The weather was perfect: temperatures in the 70s with a light breeze. The setting was perfect: Pueblo’s Historic Union Avenue District and adjoining Riverwalk. But the timing could have been better for the first-ever Angelo’s Criterium de Pueblo this past Sunday.

There were more race marshals than bicycle racers for most of the competition. Some of the schedule events, including all of the women’s races, were scratched due to a lack of sign-ups. It didn’t help matters that a mountain bike race was taking place at Lake Pueblo State Park at the same time as the road races. Or that the day before up in Colorado Springs there was a road race, in which the participants had to ride in 40 m.p.h. winds. Despite the lack of numbers, event sponsor Richard Foresta said it was likely the races would be back next year.

I covered the event with writer Nick Bonham for the Chieftain.