And now the race that many of us have been preparing all year for.

The money’s not as good as Elk Grove and the races are still short, but Downers Grove remains the most prestigious on the calendar, more so even than the state championships. Even though a national championship isn’t on the line for the lower categories, people will long remember who wins this Saturday. (For a few months, at any rate.)

Just like at Elk Grove, expect the races to be fast, wild and woolly on this figure-8 course. The 3/4’s race is capped at a hundred riders, so in theory it should be less congested, but with the added technicality, it will be especially important to be up front and out of danger. One can get through these turns without braking if you’re up front where it’s single-file, but if you’re in the bunch it can be a mess.

For God’s sake, do not bomb these corners, people. That hole you see on the inside is not really there.

Because of the turns and climbs, I expect the 5’s races will break up even more than at Elk Grove. If the lead groups are bigger than 15 riders I’ll eat my chamois. So, keep an eye on the gaps and always be ready to jump forward. And if you fall off the pace, don’t be surprised if officials pull you from the course.

If you haven’t seen it already, find a way this week to watch “Race Day,” a training video shot from within the 2005 masters race. It’s oh so very Robbie Ventura (Vision Quest), but it’s an unbeatable way to preview the course.

A few notes about the course:

Turn 1: The best way to do well is to get to the front and stay there. This means sprinting for the first corner like it was the end of the race and not the beginning. Fortunately you’ve been practicing your clip-in.

Between Turns 2 and 3: Here’s a long, shallow climb. If there’s room, it’s a good spot to make up some ground. Keep an eye out for people moving up the sides and grab them for a free ride. I’m told this section was paved this week. That will make for a very slick ride if it gets wet. “If it rains,” my source tells me, “bring Band-Aids.”

Between Turns 3 and 5: At Turn 4 there’s a short, steep kicker. If you’re going to attack, do it here. My admonitions against riding the inside notwithstanding, it’s sometimes safe to squeeze by there since the pack isn’t taking the corner at speed. Better, however, is to take it outside and come around everyone. You can advance a lot of positions on the wide, fast descent, but the trick is going to be getting back inside the pack by the time you get to Turn 5, an obtuse angle that can be taken super fast. You don’t want to have to create your own line and risk running out of room. If you see you can’t slide behind someone’s wheel by Turn 5, go ahead and eat the wind by going all the way to the front so you have the entire road at your disposal.

Turn 5: On the last lap and on any big prime laps, the pack may bunch up ahead of this turn. Nobody wants to be in the wind too early, and some will still be recovering from the climb. You can exploit this hesitation by jumping hard. Don’t even look back to see if you’re clear.  Ride it like you stole it and there’s a chance you’ll stay away. Not a good chance, but a chance, and even if you fail, this can be a good way to create opportunities for your team’s sprinter.

Between Turns 7 and 8: Turn 7 is slightly less than 90 degrees, and I recall there being some dodgy pavement on the far side of Curtiss Street, so don’t take Turn 7 too wide. Depending on the wind, you’ll probably want to ride up the right side, however, so you can get the right apex at Turn 8 and to prevent people from charging up that side.

Turn 8: From the last corner it’s 150 meters to the finish line. Good luck! There’s a climb through the start/finish area, so be sure not to be overgeared coming out of Turn 8. If it’s the last lap, you’re going to want to be first or second coming into the turn. Keep in mind that you’ll be going faster on the last lap, so you might not be able to take the same line as on other laps. Even the pros will wipe out here, as Ventura demonstrated in spectacular fashion on the last lap of the 2004 national championship.

And that’s how I read the course. As always, your mileage may vary. Have fun, ride safe and enjoy all the weekend’s races.

Saturday and Sunday Downers Grove National Criterium Championships USCF criteriums Downers Grove, Ill. Distance from Chicago: .5 hours