BURLINGTON, Iowa-- More than 500 cyclist pushed themselves to the limit during opening day of the Memorial Day Weekend Bike Races, Saturday, May 27.
"Snake alley is a very Iconic race people throughout the country know about it so to see people coming here and people talking about it it's exciting," says Amanda Miller, award-winning cyclist and member of the Women's Road Race World Championship Squad in 2010 and 2011.
She took 3rd place in the women's race, she says although she didn't take the number one spot she was happy to come back to her hometown for the race.
"Just being back to my roots and a lot of my friends and family. (They) don't get to see me race because I race all over the world, so coming back here and racing in front of them allows them to see what I do," says Miller.
Scott Carney drove from Campaign Illinois, just to see his son compete in the junior races.
"We were watching the women pro one too from Snake Alley over there and its just painful they are just moving so fast up hill," says Carney.
Cyclist will head to the next race in Muscatine, the Melon city Criterium at 8 a.m.