Hundreds of professional cyclists and bike enthusiasts descended on City Hall Plaza Saturday for the first annual TD Bank Mayor’s Cup Race sponsored by TD Bank and Boloco, while thousands of tourists, families and volunteers surrounded the area to watch the races.
Race promoter and Boston’s bike czar Nicole Freedman said the race was designed to be as cost-effective and fun as possible for the community.
‘The mayor’s office was committed to making it happen and to bring attention to the new biking initiative,’ Freedman said. ‘These national champions are coming together in a celebration of what the mayor is doing and showing that [cycling] can be a great, fun way of life.’
Earlier this month, Mayor Thomas Menino called for the creation of safer cycling conditions for riders in a city that has historically been known as a dangerous place to be a cyclist.
The 60-minute Women’s Criterium was the first race of the day. Fifty-two women competed in approximately 30 laps around the 0.7 mile course.
Volunteers cheered on racers from the sidelines. Patricia McGuire, whose daughter Amy was racing, said she estimated that about 3,000 volunteers of all ages were taking part in the two-day event.
McGuire said she has been to many cities to watch her daughter compete, and that many big cities are trying to incorporate bikes more and more.
‘It’s economical, environmental and it really is fun.’ McGuire said.
The winner of the women’s race was Tina Pic, a two-time Pan-Am Championship gold medal winner, six-time world team member and one of the most decorated female cyclists in North America.
Pic, 43, finished the race in 49 minutes and 54.1 seconds for the Colavita-Sutter Home team, and took home nearly $12,000 in prize money.
‘I was really lucky to have a great team,’ Pic said, after announcing that she would be retiring after this last race and going on to direct the Colavita-Sutter Home team next year.
Brooke Miller, part of Team TIBCO, won $500 in an earlier prime, or race within the race, and took second place.
‘Your lungs are burning, heart racing, but you keep going.’ she said.
The Men’s Criterium, including 117 cyclists ranging in levels from collegiate to Olympian, followed the women’s race. The race was about 90 minutes long, with cyclists traveling an average of 30 miles per hour.
Kyle Walmsley, winner of the 2008 Fitchburg Longsjo Classic and who also ranked among the top-10 in the overall National Racing Calendar standings, took first place with a time of one hour, 31 minutes and 59.7 seconds.
Shawn Milne of Beverly and Clayton Barrows of State College, Pa. rounded out the top three.
Menino presented the men’s and women’s winners with their prize money at the award ceremony following the races.
‘It’s a great day in Boston,’ Menino said.
Two Northeastern University student triathlon competitors who watched races said they were excited to come to the inaugural event.
‘ ‘It’s cool to see guys out here that have ridden in other championships with us,’ junior Tim Glickman said.
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