first race

lugster77 · Post by **lugster77** » Mon Apr 13, 2009 9:41 am

thought i'd give some racing a bash this year, entered the 1 in catterick this coming weekend. quite sure i'm nowhere near fit enough but hey ho should be fun!!! fully intend hiding in the pack if i can keep up! anybody got any more useful tips? anyone else here entered?
andy

timj · Post by **timj** » Mon Apr 13, 2009 7:15 pm

hi lugster
where is this race advertised. Is it BC orTLI or something else?

PhilBixby · Post by **PhilBixby** » Mon Apr 13, 2009 8:40 pm

That'll be the Hambleton RR? I'm doing the Pete Gannon 2nds/3rds/4ths instead, but I'm sure someone else in the club mentioned they were heading up to it. Anyone?

Erm... tips:-
-Get a proper warm-up in
-Get yourself somewhere up near the front at the start
-Don't be surprised if the first lap is worryingly fast - just do whatever you need to stay in the bunch - it'll ease off sooner or later
-Try to keep in the front half of the race
-Make sure you hang on to the wheel in front during the sprint out of corners
-Identify and avoid anyone who looks unpredictable and dangerous
-Win the (inevitable) bunch sprint and make sure you're photographed pointing at the "Clifton" on your jersey with both hands while crossing the line....

(If only I followed my own advice....

)

lugster77 · Post by **lugster77** » Mon Apr 13, 2009 9:56 pm

its the hambleton road race timj, is/was listed on the british cycling website.

paulM · Post by **paulM** » Mon Apr 13, 2009 10:19 pm

Hi Lugster. Myself & Nick Butcher are also riding........but in the Elite race for some additional stem chewing.
Tips - pretty much what Phil has said. Presume you are driving there? Aim to get there an hour before the start. Check the weather forcast so you know what sort of day to expect. Take plenty of warm clothing for during the race and to change into afterwards - always expect the worst & be prepared-don't be the guy with no armwarmers when its sleating! Don't forget your licence, your helmet your shoes, & your food & drink.
In the race don't look at the back wheel in front of you but see whats happening five places ahead of you. Most of all stay out of the wind ie if the winds blowing from the left, ride on the right hand side of a big rider infront.
Have an easy week this week training. If you do 1 hard ride - do it on Tuesday!
Good luck, be confident and enjoy the experience.

lugster77 · Post by **lugster77** » Tue Apr 14, 2009 8:54 pm

turns out there'll be no race this weekend after all.... organiser's been forced to cancel it due to a demand for rolling road closure at rough cost apparently of £2500. this appears to be happening more frequently nationwide as i understand it? seem to hear of quite a few higher profile races being cancelled so can only assume that more lower profile 1's are slipping under the radar??? might be jumping to conclusions but...... is it time for members of british cycling to start putting pressure on the governing body to see what they're actually doing to protect our sport on the open roads? wouldn't know how this would occur, online petition perhaps? i realise this might seem a bit rich coming from somebody who has yet to actually have a race, but if this continues to happen then how are new people supposed to enter the racing side of the sport???

nickb · Post by **nickb** » Tue Apr 14, 2009 9:45 pm

Well what a load of crap. Several rad races i did last year had escort-type bikes stopping traffic and worked great. I don't see why they insist on police doing the job. It's not like there's been any deaths or serious i njuries to provoke this sort of thing. Off to do a MTB race instead to make some use of my extortionately priced BC license.

Dr Dave · Post by **Dr Dave** » Wed Apr 15, 2009 10:42 am

This problem has been in all the cycling forums for a few weeks now - also the comic.....

http://www.veloriders.co.uk/phpBB2/view ... hp?t=82032

paulM · Post by **paulM** » Thu Apr 16, 2009 7:43 pm

This seasons beginning to get as frustrating as the last one ended. I was looking forward to racing this sunday having entered the Hambleton RC Elite race in prefernce to another BC race closer to home, the Scotton challenge ride ot the Teesdale TT because I thought it would be the best workout.
I'll be out for three hours training this Sunday, again.........
On the plus side May is looking good for events although I did think that in March when I was entering Aprils.
But enough of my small problems - I hope BC can get this sorted as I still believe they run the best races of the organising bodies.

tomf · Post by **tomf** » Fri Apr 17, 2009 9:23 am

Dr Dave wrote:This problem has been in all the cycling forums for a few weeks now - also the comic.....

http://www.veloriders.co.uk/phpBB2/view ... hp?t=82032

I'm not sure which is more depressing - the vanishing races or the pig-headedness of most of the contributions on that thread.
I suspect there's a lot of "institutional timidity" going on - the bigger the organisation, the more anxiety people within feel about the reputational and financial consequences of any mistake. TLI and BC operate within exactly the same legal framework, and as I understand it this hasn't changed in recent years. At a guess, what *has* changed is the view within BC and the police over what constitutes an acceptable risk. Probably a legal or professional H&S opinion has been circulated which points out possible liabilities in the event that...

It would be useful if this sort of opinion could be challenged. If the racing hasn't changed and the law hasn't changed, on what basis should safety be ratcheted up? Just where is the example of A Terrible Accident Which Would Not Have Happened If We'd Followed The New Safety Agenda?

But if it's a change in the police view, I'm not sure how TLI has kept onside - unless Cliff is (or has) a very good negotiator. Perhaps they should hire him out to Yorkshire BC...

Dr Dave · Post by **Dr Dave** » Fri Apr 17, 2009 9:35 am

I think Paul will have some insight into this relating to the advice he received leading to the Reliability ride being cancelled.

I see this every day at work. As a society we are becoming ever more risk-averse. The nanny state, diminution of personal responsibility and freedoms etc etc etc

tomf · Post by **tomf** » Fri Apr 17, 2009 10:09 am

I don't think we are that risk averse - I see people doing just as many stupid risky things each day as I ever saw (especially when I pass a mirror).
But organisations - that's different.

like my bike · Post by **like my bike** » Sat Apr 18, 2009 9:31 am

BC Actions to get road racing back on roads

http://www.britishcycling.org.uk/web/si ... update.asp

lugster77 · Post by **lugster77** » Sat Apr 18, 2009 11:12 am

that certainly sounds promising, obviously its all going to take time and i suppose its about keeping up the pressure on bc etc to keep pushing their/our case.

lugster77 · Post by **lugster77** » Tue May 05, 2009 11:34 am

well i've finally managed to get into a race! entered into the castle carrock road race near carlisle where i shall try and do the clifton colours some justice!