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College Cyclists Race Around Berkeley Art Museum

By Steven Finacom
Monday March 14, 2011 - 09:31:00 AM
Men cyclists from UC teams and Humboldt State lead the pack around the
            corner across from the Hearst Museum on the UC Berkeley campus.
Steven Finacom
Men cyclists from UC teams and Humboldt State lead the pack around the corner across from the Hearst Museum on the UC Berkeley campus.
Two women racers take the sharp corner onto Bancroft, across from the
            Durant Hotel.
Steven Finacom
Two women racers take the sharp corner onto Bancroft, across from the Durant Hotel.
Three older men in racing gear, coffee drinks in hand, evaluate the form of a
            passing woman cyclist in front of Café Strada on Bancroft.
Steven Finacom
Three older men in racing gear, coffee drinks in hand, evaluate the form of a passing woman cyclist in front of Café Strada on Bancroft.
The fastest part of the racecourse was down Durant Avenue. Racers flew
            around the corner onto Bowditch Street.
Steven Finacom
The fastest part of the racecourse was down Durant Avenue. Racers flew around the corner onto Bowditch Street.
Women cyclists line up for one of their races at the starting line on Bancroft
            Way.
Steven Finacom
Women cyclists line up for one of their races at the starting line on Bancroft Way.
A Cal woman warms up in blue and gold tie-dye racing gear.
Steven Finacom
A Cal woman warms up in blue and gold tie-dye racing gear.
The green clad Humboldt State Lumberjack team warms up on the sidelines.
Steven Finacom
The green clad Humboldt State Lumberjack team warms up on the sidelines.

Dozens of cyclists from several California college teams turned a block south of the UC campus into a temporary racecourse Sunday, March 13, 2011.  

The Berkeley Streets Criterium featured racers from Humboldt State to UC San Diego and a variety of men’s, women’s, and alumni races. 

Colorfully clad teams from UCLA, UC Santa Cruz, Stanford, USC, Sacramento State joined the field for the event, which was hosted by the Cal Cycling Team. 

The racecourse centered on the block containing Berkeley Art Museum, with traffic diverted from the surrounding streets. Racers went clockwise, accelerating down College Avenue, then Durant, swooping around the corner onto Bowditch, then pumping uphill on Bowditch and Bancroft. Volunteers and UC police aides monitored traffic and kept the course clear. 

Races lasted set times—30 to 60 minutes—and each group of cyclists circled the course as many times as possible in the periods allowed. 

The men’s races picked up considerable speed on the down stretch. “Watching you guys was crazy, oh my God”, said one woman cyclist to a male teammate. The men tended to clump in two or more packs, while the women stretched out into lines.  

“On the wheel! On the wheel!” spectators shouted to their favorites, encouraging them to get behind another cyclist and benefit from the leader cutting air resistance ahead of them. 

Shifting groups of spectators scattered along the route, while bemused passersby waited for the chance to cross the streets. A small procession in vestments went by on their way to services at the Saint Joseph of Arimathea chapel as one of the women’s races pedaled past in the other direction. The plaza in front of Kroeber Hall was littered with cycling equipment and vehicles as teams set up temporary support bases. 

Although the racing was competitive, the atmosphere was festive and relaxed. Friendly spectators cheered racers who seemed to be struggling. There wasn’t the raucous outward school rivalry one sees at Cal basketball or football games. I stood next to a Cal team member who encouraged a USC cyclist from the sidelines as he came uphill well behind the pack. 

Straw barricades edged the course at the sharp turns. Rain threatened, but held off most of the day as the contestants powered through their races. There was wet pavement and some crashes in the final men’s race, however.  

The condition of Berkeley’s streets did not excite some of the racers. “It’s a grease pit out there”, said one man as he came off the course following an early race. Others warned of small potholes at the turn from Durant to Bowditch. 

“Big thanks to everyone who came out for the Cal Criterium today. Great success!” the Cal team Twittered following the event.