Hundreds of professional and amateur bike racers are preparing for the Iowa Memorial Weekend Cycling Classic. Beginning Friday, there'll be four days of bike racing in eastern Iowa.
John Harrington from the Quad Cities Bicycle Club says the races in Burlington, Muscatine, and the Quad Cities have been held for many years during the Memorial Day weekend, but this year they're part of something new - the Midwest Flyover Championship Series.
"It's a five weekend series taking place in four states where the pro racers gather points as they go from race to race. And there's an additional $24,000 in prize money."
The series began 3 weeks ago in LaCrosse, followed by eastern Iowa this weekend, then the series moves to Kansas City in June, followed by Clear Lake, Iowa, and Minneapolis in July.
The Iowa Memorial Weekend Cycling Classic begins Friday with the Burlington Road Races, followed by the Snake Alley Criterium also in Burlington on Saturday. Sunday will be the Melon City Criterium in Muscatine, with the Quad Cities Criterium on Monday in Davenport.
