This Sunday, June 23rd at noon, coinciding with CicLAvia’s “Iconic Wilshire Boulevard”, Wolfpack Hustle will hold its 2nd installment of its Unified Title Race Series: the Civic Center Criterium.
Race Director Don Ward received a letter of consent from Los Angeles Councilman Jose Huizar of District CD14 and Los Angeles Police Officer, Gordon Helper, is lending his support. The race will be presented by CHROME, Red Bull, Aventon Bikes, City Grounds, Car2GO and Bicycle Attorney, Thomas Forsyth.
Circling Los Angeles’ Historic City Hall, bicycle racers from all over the country will go head to head for the most sought after street cred: the Wolfpack Dog Tags!
Wolfpack Hustle originated in 2005 as a weekly Monday night ride where cyclists from all over the Los Angeles area meet at Tang’s Donuts on the corner of Sunset & Fountain, riding 40 plus miles at a fast pace all over LA’s vast 6000 mile stretch of streets. In 2010, Wolfpack produced its first ever Marathon Crash Race, followed by the 2nd Street Tunnel Midnight Drag Race.
For 2013, the first race of the series was the annual Marathon Crash Race on March 17th. With the CVC CTR CRIT just days away and the 3rd installment: the 6th Street Bridge Drag Race happening on September 7th, cyclists ready as the Dog Tags will be awarded to those who cross the finish line first per race. A point system will be implemented as only one Man and one Woman will be given “The Unified Title” after racing all three!
The Urban racing scene sprawls across the United States with the Red Hook Crit and Monster Track Alley Cat in NYC, Red Bull’s Ride N Style in San Francisco, this Criterium race will be a first for Los Angeles as she welcomes some of the top racers including Jason Clary, who after an eight month hiatus, took first place on May 4th at Red Bull’s Ride N Style.
From Phoenix Arizona, Mehdi Farsi will send out his best of the best with Craig Streit who took the dog tags home at this year’s crash race coming in 1st fixed, 2nd overall, and Scott Piercefield taking 2nd place fixed, 3rd overall.
The race favorites keep registering as Chas Christansen hails from the legendary bicycle hub, The Mission in San Francisco, hoping to have a comeback this year that matches his unstoppable placing last year.
Or even Austin Horse, champion messenger racer from NYC who, during a race in Europe, was inspired to create and helm The East Coast Messenger Stage Race.
Not to mention Los Angeles’ own Evan Stade who at this year’s Wolfpack Crash Race took 1st geared and overall!
Let’s not forget the hardcore ladies like Jo Celso who in 2011 overcame cancer and took 1st in ladies geared two years in a row at the Wolfpack Crash Race, this year power housing across the finish line 14 seconds after men’s 1st overall.
CHROME introduced Veronica Volok who took 1st place fixed at the Crash Race and the Mission Bay Crit – she’s unstoppable!
The stage is set. The heavy hitters are coming in. As the summer pushes forward, so does the hunger for urban cycling as new race limits are stretched, lines are drawn and the Wolfpack dog tags are about to be conquered…. Again! So, enjoy a car free day of riding CicLAvia and then hop on over to Los Angeles’ Civic Center and watch the wheels take to the pavement for this historic no-holds-bar event!
During the chaos of pre-production, Wolfpack Race Director, Don Ward (aka Roadblock), calmly approaches the 2nd race installment of the Unified Title Race series with ease as he explains to me, “My absolute number one goal is to provide a safe arena for these athletes to perform to the best of their abilities. Next, I want the audience to get a show. Well, let me tell you, competitors are coming from all around the country to compete in this to try to take the Dog Tags.... You will see the best. I'm completely blown away by the athletes and the volunteers and the sponsors and everything that will bring this insane event together on Sunday. It doesn’t seem possible... but then again it never seemed possible.”
