|
|||||||||||||
Printer-Friendly
Email this Story
Post a Comment (0)
Reston cyclist ready for Town Center Grand Prix
In his native Switzerland, Victor Siegfried, 48, began cycling only as a secondary cross-training exercise for his first passion – rowing.
But upon moving to Reston in 1996, he became more devoted to bicycles and began participating in competitive races. Today, he owns three racing bikes and holds a series of championship titles in the sport.
“In 2005, I won the Virginia Omnium competition, which consists of a road race, a criterion race and a time trial,” Siegfried said. “I am proud of that one.”
Siegfried, who works as an architectural designer in Herndon, will be racing this weekend in his seventh Reston Town Center Grand Prix.
The event is a series of eight fast-paced criterion races where 60 to 70 bikers attain speeds in excess of 35 mph while riding “handlebar to handlebar,” according to Siegfried.
A criterion or "crit" race is a timed race on a short closed-loop course. The Reston Grand Prix follows a figure-eight course through Reston Town Center, up Market Street and around the parking garages.
Because a criterion race is generally a shorter race – lasting about an hour – speeds tend to be much faster than in longer races. Sometimes the close quarters and the speed can lead to trouble.
“Last year, I crashed into an obstruction in the road, went airborne, and broke one of my ribs and my right shoulder,” Siegfried said. “When riders are riding handlebar to handlebar at 35 to 40 miles an hour, a crash like that can happen fairly quickly and leave you with a lot of road rash and other injuries. In a case like that, most racers will be more concerned about their bikes than themselves,” he noted.
You must be logged in to post a comment.