Photos from La Noche Miami Criterium

By Jordan Melnick | March 18th, 2011 | 4 Comments

The Bicycle Film Festival kicked off last night with La Noche Miami Criterium, two races (geared and fixed) in Wynwood. The 15-lap geared ride was sick, with the spandex-sealed velo riders blazing down the main stretches (NW Third and Fifth avenues), taking the corners at 45-degree angles, and clocking the ten-block course in under 1:30.

The fixed race was sickening, with the stomach-turning sight and sound of one rider slamming full-speed into a wall as he rounded the corner at NW Third and 25th Street. The ambulance came. I didn’t expect the kid to ever walk again, let alone ride a bike, but he actually ended up sending the EMTs away after getting up on his feet. At least one other rider got bloodied in the accident, but that didn’t stop the rest of the cyclists from finishing the race. Hardcore.

Between riders and spectators, about 75 people showed up for the BFF’s first night in Miami, the 38th city on its tenth-anniversary world tour. The festival is four days long, with film programs Friday and Saturday nights at O Cinema, and a group ride from Wynwood to the beach on Sunday. There is an after party every night. You can get all the details at bicyclefilmfestival.com.

Here are some photos from the La Noche Miami Criterium.

Pulling tricks at O Cinema before the races

Race organizer Giancarlo Alexsandro Bianchi

Spraying the starting line at NW Third Avenue and 26th Street

Geared riders ready for blast off

Fixies coming around the bend

Winner of the geared race

Rider who met wall at full-speed during fixed raced

Ambulance coming, I thought, to cart away a paralyzed rider

Lucky

Photos by Robby Campbell. You can see many more photos on Facebook.

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