1246. That’s how many cyclists raced the 2019 edition of the Kansas City Corporate Challenge Bike Race.
The format is a 3 mile time trial, a race against the clock on the track of the Kansas Speedway. The event is part of an Olympic styled games for businesses held since 1980, the first and largest of it’s kind.
The pandemic cancelled the 2020 games and reduced the number of sports and participants for 2021. This year the race will be held on April 12th and 13th with likely near normal participation.
While individuals are scored for medal placings in 5 year age groups from 20-24 up, companies are rewarded for encouraging participation in as many categories as possible (limited to two riders per age group). The team scoring brings out a range of abilities.
In the early years the race was a mass start road race, but in the 90’s was switched to a short time trial, allowing for a greater mix of abilities (and bicycles). You’ll find athletes on cutting age TT machines as well as cruisers with baskets. You’ll find names in the results of top tier area USAC licensed riders and triathletes.
There are a number of factors leading to the success of this fun event, peer racing included. In an earlier story we delve into Women’s road participation; we note that the 2019 Corporate Challenge race had 520 women.
