Where do you park? Where are the best places to watch? What is on the schedule?

It is all there and more in the newly released Spectator Guide to the U.S. Paralympics Cycling Open in Cummings Research Park, presented by Toyota – less than two weeks away – on April 17-18.

Huntsville is expecting approximately 100 Paralympic athletes from all over the U.S. to begin arriving in Huntsville the week of April 12 for the first of four domestic cycling events and an opportunity to qualify for the Summer Paralympics in Tokyo this summer.

After a full year off from competition due to the coronavirus pandemic, this premier Paralympic event for Huntsville is significant on the Paralympic qualifying circuit because other international qualifying events have been cancelled due to the pandemic.

Athletes will compete in three events: men’s and women’s road race, individual time trial, and handcycling team relay.

Some of the paracyclists to watch for are Birmingham resident Jennifer Schuble, racing in her first Paralympic event in her home state of Alabama; Oz Sanchez, one of the top handcyclists in the world; tricyclist Ryan Boyle; six-time Paralympic medalist Will Groulx; Oksana Masters who is not just a Paracyclist, but she competes in the biathlon and cross-country skiing; and six-time medalist Clara Brown.

The event is free to public and no tickets are needed to attend.

Some of the important highlights from the Spectator Guide include:

Explorer Boulevard is the main ‘ring’ for the course and will close starting at 6 a.m. Saturday and 6 a.m. Sunday.
Avoid Bradford Drive, Farrow Road, and Pegasus Drive as well.
Enterprise Way, Discovery Drive, Voyager Way, and Jan Davis Drive offer the easiest access to parking with the shortest walks to the viewing areas.
Many businesses in CRP and Bridge Street Town Center, behind the Cinemark movie theatre, are offering their parking lots for parking. All are easily accessible by those four arteries.
Spectators requiring wheelchair access should park in LogiCore’s parking lot at 345 Voyager Way NW.

Huntsville Police will provide information on road closures the week of April 12.

The City of Huntsville will offer a live stream of the Start/Finish line at http://youtube.com/c/huntsvillealabamausa.

Spectators will see a variety of Paracyclists in this event including handcycle athletes using an arm-powered or arm trunk power hand bike; tricycle athletes who are unable to ride a bicycle due to lack of balance and/or restriction in pedaling; standard cycling using a slightly modified bike; and tandem cycling with an able-bodied pilot in the front, and a stoker in the back.

Also, Paralyzed Veterans of America racing team will send 20 athletes to Huntsville for an exhibition event. They will stay on Redstone Arsenal and compete in recumbent exhibition races both days.

The Spectator Guide is available for download at FINAL-Spectator-Guide.pdf (hsvchamber.org).

The Huntsville-Madison County Chamber of Commerce has also created an interactive Google Map to help as well.