My first criterium of the year yesterday here in wet and cold Downers Grove, Illinois (about the only place in the country that isn’t 100+) and I’d forgotten how sketch they are, but at the same time how much fun they can be. Today is the National Championships, professional riders only, and yesterday evening was a mixed pro-am event, typically one of the wildest events of the year. 224 starters on a 1 mile course with 8 corners - anybody’s definition of a good time.

We rolled to the start in the pouring rain and set up undernearth a bank drive-thru for the “warm-up”: put on lots of clothing and wait until the last second to get over to the line. Somehow the rain stopped just minutes before the gun went off and although the roads were rain-slick and an occaisional drop or two fell from the sky we got pretty damn lucky compared to the women who raced through the deluge just prior.

I started mid-pack and got to see the first crash of the day after all of 40 meters. Unreal. The second was in the second corner, 100 meters later. Fortunately the race strung out quickly and other than dodging the occaisonal local dude coming backwards like an advertisement for why the race shouldn’t have local riders taking part things became a bit safer. After about 15 minutes spent sneaking my way up to the front I countered an attack from teammate Meatball Friedman and actually stuck. 3 of us quickly grabbed 10 seconds from the field and then were joined by 3 others, bringing up some much needed HP. The 6 of us eventually got up to 25 seconds or so before the late-race chase came, catching us on the line. 5th place was teammate and defending chump, Brad Huff, actually coming out of the field and passing the last 2 guys in the break. I hung on for 4th. I tried a couple of times on the last lap to jump away but I feel like a big ol diesel engine right now with NO snap whatsoever. Managed to squeak out a tiny gap into the last corner but let the self-preservation instinct kick in a bit hard crossing the rain slick paint stripes and the other guys blew by me before the line. All things considered, just staying upright (my main goal for the evening) was a victory of sorts and with all the guys riding well and none of us touching pavement last night we’re optimistic looking towards today’s main event. Unfortunately rain is once again in the forcast so fingers are crossed. With a smaller, pro-only field things should be safer but crits are always risky and with Nationals coming up soon risks aren’t exactly what most of us are looking to take right now.

Time now for a bit of grub and a morning spin in the rain. Fingers crossed that I’ll be reporting back soon just after one of my teammates takes the Jersey!