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| 01-07-2010 - Cycling Serendipty: The Exeter Criterium (Jamie Naragon) |
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This past week, I happened to be studying Humanities pedagogy at the Phillips Exeter Academy in Exeter, New Hampshire. On Tuesday morning, while sitting in my first class of the day, we were instructed to move our cars if we were parked along particular streets. We had to “make the path of the bike race clear.” Bike race? Had I heard correctly? My ears certainly perked up at these words. So, immediately upon the conclusion of the class, I dashed across campus to my dorm to research this race. Certainly it was a local group of riders….or, if I were really lucky, a Cat 4/5 race, no? Imagine my surprise when I discovered that this race actually consisted of two categories: Men's 40+ (Cat 1-4) and Men's Pro Am. This race was the 28th Annual Exeter Hospital Criterium. So, I grabbed my camera and ran to, what I later discovered, was the back leg of the nearly 1 mile course. Making my way to a race marshal, I started asking her questions about the route and the history of the race. She handed me a program, then introduced me to the volunteer coordinator. I was then escorted to Ed Spuler, race organizer who answered my questions more fully.
The Exeter Criterium began in 1975 under the direction of Annick Gromek and Doug Dicey (of the Exeter Park and Recreations Department). A young Exeter resident named David Barrows was very active in sports growing up around this race. He later rode on the University of New Hampshire Cycling Team that won the National Collegiate Title in 1985. When he was killed in a car accident the next year, his family chose to honor his memory by establishing a preme for the 1986 event that has continued to be awarded on the 9th lap of the race. The reason the 9th lap is the award prize is because one time, when David was racing a crit, he thought he heard the bell signifying the last of 10 laps. He was mistaken—there was one lap left. Previous winners of the David Barrows 9th Lap Preme include Tyler Hamilton (1994), Rahsaan Bahati (2006), Scott Zwizanski (2008), and Adam Myerson (2009).
In 1995, the Exeter Criterium was suspended until David Barrows' mother, Maureen, working with Susanne Delaney and Spuler, restarted the event in 2004. They introduced the Brian Bogart Half-way preme that same year to commemorate its namesake—another talented and adventurous man killed in the prime of his life. Previous winners of this award include Jake Hollenbach (2007), Scott Zwizanski (2008), and Isaac Howe (2009).
Since the rebirth of the race, the organizers (Barrows, Spuler, and Helen and Neil Flanagan) have introduced the David Bemis Best Young Rider award to honor a third New England resident who was well-loved and killed in an accident. The four prior receipients of this are Susannah Pratt (2007), Jake Keough (2007 and 2008 and overall race winner in 2007), and Colin Jaskewitz (2009).
In terms of this year's race, the 45 minute Men's 40+ race started the event. Tight corners and fan-lined streets full of hills made this an extremely difficult race. Nonetheless, the riders did not shirk from the challenge, attacking each lap with increasing fervor. In the end, Paul Richard (CCB Racing) was able to out-sprint Paul Curley (Gearworks) and Bill Mark (NBX/Narragansett Beer p/b Apex Techonology).
About 20 minutes later, the 60-minute men's pro race started. This star-studded field included Nick Keough (Kenda Pro Cycling p/b Gear Grinder), Krik Carlsen (Garmin), 2008 race winner Shawn Milne (Team Type 1), Ted King (Cervelo, though riding in iamtedking.com kit), Jonathan Page (Planet Bike), and Eric Schildge (Mtn Khakis). The attacks started early—many different and aggressive breaks formed, but were than swallowed by the ever-attentive peloton. King would later say on his Twitter that he was “Marked like a Sharpie but that's what makes this race fun.” Every time it looked like an attack or a break would succeed, it would be reeled in. Even a fairly successful trio was ultimately caught with just one lap to go.
Last year, the overall race winner was Adam Myerson (Mountain Khaki). He was again active in the early part of the race this year, but having sustained a broken wrist Sunday, had to ultimately settle for 58th instead of repeating last year's performance. In the end, Milne was able to throw his bike across the line just ahead of Page. Schildge finished out the podium. King took 10th, Carlsen was 18th, and Keough was 19th.
After staying for the podium presentation, I knew I had to return to my classes. But really, what were the odds—I'm nearly 800 miles from home, and a bike race landed on my lap. It really was cycling serendipity.
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