The Velocity Group / AZMPS Most Aggressive Racer series was alive and kicking this past weekend!
For those that have forgotten or are unfamiliar with this series, it is something we are co-promoting with the Arizona Masters Points Series. It will be awarded to masters racer’s seen riding strong and fighting the good fight out at the races.
This weekend featured the ASU Criterium’s masters 30+ and 40+ races and the judging panel featured Austin King and Bryan Staub. Sunday’s Avondale Criterium featured the masters 40+ race and the judging panel included Greg Kilroy, Austin King, Barney King, Suzanne King, and Bryan Staub.
Saturday’s Most Aggressive Racer was awarded to True Brown (Bicycle Haus) and Mark Fosenburg (Honeywell Cycling). True Brown was the aggressor from the starting gun in the ASU Criterium attacking constantly in the opening laps before opening up one of his trademark breakaways. After a bit of reshuffling True again set out on the attack and was shortly joined by three others including eventual race winner Craig Streit (Procon Cycling). For the duration of the event True never hesitated to swap off with the others and aggressively lend his locomotive abilities to the 4-man breakaway that eventually lapped the field.
All the while this powerful 4-man breakaway powered away from the field Mark Fosenburg and another rider were caught in no man’s land – in between breakaway and peloton. Rather than take the easy route, throw in the towel, and be reabsorbed by the bunch, Fosenburg fought hard to further establish his breakaway. He even kept the hammer down solo for a lap when his breakaway companion needed to stop in to receive service for a mechanical.
Sunday’s Avondale Criterium featured Kyle Butkiewicz (Bicycle Haus) riding like a man possessed. Possibly another rider out there with a trademark attacking style, Butkiewicz launched early and he launched solo sticking his face out in the wind for several laps. With several riders and teams chasing it took quite awhile for them to bring him back to the group. Once back in the group Butkiewicz seemed to rest, reload, and re-launch taking another flyer in the closing laps to not only take the Most Aggressive Racer award but the win as well. Not too shabby. Honorable mention for the Avondale Criterium goes to Jim Silverman (GST Racing). For those watching the race it could be seen that Jim was doing a lion share of the work to chase back Butkiewicz and restore order. Jim was also seen slipping into a dangerous several man breakaway mid-race.
That’s all for now. We’d like to congratulate all the master’s racers from this past weekend for their great efforts. It was a lot of fun watching select races and giving credit where credit is due. Next up on our series schedule: San Tan Criterium (March 6th).
If you’d like to be a member of our judging panel at the next Most Aggressive Racer event, please feel free to contact us at info@velocitygroupaz.com. We’d love to hear from you! Thank you.
