Coming on September 25, 2011 and taking place in Georgia's Premier Cycling Venue, the Six Gap Century & Three Gap Fifty boasts many of the same roads and mountain climbs as the elite Tour de Georgia. Come ride the Ride of the Pros!

The Dahlonega-Lumpkin County Chamber of Commerce is proud to present the 23rd Annual Six Gap Century and Three Gap Fifty Bike Ride – Tour of the North Georgia Mountains.

The Six Gap Century’s ultra challenging route takes you up and down six of the steepest climbs in the North Georgia Mountains. Test your stamina with more than 11,200 feet of vertical climbing over the 100 mile course. Elevations for the six gaps in this ride range from 2,949 feet to 3,490 feet. The toughest climb, Hogpen Gap, will test even the strongest riders, averaging a 7% grade for seven miles, with sections as steep as 15%. The Three Gap Fifty’s alternative route offers half the gaps and half the distance, but is nevertheless a demanding and challenging course. Elevations range from 3,109 feet to 3,280 feet.

100 miles. 11,200 vertical feet. 3,000 friends.

For more information, please visit us at cyclenorthgeorgia.com.

Six Gap Criterium

For the first time in 23 years, two days of two-wheeled action will take center stage in Dahlonega, Georgia for Six Gap Century weekend. Hundreds of competitive adult and youth cyclists are expected to compete in 11 races on Saturday, September 24 for the inaugural Six Gap Criterium. The following day, 3,000 cyclists are expected to make the annual uphill pilgrimage in three non-competitive rides for the Six Gap Century and Three Gap Fifty. Event organizers have added a full schedule of criterium-style races with Saturday's popular Bike Expo on the Historic Square of Dahlonega, offering a more activities for athletes and entertainment for spectators.

The Six Gap Criterium will be the final event of 11-race Georgia Championship Series for 2011, with special awards presented after each race. The Six Gap Criterium provides a one-kilometer, closed circuit for bicycle racers in the heart of downtown Dahlonega, a great spectator-friendly event to watch the cyclists pass multiple times at top speeds of 40 miles per hour. The start/finish line will be located on West Main Street across from the famous Holly Theatre.

All athletes, from juniors to adults, will compete for a set time in each categorized contest, 25 to 60 minutes. Each race will include multiple laps around the Dahlonega Gold Museum Historic Site using Main, North Chestatee and Public Square streets, and then heading the other direction on West Main to make a loop on College Circle and Church Street. Two races for juniors kick off the Six Gap Criterium at 4:30 p.m., followed by nine adult races for men and women, which are expected to finish after dusk. The Six Gap Criterium is managed by Swagger LLC (swagger.us), the country's leading producer of criterium racing.

If you are interested in racing in the Six Gap Criterium, please register here.

Get more information on the Georgia Championship Series.