I <3 Cycling

Scots and world class cyclists size each other up before the Twilight Criterium bike race this past Saturday.

This is one of the coolest events ever to come to the city: a two-hour, night cycling race. B and I have been meaning to go for a couple of years, and next year seems too far away to wait for the next one. We watched from various corners and straightaways as the amateurs finished. There was a crash of about five bikes, and if you think that is painful to watch on TV, it is cringingly tough from a few feet away. The whir and thunk of bikes and flesh on pavement is not something I want to hear twice. Everyone was back on their bikes, but they had to be hurting.

I leaned along the barricades as the pros started filling in at the start. The mass of cleaned shaved, muscled legs and svelte bodies elbow-to-elbow in brightly colored spandex exuded an amazing race-ready energy. It reminded me of being at the horse races. I asked the closest one if he had done this before, and the Aussie, number 90, said, "No, this is my first time." I picked him as my "horse." They took to the freshly rained on course with a double rainbow arched over it at 8:30 and had a clear spot of weather for about an hour before the a slight drizzle made a return. Some family came from out of town to meet us, but decided not to in the end so we missed the last half hour to greet them at home, but it was incredibly exciting. I am officially a cycling race fan!

And how did 90 fair? He and a small group of others had to stop at the pit early on so no win for him. Maybe he'll be back next year.