Central Park Cycling Heads-Up: Fri May 15 – Fri May 22

Hey cyclists,

New Friday-evening edition, heading into your weekend. After the back-to-back weekend cycling events of the past two weeks, this one’s much quieter on the road side. Here’s the week.

Sat May 16, 4 AM–8:30 AM — CRCA Racing Series

The Saturday-morning CRCA crit racing series is back on East Drive. If you race, you know the drill. If you don’t:

• Before 4 AM — loop is yours
• 4–8:30 AM — race traffic on East Drive: marshals, rolling closures, fast paceline. Ride West Drive or watch from the curb
• After 8:30 AM — clean

Pro tip: 6 AM coffee + lap-watching is a great Saturday tradition.

Sat May 16 daytime — south-end congestion

Columbus Circle Food Market at Merchants’ Gate, 9:30 AM–9 PM (Fri/Sat/Sun). Lots of foot traffic at the SW entrance — slow your line through Columbus Circle on weekend laps.

Sun May 17 — open road

No road events. Folkdancers at King Jagiallo and Sacred Sites at Mineral Springs are both interior — your loop is unaffected. Sunday is the day to grab a long ride.

Mon–Fri (May 18–22) — best lap week in a while

No scheduled cycling events all week. Julius Caesar continues at The Pool but stays off the road. Weekday car-free hours apply as usual.

A few small interior items, none affecting roads:

• Bowling Green Lawn closed til 2 PM today (Fri 5/15), maintenance
• East Meadow closed all day Sat 5/16 and Sun 5/17 — interior, no impact on cycling
• Columbus Circle Food Market runs Fri/Sat/Sun (5/15, 5/16, 5/17, and again 5/22) — slow through the SW entrance on those days

Quick recap

Sat 5/16, 4–8:30 AM — CRCA Racing on East Drive West Drive or watch the racing.

Fri/Sat/Sun (and Fri 5/22) — Food Market at Columbus Circle Slow line through Merchants’ Gate.

Sun 5/17 — wide-open road

Mon–Fri 5/18–22 — best weekday lap stretch this month

Tailwinds, The Central Park Guide