FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. — Road racing is alive and well at the Walmart Joe Martin Stage Race (WJMSR) as Walmart says that 2023 will boast the largest and most prestigious professional field in the 46-year history of the event.
Spectators will reportedly get to cheer on jersey and stage winners from the Tour de France, Giro d’Italia, the Vuelta a España, and the Tour of Switzerland as well as national and world champions and a past winner of Paris-Nice.
Some notable athletes this year are:
- Miquel Angel “Superman” Lopez – Winner of stages in the Tour de France, Giro d’Italia, Vuelta a España, and the Tour de Suisse in 2016.
- Sergio Henao – Winner of the 2017 Paris-Nice race and a stage in the 2013 Giro d’Italia.
- Leah Kirchmann – UCI World Champion and 7-time Canadian national champion.
- Lauren Stephens – U.S. national champion.
- Clara Honsigner – 3-time U.S. national champion.
Free and open to the public, the WJMSR race and festivities will kick off Thursday and end Sunday with the Experience Fayetteville Criterium where spectators can view racers speeding through a 1.2-mile circuit in the city’s downtown as they compete in North America’s longest-running UCI-sanctioned multi-day stage race.
A stage race is a road cycling race in which each day counts as a stage and each stage has a winner. The overall race winner in both the men's and women’s races is the fastest cyclist when the results of all the days of the race are combined. This is called General Classification (GC). Across the pro, elite, and amateur race categories, more than 250 athletes from 23 countries and all 50 states are expected to participate.
Intermittent road closures May 18-21 for Joe Martin Stage Race:
Several roads in Fayetteville are reportedly set to be closed intermittently Thursday, May 18, through Sunday, May 21, for the race.
Although most of the racecourses are plotted south of Fayetteville, a portion of the Thursday and Friday races take place within city limits and will cause intermittent road closures.
Sunday’s race, a spectator-friendly criterium, takes place around downtown Fayetteville and will require several road closures for the duration of the race.
A full listing of scheduled road closures follows. Drivers are encouraged to expect delays and to use alternate routes during these times. Drivers also are reminded to be watchful for cyclists on roads and highways south of Fayetteville throughout the week as competitors will be practicing and racing throughout the area.
Additional information and route maps for the following races can be found at on the Joe Martin Stage Race website:
Thursday, May 18 – Arkansas Tourism Devil's Den Road Race (8 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.)
The start and finish location will be the east parking lot near Baum Walker Stadium on the northeast corner of 15th Street and Razorback Ave.
Portions of S. Cato Springs Rd./S. Razorback Rd. and the intersection of 15th and Razorback will have intermittent closures and adjusted traffic patterns as racers exit the parking lot and as they approach the finish line near the stadium from the south.
Friday, May 19 – Mount Sequoyah Road Race (8 a.m. - 4:15 p.m.)
The starting location will be the east parking lot near Baum Walker Stadium on the northeast corner of 15th and Razorback.
Finishing times at Mt. Sequoyah are anticipated around 11:30 a.m. and 4:15 p.m. Portions of S. Armstrong Ave., 15th, Morningside Dr., Huntsville Rd., Willow Ave., E. Spring St., Fletcher Ave., N. Oklahoma Way, E. Missouri Way, E. Dogwood Ln. and N. Assembly Rd. will be intermittently closed to traffic as racers approach the finish line at Mt. Sequoyah. Please do not park on these streets, which are part of the racecourse, afternoon. When driving in these areas, please watch for directions from volunteers stationed along the course.
Sunday, May 21 – Experience Fayetteville Criterium (8 a.m. - 5 p.m.)
The Experience Fayetteville Criterium race will be held in downtown Fayetteville, so portions of Church Ave., Mountain St., Block Ave., W. Center St., East Ave., W. Dickson Ave., West Ave. and Spring St. will be closed to traffic from 7 a.m. until 5 p.m. Please do not park on these streets, which are part of the course, after 6 a.m. These roads will remain accessible to local traffic when cyclists are not present.
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