In the end, Churchill fits the criteria

'Crit' races a success at track's infield

By Benjamin Lampkin
Special to The Courier-Journal

Laura Johnson was so excited about competing in the USA Cycling Masters National Championship criterium race that she couldn't help bragging to a friend back home.

"I'm standing in the infield of Churchill Downs right now," Johnson gushed over the phone yesterday morning. Ignoring the light drizzle coming down at the track, the Ann Arbor, Mich., native said she was ecstatic to race in the legendary Louisville venue.

"I love it; it's gorgeous," Johnson said of Louisville. "I came out (to Churchill Downs) yesterday, and just coming out of the tunnel, and today with the horses thundering along, it's really special. It's just a really neat venue."

With horses out in the early morning prepping for the day's races, the top amateur sprinters in the country were maneuvering through the half-mile infield service road. Yesterday's schedule consisted of four women's criterium races, but it took several years to bring the event to Churchill Downs.

Racing promoter Dave Martin helped bring the Masters National Championship to town in 2003, but racing downtown turned out to be problematic for the criterium portion due to construction and other events near the waterfront. This time around, Churchill Downs' David Loignon and Paul Kucharski, who compete with the twinspires.com cycling team, wondered if the event could be held at their famous place of business.

The two contacted Martin, then the Greater Louisville Sports Commission and USA Cycling. After all parties toured the infield and agreed it fit the criteria, they decided to go ahead with the plans.

"What we were really hoping was to give the bike racing fans, and the bike racers, a chance to visit Churchill Downs and race at Churchill Downs," said Loignon, general manager of Churchill Downs Simulcast Productions.

One concern was the length of the service road. Crit races are typically run on short loops, roughly a mile long, for 30-50 laps. Loignon and Martin said the Churchill course is short for a crit track, but at approximately a half-mile it suited USA Cycling and offered enough of a challenge.

"USA Cycling understands there's a lot of prestige with this event," Stewart said. "You want it to truly be a test. Whatever length it lacks, certainly it's technical enough to sort out the winners from the losers."

Another problem was debris on the course, remnants of broken mint julep glasses from the Kentucky Derby and Oaks. Three weeks ago volunteers swept up as much of the shards as they could, but after a practice round produced five flat tires, a power blower was brought out to clear the remaining glass.

Moisture was the only detriment to the riders yesterday. Early laps were taken more slowly as the riders gauged the course and tested their opponents. In the 30-34 age group, Betsy Galenti of Pomona, Calif., edged Holli Steelman in a photo finish.

The 35-39 group produced a spectacular ending, as four riders reached the finish line almost simultaneously. Jane Evely of Kent, Ohio, crossed first, and Leslie Jennings and Linda Sone were second and third, respectively. Louisville's Lesley McShane was fourth.

But Jennings and Sone crashed just past the finish line; Jennings flipped over her handlebars, and Sone landed against the metal gate. Sone was taken off in an ambulance, but race officials later said she was fine.

"I was thankful to be fourth at that point," said McShane, whose mother, husband, children and racing friends were there to watch her.

Though out-of-town riders such as Johnson were thrilled to see the famous track for the first time, locals such as McShane were happy to race in front of so many familiar faces.

"I've lived here a long time and worked out here during Derby, but it's weird doing this," McShane said. "You look around, and you're like, 'This is really cool.' You feel like a rock star with so many people cheering for you."