This weekend brings two of my favorite races on the ABR calendar.

Action starts Saturday afternoon with the Winfield Twilight Criterium.  It’s an interesting course with a long, gradual climb on the backstretch, followed by a fast, safe, sweeping descent. The rare inclusion of a 2/3 field gives local 2’s the chance to shine without the meddling of their Cat 1 superiors, and the residential course brings out the neighborhood tifosi, traditionally including a block party on the climb that will call king-of-the-hill primes. They are good hosts, generous with their cheers (and sometimes their beers). Lower-category races should expect to shatter in the first few laps. Stay near the front from the gun so you don’t have to play catch-up and be ready to bridge to a forward group. Meanwhile, the course is just difficult enough to facilitate breaks late in the 2/3 and 1/2 races.

The next day the action moves to a different part of Winfield for ABR’s national criterium championships. Jerseys are up for grabs in some categories, but good money and great racing are available to everyone. The milelong, rectangular course has a false flat on the backstretch and a nice kicker at Turn 3.  Recall the advice of Winfield veteran Reid Mumford (Kelly Benefit Strategies) from his CBR interview: “It’s good to notice that the the hill doesn’t end until sometime after Turn 3.  A lot of people race to Turn 3 and then think that the effort is over.  After Turn 3 is an excellent place to launch an attack.” From there it’s a long, slightly downhill runway into the finish.

For those chasing USAC points, there’s a criterium in Fond du Lac, Wisc., and the Indy Crit makes its debut in Indianapolis.

Saturday Winfield Twilight Criterium ABR criterium Winfield, Ill. Distance from Chicago: 1 hour Previous wrap-ups: 2007, 2008, 2009

Attitude Sports Criterium USAC criterium Fond du Lac, Wis. Distance from Chicago: 2.5 hours

Indy Crit USAC criterium Indianapolis Distance from Chicago: 3.5 hours

Sunday ABR National Criterium Championships ABR criterium Winfield, Ill. Distance from Chicago: 1 hour Previous wrap-ups: 2007, 2008, 2009