Sultry weather didn’t stop throngs of cycling fans from lining the streets of downtown Boise for the Twilight Criterium this past weekend.
The exuberant crowd braved temperatures flirting with the triple digits for the 33rd running of the city’s best-known bike race.
“We’ve had heat before like this – it’s not tough on us," said Larry Rich, who's been coming to the competition for years. "It’s tough on the cyclists, but they suck it up and do very well.”
A veteran race-goer, Rich made sure to bring the essentials: a comfortable chair and a cowbell – the essential element of the Twilight Criterium soundtrack.
The Twilight Criterium is an all-day cycling event culminating in women’s and men’s professional races. Savvy fans watch at a turn in the course. There you can feel and hear the speed of some of the world’s best cyclists.
That’s where Kate Shane was camped out on a blanket with her two young children, taking in the women’s pro race.
“We love to sit here on the corner and watch them fly by. We ride our bikes down and it’s fun,” Shane said.
In the end, fans saw familiar faces atop the podiums: Olympic Silver Medalist Jennifer Valente won the women’s pro race for the third year in a row. In the men’s race, Justin Williams won for the second time.
Follow Heath Druzin on Twitter @HDruzin
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