Red Hook Criterium

Think of the Red Hook Criterium as a gritty counterpoint to the TD Five Boro Bike Tour. Here, the race is unsanctioned and the crashes are so intense even spectators wear helmets. Not for the faint of heart in any sense of the word, the fixie-only event attracts a motley contingent of bike messengers, pro racers and people who just love riding ridiculously fast. After qualifying heats, and women’s and men’s 5K runs, the real action goes down: a 24-lap, 33-kilometer breakneck battle where lapped riders are eliminated on the spot.