Last year, the cyclocross world was hit with a rare bout of early-August excitement when word trickled out that the 2017 CrossFit Games in Madison, Wisconsin would have a cyclocross race. Opinions aplenty were offered, and in the end, the cyclocross race at the beginning of the annual fitness contest ended up being a pretty good show.
In 2018, the CrossFit Games are back in Madison, and bikes will be a part of the WOD—but cyclocross will not. A few weeks ago, CrossFit founder and Games director Dave Castro hinted at what would be in store for the 40 female and male athletes who qualified for this year’s international contest in Madison.
On Monday, Castro announced that a biking event would again be part of the 2018 CrossFit Games. The event? A criterium held Wednesday morning.
Whereas last year’s cyclocross race had two 20-rider heats, the criterium will put all 40 women in one field and all 40 men in another. The athletes will race around the 1.2km course on the grounds of Madison’s Alliant Energy Center 10 times in the first of the Games’ many events.
Today, the athletes competed in a one-lap time trial to determine Wednesday’s spots in the starting grid.
CrossFit athletes did a one-lap time trial on Tuesday before Wednesday’s criterium. 2018 CrossFit Games. © Cyclocross Magazine
Before the time trial, the athletes got a demo from the 801 W. Madison team made up of Cat 1 and 2 road racers who work at Trek Bicycles.
The CrossFit Crit takes place on Wednesday at 8 a.m. CDT as the first event of the 2018 Games. You can tune in via games.crossfit.com and the CrossFit Games Facebook page.
CrossFitters got to try out their Trek road bikes before Wednesday’s criterium. 2018 CrossFit Games. © Cyclocross Magazine
