Andrew J. Bernstein

There are just a few days remaining before the biggest single-day race in the northeast rolls out in Salem, N.Y. Last week, with preparations fully underway (for both racers and the promoters), I took a few minutes to talk with mastermind behind the Tour of the Battenkill Valley, Dieter Drake.

The race, which, for most racers, takes place on a 55-mile loop comprised of paved and dirt roads in southern Washington County, is in its fourth year. In that short time, it has quickly sprouted from a little-known early spring race to one of the biggest amateur events in the county… and Drake said that’s just the beginning. 

As of last Thursday, there were 1,350 racers registered in 16 categories. Before this Saturday, Drake said he expect registration to exceed 1,500.

What made this event so successful so quickly? “It’s a unique race on the North American calendar,” said Drake. “It mimics what they’ve been doing in northern France and Belgium for 100 years, and people look for experiences like that here. People want a taste of that. People want difficult races that gives them a real challenge, and that’s what gets them out.”

The Battenkill is nothing if not challenging. I rode the course with Drake and a few other racers on Saturday. Torrential rain on Friday night had turned the course’s dirt sections into a soupy quagmire that left us gasping for breath on the course’s toughest sections, like Meeting House Hill Road, which features three steep dirt climbs, and Juniper Swamp Road, which will send racers up an 18 percent incline.

Some racers will opt for cyclocross tires and 27- or 29-tooth gears to better tackle these challenges, but having now ridden the course in muddy, dry, and frozen conditions, I can safely say that the best bet is regular road tires and standard gears. After all, most of the race is on the road, your ‘cross tires will only slow you down. 

You won’t see any big gears in the pro race. In addition to the amateur races, about 16 pro teams will toe the line on Saturday. Drake said that their presence gives the race notoriety necessary to success.

“The pro men are the last to finish, and it’s an exciting part of the day. The pro race is very symbolic, and that’s what people come to watch,” said Drake.

The most prominent team in the race will be Canada’s Team R.A.C.E., run by Steve Bauer, silver medalist in the 1984 Olympic games, Tour de France stage winner and runner-up in the 1990 Paris-Roubaix, on which the Tour of the Battenkill is modeled.

“Steve has been really good, he understands what a great race looks like, and he wants to give his guys that kind of experience, and that will spring them to races in Europe,” said Drake.

Five-time Canadian National Champion and Olympic hopeful Mark Walters will anchor Bauer’s team. Drake said Walters is a threat to win the marquee event.

“My money is on Walters,” Drake said, noting that Justin Lindine, racing for Target Training is one of a few racers from New York who could place well in the pro race. Drake also gave a nod to Roger Aspholm, Westwood Velo, as a possible contender in either the 30 + race or the Pro/1 event, depending on which he decided to race.

Lest we all get too caught up in the fun of racing, and watching the pros, we should remember tat the race is held to benefit two not-for-profit organizations: the public libraries of southern Washington County and Farm Team Cycling, a junior cycling club that Drake started to get kids into the sport of cycling.

“This is the budget driver for Farm Team Cycling. The sport is so expensive that these kids wouldn’t get near the sport without help. We take away the cost of cycling, so that these kids can participate, so we can get more kids on bikes,” said Drake. He said that Farm Team receives support from parents and other benefactors, but it is the one event that allows the club to function in its mission of getting more people into the sport. About 15 of Farm Team’s 22 boys and girls will race on Saturday, hoping to bring home results for the local contingent.

For Drake, that’s the whole point. “The long-running mission of the race is to grow the sport, so I admittedly don’t spend a whole lot of time grabbing sponsors. That said, we have some really good support anyway because I think the sponsors wee the value in the approach to the race and what it’s able to accomplish every year,” he said.

Registration for the Tour of the Battenkill costs $30 to $40, but Drake said he could charge a lot more. “I am certain I could charged $100 per rider and get it, but that would be counter to what I am trying to do with it,” he said, pointing out that other events place the premium on profit, and use larger prize purses to draw pros. Drake hopes he can use his event’s success and mission instead, as he aims to get the race listed as an NRC event next year. So far, it seems like he’s on track.