January Chico Airport Criterium Series!!

Hi Everyone!! Starting on Saturday, January 2nd at 1:00pm, we will be starting up a series of practice Criteriums out on the Airport Crit course for 5 weeks. Every Saturday - Jan. 2nd, 9th, 16th, 23rd and 30th - we'll be holding a Criterium on our regular Airport Criterium course at 1:00pm(the same course we've been using for the Tuesday Night Series) and 2:00pm for the Category C and Junior riders. The idea is to get in some Crit practice before the regular racing season starts up in February/March - and the Tuesday/Friday Night Criteriums starting up again in March out at the Chico Airport.

Saturday, January 2nd, 9th, 16th, 23rd & 30th - January Airport Practice Criteriums - 1:00PM (As & Bs) & 2:00PM (Cs and Kids races) - Registration normally opens at 12:45pm on Convair avenue at the Airport - with the event starting promptly at 1:00pm. For the time being, we'll be using our standard Airport Criterium course starting/finishing on Convair Avenue - http://www.bikely.com/maps/bike-path/Chico-Airport-Tuesday-Night-Crit-Course . Category "A", "B" and Women's Category riders will go for 40 Minutes PLUS 3 laps - Women's Category picked separately. We may combine fields if the turn-out is pretty low. Might offer 2 or 3 Primes......but NOTHING like we did during the summer time. The idea is just to get use to cornering again, having riders around you on a circuit, working on some skills, get use to Rodney yelling at you and ringing that stupid cowbell, and maybe open the legs up a bit. Must sign in and wear a helmet in order to compete. RAIN OR WET PAVEMENT WILL ALWAYS CANCEL THIS EVENT. HELMETS ARE MANDATORY!

Category "C" and Junior Criterium - January 2nd, 9th, 16th, 23rd & 30th - 2:00PM - The Category "C" and Junior race(essentially, folks 16 and under for the Junior event) will be 30 minutes + 3 laps. If you are intimidated by the Criterium and/or the speeds out there, this is the Category to get a feel for what's going on without the crazy speeds. No other Category races will be on the course - just Category "C" and the Juniors - so you can get used to the course, etc. The event MAY be mentored as well, depending upon whether ANY Category "A" or highly-skilled Category "B" riders are available to mentor. A mentor basically sits in with your group during the race, giving you basic pointers and helpful advice to keep you safe, skilled and sound during the event - and for future events. Mentors must meet with me prior to the event - so, if you would like to volunteer to be a Criterium Mentor, see me at the race or e-mail me prior to the Event - lorrod7@comcast.net . RAIN OR WET PAVEMENT WILL ALWAYS CANCEL THIS EVENT. HELMETS ARE MANDATORY!

This is a FREE practice Criterium Series - so come on out and give it a shot. For those of you wanting to work on some "team" skills at the Criteriums, we MAY also be doing the wristband thing again(you know, one team of 3-4 gets green wristbands and works as a team, one team of 3-4 gets red wristbands and works as a team, and so on. Will be highly dependent upon who shows up though).

NOTES: Finally, remember - these Practice Criterium events are just to work on some skills and get some exercise - we have fun out there and get a great little workout in, and we get to work on some quality cycling techniques. But, overall, they're no big whoop....no World Championship/Olympic medals or million dollar contracts on the line. So, with that in mind, just treat 'em as such - a good training event to try some new things, gain some good fitness.....and maybe even get into a "real" sanctioned Criterium at some point in 2010! Or not. Just have fun with it!!

Hope to see you out there!!

Rodney..........

R.A.C.E. - Rodney's Annoying Cycling Events

Chico, CA