With the monsoons setting in, the regulars at the MMSC race track at Sriperumbudur were in for a surprise. The thunder and roar of revving engines and screeching tires was ousted by the hiss and buzz of bicyclists zipping past in their carbon-crafted beauties when the track played host to Tamil Nadu Cycling Club’s (TCC) Criterium race on September 10.
Over 170 riders raced around the 3.7 km track in four categories — elite, amateur men, under-18 boys and women’s open. “Racing a bicycle in a race track is a unique experience. Riders can focus completely on the race and shelve the hazards related to open roads. Moreover, in the track, the bikes are fitted transponders, which are world-class timing systems used in motor sports. This brings unparalleled credibility to the results and we are able to drill down the finish timings to one thousandth of a second,” says Vasanth from TCC.
The track was thrown open to the cyclists by 5:00 am on race day. Teams and individuals started trickling in to assess the track conditions, wind pattern and seal their race strategy. “This is my second race of the season. It was raining the last week and I heard that there was water logging in the corners. Knowing the quickest and safest line through the twelve corners is the difference between winning and losing,” said Kathirvel, a district champion and instructor at Pedalbeat, Coimbatore.
The races were flagged off in a staggered manner, with riders in each category starting in waves. Riders also raced for ‘Primes’ (pronounced pre-eem) on specified laps to gain points. Primes are races within a race and the rider to cross the line first bags additional rewards.
The amateur men’s category was first off the line, with 37 riders. This was followed by the under-18 boys and women’s amateurs. The amateur race saw teams playing out their strategy cards by shielding their lead riders from the wind and controlling the pace.
Textbook race tactics were in play until the third lap when the men’s amateur group came caught up with the women and the under-18 boys. This changed the race dynamics and the peloton now had young guns, MAMILs (Middle Aged Men In LYcra) and the women’s podium contenders eyeing the quickest lines through the corners.
There were quite a few nervous moments due to the kids’ turbocharged twitchy riding and the entire bunch funnelling into the corners.
“Criteriums are fast paced offering no rest or respite. It is very demanding on the body and requires guts. The aim was to be with the lead group and so I was,” said Micheal who participated in the amateur men’s category.
Kandappa — a seasoned randonneur who participated in the London-Edinburgh-London, a 1200 brevet held in August — recalled his experience of being in the pilot car. “The elite race had 28 men with a couple of national riders in the grid. Systematic decimation started from lap one when seven riders split from the field. Tactics within the lead group kept the race tight and interesting. This thwarted others from closing the gap. The final contention was between Arvind Panwar, Rajesh and Mukesh who made the finish look effortless.”
“I am training to be a professional cyclist and, in races like this, I get to ride alongside the best in India and gain real-time knowledge. The fast pace of a crit race excites me and I will be coming back for more,” said Gokul, a Std X student from Coimbatore.
The races were a perfect combination of adrenaline and fun. The spectators watched in awe as the cyclists lined up in the grid and attacked the corners. For the riders, the thrills came from the fast pace and the strategies of fellow contenders.
Driving off
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