Cycling's healthy coast to coast — at least in April at Tour of the Battenkill and Sea Otter Classic

November 28, 6:56 PMCycling ExaminerJames Raia

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A recent post about the 2009 Sea Otter Classic and the words I wrote, "But for the majority, the Sea Otter Classic is the country’s largest offering of age group amateur competition and citizens' rides,” drew the attention of Dieter Drake.

Drake is General Manager and CEO) of Anthem Sports, which among races, organizes the Tour of the Battenkill in Cambridge, N.Y.

Drake pointed out, “The Tour of the Battenkill is now larger (than the Sea Otter Classic) with 17 Amateur road fields, and likely a UCI 1.2 men's race this year. There 1500-racers. You should come.”

If being the largest is important, I’ll take Drake for his work. Maybe the Tour of Battenkill is larger than the Sea Otter Classic, maybe it’s not.

Seems to me, it doesn’t much matter. What does seem important is that on opposite coasts two large cycling events for pros and amateurs — the Sea Otter Classic (April 16-19) and Tour of the Battenkill (April 18-19) — are thriving.

The Tour of the Battenkill, according to it web site, will have new courses for its fifth edition in 2009. The Sea Otter Classic will also undergo is nearly yearly tweaking of offerings for its 19th edition in 2009.

The two events may have some building competition, I don’t know.

But with the demise of the 2009 Tour de Georgia, it’s logical both events will likely include a few more well-known names in their respecitve pro men’s road races.