By Dave Iltis — Sugarhouse is Utah’s classic criterium. The park has hosted races since at least the 1950’s, and possibly long before that. What better place to hold the 2018 Utah state criterium championships? What better day than a sunny May 26, 2018.
In the Pro/1/2/3 women’s race, an early 2 rider break formed when climber Marci Kimball (Plan 7 DS) attacked on lap 3 and all-arounder Lindsey Stevenson (Zone 5 Racing) went with her. The two worked together well and increased their gap with each lap. It didn’t hurt that each had teammates in the field who were content to let the break stay away. Stevenson won the sprint handily, “I hammered on the little downhill before the last kicker and then just went full gas on the hill sprint as was able to stay away.”
In the Pro/1/2 men’s race, a field of 41 riders started, and the action kicked off immediately. A break formed driven by Clinton Mortley (Intermountain LiveWell) and Cortlan Brown (Hangar 15), but this didn’t stick. Many counter attacks and attacks continued after this including a nice flyer by Chris Stuart, but with a bit of a wind, nothing stuck until the last few laps. A group of 4 was away, Clint Mortley and Michael Hawley brought the group close. Another set of 4 merged with them. The octet stuck it for the next couple of laps until the finishing sprint when Intermountain LiveWell’s Bryce Olsen kicked into high gear at the base of the hill. Everyone else was left in his wake. Jules Goguely and Cortlan Brown (both Hangar 15) rounded out the top 3. Olson described his winning sprint, “I was sitting on Jason Castor’s wheel” and then followed another rider before the hill, “I just hung on his wheel. As soon as we hit the bottom of hill, I gassed it and gave it everything I had and was able to pass him and hold the lead until the finish.”
Olsen and Stevenson were crowned state champions, along with a host of other riders in the other categories.
For results, see the results section in this issue.
