The online deadline for participating in this Memorial Day Weekend’s 55th running of the Kwik Star Criterium is 11:59 a.m., Saturday, May 28.
The annual criterium is presented by the Quad Cities Bicycle Club and held on Memorial Day. This year’s race will be from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday, May 31 – and will again run through what organizers call a “challenging and exciting course in the Village of East Davenport” featuring 90-foot elevations.
In person registration also is available on race day at the Village Theater, 2113 E 11th St.,
Davenport. There are variable fees for racers, but spectator admission is free. For more information, visit the event’s website.
The Kwik Star Criterium began as the Moline Criterium in 1965 in the Olde Towne neighborhood and has evolved over the years before landing on Memorial Day in 1975. Since then, it has joined with other area races to form the Iowa Memorial Weekend Cycling Classic.
This year, organizers are celebrating that, for the first time, the Kwik Star Criterium also will be included in the Illinois Cup series.
For a decade, the Illinois Cup has showcased the best races in Illinois and surrounding areas.
The series runs from April through July with races in Illinois, Indiana, Wisconsin, and Iowa. Riders win points by competing in individual races, now including the Kwik Star Criterium. The winners of the cup are crowned as the best overall cyclists in the state.
“The level of racing at the Kwik Star Criterium is always top notch, and we are excited to have this event as part of the 2022 Illinois Cup,” Chad Briggs, Iowa Cup race director, said in a Criterium news release.
“We are honored to be the first Iowa-based race to be chosen by the Illinois Cup race series,”
Tom Schuler, Kwik Star Criterium race director, added. “We can’t wait to host these incredibly competitive racers on Memorial Day.”
The 2022 racers in junior’s, men’s and women’s categories, also will compete for more than $10,000 in prizes.
Registration for the Koehler Electric Kids Race for children ages 3-9 will run from 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. on Memorial Day. The registration table is set for Lindsay Park between the New Ground Theatre and 11th Street. The race begins at 3:10 p.m. A parent or legal guardian must register their child and helmets must be worn for the race.
For spectators, the 2022 Kwik Star Criterium also will feature:
- A full day of racing featuring competitive men and women cyclists from novice to professional.
- A hilly course that provides exciting chases and thrilling speeds.
- Village bars and restaurants are open for food and refreshments;
- Many businesses also will provide outdoor viewing areas and beer gardens.
- Village businesses are open for shopping.
- A Kids Play area with a bouncy house will be available sponsored by the Village Business Association.
