The Return of the Monster Stage Race (Sorta)

Some weeks back I wrote a remembrance of the Killington Stage Race. It was easily the best event in which I ever participated. The officiating was thoroughly professional, the timing quite good (there were always some goofs, but they always sorted them out), the race bible PRO enough to be a keeper (I still have all of mine) but really, it was the course that got you there. Each day’s course was memorable and a showcase of what makes Vermont the jewel of New England. The downtown Rutland criterium remains the most consistently fun race I ever watched. Dick Ring’s crowd primes at the top of the hill eased greenback from wallets faster than charity.

Killington is back.

The organizers are the same people behind the Green Mountain Stage Race and given the longevity of that event, this bodes well for Killington. The Green Mountain Stage Race will remain in its Labor Day Weekend spot and because the annual Fitchburg Stage Race has had a lock on the Fourth of July weekend since before some of us were born, organizers made a thoroughly sound choice: Killington V.2 will occupy Memorial Day Weekend. The format will be three days, featuring a long ITT, a circuit race (likely over the former Sunrise course) and a point-to-point road race.

Here’s to hoping that the event grows and they can bring back elements like Brandon Gap, the downtown Rutland crit and finishes on Killington Access Road. Yeah, that last wasn’t exactly impartial journalism, but this ain’t Time magazine.

For more info, go here.

Image by Jonathan McElvery and was pilfered from the Killington Stage Race site.