Race Reports by Marcel Aarden

BC Crit Champs
Result: 4th

The crit course consisted with four corners, one steep section and a flat
finish. The junior category had 30 laps. There were only nine juniors and
about a quarter way through the race it broke down to myself and four
others. There were constant attacks up the hill from a lactic acid rider,
but the group stayed together for the most part. At 18 laps to go a lactic
acid rider attacked up the hill and i found myself at the back with another
lactic acid rider in front of me. He blocked me and gap formed between me
and him from the leader group of three. I waited to long to attack him and
was left alone for 17 laps to try and close the gap from the leaders to
myself. The gap was already to long when i attacked and i nearly got back
but, unfortunately i couldn't close that last little bit after so much work.

Mt. Seymour Hill Climb

Result: 1st junior, 4th Cat.3, 19th overall(out of 72)

I decided to go with the cat.3 riders instead of the juniors because we
would leave with the cat1/2's. I thought it would be more of a challenge and
i could see how i could do with the cat.1's. After finishing the race i had
the fastest junior time by a 2 minute lead, but since i left with the cat.3
i was not given the prize or trophy for the junior category. I wish i had
just stayed with the juniors.

We left in a bunch of about 15, more or less and symmetric's set a steady
hard pace at the front. I stayed with them for about 1 to 2km. The course
was a 12.2 km climb. I fell of the back and was trying to catch the other
riders who were being dropped. It ended up with a group of three and i held
on till about 1km to the end, were i was dropped again, but still came out
with the fastest junior time. I have to say this was the most grueling and
difficult race i have ever done.