Cycling supporters around Lawrence should strap on their helmets and prepare for what will be the biggest race weekend in the history of the city.

“We will be at the epicenter of cycling,” longtime racer and promoter Jim Whittaker said. “It’s going to be an exciting weekend for Lawrence.”

Two races — Whittaker’s inaugural VeloTek Grand Prix and the North Central Collegiate Cycling Conference Championships, hosted by the Kansas University cycling club — will bring in nearly 300 riders from more than six states over the weekend.

“This is definitely a big thing for our town,” KU cycling club president Andy Phelps said. “From club cycling to local racing, this town is one of the best in the Midwest.”

The most interesting aspect of the collegiate race will be that the university will block off part of its roads Sunday, allowing racers to compete against the campus backdrop.

“There aren’t very many races that go through campus like this,” Phelps said. “Going through the middle of campus, through all the great scenery and buildings is going to be very unique.”

The VeloTek Grand Prix also is unique in that the event is a Lance Armstrong Junior Olympic Road Series race — used to develop junior riders within the USA cycling program.

“You have to send in a bid application for them to select your race based on previous race qualities such as area and turnout,” Whittaker said. “There are no other races around like this in this area. It’s also totally free for kids. To put that in perspective it costs adults about $70 a weekend to ride.”

Perhaps the only drawback for riders is that they can’t compete in both events because of the starting time conflicts.

Saturday’s portion of the VeloTek Grand Prix will feature a 2.5 kilometer prologue time trial and 1.1 mile loop criterium series starting at 9 a.m. at Clinton Lake’s Campground No. 1. Sunday’s time-based stage race will start at 9 a.m. at Perry Lake, near the dam.

The North Central Championships, which rotates annually, will begin Saturday with a team time trial and road race on Stubbs Road, South of Topeka. Sunday’s racing at the university will begin at 8 a.m. on Jayhawk Boulevard, with criterium races also open to the public.

Whittaker said that spectators actually could see the best of both races by watching the criterium at Clinton Lake on Saturday and the racing at KU on Sunday. The former KU club cyclist also said he was glad to see the gumption the younger Lawrence cyclists have shown in landing a big race.

“Heck yeah. I don’t always put races on myself,” Whittaker joked. “I’ll share the load with the community. But this weekend definitely shows the sport is growing.”

For any VeloTek Grand Prix race information contact Jim Whittaker at 843-8356 or 913-269-VELO or at www.alta-sport.com. For information concerning the North Central Championships contact Andy Phelps at 913-710-3805 or at aphelps@ku.edu or at www.kucycling.com.