school, 5235 Solomons Island Road, Lothian, MD. Sign-in opens at 7:00 am and closes 30 minutes before each event.

Riders who register on the appropriate BikeReg Wait List will be allowed to register on the day-of-race if spots are available within 30 minutes of the start.

Course: The course is run on a 6.75 mile rolling, smooth road circuit in Anne Arundel County, Maryland a short drive south from the City of Annapolis.

All races will start at the school and proceed to the race course as a neutral rolling start. The race will start on Bayard road (Rt 422) and will proceed clockwise taking a right on Polling House Road, a right on South Polling House Road and right back onto Bayard road.

The centerline rule will be in effect and strictly enforced for the entire race including the neutral start. For the final 200 meters of the race racers will have access to the full width of the road.

All applicable traffic laws are to be obeyed when traveling from the finish area to the school and outside the confines of the race convoy.

The finish line will be on South Polling House Road on a short 12% uphill slope just prior to the intersection with Bayard Road.

A separate cash prize of $20.00 “aggressive rider sprint” will be awarded to the rider who wins the aggressive rider sprint on each lap prior to the finishing lap. There will be no aggressive rider sprints in the Juniors fields.

Feed Zone: In the Pro, Cat1,2.3 race only the uphill grade leading to the area adjacent to the golf course will be used for the feed zone. Pro, 1,2.3 racers may feed on laps 6 and 7 only. Race marshals will mark the feed zone accordingly for support personnel to distribute food and refreshments. Riders may not discard material that is not biodegradable; riders may pass or throw such material to support personnel on places far from bystanders. Support personnel leaving the feed zone area should return to the registration area via driving in the opposite direction of the race.

All USA Cycling Rules Apply: Event will be held rain or shine. If unlicensed, Cat 4 Women and Cat 5 Men (including Juniors of the same categories) are the only categories that can purchase a USA Cycling One Day License in order to race (available at the event for $10.00).

Junior Gearing Roll Out: For all junior riders (including senior races) gear restrictions will be enforced. Roll out of all junior rider bikes will be performed prior to the race as a courtesy. Post race roll out for juniors is required. This applies to juniors racing in Men’s senior fields as well. The Chief Referee will preannounce the roll out time and location on race day (check with day-of sign in desk for more information on the roll out location).

MABRA BAR Scoring: Men’s Cat 4/5 and Men’s Cat 4/5 35+ are not MABRA BAR events. Other events will be eligible for the MABRA BAR.

USAC Upgrade Points will be awarded for eligible categories and at rates in relation to each category’ length.

Wheel Van/Neutral Support: There will be no neutral wheel support. A follow vehicle will be provided and wheels available on a wheels in-wheels out basis only. Individual team support vehicles are prohibited from the race caravan.

Common Courtesy: ABRT would like to remind everyone that we all have a responsibility to leave the race course cleaner than we find it on race day. All refuse should be discarded into appropriate containers. Any rider found illegally discarding objects on the school grounds, the roads leading to and from the race course, and the on the race course itself will be dealt with accordingly (see USCF Rule 3B9, which states in part – ‘Riders may not discard materials that are not biodegradable; they may pass or throw such material to support personnel in places far from any bystanders [relegation or disqualification for littering or unauthorized feeding]). Police, turnaround officials, and corner workers are not ‘support personnel’ and riders should not throw anything to them as they pass. Trash containers will be available for rider’s to use at the school. Please be respectful of the environment and its inhabitants.

Sportsmanlike Conduct: The Chief Referee and Race Promoter expect ALL spectators and riders to act like responsible adults. Use of profanity and blatant unsportsmanlike conduct will not be tolerated.