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CHARLES SWANK
ATHENS' FAMOUS DOWNTOWN RACE HITS THE STREETS AGAIN
C lose the streets and line the comers with hay, because the
Twilight Cntenum returns to downtown Athens on Saturday,
Apr. 28. Longtime race organizer Gene Dixon, who has prob
ably the most experienced background locally in the sport, strongly
believes that criterium racing will pay a significant role in the
future of cycling in Amenca.
"Criterium racing has the best spectator affinity." Dixon says.
"You know, when people leave, they leave, going, '1 want to watch
that again.' It's different than any other aspect of cycling, espe
cially for the non-initiated. non-cyctmg spectator. It's a part of
cycling they never see, even if they watch it on TV. They never get
to see people ejme through corners, and then come around again
and be able to watch tactics as they develop lap by lap."
In a critenum, or a “crit* as it's referred to by those in the
sport, riders race along a dosed, tight circuit whose distance is
somewhere in the region of a mile or less. Those who have seen
Twilight in action know that the speeds are very high, and crashes
are not uncommon. Tom skin and Lycra are almost expected at
some point in a hotty contested race, and the infamous corner near
the Georgia Theatre is traditionally piled high with hay bales to
minimize the on-course carnage that normally takes its toll.
This years Twilight event sets off both a national and a region
al series known as USA Cats and USA Crits Southeast, respectively.
The bigger series groups together many well-known cnteriums
under one umbrella as a means of not only increasing those races'
attendance, but also as a way to bring a cohesive feel to a sport
with growing visibility.
' P@IN.Tj
"From having done the Twilight for so many years, and having
known a lot of other race directors that are in the same position
that we are and trying to sell the racing and have riders to pro
mote," Dixon says, "ifs kinda like NASCAR and developing things
the same way. The upside of doing it that way is our ability to
market the series to national sponsors and have more consistent
revenues, because there's so much cycling and so much energy in
all of these communities."
Over the course of its history, the race has had many presti
gious winners, but the tough nature of the downtown course al
ways has it surprises. Pressed to give his predictions on who might
walk away with this year's victory, Dixon sagely shies away from
the question and puts in a vote for our home-grown teams. "Our
local boys should do welt" Dixon says. "Jeff [Hopkins] finished
third last year in the series, so you have to think of him as a defi
nite possibility. He's definitely fast"
Jackie Soladay
The Women’s Pro Criterium is scheduled for downtown Athens on Saturday.
Apr. 28 at 7:45 p.m. The Men’s Pro Criterium is scheduled for 8:45 p.m. For
complete Athens Twilight Criterium schedules and events, go to www.athens
twilight.com/schedule.php
BiST SPECTATOR AFFINITY.
O Aaron s Cycling Team
Manager Hit an Rice the also manage •» riv jittery Joes men's
team), h poised to have a solid season this year. Rke points to
sQ(v&fv$at, who Aon tne. women's race? heri?4fi
200a as someone to ©net again for a po#um placing.
Rice pUns t.a efrCoHog that. Shannon a realty strong ere*
behind her when she rods to the line. ^ .vw.aaronscychnateaw.
laliromta earner tjhi;
pr. put that ha* not
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it opped Mm
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t beteanteim .tom.,
O AEG-Toshiba Jet Network Already
of the Bahamas and the of Belize, the AEG squad t
up victories at. an alarm mg rate, frortur-rig then '.'Cuban
Frank ' ti
young talent and experienced riders like ClHis Frederick
the leidirig lights for 20$?. ho--sever> is young Keith No
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ari»J experimenting with a nev* hobby, - brewing beer.
-And-the team's General Onager is focused bunging
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8 FLAGPOLE.COM APRIL 25.2007
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