Cyclists Getting Tough In Tulsa

The third annual Tulsa Tough bike race got under way Friday night.  Thousands of cyclists are flooding Tulsa's streets to compete for some serious cash.  The News On 6's Jeffrey Smith reports there are still more than a dozen races left to go over the next two days.      

The competition is not only winning fans from all over America, but its becoming a destination stop for international cyclists as well.

Susy Pride has come a long way to compete in Tulsa Tough.

"We're kinda here to have some good racing and enjoy the company and the locale, basically, just the hospitality," said Susy Pride of New Zealand.

Pride is a cyclist with a New Zealand team called the Jazz Apples.  It's their first trip to Tulsa.  After one day, they've figured out Oklahoma weather.

"It's hot! It's really muggy.  And, it's hot," said Lauren Ellis of the Jazz Apples.

Now, they have to figure out the course.

"There are a lot of cracks in the roads and there's a little uphill there.  I think you'll see a lot of dashing fast people," they added.

The Apples say Tulsa and this race have a lot to offer.

"It's my first time racing in America, so it'll be good to get some experience here. And, you know, see how it works," said  Belinda Boss, World Championship medalist.

The money's not bad either.

"We think it's around $5,000 to win, so yeah," said Susy Pride.

"We've got the second largest purse in the nation at Tulsa Tough," said Malcolm McCollam of Tulsa Tough.

The event director says the number of international riders has doubled since the event began three years ago.

"They love the courses. They're fair, but they're tough. They love the crowd support.  And, they love seeing the whole community come out," said Malcolm McCollam.

The Apples say they're having a great time and if they walk away a few thousand dollars richer, they'll be back at the finish line next year.

There are also cyclists from Serbia, Cuba, South Africa and a dozen other countries.