Davis Criterium Classic - Davis

The Criterium on July 4, 2005.

A criterium, known among racers as a "crit", is the bicycling equivalent of the Indy 500: fast, exciting, and somewhat dangerous to contestants and spectators. The race course is a very short, tight closed circuit track around downtown streets and sometimes even around a single building such as a church. Racers can travel at speeds exceeding 30 mph. Crits are popular because of the speed, danger, and technical skill required to make tight, high speed turns and position shifts within a pack.

The Davis Criterium Classic, sponsored by the Davis Bike Club (website), is always held on the 4th of July in downtown Davis. The course is a 0.7-mile L-shaped loop in downtown Davis, a flat course on moderate pavement with five 90-degree left turns and one 90-degree right turn. This single right turn increases the technical difficulty of the course.

See Bicycling Activities and Clubs for other bike-related events.