A couple of weeks the second edition of the Criterium Pontevedra was held. If in the first year they already did well, this year, Fran Cochone (Fixed&Single) and the “Squadra Gallega” have managed to organize an event at the height of its fame.
Riders arrived from different parts of Spain did not want to miss this amazing event, the craziest and most competitive Galician Criterium. In just two editions, Pontevedra’s race has entered part of the essentials of the national circuit. Appreciated by the fixed-gear tribe, due to its essence, organization, the merit of work well done from who is behind the organization that, day by day, works to maintain and grow this project.
Fran: “We are very satisfied with the overall result of all aspects of the race, because it is made with very few resources, for something as big as close an important part of a city centre, for a few madmen who will ride without brakes at almost 24,85mph during several hours between qualifiers, amateur, pro… etc…
We know that there are things to improve, as more fencing, more volunteers, and some other aspects, but the people were gone with a good taste in the mouth and it was very difficult to overcome the bar of last year.”
A shocking graph between the thug and the pro, brutal communication, web renewed with all information related to race and the weekend that Cochone organized so that nobody waste a single second.
Introduction of the amateur category, in our opinion, a fantastic idea, one way of bringing people to this discipline, more public and also leave the heavyweights to race the final at full speed.
Fran: “We believe that it has been a success to create the amateur category, and promotion where people could pass to the amateur final without interfering in the qualifying, so it encourages many local people, and teenagers too to live the adrenaline of a race. On the other hand was so much fun to live a race where no one knew what was going to happen (not as in pro where always ride the same ten at the front) and up to the arrival at finish line was spectacular, where the 2nd rider overtook who would win for celebrating it too soon… he, he he.”
Many people came to Pontevedra, many teams and many high level riders, the race was very competitive and defined a well known script this year in the national criterium, the struggle between our rider, Marco Hita (RAW Santafixie Team), and Luis Junquera (POLOANDBIKE). Marco nearly didn’t get the jackpot, but it is around the corner we have no doubt!
Fran: “In terms of the Pro race, it was a spectacle, because lap to lap the riders were rushing more and more every inch of circuit and was an amazing sensation to see the 10 first riders rushing through the Centre of the city, and with a large audience! And behind there were several riders who fought many laps as brave with the motorbike on the heels”.
The only thing, in the majority of cases, is not the fault of the organizers, is the lack of a female category. Anyway congratulations to the organizers! Time, enthusiasm and dedication to grow this discipline are not missing!
Fran: “We feel gutted about women’s category, but it was more complicated to add one more race, and we had the bad experience from last year that only the super Steff Gutovska came!, is one of the things to improve, and we have many ideas, if we have the support of the Town Hall, the limit is in the sky, who knows if even one “Americana”, I mean a road criterium … dreaming is free!”
Concept, attitude, fixed-gear, friendship, tattoos, hard work and the best afterparties of all the national circuit. All this makes Criterium Pontevedra, an event that stands out for its essence.
