One of the area’s biggest cycling races is coming to town this weekend. For 24 hours, from 7 a.m. Saturday to 7 a.m. Sunday, motorists on a number of Beaufort County roads are advised to exercise extra caution and keep an eye open for cyclists.

The Mid Atlantic 12/24 brings in riders from throughout North Carolina and beyond for six-, 12- and 24-hour cycling races, with the goal for many being crossing a 100-mile mark within a 24-hour timeframe.

Cyclists will start and finish at Washington High School, with staggered start times beginning at 7 a.m. Saturday morning. For safety purposes, law enforcement officers will be stationed at points along the route, but no road closures are expected for the event. For those riding throughout the night, reflective clothing and blinker lights are required.

“At dusk, we require them to use their headlights and wear reflective gear,” said event organizer Melissa Maxwell. “Currently, I have approximately 30 riders registered in the 24-hour event.”

Roads where cyclists will be riding include:

• Slatestone Road
• Everett Road
• Biggs Road
• Jefferson Road
• Boyd Road
• White Post Road
• Pocosin Road
• Slatestone Road (East of N.C. Highway 32)
• Braddy Road
• N.C. Highway 32
• U.S. Highway 264 (Between N.C. Highway 32 and Lizzard Slip Road)
• Lizzard Slip Road
• Old Bath Highway

“It’s mainly in the rural areas of Beaufort County, except on that one stretch of 264 between Douglas Crossroads and Lizzard Slip,” Maxwell said.