Weekly Collegiate Racing Wrap - February 6, 2012

WCCC: Boulevard Road Race and Red Trolley Crit - by Lisa Mueller

The WCCC rings in each road season with two of its toughest events: the Boulevard Road Race and the Red Trolley Criterium. Although both events attract mainly Southern California racers, competition was fierce and augured well for an exciting season ahead.
 
Boulevard features bone-chilling temperatures, brutal winds, and over 2,500 feet of climbing on each 22.5-mile lap along the Mexico border. Even absent its previous rain and snow, the course tested riders’ limits in all categories. In the Women’s A race, three UCLA Bruins made an early break on the main climb and time-trialed to sweep the podium. In the men’s race, famed sprinter Bryan Larsen of UC-Irvine wielded smart tactics to defeat the climbing specialists on their own turf.
 
The Red Trolley Criterium is a 1-km D-shaped course with a short but serious power climb. UCLA’s Lisa Mueller took her second win of the weekend in the combined Women’s A/Men’s B race. Bryan Larsen also extended his domination with a victory from a powerful four-man breakaway.
 
In coming weeks, the Stanford women will be ones to watch in the team competition. Their B riders dominated at both Boulevard and Red Trolley, and are poised to join their teammates in a well rounded, formidable A squad.


SECCC photos by Liz Gerrity; WCCC photo by Youssef Azzazy