Tulsa Cycling Community Gears Up For Big Weekend

The Cyntergy Hurtland cyclocross cycling event is on Saturday at Owen Park, and it's the first time something like it has come to Tulsa.

It’s being brought in by the Tulsa Tough organizers.

And a mini-velodrome is basically a small angled track where you ride a single-gear bike.

The Red Bull mini-drome has only made a few appearances here in the U.S., but this weekend it is here in Tulsa, which is a huge opportunity for the growing cycling community.

Ahead of the Saturday cyclocross event, the pre-race event at Cain’s Ballroom on Friday night will look similar, with two cyclists at a time starting on each side of the mini-drome. They basically chase after each other on bikes, getting up to 35 miles per hour and doing 10 laps usually in under a minute.

Learn more about the weekend's schedule of events here

Addison Zawada is the reigning champion.

"What you do is you start head to head on opposite ends," Zawada said. "There will be a line drawn across the middle and you chase each other like a cat-and-mouse game."

If it has your head spinning just thinking about it -- imagine the competitors.

"It's a very fast-paced race, which is another way it relates good to me and to Red Bull (energy drinks) because it's high energy, really quick,” Red Bull Champion Addison Zawada said.

The event kicks off Friday at Cain’s Ballroom. The executive director with Tulsa Tough says who knows if Tulsa ever will get it back again, so it definitely is a unique opportunity.

The cyclocross race begins Saturday morning. It takes mountain biking and mixes it with road bike racing for the "Tough Mudder"on wheels.

"Something like this is awesome for Tulsa because it sort of puts it on the map for a different cycling scene," Zawada said.