Rain Doesn't Stop Tulsa Tough Races Or Fans On Crybaby Hill

After two days of largely dodging the rain bullet, day three of Tulsa Tough got underway on a soggy Sunday.

Criterium races took place all day on Crybaby Hill. The race route on Sunday moved to the Riverside Drive area, and the last race of the day was the Men's Pro.

But a little bit of rain wouldn't stop the Criterium Race on Riverside Drive all the way up on Crybaby Hill.

Crybaby Hill is like a Mardi Gras celebration tailored for the cycling community. People don costumes and converge on Tulsa's Riverview Historic District.

It's what the cyclists and race fans have been waiting for all weekend for -- the grueling climb.

6/7/2014 Related Story: Cyclists Continue To Test Endurance At Tulsa Tough

The hill is a two-block section which starts on Riverside Drive and it tests cyclists of all levels.

Riders cry in pain - -but the atmosphere at the top of the hill keeps pushing them though.

There's one big rule spectators have to follow on Crybaby Hill -- stay inside the big red lines and out of the riders' way.

"If you step outside, inside the gap and a racer hits you, you will be very uncomfortable," fan Micky Payne said. "Not only will you be uncomfortable, but they will be uncomfortable."

The wet weather conditions presented some challenges to race officials worried about the safety of the riders.

Stacey Roggendorff with Saint Francis Tulsa Tough said organizers assessed conditions before each scheduled race. They called off the Kids' and Townie rides originally scheduled for 1 and 2:15 p.m.

"With weather conditions remaining wet, we feel it's important to avoid any situations that may pose a danger for these riders," Roggendorff said.