WICHITA FALLS (KFDX/KJTL) — Downtown Wichita Falls served as the concourse for the finale of the 42nd Hotter ‘N Hell: ending the weekend with several criterium races.

These races are different from the traditional ones, race director Pablo Cruz explained these races are self-paced competitions.
“It’s a race based on time, and it’s usually in a short circuit that runs around a mile, a mile and a half long,” said Pablo Cruz. “Laps are superfast. They take about one and a half minutes. So it’s pretty fast.”

Additionally, points are won for winning certain laps in the time frame — which means everyone all out sprints. Midwestern State University student cyclist Jadiel Moreno broke out the brooms as he swept the competition.
“Three times (won) I think I started on Friday,” said Moreno. “I won the mountain bike, Saturday’s crit and today’s crit too.”

Moreno was not the only cyclist who swept, Roxo’s Racings’ Haley Smith and Emily Newsom finished one and two overall. Their biggest battle came on the flat course.
“So today was actually tactically the most challenging because it’s flat,” said Newsom. “The previous two days had hills, and so we were able to use our strength to get away on those.”

Smith and Newsom entered the race neck and neck for the title. However, with Smith establishing the leaders jersey, Newsom knew she would establish Smith in 1st to win as a team.

In the race, Newsom broke away with a blistering pace. When the moment hit, Newsom slingshot Smith into a dominant lead.
“I put my head down, knowing that she pushed me to win and gave up her win for me to hold on to the leaders’ jersey,” said Smith.

Newsom and Smith finished one and two in their race and overall.

Cyclists began to look forward to next year.