Volunteers Needed for Beaumont Stage of 28th Annual Redlands Bicycle Classic

City of Beaumont officials are seeking volunteer race marshals for the Beaumont stage of the 28th Annual Redlands Bicycle Classic on Friday March 23.

The event features three separate races through Beaumont and Cherry Valley:

- Handcycling race for disabled athletes, scheduled start at 7:45 a.m.

- Men's race, scheduled start at 9:15 a.m., consists of 5 laps.

- Women's race, scheduled start at 9:30 a.m., consists of 3 laps.

All race events start and finish at the Beaumont Civic Center, 550 E. 6th St.

The circuit route in Beaumont is identical to last year, Race Director Eric Reiser said Monday. It covers 24.1 miles and includes climbs and descents in and near Bogart Park. Men will ride 5 laps to total 120.5 miles, and women will ride 3 laps to total 72.3 miles.

Volunteer race marshals are responsible for keeping vehicles off the course, for pedestrian control, and for assisting residents in reaching their destinations.

Shifts of 1.5 to 4 hours are available, city officials said. Race marshal volunteers must be at least 16 years of age. Race marshal training is provided by Redlands Bicycle Classic and law enforcement personnel.

There will be rolling road closures during the Beaumont Stage, in which vehicles will be required to pull over when the riders are coming by and then will be allowed to go about their business.

Due to safety and traffic concerns, several streets will be closed for the duration of the race. Detours will be in place for these roads.

This is the fifth consecutive year Beaumont has hosted a stage in the Redlands Bicycle Classic.

The Redlands Bicycle Classic is a four-day professional bicycling competition, with a combined purse of more than $43,000 for men and women racers, and it's billed by organizers as "the Premier Stage Race in the United States."

For more information on the Beaumont stage, visit www.ci.beaumont.ca.us/bikerace. For more information on the Redlands Bicycle Classic, visit www.redlandsclassic.com.