MIVA TUESDAY EVENING CRITERIUM 110531
Boxwood Circuit, May 31st.2011 30 laps
Tonight, there were three women starters. They had no trouble
staying with the main pack for the neutralised laps, but, as soon
as the green flag dropped, they immediately slowed. Janna Gillick
could have stayed with the men but dropped back and then,
realising her error, time trialed behind them and wasn't caught by
the leaders until lap eleven. Then she stayed with the main bunch
until the end of the race. Both Cheryl Morch and Glenda Harling
also were able to stay with overtaking groups for a while but got
dropped as they accelerated out of the corners..
In the men's event, Warren Muir and Robert Russell established an
early break and eventually built this to fifteen seconds by the eighth lap.
At this point, last event' winner, Ian Smith, decided that the break
looked serious and within a lap had bridged to join the leaders. The
next lap saw the first prime, with Muir just edging Russell and Smith.
Back in the bunch Lionel Space and Everti's Mike Sevcov also realised
that the break looked dangerous and they too bridged to join the lead trio.
When the bell went for prime number two, Smith and Muir accelerated
away from the break but by the line, all five were again together, with
Smith just beating Muir for the money. The main group, well over half
a minute in arrears were given a lap 17 prime of their own to get them
moving and this was taken easily by Shawn Boyd, who simply rode away
from the disinterested pack. the And that's the way it stayed.
With three laps to go Ian Smith took the final prime but Warren Muir
again came from behind tat the finish to take the win from him, with
a wily Lionel Space snatching third from Sevcov. Robert Russell cruised
in at five seconds for fifth place.
Meanwhile, the main group had stayed pretty much together, picking up,
first Janna Gillick and then Cheryl Morch who were now developing the
savvy to stay with the men through the corners. In the bunch sprint , Kyle
Waring beat challengers Ian Hay and Frontrunners' Normon Thibault,
who had dusted off his road bike for the occasion.
Thanks to Rob Bau's daughter for looking after the bell, to Mike and Wendy
Woodworth, marshaling and cone pick-up, and to Ian and Brodie Hay for
course set up. Kit McCaffery looked after the registration as usual and also
managed to sell clothing and memberships.
Next week, there will be a clinic before the race to explain to the newcomers the basics of criterium racing.