East Village Criterium

Posted Aug 10, 2009
15,612

Spend Sunday August, 30th at the races in the East Village near downtown Des Moines. Race or spectate. You are guaranteed to have fun either way!

Des Moines More than 150 of the fastest cyclists from around the Midwest will race in the streets of Des Moines on Sunday, August 30 in the East Village Criterium Bike Race. The riders will compete for more than $5,600 in cash and prizes on a 0.7 mile course that starts and finishes on Finkbine Street, located on the west terrace of the state capitol building. During the races the streets will be barricaded and closed to motorized vehicle traffic. Some cyclists will reach 40 miles-per-hour on the challenging and hilly course, and all will be required to negotiate six right and left 90-degree corners. There will be 10 races throughout the day starting in the morning and finishing late in the afternoon. The races are organized so that cyclists of similar abilities race against one another. The featured professional/semi-professional race will start at 1:15 p.m. Immediately preceding the pro race will be a “Kid’s Race” where children with tricycles, training wheel bikes, or small bikes can ride a portion of the course. Just like the older racers, the kids will be required to wear helmets. One of the races will allow non-licensed riders to enter. The Category 5/“Citizens” race is intended for novice racers, or for those who have never raced. Riders without an annual USA Cycling racing license can purchase a 1-day racing license, pay the entry fee, and enter the race. Entries are accepted the day of the race, or from the website at www.eastvillagecrit.com . The East Village Criterium will mark the end of the summer road racing season in Iowa. After the last race of the day, the Iowa Cup Cycling Awards will be presented to riders who consistently finished well in a selected group of races. Sponsors of the East Village Criterium include Holmes-Murphy Insurance, Hy-Vee, Iowa Health – Des Moines, Kum & Go, Urbandale Eye Care, Principal Financial Group, Zoom Performance Coaching, VW Advisors, Helping Hands Massage, and Visionary Services, Inc. Several individuals also contributed to support the event. The races are being promoted by three local competitive cycling teams including Rasmussen’s Bike Shop Racing Team, Punk Rock Cycling, and the Des Moines Cycle Club Race Team (DMOS/RDMB). The races are sanctioned by USA Cycling, the governing sports federation for cycling. Check out EastVillageCrit.com for an interactive experience. RACE DETAILS