Georgia Cross is Coming! Georgia Cross will be 21 in 2021, and we will be celebrating in big style! Planning has begun for the fall. We don’t know exactly like racing will look like or what venues we will be racing at, but there will be a series! We will be following all USAC and local COVID-19 guidelines at the time of the races, so things may look a little different. Roll with it and be flexible if there are changes as we go through the season; it’s a different experience for us, too. Keep your eyes here for some fun stuff coming later this spring and summer to get us pumped for CX! #crossiscoming

2-23-2021 Biking Bleckley Press Release Ride the scenic roads of Cochran & Bleckley County as the Cochran-Bleckley Chamber kicks off the biking season with one of the first ride of the year. With four (4) routes to choose from, there is something for everyone. Plus, we will have t-shirts, fun rest stops, lunch, snacks, drinks, goodie bags, SAG wagon and entertainment available for all riders. Registration link is available online at www.cochran-bleckley.com Registration fees increase after Friday, March 5, 2021. Please email info@cochran-bleckley.com with any questions.

Willeo and Riverside to be Closed for Bridge Replacement Willeo Road and Riverside Roads at the intersection of the City of Roswell and Cobb County will be closed for 4 months later this year for a bridge replacement. An exact timetable has not been given. This is a popular route for cyclists.

2-22-2021 Michael Garrison Interview Cyclingnews.com has a nice interview with Micheal Garrison from Decatur, GA. Michael races for Continental U 23 team Hagens Berman Axeon.

Dick Lane Velodrome Update From the DLV Website: The Dick Lane Velodrome is committed to promoting cycling in a safe and friendly environment. It was out of an abundance of caution for everyone’s health, state/local guidelines, and respect for the community that we temporarily shut down the Dick Lane Velodrome in 2020. We were all disappointed, but it was a necessary decision. For 2021, we are working on a plan to reopen on a limited basis. The obvious challenge is COVID-19 safety. Some insight into our racing plans for 2021: We are discussing that when racing starts, it will be one night a week. We are planning on just Wednesday nights to begin the season. This allows us to ease into the season and ensure our COVID-19 guidelines are being implemented properly, allowing us to make any necessary changes before the next race day. We will re-evaluate adding race nights on a regular basis to decide if/when we can expand programming.

Status of our regular programs:
• Wednesday adult racing or organized training – in planning phase. Start date to be determined.
• YCL – on hold. Evaluating our ability to restart in 2021
• Certification Classes – on hold. Evaluating our ability to restart in 2021
• Tuesday Racing – on hold till further notice
• Pro races – on hold till further notice

As a 100% volunteer organization, we are doing our best to get things going while taking care of our personal and professional lives outside the velodrome. If anyone wants to help, please email volunteer@dicklanevelodrome.com. Please check back for updates! Thanks, Gary Morgan President, East Point Velodrome Association

USAC Cancels Collegiate Road Nats in Augusta Press Release In order to ensure the safety of our members, USA Cycling has decided to cancel the 2021 Collegiate Road National Championships, due to take place May 7-9 in Augusta, GA, and Collegiate BMX National Championships, due to take place this spring. While the nation is seeing a downward trend of new COVID-19 cases and deaths, collegiate conference road seasons have been canceled, and universities and colleges across the country have travel restrictions in place. These circumstances make holding a collegiate road season with a National Championship at the finale impossible for many riders. After conversations with teams and the community, the decision to cancel rather than postpone was made based on a packed full fall semester of collegiate racing that includes track, mountain bike, and cyclocross. The Augusta Sports Council has been a valued partner throughout the last year as we have assessed holding Collegiate Road Nationals. We are excited to announce that Augusta, GA, will be the host for the 2022 USA Cycling Collegiate Road National Championships. “With a long and rich history of hosting elite-level events, Augusta and its cycling fans are obviously disappointed that the 2021 USA Cycling Collegiate Road National Championship had to be canceled in 2021 due to the ongoing pandemic. We fully support USA Cycling in making this difficult decision and agree that the health and safety of their athletes is of the utmost importance. We are extremely excited to host the event again in 2022 when we look forward to welcoming back USA Cycling and its collegiate athletes to our community,” Brian Graham, CEO of Augusta Sports Council.

2-19-2021 Georgia 3 Foot Law Update From Bike Law Georgia’s Facebook post UPDATE ON GEORGIA’S 3 FOOT LAW. There’s a revised version of the law that was just approved by the House and is on it’s way to the Georgia Senate. We’re hoping that the revised version of O.C.G.A. 40-6-56 will (a) provide better protection for people who ride bikes and (b) be easier for law enforcement officers to understand and enforce. We’re also hoping that the new law will be accompanied by a widespread education campaign to make sure that drivers are aware of the law, since they routinely ignore the law that now exists. The current version that passed the House will require cars to change lanes when passing someone on a bike, if possible. If not readily possible, then the car is required to slow down and only pass the person on the bike if they can do so safely, leaving at least 3 feet when passing. The language of many bills gets changed before becoming finalized as a law, so stay tuned. If there’s a need for public comment or support, we will notify as many people as possible.