ROAD WARRIORS

With the rain came anxiety, then relief.

Early showers delayed Sunday’s criterium races for the 21st annual Columbia Cup for an hour, but dropped the temperature and humidity. Saturday’s street sprints, postponed until Sunday morning because of rain, were cancelled altogether because of the continued wet conditions, but exciting cycling ensued nonetheless in the criterium.

“This is all about fun and a little bit of money for the athletes, let’s give them some support,” Aaro Froese, race organizer and announcer, thundered through the P.A. system at the northwest corner of Eighth and Elm Streets.

Roughly 100 spectators wandered the sidewalks along the course, which began on in front of the announcer’s tent continued east on Elm to Ninth Street, then went south to Conley Avenue, west past MU’s Jesse Hall to Sixth Street, then north back to Elm Street.

“The race was deceivingly hard,” said men’s Category 1 winner Steve Tilford, refering to the steady incline facing racers going east on Elm Street from Sixth Street. After 45 minutes of racing in tight packs known as pelotons, the uphill ride became tiring.

Columbia’s Krista Kippenberger, there to watch her husband Kurt, a Catergory 1 racer, said she liked the route better than in previous years.

“You could feel the action and see more of it, and there are no brick streets for the riders to fall on,” Krista Kippenberger said.

Riders were often racing for what they call “swag,” prizes including bike products and beverages that the event’s sponsors donated. Prize money was also part of the criterium, the amounts determined by how much Froese could get spectators to donate during the races. On some loops, a bell would ring and a prize would be announced to the cyclists.

Andy Smart of Illinois won the Juniors race, the first race of the day, with John Caldwell of St. Louis placing second. Stacy Bertsch, of Billings, Mo., won the Women’s Open, and Catherine Walberg from Kansas took second. Third place finisher, MU student Molly Vettersmith, said it was an extra tough race for her.

“I’m still dehydrated from yesterday,” said Vettersmith, who also finished third in Saturday’s road race competition, made grueling by excessive heat.

Kurtis Albrecht of Washington, Mo., finished third in the Master’s 50-and-over criterium race, and Kurt Russell, also of Washington, placed second.

Austin Allison of St. Louis won the Category 4 and 5 race, and Ryan Halloran of Kansas City won the Category 3 and 4 event.

The fastest race by far was the last. The Men’s Category 1 event had a couple of spills and a lot of breakaways.

“Look at those three off the front, they’re looking strong,” Froese announced.

A strong cool breeze began blowing in from the West during the final race, helping in some stretches but creating an obnoxious headwind for cyclists in the downhill section. In the end, Joshua Carter of Fairview Heights, Ill., placed second behind Steve Tilford from Topeka, Kan., who accepted a check for $200 as the winner.