Road racing

Crystal Palace crits, are they a bad starting place for a beginner? I have heard this, but they're the closet to me.

Crystal Palace crits are on again this year (there was some doubt as to whether they would be).

First race is Tuesday, 7th May then 15 more finishing on August 20th.

Who is it run by? Sorry crits are new to me.

Doesn't matter, found it. DP.

Crystal Palace crits, are they a bad starting place for a beginner? I have heard this, but they're the closet to me.

The circuit requires good bike handling skills and the ability to make a hard 1 minute effort every 3 minutes so it can be daunting your first couple of times, but after you get the hang of it you can be fine.

You'll get dropped for sure, but most people get dropped in their first couple of races. What's important is committing to it and trying to race every week so that you get the cumulative gains of racing.

I'm sure he won't mind me saying this, but Chris (daccordi on here) had a goal last summer of finishing a race at CP, by the end of the season he was scoring points in the 3/4 race.

Maybe a repost, maybe not..

In recent years more and more road races have had to retreat to closed circuits, Premier Calendar events have been cancelled and the racing calendar has fizzled out earlier and earlier in the season. The 2012 Premier Calendar has the fewest events (only 6) in the entire history of the series. Elite and 1st cat riders have been wrapping up their racing in August or early September. Riders for some of the UK Continental registered teams have been spotted preparing for the Tour of Britain on a diet mostly made up of 1 hour criteriums at Hog Hill!

Keep Racing on the Roads. Please.
http://forum.errl.org.uk/entry.php?372-Keep-Racing-on-the-Roads.-Please

The Hounslow & District Wheelers is still trying to do just this.

Our Peter Young Memorial RR remains in its usual spot in the calendar - this year's date is Sunday 17th March.

As usual the race is already heavily oversubscibed, but anyone can come out to watch. The circuit lies between Chertsey and Chobham - a preview will appear in this thread before the day of the race.

I think I'm signed up for marshalling of this with other Grupetto's - hopefully the weather will hold like last year.

Cool, I'm up for the crits.

Crystal Palace crits, are they a bad starting place for a beginner? I have heard this, but they're the closet to me.

Anyone else doing these?

Yes, about 100 riders each week.

Jolly good, reckon I'd know any of them?

Yes.

I aim to ride some but realistically my training regime, i.e. I'm not doing any, will prevent me from doing so.

Well, let me know when you can make it and I'll come too- then you won't finish last

The circuit requires good bike handling skills and the ability to make a hard 1 minute effort every 3 minutes so it can be daunting your first couple of times, but after you get the hang of it you can be fine.

You'll get dropped for sure, but most people get dropped in their first couple of races. What's important is committing to it and trying to race every week so that you get the cumulative gains of racing.

I'm sure he won't mind me saying this, but Chris (daccordi on here) had a goal last summer of finishing a race at CP, by the end of the season he was scoring points in the 3/4 race.

By contrast Hillingdon is a load of 10-15 seconds efforts in and out of corners with lots of recovery in between with a 2 minute lap.

CP looks to be way longer "on" and "off" sections and goes up (the 1 minute bit) and down more. With added super tight hairpin.

I like the downhill whoosh bit at CP.

#slevless

Obese fuckers like me can hang in at Hillingdon 3/4's doing 25 mph laps but CP makes me nervous and I've yet to dip my toe.

The circuit requires good bike handling skills and the ability to make a hard 1 minute effort every 3 minutes so it can be daunting your first couple of times, but after you get the hang of it you can be fine.

You'll get dropped for sure, but most people get dropped in their first couple of races. What's important is committing to it and trying to race every week so that you get the cumulative gains of racing.

I'm sure he won't mind me saying this, but Chris (daccordi on here) had a goal last summer of finishing a race at CP, by the end of the season he was scoring points in the 3/4 race.

I've still only finished once but won the bunch sprint for 5th. You just have to keep plugging away at it you'll see the improvements. I can't wait for a full season of them this year just slightly scared of racing in the E12's now, think it will be like starting again!

My preview is now on UK Cycle sport:

http://ukcyclesport.com/all-news/latest-news/item/8441-peter-young-memorial-road-race-preview-2013

The attached picture has be chosen randomly. It is from the 2011 race and shows two Motorpoint riders trying (unsuccessfully) to achieve a dead heat victory.

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My report is now on UK Cycle Sport - here is the link:

http://ukcyclesport.com/results/road-racing/item/8469-peter-young-memorial-road-race-2013

A couple more pictures will follow shortly.

"There were many punctures......"

Although this one wasn't actually a puncture.

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Sorry, the other pictures won't load at the moment.

Obviously the best ones have already been used, but if there's some interest I'll try to edit the others and have another go.

road racing? cat 5 peloton always racing in OKR everyday.. :-D

First RR this Sunday, Cat 3/4, 46 miles. Hit me with your tips yo

Try and stay closeish to the front, really keep on wheels and don't let gaps open up you want to preserve as much energy as you can when you can.

Work out what type of rider you think you are and play to these strength

Have fun!

First RR this Sunday, Cat 3/4, 46 miles. Hit me with your tips yo

Daccordi gives good advice.

I'd like to add that you shouldn't expect too much of yourself in your first few events - there's a lot of technique to learn and this can only be done over time, so be patient.

Even if you only ever manage to learn to stay in the bunch (and I hope you do much better that that) you will be able to apply your increased speed to time trialling.

Good Luck!

Be attentive and aware of where you are in the bunch. Everyone will tell you to stay close to the front but this is harder to achieve than you'd imagine, so you should be always looking to move forward whilst trying to avoid going on the front.

Don't make any sudden, unpredictable movements and try and hold your line on every corner.

Your goal for your first race should be to avoid being dropped as long as possible, with finishing being a bonus. If you do get dropped try and get back on as quickly as possible, as the longer you leave it the less chance you'll have of success.

If you do get dropped then don't beat yourself up about it. The intensity and frequency of efforts required are hard to replicate in training so many, many riders find their first road race exceptionally hard, even though, in fitness terms, they are probably fit enough. If you can, try and put together a regular sequence, i.e. every week, of races as the cumulative efforts will soon mean you're fit enough to finish races.

And best of luck! Remember it's meant to be fun.