Tornado warning cancels Nature Valley stage mid-race

Race director says situation underscores need for riders to have radio

After the Minnesota state patrol received reports of nearby tornadoes from the national weather service, stage 3 of the Nature Valley Grand Prix was brought to a halt 14 miles in. After a quick debate, chief commissaire Bonnie Walker made the call to cancel the stage just outside Cannon Falls, Minnesota.

But then there was the problem of communicating that decision to 145 riders, none of whom had a radio.

Before the race, with weather reports calling for wind gusts of up to 70mph and strong thunderstorms, race officials considered their options — including doing a crit on the finishing circuits in Cannon Falls — before deciding to proceed as planned.

With heavy winds buffeting the open countryside, the pro men started what was to be a 65-mile road race a 5 p.m. The race left town into a strong headwind, and race officials began getting reports of golf-ball-sized hail south of the race. Over the racers, the sky was dark but dry.

Then came word that the women’s race, scheduled to depart at 5:30, had been canceled before riders took the start.

After Walker heard the National Weather Service report that multiple tornadoes had been seen touching down nearby, her decision was immediate.

“Stop the race, and turn everyone around,” she told the motorbike officials. Word quickly spread to those in the caravan with radios that the race was being stopped. But because of the recent UCI ban on radios for riders at national-level races, the riders literally had to be told, and a motorbike official yelled to them while driving alongside the field.

The race was brought to a standstill at a country road junction, and many riders high fived and began joking around, visibly relieved.

A shortened race option was debated, which would mean restarting the race, heading back to Cannon Falls and completing the finishing circuits as planned.

As racers began riding back towards Cannon Falls, riders and team directors alike were initially unsure whether they were racing back or just headed home. After hearing that the finish line was being torn down, Walker quickly confirmed to directors and everyone else with a radio that the race was off. But directors were frustrated at not being able to contact their riders. “Let me just call them on my radio,” one director sarcastically said.

Race director David LaPorte said the situation was “a perfect example of why the race radio ban is a bad idea.”

After a few minutes, however, all the riders were clued in, and many climbed into team vehicles to escape the rain that began soon after the race U-turned.

“It’s better (to quit) than being out there with a tornado,” said Trek-Livestrong’s Ben King.

“Yeah, but it’s a bummer we didn’t get to race; we all had good legs today,” said King’s teammate Justin Williams.

Race radio or not, LaPorte, team directors and racers were agreed that erring on the side of caution was the only sensible option for a big-loop road race with tornadoes approaching.

“As much as I’m a fan of the Wizard of Oz, we don’t want anybody ending up in Kansas,” LaPorte said.

The Nature Valley Grand Prix continues Friday with a late-evening criterium in uptown Minneapolis.

FILED UNDER: News / Race Report / Road TAGS: Nature Valley Grand Prix