Shea Center Criterium - 2023 NCNCA Junior Criterium Championship

Congratulations to the two BBCjrs who participated in yesterday's District Criterium Championship!  Both were in the boys 17-18. Peter Bock placed 5th in his criterium debut.  Grant Edmister (racing with SJBC, but also a BBCjr member) was the winner. The race was a 45-minute 4-corner office park affair on the same Livermore course as Early Birds.  This course is about as non-selective as it gets.  But blustery winds and a small field with nowhere to hide or recover meant it wouldn't be easy.  15-16s and 17-18s started together; this turned out have important tactical implications.Peter was first to the first corner, and Grant joined him off the front for a few early laps before both returned to the field.  A few minutes later Grant got into a counter-attack with Max, a 15-16yo from Team Swift.  And that was essentially the end of the race. Since Grant and his breakaway companion were scored separately they could cooperate fully, without any cat-and-mouse.  They were also well represented by teammates in the field, so the chase was disorganized and once the gap went out past 30 seconds the impetus went out of the field.  Grant and Max would go on to lap the field.  Twice.  So they won their respective races.  Peter dropped a lap after burning his matches in the early chase.  Once he rejoined what was left of the field he finished comfortably in the reduced group.  Good for fifth. So congratulations again.  Looking forward to the season finale at the Diablo Challenge next Sunday.

Grant in the center.  Peter in BBC whites on the far right.