First a little history. Without these races and this venue as an introduction to the world of bicycle racing, yours truly would have never gotten hooked on bicycle racing. With an event as old as the Quad Cities Criterium stretching back forty-five years, the kids youth bicycle races have warmed the hearts of many a Quad Citian, and has developed some mighty fine talent during those years. When Rene De Langhe help Fred Blessin and John Hood Sr develop the first bicycle race in the Quad Cities, in 1964, Rene's nephew Roger was there to help. And one of the highlights of the kid's races all these years, was listening to Roger in his thick Belgian accent, encourage and cheer on every child that participated, sometimes for the first time, in the Quad Cities Criterium.

To our sadness, we lost Roger this last November, 2009 after living a long and happy life. In his honor and from his dedication to this event, we have renamed our kid's races to the Roger De Langhe Memorial Youth Trike and Bike Races. Roger you will be missed!!

Please see the map here for racecourse layout and where the rodeo and parking will be.

How the races work?

Starting at 8:45am the Schweibert Park parking lot (along the river on the northwest corner of the bike race course on 17th St and 1st Ave, next to Modern Woodmen of America) will open to allow only rodeo and kids youth trike and bike racers and parents to park. There will be a lot security specialist there monitoring the entrance to the lot checking to see if you will be participating with the rodeo. After you unload your child's trike or bike with their helmet, you will travel south, on the sidewalk along the west side of 17th St in front of our title Sponsor Modern Woodmen bank, to the 2nd Ave pedestrian gate. A crossing guard will be there to assist you in knowing when it is safe to cross the street. Because remember, the Modern Woodmen Bank Quad Cities Criterium will be in full swing, and will already have racers competing on the course. Next, when it is safe to do so, your crossing guard will allow you to cross 17th St, and then you will proceed north, along the east side of 17th St to the alley right before the parking lot. There you will fill out the registration paperwork for the rodeo/bike race for your child. The same form will get you in both events... FREE!! To participate though, everyone will need a helmet and to fill out the form.

If you are not familiar with what a bicycle rodeo is, read about The QCBC's Great Big Bike Rodeo here.

After participation in the rodeo, from 9am to noon, and practicing safe bicycling skills, and after riders are cleared from the course from the bicycle race that started at 12:00, we will start to line up on east side of the alley between 1st Ave and 2nd Ave on 18th St at approximately 12:20pm. We will line up in age brackets from the youngest to the oldest for the Trikes, Big Wheels, and Bikes with training wheels, oldest sitting towards 17th St in the alley. Except for the 5 - 6 year olds without training wheels, the 2 - 5 year olds will move to a start line at the alley between 1st and 2nd Ave, and race about half a block to cross the start finish line. The 5 - 6 yr old kids without training wheels will go to 1st Ave. The first race will be the trikes and/or bikes (w/training wheels) with the 2 - 3 yr olds going in the first wave. The second wave will be trikes and/or bikes (w/training wheels) for the 4 - 5 yr olds. Waves may be separated by age in case the street is not wide enough to accommodate the number of participants. The third race will be the 5 - 6 yr old kids and they will be on bikes only, and no training wheels. This race will start at 1st Ave and finish at the start/finish line for a distance of one block. All of the kids will immediately get a ribbon announcing their accomplishment after the race... so don't leave without it!! This will be just past the start/finish line, and is where the parents will pick up their kids.

Then, we will have the 5 - 10 yr old kid's on bicycles, who have a little bit more skill and can handle doing one lap, 3/4 of a mile, of the Quad Cities Criterium, hourglass shaped course, racing one lap for bragging rights! Following the 9-10 yr old racers start at the start/finish line, we will have the 7 - 8yr old group go in their wave, and then the 5 - 6 yr old kid's will leave, each doing one lap only. All racers will be on the course at the same time. These will be mixed races, so boys and girls will be racing at the same time. Remember to stay around for your ribbon commemorating the event as soon as your race is done, as EVERYONE is a WINNER! This will be just past the start/finish line, and is where the parents will pick up their kids. If they are racing fast enough that it matters, and they are at least 10, they can race the Lance Armstrong Juniors Road Race Series 10 - 14 yr old event, and do five laps starting at 8:25am.

All racers for the trike/bike races and participants for the rodeo must fill out the waiver and wear an approved helmet.

Have fun!!

Donnie Miller
Race Director