My first-ever criterium — the Branchbrook Park Spring Series in Newark, NJ — where I raced safely in the pack and took 10th in the Cat 4/5 field, getting boxed out in a hectic sprint finish.
HIGHLIGHTS
Result: 10th place in the Cat 4/5 race — his first criterium
Held with the main pack behind a two-man breakaway and two-man chase
Found an outside line in the sprint but got boxed out by five riders
Raced at Branchbrook Park in a new ISM Saddles race kit
KEY TAKEAWAYS
Safety first in a debut crit: prioritizing staying upright over risk paid off in a clean first race
Positioning wins sprints: getting boxed out cost places at the line — a clear area to improve
Crits are a different beast: pack dynamics and finishing tactics differ sharply from triathlon
Embrace the fun: a hectic, close finish made for an exciting new kind of racing
Guess what I just did? My first criterium race! 😎
The race took place at right across the Hudson River. Well not really, but it was close enough, at Branchbrook Park in Newark, New Jersey. I made my best effort to get some snapshots before and after the race.
Special thanks to ISM Saddles for the super race kit!
Here are the results via USA Cycling – I got 10th place in the Cat4/5 race. There was a 2 man breakaway, with a 2 man chase, followed by the rest of the pack. Clearly, I was in the pack. Being that this was my first race, safety was my main concern. I found an outside line during the sprint finish, but was boxed out and outsprinted by 5 others. It was such a fun experience!!!
Our lead vehicle was a VW Beetle! How cool!!
Post race shot. Thank you ISM!!
The CAT4/5 results are in!
I don’t remember what the race director said, but I guess it was funny…
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