Hell Located Convientently Off Interstate 65

March 18, 2010 - PRLog -- BERLIN, Tenn. (March 18, 2010) – The first road cycling race on the Tennessee Bike Racing Calendar, SVMIC’s Hell of the South presented by Swiftwick will take place at 10 am Saturday in Berlin, Tennessee, approximately 6 miles from Lewisburg. The inaugural race will feature BBQ, two bluegrass bands, an expo area, and three road races.  

“The SVMIC Cycling Team is excited to host the first ever edition of the Hell of the South,” SVMIC team member Thad DeHart said. “We wanted the first race of the season to be unique and fun for the racers while capturing the feel of a professional ‘classics style’ race.”

Hell of the South’s 24-mile loop features gravel-filled corners, rough chip seal and a one kilometer dirt section. Racers will battle one to three loops along the rural roads with top finishers receiving cash payouts and a ‘pave’ trophy, evocative of the Paris-Roubaix race in France.  

“This course is intended to be harsh, much like the toughest one-day race in Europe in which the race was modeled after-Paris-Roubaix or otherwise known as Hell of the North,” Swiftwick’s Marketing Director Rachel Scott said. “After riding the epic course, we felt Swiftwick’s high performance and tough characteristics created a perfect sponsorship fit.”

Ride for Reading and Soles4Souls, two Nashville-area non-profits will be in attendance accepting donations in the form of children’s books and gently-worn shoes from racers, volunteers and spectators. Anyone who donates will receive an entry into a drawing for promotional items ranging from autographed gear bags to performance bicycle helmets.  In addition to the selected charities, a portion of the proceeds raised will benefit the Berlin Volunteer Fire Department.

“We are excited to partner with our presenting sponsor Swiftwick and other sponsors, the two charities involved, and especially the community of Berlin and their volunteer fire department for welcoming us to the community,” race director and SVMIC team member Marshall Basset said. “I think the course we have will provide an exciting and tough challenge for all the racers, and with the addition of the expo area and live music, we hope for some community involvement as well.”
   
Hell of the South’s expo, music, and race start and finish are located at the Berlin Volunteer Fire Department, 1700 Old Berlin Road Lewisburg, TN 37091. Visit www.hellofthesouth.com for more information including race day Twitter updates, racer and course photos, and directions.

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