Six-Day Classic Ends in Redlands Today

Only 60 miles east of Los Angeles, downtown Redlands seems a world away.

Brick sidewalks, shade trees, storefront awnings and old-fashioned lampposts frame the two-lane State Street. And once a year, this picture postcard transforms into a venue for world-class cyclists.

The Redlands Bicycle Classic, the nation’s largest stage race, traditionally has a strong field. But this year’s field, which includes Jeannie Longo-Ciprelli of France, could be the strongest ever.

So what is the Atlanta Olympics road-race gold medalist doing halfway around the world?

A bad winter in France made training difficult, so Longo-Ciprelli and her friends looked for alternatives and found the Redlands Classic on the Internet.

Although Longo-Ciprelli is not in peak condition yet, she is excited about the early season challenges the race provides and didn’t rule out returning in the future.

“Sure, why not?” Longo-Ciprelli said. “It was so hot the first few days here, but it was great to find the sun and heat again.”

Joining Longo-Ciprelli in the women’s field are Dede Demet-Barry of Boulder, Colo., and Canada’s Linda Jackson. All three were ranked in the world’s top 20 last year.

Included in the men’s field are Canada’s Gord Fraser, Frank McCormack of Leicester, Mass., and Scott Moninger of Boulder, Colo. All three were ranked in the U.S. Cycling Federation’s top five last year.

The Redlands Classic, a six-day, six-stage event, concludes this weekend with today’s Sunset Road Race, which begins and finishes in downtown Redlands and moves through the adjacent neighborhoods. The women start at 10:30 a.m. and the men at 1:30 p.m.

This year’s Redlands Classic is also designated as the U.S. qualifier for the ’99 Pan American Games in Winnipeg.

“It’s the first key race of the season,” said David Clinger of Woodland Hills, who won Stage 1 Wednesday, the 51-mile East Highlands Circuit Race. “And it’s the biggest race out here.”

But the Redlands Classic wasn’t always like this.

Fourteen years ago, Mayor Carole Beswick helped start the event, which was initially a three-day race. She wanted to draw on the enthusiasm after the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics road-race event held in Mission Viejo, which drew an estimated 200,000 fans.

“We saw what Mission Viejo did and figured why couldn’t we do something like that too?” said Beswick, who was Redlands’ mayor from 1983 to ’91. “We wanted to create an event that could highlight our downtown area and bring the community together.”

Besides rooting and serving at the event, people can also participate. There are eight races today open to men and women.

Redlands Classic

* What: Largest U.S. cycling stage race.

* When: Continues today, women start at 10:30 a.m., men at 1:30 p.m.

* Where: Citrus Avenue between 5th and 6th streets, downtown Redlands.