Road Racers Roll in the Park

The sounds of spinning wheels, turning chains and shifting gears surround the northern area of El Dorado Regional Park in Long Beach each Tuesday evening as 180 road-racing enthusiasts compete in the El Dorado Park Criterium Series.

Roger Millikan of Norwalk organized the series after the 1984 Olympics because of the large number of riders at the park.

“The concept of the series is training,” Millikan said. “There aren’t a whole lot of places where you can ride in large groups safely.”

The 15-lap, 26-mile event, sanctioned by the United States Cycling Federation, is broken down into groups of riders that race simultaneously in one-minute intervals, starting with the more advanced category I and II riders, followed by the veterans (35 and older), then the category III racers and the beginning category IV riders.

The series runs from February through September with the final seven-week series scheduled to begin Aug. 4. The cost to riders is $4 per race prepaid or $5 the day of the race. All riders must wear approved helmets and jerseys that cover their shoulders.

At the end of each series, points are totaled and the winners receive $200 and 10 points in their category. A rider needs to earn 15 points to be upgraded to the next level.