One criterium was all about high drama late. The other was the epitome of dominance.

Lauren Hall, who moved to Dolores three years ago from Mississippi, outsprinted Tiffany Pezzulo and Durango’s Kristin McGrath to win the Iron Horse Bicycle Classic pro women’s criterium Sunday by about 3/4 of a bike length.

On the men’s side, Greg Krause of Littleton, who finished third in a dramatic crit a year ago, took the drama out of things early, lapping every rider except teammate and runner-up Leroy Popowski and third-place finisher and former Fort Lewis College cyclist Jesse DeKrey.

Hall, Pezzulo and McGrath dropped the rest of the women’s field early on, building the gap between their bunch and the chase group, which included Jeannie Longo and four-time road-race champ Mara Abbott.

Pezzulo said McGrath deserved a bulk of the credit for helping the trio build its lead, and Hall said that it was McGrath’s decision to attack that led her and Pezzulo to make the push to stay on her wheel early in the 45-minute race around downtown Durango.

“Kristin McGrath attacked, and me and Tiffany kind of jumped on her wheel,” Hall said. “We all wanted (the chase pack) to stay away, so we all equally worked, and after a couple laps, once the field can’t see you, they kind of give up.”

They coasted until there were about three laps to go, when McGrath started to try and pull ahead on the hills to make strong sprinters Hall and Pezzulo expend energy before the final surge.

“(Sunday), the wind was a big factor. ... She tried to drill it up the hill the last three laps ... but we stuck with her,” Hall said.

“(Pezzulo) was wide, and I went inside. She had to hit her breaks a little bit because of the official,” said Hall, who added that she enjoyed the the enthusiasm of the crowds where the mountain bike and criterium races intersected.

But with a strong headwind keeping her climbs in check, McGrath was forced to sprint it out with Hall and Pezzulo.

Pezzulo appeared to overshoot the final turn a bit, having to ease up to avoid riding into the back of the lead motorcycle.

“I got the jump, but then ... there was a moto right in the corner, and I had to slow down. I don’t know if that affected the outcome, but Lauren won, she’s a great sprinter. I’m not going to be bummed to get second to Lauren,” Pezzulo said.

Hall ducked inside the Salt Lake City native and edged her at the line, with McGrath just behind.

Longo finished nearly a minute behind the lead pack in fourth, while Pezzulo’s teammate Nichole Wangsgard was fifth and Abbott sixth.

The men’s race had no such drama. Krause said he tried to push the pace about 20 minutes in to win an early preem – a bonus given out for a particular lap’s leader – and nobody joined him.

When he was able to maintain his blistering tempo, the field dropped out of sight. He claimed a couple more preems, which included a free massage and a John Elway trading card.

“There was a group of three of us, and they kind of sat up to have a drink of water, so I went for it on the backstretch and opened up a huge gap to win the preem,” Krause said.

“And I just decided to ride a couple laps tempo and see if I could stay out there.

“I’ve always wanted to win one of these events here (other than the time trial). I couldn’t get it (Saturday), so I was glad to get it (Sunday).”

After Krause crossed, he celebrated by hugging his wife, Lindsay, and bending over the spectator barricade to hoist his young daughter, Taylor, for a kiss.

Popowski, who was the victim of bad luck when a bracket broke while he held the lead in Saturday’s road race, got an overnight fix at Mountain Bike Specialists, took a training ride, and then outsprinted DeKray by a matter of inches to finish second on Sunday in the 60-minute event.

“They put in ... clips that I was missing. ... I rode to Silverton and rode back for a 118-mile training ride (Saturday) because I was upset,” Popowski said.

Sunday’s results set up a showdown for the women’s omnium title beginning at 10:01 a.m., and a likely coronation in the men’s omnium, which kicks off at 10:13 a.m.

Abbott, McGrath, Longo, Pezzulo and Hall all will be looking to battle for the top overall title.

On the men’s side, Krause is the defending omnium and time trial champion, and with a win and a runner-up to Ned Overend in the road race in the first two races, the omnium crown likely is his, barring catastrophe.

Of course, Krause’s teammate was confident that the soon-to-be birthday boy won’t have trouble in his jaunt up County Road 250. Krause turns 35 on Tuesday.

“Wait until (today). That’s his again,” Popowski said. “I predict he wins by a minute (today).”

rowens@durangoherald.com