Michael Chauner sped to victory in the Pro 1/2 men’s race at the Rock Lititz Bike Race on a Sunday evening in April 2015, taking first place and the top share of a $5,000 purse.
Chauner and the field of professional and elite amateur cyclists raced through the streets of Lititz Borough at an average speed of about 27 mph in the event that closed out the day-long competition.
A sponsor’s champion
Atomic, one of the event’s Lititz-based co-sponsors along with Clair Global and Tait, could boast a champion of its own: Chauner rides for the Atomic Energy Squad team. The three companies are anchors of the Rock Lititz campus, the live-event production and rehearsal hub that has made Lititz a destination for the world’s biggest concert tours.
The podium
Chauner edged Guillaume Nelessen of the Van Dessel Factory Team for the win. John Minturn of CRCA/The Weather Channel/Giant placed third, Craig Nichols of Team Alliance Environmental was fourth and Kyle Wamsley of Team Skyline finished fifth.
Prizes were awarded to the top 20 finishers. Matthew Randolph, Colton Valentine, Donald Brew, Elvys Reyes Acevedo and Ryan Shebelsky took sixth through 10th. Geron Williams placed 11th, followed by Ryan DeWald, Thomas Detwiler, Edwin Bull and Juan Pineda. Elvi Rodriguez Garcia, Jared Babik, Zac Felpel, Jesse Stauffer and Steve Bedilion rounded out the top 20.
Back after a year off
The Rock Lititz Bike Race and Block Party returned that spring after a one-year hiatus, bigger than before.
“We have a hundred more riders this year,” race director Rich Ruoff said that morning, putting the total near 200 before walk-up registrations. The event was free to spectators, and registration fees were donated to two nonprofit organizations.
Races for everyone
Open to amateur and professional cyclists, the event featured multiple races for all ages and abilities, as well as non-competitive tours through Lancaster County farmland at 20, 40 and 62 miles (100 kilometers).
The spectator highlight was the pro race, which began at 4:40 p.m. Riders covered 50 laps of a 0.8-mile course through borough streets, reaching speeds of up to 30 mph, with the start and finish line on East Main Street.
A block party downtown
The block party ran from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., with live music, special shopping, food trucks and a beer garden. Children had their own races and a bicycle-handling skills course designed to prepare them for safe summer riding.
What is a criterium?
Races like the Rock Lititz pro event are known as criteriums: short, fast, multi-lap races on closed city streets. Tight corners and a compact course keep riders bunched together, making for frequent attacks, dramatic sprints and close-up views for spectators. Riders in the Pro 1/2 category are the top licensed racers under USA Cycling’s category system.
Rock Lititz
The race took its name from Rock Lititz, the campus just outside the borough built by Clair Global, Tait and Atomic. Its massive rehearsal studio opened in 2014, drawing tours by major artists to prepare their stage shows in Lititz, and the companies have become major local employers and community sponsors.
Criterium racing
Criteriums are short, fast races on closed loops, often through town streets. Riders complete many laps at high speed, and tight corners reward bike handling as much as raw power. Team tactics play a big role, with teammates working to control the pace, chase down breakaways and set up a sprint finish.
A spectator-friendly sport
Because the course is a short loop, spectators see the riders pass every few minutes, making criteriums one of the most fan-friendly forms of bike racing. Bike races have brought a festive atmosphere to Lititz, with families lining the course.
This article was originally published in April 2015.