Red Hook Criterium just released the men’s and women’s qualification heats. We analysed the men’s heats to break-down what we can expect from the battles for the RHC Brooklyn No.11 heat points and final spots. As the qualification system slightly changed, there are only 4 heats and 20 spots per heat to directly qualify for the final. Everyone else will go to the 4 ‘Another Chance Races’. As the women’s field is smaller and will also be discussed in upcoming top contender article, we limited this analysis to the men’s field only.
Text: Brian Megens
Photography: Tornanti.cc
Heat 1
A strong heat with various top favourites. It will be interesting to see how RHC legend Colin Strickland will do as he seems to focus more on gravel racing than fixed gear crit racing. Other RHC top contenders are: Martino Poccianti, Marco Poccianti, Alvise Zanasca, Michael Capati, Eamon Lucas, Adrien Merkt, Edwin Van Kerkhof, Johannes Killisperger, Nico Hesslich, Adrien Thomas, Justin Williams, Michael Sheenan, and Jan-Willem Groeneveld.
Heat 2
On paper this is the weakest qualification heat. However, with only 4 heats and 20 spots for the final in each heat, no heat is a walk in the park. Riders that can take the points of the heat win are: Robin Gemperle, Alessandro Mariani, Jesus Alberto, Addison Zawada, Riccardo Melandri, Brian Megens, Luc Ducrot, Javier Benitez, Jake Magee, Augusto Reati, Jake Silverberg, Miguel Indurain, Miqui Rueda, and Jake Boone.
Heat 3
A very competitive heat with a former RHC winner, Stefan Schaefer, Ivan Ravaioli, and Davíd van Eerd, and other top RHC competitors and prospective top riders like: Giovanni Longo, David Santos, William Lewis, Nico Keinarth, Paolo Bravini, Kaj Verhaegh, Zachary Felpel, Angus Morton,Bruno Langlois, Evan Hartig, Felix Lhenry, and Haralds Silovs.
Heat 4
Is by far the most stacked qualification heat of Red Hook Criterium Brooklyn No.11. It has current Red hook Criterium Champion, Davide Vigano, and RHC London No.3 winner Filippo Fortin. Besides these heavyweights Timon Seubert, Olivier Leroy, Alec Briggs, Matteo Cecchini, Evan Murphy, Brandon Feehery, George Mew Jensen, James Ambrose-Parish, Facundo Lezica, Guillaume Gingras, Richard Jansen, and Bruno Langlois are also riders to take into account.
For the entire start list go to Redhookcrit.com or go directly to the men’s, or women’s
