Tuesday Night World

Vann Knight Tuesday Night World Championship Criterium Training Series, or TNW for short, is made possible by Big Shark Bicycle Co. and has been a staple of St. Louis Criterium racing, or crits, for more than 30 years. Spread across the summer months in St. Louis, racers of all ages, abilities, and demographics descend on Carondelet Park in Holly Hills for a few hours each week for fast paced racing.

These crits run every Tuesday night from March until the last Tuesday before Labor Day weekend, and weather permitting, run like clockwork. Racers use it to sharpen their skills and practice their strategies all in preparation for state and regional series such as the Americas Criterium Cup.

Registration

All information about the event rules and registration can be found on bigshark.com. If you are able to stop in for early packet pick up, you’ll retrieve your number at Big Shark Big Bend a few days before we race (to be announced). This is your number for the entirety of the season, so don’t lose it. Grab some pins and hang on to them for 20+ weeks.

Checking In

When you arrive, look for the Big Shark van and registration tent. There, you can:

• Pick up your number if you haven’t already received it
• Pay for a second race of the night if you want to sit in on both races (that’s totally valid)

Remember: every Tuesday, you pin your number on the right side of your jersey. Pro tip: you don’t have to wait until you arrive to pin your number on your jersey.

The Course

This is a safe course for even the most novice crit racer to get their start. With four, gentle turns, racers can learn the basic concepts in cornering at speed and in a tight field. 

(Map by map box)

Despite the simplicity of the course, it’s not without its own challenges and nuances to help shape racing technique.

1. Turn two is a sweeping left hander on a descent. The field can pick up significant speed going into this corner. A bunched field can lead to anxiety as racers head into this turn. Brakes are not your friend, nor are they the friend of anyone around you. Hold the wheel directly in front of you and do not deviate that line. Stay committed to the line and be aware of the edge of the gutter on the inside of the turn where it meets the roadway.
2. Heading out of turn two almost immediately starts a slow but noticeable climb into the bottom of turn three, where the incline in the road picks up again, and immediately into turn four for the final sprint to the finish. It’s almost tough to distinguish them as turns as the far end of the course is more semi-circle in shape. Especially in the last lap, this is where all of the calculating and positioning needed to time your spot in the field, when to sit in, and when to attack become important learned skills as the summer rolls on.

Warming Up

The first race of the night, the As, have full use of the course but may experience vehicle traffic until park closing time ahead of the race. In between the A and B race, B racers can safely navigate the walking path North West to the outer circle of Carondelet to warm on the semi-circle, being careful not to cross in front of racers as they pass. There are no course marshals, so cross with caution.

What to Expect

While each field is a mix of men, women, and all age groups, there is a stark contrast between the A and the B races each week.

The B race includes CAT 4 and 5 racers, Masters 50+ CAT 1/2/3, and Juniors. Novice racers are encouraged to hang to the right and out of the lane, while the more experienced racers take the course at speed. This race will last approximately 45 minutes.

The A race includes our CAT 1/2/3 men and women racers and is all business, racing for approximately one hour.

Take a Breather

TNW is considered a practice race and does not qualify for USA Cycling points. With that, acknowledging everyone’s effort to participate and improve, racers that just need a lap or two to regroup are encouraged to. 

On turn four, at the top of the hill, there is a safe spot to pull to the right and catch your breath. There are a few key principles to this:

1. When re-entering the field, keep right and accumulate speed before the field catches you, carefully slotting back in towards the back of the field.
2. It’s still a race, so you should not come back in with fresh legs and help pull your teammates to a podium.
3. You should not consider yourself a podium contender and let the field sprint to the finish without creating an obstacle or being in its path.

Equipment You Need

For anyone starting out, you can enter your first crit on any capable road bike with drop bar-style handlebars. More advanced racers will show up with racing bikes with stiff, lightweight, and aerodynamic frames and wheels. 

Show up primed and ready to race, invite your family, bring some lawn chairs and a small cooler, and enjoy the  racing throughout the whole evening. The action is fast.

Oh, and don’t forget your helmet.

Getting There

Carondelet Park is nestled in the heart of Holly Hills, just south of downtown St. Louis, located at 3900 Holly Hills Blvd, St. Louis, MO 63116. The park itself closes in the early evening and is only accessible to pedestrian traffic. Parking is best suited on the North and South sides of the park on Holly Hills Blvd and Loughborough Blvd, respectively, directly adjacent to the highlighted paths shown in the following map.

(Map via Google Maps)

From there, a short stroll across the park with your bike, helmet, shoes, and perhaps a chair, snacks, and refreshments, lands you at the marker for the event location.

FIND A FRIEND

Showing up at a race for the first time can be intimidating. We’re here for you. Find a Shark and say hello. We promise not to bite. Here are a few of our Sharks that regularly attend this event. Feel free to walk up, say hello, and let us know how we can help.