A criterium, or crit, is a type of bike race held on a short course, often run on closed-off city centre streets. Race length can be determined by a total time or a number of laps, in which case the number of remaining laps is calculated as the race progresses. Generally the event's duration (commonly one hour) is shorter than that of a traditional road race — which can last many hours, sometimes over the course of several days or even weeks, as in a Grand Tour. However, the average speed and intensity are appreciably higher. The winner is the first rider to cross the finish line without having been "lapped”. Events often have prizes (called primes, usually cash) for winning specific intermediate laps (for instance, every 10th lap). Success in criteriums requires a mix of good technical skills — in particular, the ability to corner rapidly and sharply — and riding safely with a large group on a short circuit and exceptional fitness to attack other riders and repeatedly accelerate hard from corners. Criteriums are relatively easy to organise and do not require a large amount of space. They are the most common type of bicycle racing in the continental United States. They are also gaining popularity as a format for Mountain Bike events. 1
1 Scoured from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Criterium
