Capital Criterium Not Gonna Happen This Year

Late last September, local cycling enthusiasts were treated to a first for the District -- a professional bike race in downtown Washington. The ING Direct Capital Criterium saw domestic and international pros line up to tackle a technical eight-turn course with a dramatic finish on Pennsylvania Avenue, an event so successful that it was added to the 34-race National Racing Calender for 2009. In late July, though, local promoter D.C. Velo announced that due to the recession, main sponsor ING was forced to pull their support for the race, leaving organizers without the financial backing to run the race until 2010. (Philadelphia almost lost their marquee pro cycling event earlier this summer, too, but last-minute appeals to sponsors and fans allowed the event to happen.) As a local competitive cyclist and huge fan of the sport, consider me officially bummed out. It was a treat to see local racers line up against guys just coming off of the Tour de France, and the District's backdrop served as a fitting place for such a dramatic showing of cycling talent. Here's to hoping for 2010.