Velodrome race director Len Cabaltera recently offered some advice to Chicago bike messenger Al Urbanski.

“Two weeks ago, Al asked me if he should move up (a level) and I told him he should stay down and learn to race a little,” Cabaltera said. “I think he proved me wrong.”

Urbanski became one of the first Category-3 riders in recent memory to capture the prestigious Mayor’s Cup at the 30th annual running of the 75-lap points race Tuesday at the Velodrome. The 24-year old was one of three competitors to post two laps on the field of 27 riders and finished with 29 points.

Two-time Mayor’s Cup champion Robert Springer was second with two laps and 12 points, while Kaz Milas was third with two laps and nine points. Chad Hartley was fourth with one lap and 30 points, Billy Jones was fifth with one lap and 29 points, Matt Fox was sixth with one lap and 24 points and Alex Wieseler was seventh with one lap and 22 points.

Riders sprinted every five laps with five points awarded for first place, three for second, two for third and one for fourth. Double points were awarded with 30 laps to go and on the final lap. Riders finishing with the most laps superceded riders tallying the most points.

Urbanski wasn’t even aware of the victory until his post-race cool down in the infield circle.

“I just assumed (Springer) and Hartley were ahead of me,” Urbanski said. “I definitely wasn’t expecting this. I was hoping to get a lap (on the field) and maybe take third or fourth. It’s kind of unbelievable.”

The Minneapolis, Minn., native pocketed $90 for the win, making it a productive day on two wheels. Urbanski knives through traffic and blows by pedestrians on his bicycle during the day as an employee of Service First Courier in downtown Chicago.

“Being a bike messenger really isn’t all that ideal for training,” Urbanski said. “I’ve been working around it ... taking a day off for training or going in the morning before work. I’m somewhat of a weekend warrior, I guess.”

Urbanski showed he was serious about taking home the coveted Mayor’s Cup — as well as the envelope stuffed with cash — from the opening bell.

A team member of Chicago Cuttin’ Crew, Urbanski broke free with a group of five riders with approximately 40 laps remaining and grabbed the double-point sprint with 30 to go. It became a three-man race with 20 laps left with Urbanski holding off Springer and Milas.

“I’ve watched him race before and he’s a good rider,” said Springer, the 2004 and 2007 Mayor’s Cup champion. “He’s strong. He made a move early on and got in a breakaway with a couple of my teammates and sucked up a bunch of points as that breakaway disintegrated and managed to stay with the next break that ultimately caught the first lap. From there on, all he needed to do was check on the two of us and the race was his.”

Urbanski, whose competed at the Velodrome approximately 20 times, said racing on the track is far more difficult than dodging taxi cabs or pot holes. The riders completed the 15-mile course with an average speed of nearly 35 miles per hour.

“You’d be surprised,” Urbanski said. “These guys will buzz you a lot closer than cars will.”