Downtown St. Pete to host inaugural Orange Belt criterium cycling race in October
/Whether you’re a cycling fanatic or a casual cruiser, the upcoming CRIT Championship Tour has something for you.
Orange Belt, a new organizer of cycling events based in St. Petersburg, is excited to host the CRIT Championship Tour, a criterium bike race in the heart of the EDGE District to be held on October 21, 2023.
A criterium, or crit, is a bike race consisting of several laps around a closed circuit. “Think of a criterium like NASCAR,” said Michael Rideout, who co-founded Orange Belt with Nathan Stonecipher. “We’re doing a set number of laps.”
This year’s CRIT Championship Tour takes place in the heart of The EDGE District between 11th and 15th Streets.
CRIT is designed to generate racing's most inclusive and electric atmosphere by celebrating the diverse cultures of each venue as represented by riders and fans alike. CRIT promises to promote the spirit of competition, embrace sportsmanship, and share the love of bike racing.
The CRIT Championship Tour is a new criterium race series that was launched in 2023 by Justin Williams, a professional cyclist and founder of the L39ION of Los Angeles team.
Before the professional races begin, the CRIT Championship Tour will host a 23-mile and 46-mile Community FUNdo Ride across St. Petersburg.
The term “Fundo” comes from the Italian word “Fondo,” which means “big ride.” It’s not a race; consider it a community group ride that will include breakfast, custom gift bags, photos, and Green Bench brews post-ride.
The racing starts later in the day and is broken down into two categories: Amateur and Professional. The Amateur racing will be called the “Orange Belt Cycling Series” and will have the following categories:
Kids Ride (ages 2-12)
Junior’s Open (ages 15-18)
Women’s Open (categories 2/3/4)
Men’s Open Masters (age 35+)
Men’s Open (Category 2/3/4)
Women’s Fixed Gear Open
Men’s Fixed Gear Open
The Professional event is the “CRIT Championship Tour,” featuring both a professional women’s race and a men’s race.
In addition to the racing, there will be a festival atmosphere with food, drinks, live music, a skate expo, and more.
Supported by a celebration of local arts and culture, the CRIT Championship Tour event aims to attract new audiences and showcase American cycling in high fashion. CRIT will offer a new race viewing experience free to spectators with limited VIP and GA+ seating, available for presale now.
"We're thrilled to bring the CRIT Championship Tour to St. Petersburg," said Justin Williams. "I can't wait to see CRIT give back to the sport and create opportunities for others to achieve their dreams, and look forward to an exciting weekend of racing."
The EDGE District is a rapidly growing neighborhood in downtown St. Petersburg, known for its unique blend of local businesses including boutiques, restaurants, bars, entertainment, and one of St. Pete's original breweries Green Bench Brewing.
"This is a two-year passion project turned into reality, and we couldn't be more excited to bring this event to St Pete," said Rideout of Orange Belt. "We think our local community is going to be blown away by the high-speed racing on urban city streets."
"Our vision was simply to create another way to showcase our beautiful city to a global audience and highlight the amazing cycling culture we have in Florida," said Nathan Stonecipher of Orange Belt. "We're grateful to live in a region where city and county leadership, along with our neighborhoods, residents, corporate partners, and business owners see the value in thinking outside the box and embracing new things."
For more information on Orange Belt or to become a local sponsor of the CRIT Championship Tour, visit Orange Belt’s website.
To register for the CRIT Championship Tour or to learn more, visit the CRIT Championship Tour website.
