The annual Oklahoma FreeWheel bicycle tour will pass through several towns this year, including Hugo, Atoka, Wilburton, Warner, Pryor and Grove.

But only the city of Tahlequah will be celebrating the arrival of the FreeWheel cyclists by holding a sanctioned bicycle race, right smack-dab in the middle of town.

Every year, FreeWheelers spend a week riding from the southern border of the state to the northern border, taking a different route for each excursion.

The last time the cyclists came through Tahlequah was in 2001, and they were welcomed with a pretty impressive downtown celebration, including the first “SpeedWheel” criterion bicycle races.

The event was so successful, some folks felt that hosting FreeWheel again this year, without Speedwheel, would be something of a letdown.

“Tahlequah was voted the No. 1 place to stop by FreeWheel riders the last time they came through town,” said Dave Rogers of Paceline Cyclery. “We’re pretty proud of that, and we want to make sure we continue to be their favorite place to stop.”

The cyclists will begin arriving in town Wednesday, June 14. Although they’ll be leaving Warner that morning and pedaling 56 miles to get to Tahlequah, the early-birds will probably be getting to Tahlequah about mid-morning.

They’ll be camping out near the Tahlequah Junior High School, and leaving early in the morning on June 15 for Pryor.

The criterion races will begin at 5:30 Wednesday, and will be held on Muskogee Avenue, Morgan Street, Water Avenue, and Goingsnake Street.

Those streets will, of course, be closed to motor traffic for the duration of the races.

Ronnie Cookson, a native Tahlequonian now operating Midtown Cyclery in Tulsa, took part in the 2001 SpeedWheel. This year, he’s helping organize the event.

He said teams from Oklahoma, Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri, and Texas are expected to participate in the races.

(The FreeWheelers will probably be too tired to race, but they’ll no doubt be watching from the sidelines.)

“The start/finish line will be right between Paceline and Sam & Ella’s,” said Cookson. “In the first SpeedWheel, the course went up to College Avenue, but this year it’s going to be one big loop.”

Cookson said the races will be spectator-friendly, with vendors expected to be set up along Muskogee Avenue and the new Norris Park – currently under construction, but expected to be completed by race day.

“You should be able to see most of it from right there in the new city park,” said Cookson. “So folks can bring the family down watch the races from their lawn chairs.”

Rogers said anyone who missed the 2001 races – and hasn’t seen a criterion bicycle race live – should definitely come down and check it out.

“It’s going to be one big loop of a race course, with some of the most competitive cyclists in the country competing right here in Tahlequah,” he said. “Criterion racing is the NASCAR of bike racing. It’s an endurance race, but you can definitely get some pretty dramatic finishes, and the finish line will be right there by the park where everyone can see the action.”



Get involved

For more information about the SpeedWheel race, including sponsorship information, contact Ronnie Cookson at Midtown Cyclery in Tulsa, (918)-749-7563. For more information on the FreeWheel bicycle tour, visit www.okfreewheel.com.