criterium/road race?

[old al]

When does a criterium become a road race? Is there a distance definition for a criterium. The upcoming Australian Road Championships are to be raced on a number of laps of a long circuit. Would that be classed as a "circuit road race"? How short would the circuit have to be for it to become a "criterium"?

Is a true road race a point to point race starting and finishing in different locations?

All totally irrelevant of course as a bike race is a bike race, a bunch of crazies racing push bike. But just wondering........................

Al.

[RonK]

Well, a criterium or kermesse is a short race, usually on closed urban streets. A criterion circuit would typically be around 1 - 2 km in length, kermesse circuits a little longer.

A road race is conducted mostly on the open road, even though the parcours may still take the form of circuit, and include some urban areas, and will be raced over a much longer distance - 50km vs 150 to 200km. The length is not so important but the course designer would usually want to include a variety of road conditions that a short course probably would not allow.

[jcjordan]

Road Races are based on distance objective, even if they cover a course repeatedly.

Criteriums are time or number of laps based, on a limited distance course (under 5km if my memory serves me).

Kermesses are street races which were part of Dutch festivals.

[madrapper]

Well whilst I'd generally agree with the posters above - technically the rocket scientists we know as the UCI have an official definition.

2.7.002 The criterium is a road race run on a circuit closed to traffic and that is run according to one of the following methods:
1. classification at the finish of the last lap;
2. classification on the basis of the number of laps covered and the number of points obtained during the intermediate sprints.
2.7.016 The circuit shall measure between 800 and 10,000 metres.

With full credit INRING - it's not like I'd bother to look it up myself

[toolonglegs]

If you are aloud a lap out for a mechanical then it's a crit...if not it's a road race .
ie: Heffron you can have a lap out...EC race way you can't.
I know it is more complicated than that but it is close enough for me.

[hubrat]

UCI rules for the World Championship Road Race even state that the course is to be made up of laps of a circuit. Probably done for spectator reasons though.

[brentono]

FME. Can only speak of a time in the seventies in Europe (where they originated)
where Criteriums were big in Flanders and Netherlands area (or neighboring borders)
Within a travel radius on any day of the week you could travel to a criterium race.
Around a local town area/ville usually around a couple of blocks, was the circuit.
Held in the format of a points-race. First, second, and third rider at every 3rd to 5th lap
gets 3, 2, 1 points respectively (with double points at final endsprint)
Sprint laps depended on the size of the circuit and the total number of laps.
Events often had prizes (called primes, pronounced "preems", and were usually cash)
for winning specific intermediate laps (for instance, every 10th lap).
A bell is usually rung to announce to the riders that whomever wins the next lap, wins the prime.
Primes, were collected from local businesses and local support clubs (individual riders had clubs)
Officials favoured locals, and Locals turned out in mass to support their favourites.
Local Support Clubs even paid start monies, so "their" favourite would start in that local event.
Carnival atmosphere, with frites & Beer stalls on the circuit.
Great day out, with many "Stars" turning up, "out of the blue" to watch or compete.
No pre-nomination entry was required.
Quite different from your standard Road Race.
Cheers