Rouge Roubaix

Once a year serious cyclists from all over the southeast converge on St. Francisville to pit themselves against a one-hundred-mile course that traverses all the good, the bad, and the ugly terrain that this part of the world has to offer. It's the Rouge Roubaix—a classic race that sends riders sweeping through the hills of West Feliciana and Wilkinson County, Mississippi; over smooth blacktop and broken pavement, gravel roads and treacherous single-lane bridges, and up hills so steep they're a challenge on foot, let alone in the saddle. Named after the storied Paris Roubaix, a classic European road race famous for taking its riders over extremely rough terrain and cobblestoned sections, the Rouge Roubaix lives up to its name, with riders frequently experiencing various punctures and mechanical breakdowns during the race. The race is open to any adventurous rider with a well-tuned machine, a sturdy set of legs and a penchant for pitting him- or herself against the toughest terrain Louisiana has to offer. As the race's Web site advises: "You must train appropriately or this course will eat you up and spit you out." Starts at 8 am—and even if you aren't racing, you can cheer riders on from the start and finish line in downtown St. Francisville. Race information and registration at rougeroubaix.com.