Oak Ridge Race-Taken from Daniel Price on SCV Forum

I took a little drive up to Oak Ridge to check out the RR course shown on the Oak Ridge Velo site. I’m not sure if there is a neutral roll out from the Flat water grill where registration is or what, but I didn’t see any markings for the Start/finish line. The course is on good pavement, but there are some narrow roads, specifically Marlow Cir and Marlow Rd. The roads are gently rolling and a bit twisty…. Mostly big ring hills except for the single one mile climb that starts around 9.7 miles into the course on Sulphur Springs Rd. The climb starts out fairly gradual, then actually drops down a bit, then climbs back up and gets a little steep in a section with 9 or 10% grade maybe. The top of the hill is at the interstection of Sulphur Springs Rd and Black Oak Rd. You immediately descend back down. The descent is a little curvy, but no switchbacks. Most of the curves you should be able to take at speed. I’m afraid to speculate on how the finish will be since I didn’t see it marked, but the course is a little over 15 mile long laps so you’ll get to see the finish a few times before the end. Below are a few spots to take note: 

-Use caution on the right turn onto Marlow Cir about 1.5 miles into the race. You’re going downhill and that turn can sneak up on you. 

-Shortly onto Marlow Cir you will go under a railroad bridge. The road is very narrow there. Watch for a bottleneck. 

-Just before you turn onto Marlow Rd from Marlow Cir you will cross some railroad tracks. Also, that intersection has a lot of gravel at the moment. Hopefully that will be gone by race day. 

-While on Marlow Rd you will cross the railroad tracks again. This time at a bit of an angle… suck creek rd style. 

-On Dutch Valley Rd I saw a couple ankle biter dogs out in a yard…. Roughly 5.5 miles into the course 

-About ½ mile before the climb, Sulphur Springs Rd makes a hard left turn. You cross railroad tracks just before this hard turn. 

-Watch for the turn onto Laurel Rd from Sulphur Springs Rd. You are going downhill, and it sneaks up on you fast. 

-Also watch the turn from Laurel Rd back onto Oliver Springs Hwy. You’ll be going fast down that road and will have to break pretty hard for that turn. 

I think this is an awesome course (except for all the railroad tracks), and definitely a huge possibility for a breakaway to win this one. This will be a great tune-up race for our hometown race the following weekend. I can’t wait!