Cyclists test their skills in Texas Road Race at The Great Place

FORT CAVAZOS, Texas - Sweltering summer temperatures gave way to cooler fall breezes Saturday morning, providing ideal weather conditions for racers competing in this year's Texas Road Race.

The two-day event saw cyclists from all over the world converge at The Great Place to test their skills.

Set against a backdrop of M1A2 Abrams and M1A3 Bradley static displays, the fastest racers kicked off the elite event, with more than 160 experienced riders in five groups competing at various skill levels.

Sunday featured the age-graded championships, as racers from young to young at heart showcased their skills.

"This is the key race of the year," expressed Andy Hollinger, Texas Road Race director. "This is the championship. This is something that people train for.

"The ability to have a road race that has a long loop, paved road, and closed course is everything," he said of the location on Fort Cavazos. "(Racers) don't have to fight traffic, and they can use both sides of the road. It's a lot like racing in Europe."

Hollinger added, much to his delight, this year's race had an influx of women racers, as a majority of the competitors are male.

"This year, we have 20 women in the elite categories, which is incredible," he expressed. "And we're very proud that they decided to come out and race."

Pamela Ferguson, co-captain of Haute Wheels Racing, a women's cycling team based in Houston, said the race is an excellent way for riders to challenge themselves, build character and develop competence.

"It was such a hard course," she shared. "I said I would never do this race again, but I did last year, and then decided to try again this year. It really earns its name as a championship course. I keep coming back to challenge myself and to try to encourage more women to come out and race."

Hollinger explained racers navigate up to three 33-mile laps around the course, totaling just shy of 100 miles of grueling terrain.

"They have hills, they have downhills, they have steep climbs," he noted. "That's 2,500 feet of climbing each lap. That's a big deal."

Since its start in 2009, the race has generated approximately $75,000 in donations for military charities, and each race is held in memory of "the racers that went before us," Hollinger shared.

Also known as the Bill Weinlein Memorial Championship Races, the Texas Road Race celebrates the memory of Weinlein, a cyclist and long-time official who succumbed to melanoma in 2023.

Hosting the race on Fort Cavazos has special significance Hollinger conveyed.

"Many of us are veterans, so having it here means a lot to us," he said. "Having the Soldiers here, having the national anthem … it's very meaningful. We're very grateful that the base does so much and for the welcome that we get from the Army."

Ferguson encouraged those considering racing to give it a shot.

"If there's a woman out there, anybody reading this who's thinking about racing but is intimidated or afraid, just show up and try it," she said. "I think you'll have fun and maybe find a new passion.

"Whatever you're thinking about and want to do, do it because you have one life," she continued. "And I think it's important and essential to find a passion. For me, (it) is
bike racing."

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