Question for all of you Criterium racing folks

[Ray]

West Chester's Iron Hill Twilight Criterium was run tonight. I live about two blocks from the first corner and another block from the start/finish, so I always meander over and check it out. Its always a lot of fun and it seems like a relatively big deal in terms of regional level domestic racing (Nothstein raced in it a couple of years ago, fwiw). Tonight, for a change, it was a beautiful night for spectator-ing, a great summer evening.

Tonight in the men's pro race, the Toshiba team was overwhelmingly dominant. I don't know any of the names of the racers (I'll probably recognize a few when the results are posted tomorrow), but one of their guys broke away on about the third lap (of about 60, I think). A rider from another team went with him for a while, but got absorbed back into the pack within a couple of laps, leaving this Toshiba guy out on his own. And he started building a huge lead. He had a couple of teammates just hanging a couple of riders off of the front of the chasing field, letting everyone know that they'd be sitting in on any chase that might materialize. Well, the guy out front was an animal and kept building his lead, helped by his teammates creating a strong dis-incentive to chase.

After about 40 laps, he caught the field, lapped 'em. A bunch of stragglers got pulled, but there was still a good size pack and it took him about a lap to work his way up to the front with four of his teammates controlling the front of the race and him just sitting in behind them. With about eight or ten laps to go, one of his guys attacked the field and had built up a pretty solid lead when I bailed out and started walking home. I'm guessing they finished at least 1-2 in the race.

So, how common is it for a single rider in an open, pro-level event, to lap the field by himself? Everyone else has some amount of help, he's out there in the wind by himself and he caught 'em with about a third of the race remaining, making the rest of the race a non-even except for second place. It looked overwhelmingly impressive to me, but I was wondering if this stuff happens a lot.

Oh yeah, these guys are FAST too. But I guess you all figured as much.

-Ray

[jtferraro]

It happens, but it doesn't happen a lot and is probably more common in training crits. I wonder why his team didn't make it to the big 'F' this weekend - maybe some did? At any rate, congrats to he and his team. They sound like they were certainly the dominant team and well represented.

[learlove]

that course is short which contributes. also corrners will too. anyone remember the old hellertown crit (outside bethlehem, PA). 7 turns in less than .5 miles. in the years I raced it the junior race always stayed to together but the cat3 some would go off and lap the field as it was much easier to to rip thru thoes corrners alone than with 30 plus people.

Shoot I totally forgot about iron hill or I would have gone over and watched (saw it the last 2 years though) - I usually wind up bumping into some old ex junior I raced with everytime I go to a race over that way.

[Ray]

that course is short which contributes. also corrners will too. anyone remember the old hellertown crit (outside bethlehem, PA). 7 turns in less than .5 miles. in the years I raced it the junior race always stayed to together but the cat3 some would go off and lap the field as it was much easier to to rip thru thoes corrners alone than with 30 plus people.

Shoot I totally forgot about iron hill or I would have gone over and watched (saw it the last 2 years though) - I usually wind up bumping into some old ex junior I raced with everytime I go to a race over that way.
Interesting input. Yeah, it is short. It was two blocks longer the first year they ran it (maybe the first two - I missed one either last year or the year before). Not sure why they shortened it. But there is one 'carnage corner' that's at the end of a long gradual downhill that those guys hit at pretty remarkable speed, and the road they're turning onto is pretty narrow. It's the place to be if you want to see crashes, although its amazing how few there are. I'm sure those factors make it easier, but its still gotta be a mutha. The guy looked like he was hurting pretty bad the last few laps before he caught them. But he wasn't slowing down - he was just showing the effort.

-Ray

[Sandy]

Interesting input. Yeah, it is short. It was two blocks longer the first year they ran it (maybe the first two - I missed one either last year or the year before). Not sure why they shortened it. But there is one 'carnage corner' that's at the end of a long gradual downhill that those guys hit at pretty remarkable speed, and the road they're turning onto is pretty narrow. It's the place to be if you want to see crashes, although its amazing how few there are. I'm sure those factors make it easier, but its still gotta be a mutha. The guy looked like he was hurting pretty bad the last few laps before he caught them. But he wasn't slowing down - he was just showing the effort.

-Ray

Ray- Don't be modest. Was it you?? ;)



Sandy

[Ray]

Ray- Don't be modest. Was it you?? ;)



Sandy
I was ahead of the field for most of every lap. And behind them too! But I went home before it was over, so no trophy for me.

-Ray

[jtferraro]

that course is short which contributes. also corrners will too...as it was much easier to to rip thru thoes corrners alone than with 30 plus people.


you said it

[KJMUNC]

Corners + limited visibility = lapping

Twilight Crit in Athens is notorious for escapees being able to lap the field, as it's almost a perfect rectangle with four really gnarly corners that are virtually impossible to ride through unless you're single file. Backstretch has a short hill, and if you can get a gap a gap and some help, once you're away it's not unheard of to lap the field.

also, most races start out fast and then settle into a rhythm and tend to slow down a bit. Guys with strong motors who can gap the field and power through while the field slows a bit have a pretty good shot of re-integrating.