www.montereycountynow.com APRIL 16-22, 2026 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY 21 4 3 2 1. The start/finish line is on WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca, and its significance is not lost on the riders. “As a racer, it’s a pretty cool experience to compete on a renowned auto race track,” says Payson McElveen of Colorado, a longtime rider in the Grand Prix series. It’s probably the most hectic part of the race, as the riders are bunched up as they fight for position on the opening climb. 2. That gradual climb up the racetrack pays off early. This is the longest descent of the course, where Skyline Road turns into the sandy and slippery Oil Well Road, where it’s not unusual to hit 50 mph, McElveen notes. “The second half of this descent gets narrower and twistier, so it’s a very key part of the course,” he says. 3. After some relatively flat switchbacks near the backyards of Toro Park neighborhoods, a steep, nearly one-and-a-half mile, 400-foot-elevation climb up Jacks Road awaits riders. Once at the top, it’s a fast drop that ends in a sharp, slippery turn onto Skyline Road, where the first rest stop awaits. 4. Crescent Bluff Road is a smooth, somewhat flat trail that gives riders a chance to regain energy and plan their next moves. The views overlooking Salinas ag fields don’t hurt, either. 5. Signs point the way, but the intersection of Parker Flats Road and Trail 65 is deceptive. Turn left, then left again. Trail 65 is the only single-track section of the course, which leads into a long downhill portion for riders to take a breather—and they’ll need it for what comes next. 6. The nearly two-mile Barloy Canyon Road leads to the steep, rutted terrain of Barloy Spur Road. Many cyclists will be walking their bikes up the dreaded hill. 7. “It’s not a very long or difficult climb, but it has these short, steep punchy sections, with little descents between, which makes it a tricky one to find a rhythm on,” McElveen says. Taiko drummers at the top of the hill give riders that extra boost of energy for one of the final climbs of the course. 8. The end is in sight—or at least the beginning of the next lap. Once riders hop over a concrete lip and tread deep gravel, they’ll be back on the Laguna Seca track, climbing up the intimidating Corkscrew in reverse. It’s then back down the track, where they’ll take on the course all over again, for a total of 90 miles over three laps. © MapTiler © OpenMapTiles © OpenStreetMap contributors COURSE NOTES DANIEL DREIFUSS DAVID SIGNOR DAVID SIGNOR DAVID SIGNOR
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