MIVA BOXWOOD TUESDAY CRITERIUM 11/08/30
Boxwood Circuit, August 30th. 2011 With one more race next week, tonight's turn-out was up again, with thirteen men and four – count 'em – four women
Everyone started together and it was good to see Glenda Harling staying with the men's pack for the first ten laps. Cheryl Morch, who arrived late, was put in with the two Charlenes but managed to get onto straggler John Higgin's wheel and the two worked well together for several laps, pulling away from Mesdames Hay and Stewart. Once they were lapped by the men's bunch, Cheryl stayed with them for half a dozen laps and looked really comfortable, although she said that she was really nervous. Expect to see her doing really well at the criteriums next year. Glenda Harling also kept with the men after she was first lapped and was now on the same lap as Ms. Morch. Eventually, the duo lappd the other two women and then the quartette rode together for the balance of the race.
In the men's event, things remained quiet for the first few laps but then, just before the bell for the first prime, Ray Wagner and John Lam rode off the front .Wagner held his position but Lam faded and Aaron Amar took up the chase to edge past Wagner to take the sprint.
On lap fourteen, Rob Russell escaped the pack and within a couple of laps was joined by Mike Sevcov and the pair took first and second for the next prime before easing back into the pack.
All was quiet for the next ten laps but at the bell for prime number three, Ray Wagner made a move, followed by Aaron Amar, Yukon visitor Aaron Foos, and mountain biker John Lam. However, as the peleton came round the fast bend and sped down towards the line, Kyle Waring made a superlative effort and easily took the white flag ahead of Rob Russell and Foos.
Just past the line, most of the bunch sat up and Russell seized the opportunity to dump the pack and go into time trial mode.
In the pack most of the riders were looking at each other, waiting for someone else to take up the chase. Soon the gap was up to twelve, fifteen and then twenty seconds. With two laps to go, it was obvious that Russell had the win, barring accidents, and the bunch was content to race for second place, which was taken by Aaron Amar, with Ray Wagner second and Mike Sevcov third.
Thanks to Kyle Waring and Phil Birrer for preparing the course tonight and to Tito Fontenia from Parksville, who was visiting the Boxwood circuit for the first time.