LEXINGTON – Gentlemen, start your engines! On second thought, make that pedaling.

The Piedmont Triad Omnium started its third annual bike races Friday night in Uptown Lexington.

The races started at 6 p.m. with the Criterium course, a fast 0.75-mile, four-turn loop around Uptown Lexington that finishes under the lights. Bikers can race in 10 categories: Pro 1,2,3; Masters 35+; Masters 45+; Combined 3,4; Combined 4,5 (35-); Combined 4,5 (35+); Women’s Open, Category 4 ; Junior 4/5 ages 10-14 or 15-18.

Events will take place through Sunday. The time trials start at 9 a.m. today at Davidson County Community College and was open to the first 350 registrants, street sprints at 6:30 in Uptown Lexington and road races at 8 a.m. Sunday at DCCC.

A USA Cycling License is required to race. One-day licenses are available for purchase: $10 for Category 5 men, Category 4 women and Juniors.

The Piedmont Triad Omnium began as a dream of Jim Martin, a local cyclist. Martin envisioned the race as an opportunity to raise awareness for the sport of cycling while also raising funds for the Central Carolina Chapter of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society.

Although early registration ended Thursday at midnight, bikers can register the day of the event they would like to participate in except for the time trials.

Registration for the street sprints is $20 for juniors and $30 for others and ends three hours before the first heat. Registration for the road races starts one hour before the race and costs $30 for juniors and $45 for others. Because the proceeds go to charity, registration fees are tax deductible.

More than $10,000 in total prize money will be given to winners of each event in each category. Last year more than 800 bikers from all over the country came to Lexington for this biking event.

New this year is chip timing, which uses a computer chip and transponder to accurately time and place 80 athletes per second at speeds up to 45 miles per hour, with instantaneous results on demand. The Piedmont Triad Omnium is the only one in North Carolina that utilizes the new technology.

Chip timing also allows for personal information on each participant to be automatically transmitted to the race announcer via computer monitor.

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WANT TO GO?

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What: The Piedmont Triad Omnium. Proceeds go to the Central Carolina Chapter of the National MS Society

When: July 9-11

Where: Uptown Lexington and Davidson County Community College

For more information, go online to www.thepiedmonttriadomnium.com.