Sugarhouse Criterium

(SALT LAKE CITY, Utah) Sugarhouse Park was the venue. Sugarhouse is an up and down course set up with a long false flat from the start, leading to the courses only real corner. At the bottom of a short decent, a switchback ascent feeds into the back straight. From there the course runs downhill to the low point on the west end. A sharp ramp returned the riders to the start/finish.   Mother nature provided a warm day with clear sky.  That fact in itself is newsworthy as May in Utah this year has been anything but springlike.

The Women:

Nichole Evans and Nicky Wangsguard of the professional Primal/Map My Ride formation lined up in a field of riders representing Primal Utah, Ski Utah/Marketstar, Contender Bicycles, Revolution/Cafe Rio and a number of independents. Evans has been a dominant force in Utah women's racing for a number of years. As such she is a marked rider when ever she lines up. Having a team mate in the mix proved to be helpful as the two animated repeatedly over the 45 minute race. 

Early attacks by Alison Frye (Contender) and later by Evans and Kristen Kotval (Primal Utah) went nowhere but set the stage for some fast paced racing. Midway through the race Contender rider  Dulce Altabella Lazzi tried her hand. Her move set off a flurry of attacks and counters that resulted in three women getting free on the downhill side of the course. Chantel Thackeray Olsen (Primal Utah), Laura Howat (Ski Utah/Marketstar) and a third rider built small lead going past the start finish line. At the bottom of the ramp leading into start finish, Evans made move. A solid climber, Evans went clear of the field and was able to bridge up to the three escapees. Evans held pace to solidify the advantage of the breakaway. Once a comfortable gap was established, the four riders worked together to hold their advantage. The final break containing Olsen, Howat and Evans shed the fourth member in the last three laps. On the final lap Evans went clear to take a solo win in 43:40. That left Howat and Olsen to sprint for second and third respectively, with Howat claiming second by a tire width. Both riders received the same time. Kat Carr (Vanderkitten) lead home remainder of the field.

Women's Pro/1/2/3 results:

1. Nichole Evans (Primal/Map My Ride)
2. Laura Howat (Ski Utah/Marketstar)
3. Chantel Thackeray Olsen (Primal Utah)
4. Kat Carr (Vanderkitten)
5. Megan Hill (Revolution/Cafe Rio)

The Men:

The mens race was over before it began. 55 riders lined up at the start including newly crowned criterium champion Mike Booth (Ski Utah), Evan Hyde (Realcyclist.com Professional Cycling Team) and Chase Pinkham (Bissell Professional Cycling Team). USA nordic combined skier Billy Demong (Colesport Racing) also lined up for the 75 minute event. The pace was high as a number of attacks went and were brought home. Pinkham, the teams of Canyons Bicycles, FFKR Architecture and Ski Utah figured prominently in the early moves.

 As the race was sorting out and a small break got clear, a child daughter of one of the racers ran across the start area. The pack had just sprinted up the short hill leading to the line. Most of the pack managed to miss the young girl. One rider collided with her. This brought the race to an immediate halt. Fortunately there was an EMT in the area and the victim received immediate attention. Emergency medical services were summoned. They transported the girl and parents to a local hospital. Later communication form the race organizer indicated that the girl was going to be fine with no major injuries. The race was neutralized and the six members of the break were assigned provisional times based on their placement as they had last crossed the line. A provisional finish based on the time of the break plus their 20 second advantage was established when the race was neutralized.

Pro/1/2 results: Provisional

1. Mike Wilcox (FFKR/Sportsbase Online)
2. T.J. Eisenhart (FFKR/Sportsbase Online)
3. Nate King (Canyons Bicycle)
4. Chase Pinkham (Bissell)
5. Jonathon Hines (FFKR/Sportsbase Online)