BURLINGTON, Iowa — Memorial Day weekend will be full of bike races in Eastern Iowa and Western Illinois, starting with the Burlington Road Races on Friday. The next day, the 34th annual Snake Alley Criterium will take place in downtown Burlington. The Snake Alley bike race includes a one block climb up Burlington's historic Snake Alley.
This year's race isn't particularly different from years past, but the alley often provides for precarious conditions. Come rain or shine for the weekend's races, they will go on, unless there is severe lightening. Nick Martinez is the race director for the Snake Alley Road Race. Bikers have to come ready to climb.
"Because of the alley, it's a very unique race. It's a criterium that you won't get to experience anywhere else you know, no place else will you get to ride up a brick, winding alley," said Martinez.
The alley's incline has an average grade of 12.5 percent, has five switchbacks and is just shy of a football field's length at 276 feet. The Snake Alley Criterium has 12 categories based on skill level, age and gender. The route is a loop, so depending on a biker's category, he or she could have to climb Snake Alley has few as four or as many as 20 times.