most aggressive rider awards - quad cities crit [video links at end]

it was my distinct pleasure to award the highly-coveted kim west radio cycling show most aggressive rider award to several racers at the 2008 quad cities criterium monday, may 26. this prize--an award that money has not yet been able to buy--is the very rare and extremely kool kim west radio cycling show t-shirt, and is given to the rider who doesn't necessarily win the race, but who, through repeated aggressive racing, makes the race what it ultimately becomes. he or she might be the one who initiates the winning break, or who chases down an escapee for a teammate who eventually wins, or who exemplifies hard, gritty racing in the spirit of the person after whom the award is named:

ME, kim west, host of the kim west radio cycling show.
and yet i'm not the one who makes the decision; i turn that over to race officials or to the announceer. in this instance, former us postal team member and former winner of the old capitol criterium kenny labbe, whose insight to aggressive riding is no surprise to me, and it was no surprise to me that when i asked him who he thought should win at the conclusion of each race, we agreed 100% of the time. good hard racing DOES have its reward: several of the winners also won their race, but not all of them.
let this be a lesson to you slackers out there: hard work IS recognized and appreciated by others. and now, it is sometimes rewarded with a very kool t-shirt. someday we might have money and a podium girl. but it's a start.

the most aggressive rider award went to:

weston luzadder, iscorp/nova, carmel, ind, juniors 15-18;

sydney brown, team revolution, lincoln, neb, women's 2/3;

greg aronsen, team dice, bettendorf, ia, 30/40+ cat4/5;

chris wallace, mesa cycles, shawnee, kans, cat 3;

chris rat hayes, haymarket cycles, warrenton, va, 30/40+ cat 1,2,3;

sherri stedje, hub racing, lutz, fla, women 1,2,3; and

bryce mead, jelly belly pro team, sterling, ill.

congratulations to all of you aggressive rider award winners.

wear that t-shirt proudly.

and if anybody gives you grief about riding too hard,

kick 'em in the butt,

and tell 'em kim west sent ya.

.....

several short videos from monday's criterium action can be found here:

1--juniors 15-18, 2 laps to go http://youtube.com/watch?v=q5RSzEL24f4
2--juniors 15-18 bell lap and finish http://youtube.com/watch?v=iJxENpshrQw
3--juniors 15-18 podium and aggressive rider http://youtube.com/watch?v=zRRvR6S2_Ug
4--women's cat 2/3 finish http://youtube.com/watch?v=QYSEkAyoTqs
5--women's cat 2/3 podium and aggressive rider http://youtube.com/watch?v=p6b1JPR3ymw
6--30/40+ cat 4/5 podium and aggressive rider http://youtube.com/watch?v=I2LFWbaIKbM
7--chatting with racers from indiana http://youtube.com/watch?v=HeiPW2tn8j0
8--a view of spectators [a9y] http://youtube.com/watch?v=pkbeE9OrJjk
9--cat 3 podium and aggressive rider http://youtube.com/watch?v=gfbj94CqEdg
10--more cat 3 podium and aggressive rider http://youtube.com/watch?v=9UZYbwLu9vE
11--podium & aggressive rider, 30/40+ cat 1/2/3 http://youtube.com/watch?v=WYQlBX5cjEw
12--b/n conrers 7 & 8, women's race http://youtube.com/watch?v=CiNP2vnmQno
13--b/n corners 7 & 8, women's race http://youtube.com/watch?v=HAdkaqsFN5w
14--b/n conrers 7 & 8, women's race http://youtube.com/watch?v=DU2hIyIopb8
15--mid-race interview about team revolution's chances http://youtube.com/watch?v=AQv8BFGpWsY
16--break laps field in women's race http://youtube.com/watch?v=fPE_zcrd7FE
17--finish to women's 1/2/3 race http://youtube.com/watch?v=57M-yyzUe-o
18--bryce mead chats with bart http://youtube.com/watch?v=o8XxYChE7OQ
19--interview with women's winner immediately following her race http://youtube.com/watch?v=0smT_THQi2I
20--women's podium http://youtube.com/watch?v=Bv1WFdZvJrw
21--bell lap and finish pro 1/2 http://youtube.com/watch?v=9L0F-QRIrN4
22--men's pro 1/2 podium http://youtube.com/watch?v=wMT7gojJqpw
23--chad vande lune receives his award http://youtube.com/watch?v=GcbiLl3_MpU