BETTENDORF, Iowa-- Gallons of meat sauce, homemade loaves of bread, and two entire lasagnas, it's a recipe for success here at the Harrington household.
One of the longest standing traditions in the Quad Cities, the Quad Cities Criterium, is starting a new tradition this year, the Host Housing program.
People from around the QC can volunteer to house a team from across the nation that comes to race. Teams travel to the area once a year, and now, thanks to the program, those teams can stay for free.
"It alleviates our budget quite a bit. A lot of times, I'm really scrapping the bottom of the barrel to try to find money to pay for our guys to live at one of these races," says Summit Wealth Strategies owner Nick Hand.
For these cyclists chowing down on carbs, racing isn't a job, it's a passion, and an expensive one at that. Staying with a host family helps feed that fire on and off the road.
"Hopefully having these great host houses is going to equate to some success tomorrow," says Hand.
Organizers of the Criterium also hope the program will draw in more racers in the future, making the event even more successful.
"The more pro racers you have, the more sponsors want to participate, the more fans want to participate, the more the city wants to participate," says QC Criterium race organizer John Harrington.
There's something about food that brings people of all kinds together. And after this meal, this cycling team has gained a few life-long Quad Cities friends and fans.
"We'll be there with our cowbells cheering them on. They're our team," says Janette Harrington.
The Quad Cities Criterium kicks off on Monday, May 30 at 9 am in the Village of East Davenport. More than 400 racers will participate.
Businesses will be open early to provide for the crowd.