SCHEDULE: Fidelity Investments Gran Prix of Beverly - Presented by Beverly Hospital
GP Beverly Kids Activities
• Registration for Kids races & parade: 4:30-5:15pm on Beverly Common
• Kids races: 5:30-6:00pm ages 5-6, 7-8, 9-10, 11-12 race on grass on Beverly Common
• Kids Parade: 6:00pm ride the adult race course with top pro riders! Free Gran Prix of Beverly Poster to all children
Fidelity Investments Gran Prix of Beverly
Start/Finish line on Cabot Street
• Amateur Men 4:30pm
• Women State Championship Race 5:20pm
• Elite Men State Championship Race 6:35pm
Fidelity Investments Gran Prix of Beverly - Presented by Beverly Hospital
Hosted by Essex County Velo (ECV)
State championship bike racing comes to Garden City, Part of Beverly Homecoming
BEVERLY, MA – The hottest month of the year kicks off with sizzling cycling action during Beverly Homecoming. On Wednesday, Aug. 4, downtown Beverly will spring to life with the return of world-class bike racing and the 2nd annual Fidelity Investments Gran Prix of Beverly, presented by Beverly Hospital. Last year, the inaugural Gran Prix of Beverly attracted hundreds of spectators, including many first-time cycling fans, who were treated to front-row views of a stunning series of lightning-quick criterium races. This year, with the Gran Prix newly designated as the official "state championships" and coinciding with Beverly Homecoming, the races promise to be even more of a spectacle.
The Gran Prix will consist of four divisions – Elite Men, Open Women, Masters Men, and Amateur Men – as well as a kids race. All four groups will race the same serpentine course, which starts and finishes on Cabot Street in the heart of downtown Beverly, and winds along sections of Hale and Dane streets. For the uninitiated, a criterium, or "crit," is a high-speed, high-stakes chess match on two wheels. Held on relatively short circuit course – typically on closed city streets – a criterium features brightly clad competitors constantly jockeying for position at speeds of up to 35 miles an hour as they repeatedly circle past spectators, and closer to 45 miles on hour during the final dash to the finish. Each race lasts roughly an hour, and consists of several "races within a race," called primes (pronounced "preems"), ensuring non-stop action.
"The whole atmosphere was so charged," said veteran pro racer Tim Johnson, a native of Middleton who now calls Beverly home. "The transformation of Cabot Street into a race course is pretty amazing. I was so excited about the crowds, three and four deep by the start-finish area, and going past St. Mary's Star of the Sea church, with Father Barnes ringing the church bells for the primes. Everything was amplified."
This year, race organizers scored a major coup by having the Grand Prix of Beverly staged a week earlier, to coincide with the 44th annual Beverly Homecoming, one of the highlights of the city's calendar. This citywide celebration – the quintessential New England summertime festival – guarantees a terrific crowd. The Gran Prix will be held on the same day as another popular Homecoming staple, the annual Lobster Festival.
"It's a real win-win for Beverly Homecoming, with two major events going on mid-week," said Beverly Recreation Director Bruce Doig, who also plays a major role in Homecoming organization. "It looked like a good marriage."
According to Doig, the focus of Homecoming calendar – more than 80 events strong – has recently migrated to Lynch Park along city's coastline, and the Gran Prix will help re-establish the event's traditional ties to the city's main thoroughfare. "It's a huge event," said Doig of the Gran Prix. "It was so dramatic, when you see how fast these racers are going, and the turns they're trying to negotiate. And the businesses look at it as a win-win, because the race is drawing a lot of people to the downtown, and there's plenty of opportunity for them to stay open."
Last year, several restaurants took advantage of local streets being altered into a race course/walking mall, setting up sidewalk tables to create outdoor cafes and enhancing the party atmosphere. And the racing didn't disappoint. In the Men's Elite race, New Hampshire's Benjamin Zawicki of Richmond Pro Cycling won in a furious sprint finish, edging Robbie King of IF/Lionettes and Beverly's own Shawn Milne of Team Type1. Two more top pro riders from Beverly, Johnson and Jesse Anthony, finished 5th and 12th respectively. Former Canadian national champion Lynne Bessette, Johnson's wife, finished second in the women's race, winning the bunch sprint behind Rebecca Wellons of NEBC/Cycle Loft/Devonshire Dental.
Anthony, Bessette, Johnson and Milne are all expected to return this year, ensuring another top-flight field. Bike races are only as good as the competitors, and the fact that Beverly can bring such star power to the start line is a testament to the cycling community found on Boston's North Shore and to the race organizers, spearheaded by Beverly-based cycling club Essex County Velo. It also reflects Johnson's commitment to the free kids race. "I really want to see the kids race become a must-see event," he said. "That's where we grow our future champions, and future ambassadors of the sport.
For details, contact race director Paul Boudreau, at paul@granprixbeverly.com.
Gran Prix of Beverly 08/13/09 from Mark Lovett on Vimeo.
What is the Gran Prix of Beverly?
The Gran Prix of Beverly is a criterium, or crit, a bike race held on a short course (usually less than 5 km), often run on closed-off city centre streets.
Race length can be determined by a total time or a number of laps, in which case the number of remaining laps is calculated as the race progresses. Generally the event's duration (commonly one hour) is shorter than that of a traditional road race — which can last many hours, sometimes over the course of several days or even weeks, as in a Grand Tour. However, the average speed and intensity are appreciably higher. The winner is the first rider to cross the finish line.
Events often have prizes (called primes, pronounced "preems", and are usually cash) for winning specific intermediate laps (for instance, every 10th lap). A bell is usually rung to announce to the riders that whoever wins the next lap, wins the prime. Success in road criteriums requires a mix of good technical skills — in particular, the ability to corner smoothly, while "holding your line" on the road, as well as rapidly and sharply — and riding safely with a large group on a short circuit and exceptional "sprint" ability to attack other riders and repeatedly accelerate hard from corners.
