Criterium race at park this weekend

Some people call it NASCAR on two wheels. Others simply enjoy it for the spectator-friendly way it allows fans to see the athletes challenge each other.

The Sugarhouse Criterium this weekend is one of the year's favorite events with hundreds of the state's best cyclists pedaling around the park in pursuit of cash, medals and bragging rights.

Rather than a simple race with cyclists going from Point A to Point B with first place going to the fastest person to the finish line, criterium racing is an event where endurance and speed meet strategy in a very big way.

There'll even be a handful of high-speed crashes as racers take corners a little too wide or blow tires and take out competitors.

Saturday's race will feature several different categories from Juniors as young as 10, to Masters racers well over 55.

The races will be different lengths. The novice racers will be asked to muscle their way around the park for 30 minutes or so. The state's best cyclists will be given a 75-minute time period to jockey for position and try to wear each other out.

After the designated time, race officials will ring a bell and then the racing really begins. With all that effort already invested in the race, the competitors know they have only a few laps left to finish.

Those first 30-75 minutes, though, are far from worthless circles around the course. In addition to special "preme" laps in which cyclists want to finish first for cash or merchandise bonuses, there is an effort to weed out the lesser riders as well as conserve energy for the all-important sprint to the finish.

Some crit races are held on flat, technically challenging course such as Rocky Mountain Raceways each Tuesday during the racing season. Sugarhouse is a classic combination of a long circuit with hills that will test the legs, lungs and willpower of the best athletes on two wheels in the state.

Racing begins with the younger riders at 8:45 a.m. on Saturday with different categories and increasing times until the Category 1 racers hit the pavement at 3 p.m. for their 75-minute grind at speeds averaging almost 30 miles per hour.

The Sugarhouse Criterium is free for spectators, and interested racers are welcome to sign up at the course the day of the race or online at sportsbaseonline.com.