I like the format and expect it will endure. It's fun and lively, and there's a metric ton of enthusiasm for it. And after almost a decade of these being run in Brooklyn and around the globe, there are no scandals or doping stories. We can't say that about our beloved (sic) sanctioned races that we follow on the pro level and even enter locally for fun. In many respects, the RHC is a lot more entertaining than watching 4-5 similarly dressed automatons spend five hours dragging a team leader to the base of a finishing hill.

I'm sure the accident will be looked at under a scope and RHC in all its versions will come out the better for it.

From: Chad Hartley 

Opinion from inside the Red Hook Criterium- 
I've been racing bikes for 20 years, Holloway has been for 15 years. So it isn't often we go into an event not knowing what to expect. Whether it's the course on a bike without brakes, whether it's the diverse skill and background of the field. There was a lot of unknowns. 

For me qualifying went poorly (but enough to still get a second chance), Daniel and Nate did well on bikes we all first rode that day. 

When I got into the Last Chance Qualifier (18 lap race) everything started to click. It was a mash up of crit racing, top level track racing, and even a bit like cross. I called on a lot of skills learned though my years. It was a lot to take in and process and still have a clear head to actually race. Dan described my riding in the LCQ as surgical. And it's what it felt like, I was new to it, but I knew exactly what to do. It felt awesome to have a healthy fear of the unknown and conquer it.

By now we've all seen the Moto incident. Things happen, it's happened before at Athens too, it's happens at World Cups in Europe. Will there be crashes? Yes, always in EVERY bike race. Will it stop me? No. 

I love the chaos, the unpredictability of Redhooks, it makes you think on your feet, it challenges you, demands your best. 

I for one will be lining up in London, so thank you and see you soon.

From: Christofer DeHahn

I attended the event for the first time Saturday. I am also a USAC official but was obviously not working. The first crash may have been avoided with proper moto positioning. The second crash on the restart had nothing to do with the moto and could have been avoided by not giving the riders a countdown. Give them 30s and start at any time. The prime on the first lap does create some anxiety in the field. The 90 minute delay could have been avoided by having more than the minimum number of ambulances onsite to meet the permit requirements. All that said I had one of the best times I've ever had at a bike race. The course, the venue, the vibe, and the views of lower Manhattan and the Statue of Liberty were astounding. These problems are easily fixed (no pun intended). I will be back next year for sure.

From: Steve Tilford

I posted that crash below at the Red Hook Criterium yesterday.  It is so funny because that is the first most people had heard about these races.  They have been going on for a while.  I was looking into going to one a couple years ago.  I missed the boat because lots of good “real criterium” riders are doing them now.  Daniel Holloway, Aldo Ino Ilesic, Colin Stickland, who won, even Tristan Uhl, Texan MTB/Cross/Road Racer, was in the top 10.  I envy those guys for making the effort to go there to race.

It is too bad that the motorcycle crash is how most of us were exposed to these races.  I like the energy and freedom this race series is exhibiting.  I talked to a couple of the Lupus racing guys last weekend at Joe Martin and they said that they had done Red Hook races and that they had to be super focused for the whole time.  Picking the right gear, they are fixed gear races, qualifying and then the race.

I sometimes wish that “normal criterium” racing would take some deviations and try to capture some of this enthusiasm.  I think that any night criterium on a short course, with a ton of corners, is super exciting. Brakes or no brakes.

...

So, before you start judging these Red Hook races as ghetto bike races and a silly fad, give it a chance.  It is bike racing and these guys have a ton of skill.  I very much doubt that Alberto or Chris would make it a lap without paying their dues.  I like it and would like to ride one sometime.