One of the perks of having a 3-time Olympic Golf cycling medalist from the area is her ability to attract top riders to Boise.

Kristin Armstrong has done just that for the inaugural Chrono Kristin Armstrong race tomorrow.

The 13.3 mile road race will start in Star, Idaho at 10:30 a.m. and end at Firebird raceway.

The pro women will go first followed by the pro men at noon and they will share a purse of $40,000. Armstrong says she helped to put this all together because of her opportunities created by the Women's Challenge in Idaho run from 1984 to 2002. It was originally the Ore-Ida Women's Challenge and ended as the HP Women's Challenge. The race went from Boise to Stanley to Sun valley to Burley and back to Boise.

I actually followed the racers every mile and broadcast fifteen minute TV highlight updates from 1984 to 1994. It was the longest women's cycling event in the world busting wide open the perception women couldn't handle a race that demanding.

Fridays action is just the beginning of a great weekend for cycling enthusiasts as the Twilight Criterium will be held Saturday in downtown Boise.

The Criterium starts at 1 p.m. with a kids ride and then racing at 1:45 p.m.

The women's pro race begins at 7 p.m. Saturday followed by the pro men and then the awards ceremony at 10 p.m.

 

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