We're two days away from another weekend of bicycle racing in Tulsa.
Tulsa Tough is celebrating 12 years of criterium racing and gran fondos in Green Country.
Criterium races known as "crits" will be raced on:
Friday evening in the Blue Dome District.
Saturday all day in the Brady Art's District.
Sunday all day in the Riverview Neighborhood.
The Riverview Neighborhood plays host to 'Cry Baby Hill', which is like a bike race and a block party wrapped together.
Race Director Malcolm McCollam said 'Cry Baby Hill' got its name for a reason.
"In cycling, hills are a challenge and people like to see the racers being challenged and have to struggle, that’s really in sports we see that all the time and it becomes a magnet,” said McCollam.
Ben Watkins, a cyclist with the Oklahoma Bicycle Project, knows 13th St and Jackson very well.
This is Watkins' sixth year racing in Tulsa Tough.
"I've been racing in Europe, it doesn’t even compare to the crowds you’ll see on Cry Baby Hill,” said Watkins.
Brittany Sparks just moved into the 'Cry Baby Hill' neighborhood.
"I’ve heard it gets really crazy, so I’m kind of scared, but at the same time I think it will be a lot of fun,” said Sparks
The large crowds are what race organizers and neighbors prepare for.
"it’s one day a year, they can deal with it,” said Sparks.
McCollam hopes people who might think negatively on a race blocking off streets can see the bigger picture-- putting Tulsa on the map for world class cycling.
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