MIVA BOXWOOD CRITERIUM 120515

MIVA BOXWOOD CRITERIUM, MAY 15TH. 2012 Weather perfect, wind - challenging, spectators - one.

Fifteen riders started tonight - eleven seniors, one youth and one woman. The first few laps before prime #1 were quiet Rob Bau took the flag and then the action heated up. The next lap, Rob kept up the pace at the front of the pack, followed by Menno Jongsma, Ian Smith and the rest of the pack. Within another lap, Mark Wieler (Arrowsmith) , Shawn Boyd and Phil Birrer were driving the pace and then it was Shawn again, with Paul Thompson, Mike Sevcov (Everti) and Phil still near the front.

After a quiet lap 13, Ian Smith came to the front again with Iain Hay and Kyle Waring. The rest of the pack were five seconds back strung out in single file. The two Ia(i)n's and Kyle, together with two others, maintained the small gap but eased again just before the bell for the second prime. As the riders came round the bend into the finish straight, Ian Smith had opened a gap on his own and easily took the second sprint.

From then on the first category rider gained five seconds a lap until the last prime with three laps to go, which he won easily. Then he increased his speed a couple of notches and took ten seconds from the pack for each of the last two laps. Meanwhile, the pack had not been able to organise a decent chase and seemed content to wait for the final sprint for second place which was taken by Rob Bau, with Paul Thompson, Iain Hay, and the ever-present Mike Sevcov in the next three places.

Glenda Harling and Brodie Hay stayed with the seniors for the first five laps and then the out-of-corner accelerations left them off the back, where they rode together for the next eight laps. Glenda then pulled slowly ahead of Brodie and time trialled for the rest of the race. Brodie did manage to stay with the pack when he was caught and is showing a real improvement over the weeks.

Thanks to the Hay father and son team for setting out the course and to the other good souls who helped with tent erection and take down.

Starting next week, there will be points awarded for the first three over the line in the primes.