Race Report: Cal Aggie Criterium Men’s open/ Collegiate Cat 3
Date: January 31st, 2026.
AVRT Riders: Keegan Worcester, Kevin Ash.
Top result: Keegan Worcester- 26th out of 32 open Cat 3
Course: flat 1.09 mile course at land park in Sacramento, Ca. Technical Chicane halfway into the lap. 40 minute race.
Strava: https://strava.app.link/6MT4fPJYs0b
Nurtition: Oatmeal for breakfast. One bottle of Sis carb mix for during race.
Event Recap: Started the race about mid-pack after getting to the start line with the front row already full. I Used the outside line to gain positions before the chicane to gain positions back. My goal is always to stay near the front of the race before the chicane. Kevin helped move me up to the front of the race early on but without a team controlling, surges were intermittent and inevitable which meant being shuffled back if you didn’t want to spike your watts and burn matches. Not having raced since September of last year I was less diligent than I should have been about staying locked on to the wheel in front of me and definitely wasted a few watts closing gaps back down. No real break-way got any gap on the peloton until about 4 laps to go and I spent a third of a lap on the front (through the chicane) trying to close it down. Eventually I flicked the elbow to have Will Saalsaa (ENJOY CYCLING CLUB) come through. He helped for a bit but then Dustin Wolf attacked across and everyone surged again. At this point I was already pretty close to my limit and I used matches to stay near the front, fearing if I was dropped back I wouldn’t have another chance to gain back places. Unfortunately with 2 laps to go things slowed down again and I was stuck in the middle of the pack while many people moved up on either side before the chicane gaining back positions and shuffling myself further back. In the last lap I was completely on the limit and just not holding the wheel in front of me and didn’t have anything left on the final straightaway before the chicane. At this point I was about mid pack after the chicane and lost the wheel again and just completely blew up. Kevin Unfortunately had dropped his chain with 7 laps to go and was not given a free lap. In hindsight I think I could have saved a bit more energy staying deeper in the pack so I didn’t end up spending as much time on the front but I also don’t do well with being deeper in the pack going through the chicane due to the elastic band effect.
Recap(written by): Keegan Worcester