Mountain - Plains - Lone Tree Practice Crit --info?

Does anyone have definitive information on the Tuesday night practice crits in Lone Tree? any first-hand accounts of the quality/intensity? --Is it welcoming to newbies or a hammerfest of hardcores who don't want their kool-aid disturbed?

I hope he doesn't mind me using his words here, but a friend of mine just replied to an email of mine where I was inquiring the same thing... here's what he responded


The Meridian Crit practices are on Tuesdays and Thursdays starting at 6pm and usually last about an hour. I attached a Google map link where you can see the Meridian Boulevard loop. Everyone sort of starts out at Diente Court on the west side. I've been told that as many as 100-150 people show up, especially once the weather starts getting nicer out. It is great high-intensity training that would be hard to duplicate any other way besides actual racing. My teammates have told me that it's normal to have Cat 2 & 3 racers show up.

http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&ll=39.542838,-104.859309&spn=0.0185,0.061798&z=15

100-150 people!? wow

sounds like I should scout it a night or two before hopping in...

I'm not sure it really gets to 150 ever...more like 75-100...but, that said, I've never counted as I'm usually breathing too hard while riding in it! :) It's great training, teaches you to ride at race/near race speeds in a pack and to change your position as the winds change (it is almost always windy there) as you go around the loop. Even if you do get dropped (and you will!) you just wait at the top of the hill for the pack to come around and then join back in. The first time I hung for the whole time I new my fitness had hit a new level.

Even if you do get dropped (and you will!)
I guess with Cat 2s...geesh. But, it sounds like all levels show up, right???

What is traffic like going south on 25 at that time? Dare I ask?