Dead Swede Bike Race Reaches Milestone

There will be a lot of cyclists on the road this weekend in the Sheridan area for the annual Dead Swede gravel bike race. Sheridan Media’s Ron Richter has the details.

Now in its 9th year, the Dead Swede gravel bike race has become one of the premier cycling events in the west. Race Director John Kirlin talks about how the idea for the event came about.

Start times for the Dead Swede Saturday will be at 7 am for the 100-mile racers, then two waves of the 60-mile and three waves of the 40-mile between 7:30 and 8:30 am. Start time for the 20-mile course will be 10 am. All of the races except the 20-mile will start and finish in Kendrick Park. The 20-mile will start in Dayton and finish in Kendrick Park. Kirlin says that they’ve reached a milestone this year regarding the number of participants in the race.

Kirlin said that with over 1,000 riders, there will be a lot of two-wheel traffic throughout the day Saturday.

Kirlin said that there are over 80 volunteers that help out on race day and that an event this size would be impossible without them. Kirlin said the after party in Kendrick Park will begin at 11 am and will include food and beverage vendors along with music by the Nate Champion Band and Jalan Crossland. You can listen to my interview with Kirlin in its entirety during the Friday Pulse Program at 9:10 am on Newstalk 9-30 KROE.