Straight Outta PROvo...

And of course, mountain top finishes. Lots and lots of mountain top finishes.

I know a lot of people don't like to climb, but what I just can't understand is why, with all the amazing mountains we have around here, we spend so much time riding our bikes in the parking lot.

Not really just crits, but even some short circuit road races that favor agility and tactics vs. just pure climb-ability.  

Oh, and more crits.

Outside of stage races, that's still 5 more crits that mountain top finishes. In fact, the only mountain top finish I can think of is stage three of the Tour de Gap (the hill climbs are in a different category and don't really count).

Of course, I have nothing against crits and I wouldn't mind seeing them extended. I just want to see climbs at the end of road races instead of fifty miles from the finish line.

I'd like to point out that every hill climb is a mountain top finish...since there was 4 of those this year, that's not much of a major discrepency.

 I'd like to see more circuit races personally.

Longer crits, more crits in Utah valley with larger field sizes, and more circuit races is what Utah cycling needs.  It drives me crazy travelling 2hrs to race 40 mins at RMR.  By the way, what happened to the Big 5 Crit Series? That event was dy-no-mite!

Also, I don't agree with having more mtn top finishes.  I know a couple of cat 3 riders who can beat cat 1's and finish a respectable 1min-1:30min down from the local pros in a hill climb....  but, they can't corner, they can't ride in and move through the pack comfortably, and they possess little tactical wit.  Circuit races foster better all-around riders.

Oh, by the way, for the racer and the spectator, crits and circuit races are considerably more entertaining than the out and back sort of races.  Think stage 5 Tour of Utah.  Coolest race I've seen all year. Aside from that, my wife and kid can stomach circuit races and crits a lot easier than "Hooray, I waited 3 hrs to see my husband get dropped like a steaming pile o' crap on this mtn top finish."   So please, for the sake of my family and so my kid won't grow up to resent bicycles, longer crits and more circuit races.  

yeah.. I'm all for the 100k crits.  There's nothing quite like it.  I'd have to say it needs to be pro/1/2/3 as I feel a field size of only 35 guys will make it rather boring.  

Cat 3's should be stoked to ride in the pro 1/2 as often as possible.. unless of course the goal is to remain a cat 3 forever, then I guess there would be nothing to worry about.

Some big circuit races would be awesome.. maybe on the Larry H Miller track again.  That was sweet.

dude, you didn't like the track?  At TGPC when we got the 70 mph tailwind we were bombing corners at like 45.  I was draggin knee through a few of them.  The broskies on the motobike had nothing on us.

4.5 stars means someone thinks you are lame.

Stage 4 owned you remember... you have enemies in the local scene who want to see you hang for your uber strength and movie star like status.

Goober Uber.. whatever's Tough Guy.  Satge 4 has something coming next year.  PRO is a sweet film.  Dude I want to race that race.

Mountain top finishes good, Crits are stupid:P

crits are lame, there is 2 crits a week and one on the weekend if there is a stage race, or just a crit. There is one hillclimb every other week. it should be the other way around. I propose these crits, 1st up "I" street and down "J" street. 2nd around the Capital building, and third somewhere around research park. These would be great crits that would be fun for everyone.

Best regards- Stormin' Norman.

So, we're obviosly divided as to the direction we think Utah racing should take in the future. However, one thing I think we can all agree on is that we'd like to see more racers. And the best way to accomplish this is to generate more interest in the sport. I've noticed that, in the past few years, Red Bull has done an excellent job of creating mountain bike hype through the promotion of "unorthodox" race and competition formats, such as the Red Bull Rampage and urban downhills. I think it's about time for us to follow their example. Here are a few possibilities:

1. In the spirit of the Chinese Downhill, we could hold at least one anything-goes, point-to-point road race per season. The only rules would be that your bike has to cross the line with you, and you can't prearrange for someone to pick you up and take you to the finish (so I guess it would really be an almost-anything-goes road race). Hitchhiking, alternate routes, and sabatoge would all be fair game.

2. Tricycle criteriums. I don't think this one needs any explanation. Of course, they could be even better if we held them on the go kart track at Trafalga.

3. At least one stage per stage race should be an off the bike activity. Options include (but are by no means limited to) WWF-style royal rumbles, Scrabble tournaments, wet T-shirt contests, and midget-throwing competitions.

4. Downhill time trials. Specatators love speed and carnage. I assure you that a time trial off the top of Squaw Peak would provide plenty of both.

That's about all I can think of right now. Feel free to add to the list if you think I forgot something.

Ryan, Stormin used my logon because he could not get on his own, that's why he signed off as Stormin'Norman. He made a pretty bold statement about crits. I do not agree with him and believe he can do real well at the crits as soon as he believes in himself, but one step at a time. You did a great job at the High Uintas crit and I believe you when you talk about your prowess at crits with hills.

I would like to see a fair and balanced race schedule that would contain equal amounts of each type of racing- crits(half w/hills), RR, TT's and hillclimbs.

To answer your question, yes more is better but we need 60 plus racers to get upgrade points and that particular race needs to be your strength.

Norm Sr.