U Kon Echelon’s first bike race of the season Wednesday night in the Marwell Industrial subdivision attracted 19 junior and adult riders.

Known as the criterium race, the race is a timed race around a set course but lap times are not kept.

Rather, the cyclists travel in a pack around the course for a set period of time, with the goal of remaining in striking distance so that on the last lap or two, the rider still has a shot to break away and be first to cross the finish line.

The race around Titanium Way for the junior riders was 25 minutes, while the adults raced for 45 minutes.

“Although the wind was in full force and the weather turned cold during the crit, our club still saw 19 people out racing,” reported Trena Irving, founder and head coach of U Kon Echelon. “The purpose of our crit series is to learn to crit, in particular for the youth. The youth practised pace lining and staying together, as well as cornering in a tight pack.”

Micah Taggart-Cox, 15, finished first in the junior class, followed by Lucas Taggart-Cox, 11, and Mollie Fraser, 13.

In the adult division, Preston Blackie took first place, followed by Aaron Foos and Marc Lapointe

Irving said in an interview this week in the criterium race, it’s in the last couple of laps when the riders really open it up.

“The two main challenges would be staying in the pack and other challenge would be corning in a tight pack,” she said of the criterium.

Irving said there appears to be a growing interest in road racing. Last season, the club’s membership was in the neigbourhood of 50 to 55 riders.

There’s been 45 already sign up for this season, she pointed out.

The next criterium event is scheduled for May 18.

U Kon has several different races planned throughout the season, which also includes a training camp in early August instructed by Houshang Amiri, former head coach of Canada’s national team who coached the team at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

The club’s calendar includes the Tour de Haines Junction on May 14, 15. The tour includes a time trial, a hill climb and a road race.

The Tour de Skagway is scheduled for the following weekend.

An 80-kilometre road race from Jakes Corner into Whitehorse is scheduled for May 29.

One of the more popular events of the season is scheduled for June 4. The Southern Lakes Yukon Grand Fondo, formerly the Southern Lake Bike Loppet, is a road race around the Southern Lakes loop, and is expected to attract 125-plus riders.

The Grand Fondo is as much a recreational event for individuals or relay teams who just want to have fun as it is an event for the more serious riders. Riders can choose to race the 170-kilometres on their own or create relay teams of two, three or four riders.

Irving pointed out a second Tour de Haines Junction is scheduled to coincide with the training camp headed by the former national coach.

“It will happen at the tail end of the camp, but it will be part of the camp,” she said.

Irving said Amiri may be joined by his son Alex Amiri, an under-23 professional rider who rides with the Giant Langley road race team.