The Gateway Cup is coming up this Labor Day weekend, including the Benton Park Classic on Monday, September 2.
Now in its 36th year, The Gateway Cup takes place over four days and across four St. Louis neighborhoods: Lafayette Square, Francis Park, The Hill, and right here in Benton Park. All four days of the Gateway Cup are a part of The USA Cycling Professional Road Tour.
From the Gateway Cup Website:
Within each of these host communities, the race course is a defined one mile lap and the race is known as a criterium. This Americanized style of racing appeals to both athletes and spectators alike as the peloton, or pack of cyclists, pass by every few minutes at impressive speeds holding lines only inches apart from one another. Spectators can watch the race develop lap after lap and hear commentators announce race strategy, allowing more of an understanding and involvement in the excitement.
Each year, riders seek host housing as an affordable way to join the competition from other cities. If you’re interested in hosting a rider in town for the weekend’s races, email Amy Strahan at amystrahan@earthlink.net.
*Images from Gateway Cup, Benton Park Classic 2017