Can-Am Police and Fire games 2010: Criterium

I was excited and nervous for the criterium race. All year, I've been racing crits well, but I knew there would be some strong guys at the Can-Am games. My best finish prior to the games was a 3rd place podium at the Grandview Grand Prix a few week prior. The good part about the crit at the games was that we'd gotten word that the organizers were combining some of the fields, but would still grade the finishers separately. This meant that Dennis and I could work together, but not compete against each other for medals, since we were in different categories.
The course was tight. It was a 1 mile loop, but turn 3 was a nasty little turn into a small alley, which also went up hill. If that wasn't bad enough, there was a concrete curb on one side and a concrete water drain on the other side! Dennis' advice was for us to be in front of the pack going into that turn, so we wouldn't get caught in the confusion of the group going into that turn. When the start whistle was blown, I went straight to the front of the race! (Dennis told me to go up front, but he didn't say how far , so I went as far as I could!!) We navigated all the turns well, learning our lines along the way. On lap 2, Dennis moved around me and let me draft a little. I think this was also his way of reeling me back in so that I didn't stay out front and blow up too early. On the third lap, we starting letting some of the other racers/teams do some of the work up front. Over the course of the entire race, Dennis and I stayed at the front of the race, taking our turns pulling, and not letting anybody get away. On the final lap, going into turn 3 (the nasty one), Dennis pulled off the perfect move, and put himself into first place going up the hill. At the final turn, he hit the gas and sprinted away for the win. Coming around turn 4, I had a few guys around me, so I did the same and sprinted hard for the line, beating them out for a Gold as well. Earlier in the evening, Ramon had earned silver in his class. It was another successful day for CRFP Cycling!