Tour de force: Buffalo Gap bike race on this weekend

The annual Tour de Gap is Saturday, but race organizers will accept early registration now through Thursday.

The race takes place through historic centuries-old oak trees in Buffalo Gap just south of Abilene. This year there will be three separate trails: an 11-mile ride, a 50K ride and the grueling 100K ride.

Each race costs $55 to register online . Children 14 and under are free with a paying adult rider.

How steep?

Race organizers said there will be a special cheering section Saturday for the 180 riders in the 100K and 50K distances who will be climbing Belle Plains Road.

The short but steep hill is about a 12.5% grade at the steepest point, but thankfully only lasts 0.85 miles, organizers said.

And everyone is welcome to cheer on riders on the course or at the start and finish line.

Organizers anticipate the 100K riders departing at 7:30 a.m., the 50K riders at 7:50 a.m. and the 11-mile riders at 8 a.m. Saturday.

This 41st annual bike ride benefits the West Texas Rehabilitation Center and its affiliated nonprofit charities.

The rehabilitation center "has been changing lives with dedicated outpatient rehabilitative and hospice care throughout the Abilene-Big Country and San Angelo-Concho Valley areas" since 1953, according to the race website .

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This article originally appeared on Abilene Reporter-News: Tour de force: Buffalo Gap bike race on this weekend