Spirit Week and the UCI Road World Championships start the same day to stir campus wide spirit

The Men’s Elite Road Race, the premier race of the UCI Road World Championships, is expected to draw thousands of spectators to the University of Richmond. To match the influx of outside excitement, the university is hosting a Spirit Week to promote student, faculty and staff spirit in anticipation of the event.

Spirit Week will begin the same day as the 2015 UCI Road World Championships, this Sunday, Sept. 20 and extend until Sunday, Sept. 27, the day of the Men’s Elite Road Race. 

Cynthia Price, Director of Media and Public Relations, spearheaded the effort for a campus-wide Spirit Week to promote the university’s role in the Road World Championships.

“We wanted to remind students, faculty and staff of the coming bike race and generate and grow excitement throughout the week,” Price said.

The Presidential 5K Bike Ride hosted by President Ronald Crutcher, was the first event planned, Price said. Crutcher will lead cyclists around the campus this Sunday at 9 a.m. The ride will begin at Tyler Haynes Commons and follow part of the course racers will travel in the Men’s Elite Road Race the next week.

Each day next week leading up to the Men’s Elite Road Race will also have an cycle-themed event, Price said. 

The Weinstein Center for Recreation and Wellness will host several of these events. On Monday, Sept. 21, the Center will partner with the Office of Sustainability for a Bike Fair in the Forum. Students and staff will receive information about bike safety and repair, be able to register their bikes on campus and have the opportunity to win prizes, said Kelly Sprouse, Weinstein Center Operations Coordinator. Information about the Green Bike program and bike rentals on campus will also be available.

The Weinstein Center has also debuted a special month-long event, Cycle Craze, to promote school spirit for the UCI World Championships. Cycle Craze began on Sept. 1 and will continue until the end of the month. It offers a variety of cycling classes open to anyone. 

Two of these classes, Endurance Glow and Dominate the Distance, are special events specifically for Spirit Week. Students and staff can cycle in the dark with glow sticks and black lights on Tuesday, Sept. 22 from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. during Endurance Glow. Dominate the Distance on Thursday, Sept. 24, will focus on distance cycling and will be offered twice in the morning, once at lunchtime and once in the evening.

On Wednesday, Sept. 23, the Heilman Dining Center will host a special bike-themed lunch, titled Tour de Dining. The dining hall will feature flags and bike decorations while serving street food-themed items including a frankfurter buffet and frozen ice from Soul Ice, a specialty vendor, said Jerry Clemmer, Director of Residential Dining.

Bike to Work Day, Friday’s event is also a collaboration between the Weinstein Center and the Office of Sustainability, where faculty and staff will have the opportunity to get involved with spirit week.

“We’re offering faculty and staff an opportunity to either ride from their homes to the Weinstein Center or they can drive to work and bike over to the Forum where there will be breakfast in the dining hall as well as chair massages,” Sprouse said.

While supporting school spirit, events centered around campus biking have an additional benefit, Sprouse said. 

“The bike program-specific events are really important because it encourages our campus community to really understand the bike program we have on campus," Sprouse said, "which supports green transportation as well as being active."

The end of Spirit Week will come next Sunday, Sept. 27, when Richmond hosts the start of the Men’s Elite Road Race in the morning and welcomes international racers and spectators to campus.

“One of the exciting aspects of the race is that you have cyclists coming from all around the world,” Price said.

To celebrate the Men’s Elite Road Race and the diversity of racers representing over 70 nations, the Office of International Education will host an International Festival in the Carole Weinstein International Commons from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. The festival will occur at the same time as the race and feature music, giveaways and a photo exhibition along with breakfast items from Passport Café.

Spirit Week events will ultimately build excitement for the UCI World Championships with student and staff participation, Sprouse said.

“Participating in these events really shows support for the campus community and the city of Richmond,” Sprouse said. “Especially because the world is riding at the University of Richmond." 

Contact reporter Ashlee Korlach at ashlee.korlach@richmond.edu.