by Jordan Green

Like a footrace, a bicycle race is a pageant of color and athletic stamina whose arena is the urban landscape — streets, old industrial buildings, parks, railroad grade separations, weird topography and all.

There’s nothing like seeing hundreds of riders clad in every hue of spandex jostling their steel frames for position as they push down Cherry Street in a mass of sinew and nerve.

There’s as much as $15,000 on the table for the pros, and sprints around downtown that are open to all comers during the Winston-Salem Cycling Classic on April 18-19. Also open to anyone with $60 and the stamina to ride 80 miles out into Yadkin Valley wine country and back is the non-competitive Grand Fondo. A T-shirt will be your reward, along with the chance to visit Rag Apple Lassie and other wineries before returning to downtown Winston-Salem for a post-ride celebration with bluegrass music and craft beer.

Cycling events are fun to partake in — choose your race length and ability level wisely — and satisfying to observe. Again, like a footrace, part of the spectating enjoyment is figuring out where to position oneself to see the action.

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