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  #21  
Old September 7th 03, 02:03 PM
hippy
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Default Rider gradings

"Trevor S" wrote in message
...
I will never understand the theory behind this ? As far as I am concerned,
the guy coming _last_ in C grade is _better_ then the guy coming first in

D
Grade therefore you should be trying to progress THROUGH the grades as

soon
as you can.


Tell that to the guy that came last in C grade. Look at the face of
the person that came first in D grade and that should explain why
some people want to stay in lower grades. Moving up should be
a goal but it can't be nice getting whipped week in week out.

As for moving through grades as fast as possible - I don't think
that it's such a good idea. I learn something every time I go out
and I'm still racing D after a brief stint in C grade and lots of
time not racing. There's lots to be learnt racing - speeding
through grades might mean you've got fitness but you'll get
to a point where it doesn't help because you need more than
fitness to win.
If you don't know how to hold a wheel, etc. when you get to
the higher grades you wont get far.

Also, it's better to make mistakes in the lower grades, I think,
rather than in the grades where people are taking it quite a
bit more seriously.

hippy


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  #22  
Old September 7th 03, 02:28 PM
hippy
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Default Rider gradings

"Suzy Jackson" wrote in message
news:QnF6b.87701$bo1.21295@news-
There's usually money involved. I got $10 for finishing 2nd in my D grade


$10 can't seriously be the reason people would choose to
stay in a lower grade? Surely it's more than money people
want from cycle racing?

race on the weekend. Also, only the first three ever get a mention in the
results. Everyone else might as well not exist. Having said that though,


Personally, having my name written in a results list doesn't mean much. I
know what place I got and that's the important part. e.g. my "concussed
but not last place" result in my first ever race means something to me but
will never get listed anywhere.

I have the most fun when I know I'm within striking distance of a placing,
when I know that if I'm having a good day, and if I ride the race using my
brains rather than my legs, and if I just get a little lucky at the end,


I have to say I don't mind getting a good result (whatever that may be)
using
pure, brute-force, muscle-tearing, must.... keep.... pedalling.... physical
effort.
Different races are good or bad for different reasons though I think.
If I race well, tactically, sweet!
If I out-sprint someone, sweet!
If I bridge a gap and none follow, then get dropped and I'm left in no man's
land for the rest of the race... well ok, that's not so sweet :-P

that I'll get a place. Last weekend was particularly sweet. One of my

team
mates went up the road with a kilometre to go, and I reckoned that was the


You have team mates? In D grade? Damn.. I've gotta start hiring! :-)

However it looks like my stint in C grade has been good for me, as now

I've
got a placing in D grade. With luck (and a hell of a lot of training) I
hope that I'll get a bunch more placings, and will then go to C grade
happily, knowing that I've got a good chance of hanging on for most of the
race.


Mmm, I wish there were more races on when I'm feeling good. Seems I
go well in one race and then there is nothing else on for a month.
If I get a place in the next D grade race I think I will ask to be put back
in C grade and see how that goes.
Yeah, just checked the calendar, next "race" is a hill climb ITT up the
1 in 20 (it's listed on www.cycle2max.com) so I've got last year's time
to beat. Not much in the way of tactics, just pain. At least this year I
might remember to warm up!

hippy


  #23  
Old September 7th 03, 02:28 PM
hippy
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Default Rider gradings

"Suzy Jackson" wrote in message
news:QnF6b.87701$bo1.21295@news-
There's usually money involved. I got $10 for finishing 2nd in my D grade


$10 can't seriously be the reason people would choose to
stay in a lower grade? Surely it's more than money people
want from cycle racing?

race on the weekend. Also, only the first three ever get a mention in the
results. Everyone else might as well not exist. Having said that though,


Personally, having my name written in a results list doesn't mean much. I
know what place I got and that's the important part. e.g. my "concussed
but not last place" result in my first ever race means something to me but
will never get listed anywhere.

I have the most fun when I know I'm within striking distance of a placing,
when I know that if I'm having a good day, and if I ride the race using my
brains rather than my legs, and if I just get a little lucky at the end,


I have to say I don't mind getting a good result (whatever that may be)
using
pure, brute-force, muscle-tearing, must.... keep.... pedalling.... physical
effort.
Different races are good or bad for different reasons though I think.
If I race well, tactically, sweet!
If I out-sprint someone, sweet!
If I bridge a gap and none follow, then get dropped and I'm left in no man's
land for the rest of the race... well ok, that's not so sweet :-P

that I'll get a place. Last weekend was particularly sweet. One of my

team
mates went up the road with a kilometre to go, and I reckoned that was the


You have team mates? In D grade? Damn.. I've gotta start hiring! :-)

However it looks like my stint in C grade has been good for me, as now

I've
got a placing in D grade. With luck (and a hell of a lot of training) I
hope that I'll get a bunch more placings, and will then go to C grade
happily, knowing that I've got a good chance of hanging on for most of the
race.


Mmm, I wish there were more races on when I'm feeling good. Seems I
go well in one race and then there is nothing else on for a month.
If I get a place in the next D grade race I think I will ask to be put back
in C grade and see how that goes.
Yeah, just checked the calendar, next "race" is a hill climb ITT up the
1 in 20 (it's listed on www.cycle2max.com) so I've got last year's time
to beat. Not much in the way of tactics, just pain. At least this year I
might remember to warm up!

hippy


  #24  
Old September 7th 03, 02:47 PM
hippy
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Default Rider gradings

"Arpit" wrote in message
...
How long are the races typically?


Criteriums a

C 45mins + 3
D 30mins + 3
Jun 20mins + 3
B 60mins + 3
A 60mins + 3

from:
http://www.blackburncycling.org.au/r....html#07/09/03

Road races are 50k up to 250k or more depending on grade.

1:20 hillclimb time trial is ~7k in 20min if you are me, or 15min if
you are fast :-)

Steele's Creek ITT is 36k in 59:29 if you are me and 51:55 if
you are Richard England.

hippy


  #25  
Old September 7th 03, 02:47 PM
hippy
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Posts: n/a
Default Rider gradings

"Arpit" wrote in message
...
How long are the races typically?


Criteriums a

C 45mins + 3
D 30mins + 3
Jun 20mins + 3
B 60mins + 3
A 60mins + 3

from:
http://www.blackburncycling.org.au/r....html#07/09/03

Road races are 50k up to 250k or more depending on grade.

1:20 hillclimb time trial is ~7k in 20min if you are me, or 15min if
you are fast :-)

Steele's Creek ITT is 36k in 59:29 if you are me and 51:55 if
you are Richard England.

hippy


  #26  
Old September 7th 03, 10:13 PM
Suzy Jackson
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Posts: n/a
Default Rider gradings

"Arpit" wrote in message
...

How long are the races typically?


Short and fast, so you're on the verge of exploding the whole way. RBCC
usually does the following:

E Grade: 6 laps (12km) @ 26-30km/h
D Grade: 10 laps (20km) @ 32-34km/h
C Grade: 14 laps (28km) @ 34-36km/h
B Grade: 16 laps (32km) @ 36-38km/h
A Grade: 18 laps (36km) @ 38-40km/h

Crits favour sprinters.

Regards,

Suzy


  #27  
Old September 7th 03, 10:13 PM
Suzy Jackson
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Posts: n/a
Default Rider gradings

"Arpit" wrote in message
...

How long are the races typically?


Short and fast, so you're on the verge of exploding the whole way. RBCC
usually does the following:

E Grade: 6 laps (12km) @ 26-30km/h
D Grade: 10 laps (20km) @ 32-34km/h
C Grade: 14 laps (28km) @ 34-36km/h
B Grade: 16 laps (32km) @ 36-38km/h
A Grade: 18 laps (36km) @ 38-40km/h

Crits favour sprinters.

Regards,

Suzy


  #28  
Old September 7th 03, 10:30 PM
Suzy Jackson
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Posts: n/a
Default Rider gradings

"hippy" wrote in message
...

I have to say I don't mind getting a good result (whatever that may be)
using
pure, brute-force, muscle-tearing, must.... keep.... pedalling....

physical
effort.
Different races are good or bad for different reasons though I think.
If I race well, tactically, sweet!
If I out-sprint someone, sweet!
If I bridge a gap and none follow, then get dropped and I'm left in no

man's
land for the rest of the race... well ok, that's not so sweet :-P


One of the most enjoyable races I've done was a few weeks ago. We had a
club champs 7.5km ITT on the next weekend, so I figured It'd be neat to see
how fast I could go for four laps (8km). I gave it everything I had
straight from the start line, and after a lap or so a couple of people
bridged to ride with me. That break lasted fully five laps, and was amazing
fun. I usually have a go at some point through the race, simply because
I've never thought of myself as a very good sprinter. Of course, it never
works, but it's fun all the same, and I'm sure it takes some of the speed
out of the sprinters legs.

Saturday was the first time I didn't try to go off the front (when I was
feeling good). Not that I didn't do any work - I did my turns up front to
keep the pace high. This sprinting lark is a lot of fun, I must say.

You have team mates? In D grade? Damn.. I've gotta start hiring! :-)


Hehehe. Not so much a team as a bunch of likeable reprobates who turn up
week after week, and occasionally look out for one another, except of course
when they're trying to tear your legs off. Gotta do everything possible to
keep those nasty Waratah guys out of the placings.

Regards,

Suzy


  #29  
Old September 7th 03, 10:30 PM
Suzy Jackson
external usenet poster
 
Posts: n/a
Default Rider gradings

"hippy" wrote in message
...

I have to say I don't mind getting a good result (whatever that may be)
using
pure, brute-force, muscle-tearing, must.... keep.... pedalling....

physical
effort.
Different races are good or bad for different reasons though I think.
If I race well, tactically, sweet!
If I out-sprint someone, sweet!
If I bridge a gap and none follow, then get dropped and I'm left in no

man's
land for the rest of the race... well ok, that's not so sweet :-P


One of the most enjoyable races I've done was a few weeks ago. We had a
club champs 7.5km ITT on the next weekend, so I figured It'd be neat to see
how fast I could go for four laps (8km). I gave it everything I had
straight from the start line, and after a lap or so a couple of people
bridged to ride with me. That break lasted fully five laps, and was amazing
fun. I usually have a go at some point through the race, simply because
I've never thought of myself as a very good sprinter. Of course, it never
works, but it's fun all the same, and I'm sure it takes some of the speed
out of the sprinters legs.

Saturday was the first time I didn't try to go off the front (when I was
feeling good). Not that I didn't do any work - I did my turns up front to
keep the pace high. This sprinting lark is a lot of fun, I must say.

You have team mates? In D grade? Damn.. I've gotta start hiring! :-)


Hehehe. Not so much a team as a bunch of likeable reprobates who turn up
week after week, and occasionally look out for one another, except of course
when they're trying to tear your legs off. Gotta do everything possible to
keep those nasty Waratah guys out of the placings.

Regards,

Suzy


  #30  
Old September 8th 03, 12:40 AM
hippy
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Posts: n/a
Default Rider gradings

"Suzy Jackson" wrote in message
...
fun. I usually have a go at some point through the race, simply

because
I've never thought of myself as a very good sprinter. Of course, it

never
works, but it's fun all the same, and I'm sure it takes some of the

speed
out of the sprinters legs.


Don't say "never". One of these days something will happen - you get a
burst of power, weaker field, planets aligned, etc and your break away
will be ignored. Then you will time trial home for a win. It happened to
me once and I still don't know how/why it happened.
I will usually have multiple attempts at messing with the field, even
though I'm primarily a sprinter. I often spend too much time out the
front, whether it be trying to prompt a break or chasing down
someone else's break.
In some perverse way, I like the thought of putting the other riders
under stress. I don't want to roll around a track for half an hour and
have the race decided in a sprint on the final lap (although this is the
norm). I want to split the field apart early, catch out people who are
not warmed up (usually me!), have a bit of fun with people, rather
than just do a bunch ride until the 3 lap sign comes out...
Seriously, mess with the field, not only is it fun, but one day you
will be ignored and solo away for a win :-)

Saturday was the first time I didn't try to go off the front (when I

was
feeling good). Not that I didn't do any work - I did my turns up

front to
keep the pace high. This sprinting lark is a lot of fun, I must say.


If you want to have a shot at the sprint here's what I've been told and
I've tried a couple of times to varying success. Watch the front of the
field and note any strong riders in top spots - not necessarily the
front.
Also, anyone else who looks like a sprinter or looks like they are doing
it easy. Mark them! When 3 lap sign comes out or final lap or whatever
make sure you are on their wheel and make sure you are in 2nd, 3rd or
4th position. So, when the sprint starts and the strong person you are
hanging off the back of go's.. you follow, hopefully having saved a
little
bit more energy than them, giving you the speed you need to come around
them on the line.
I've tried this and it does work, but you have to pick a good wheel.
This
is the hardest part for me, that as well as not reacting quick enough to
the bunch attacking on the last lap/s. Both causing me to be swamped
on the line.

Hehehe. Not so much a team as a bunch of likeable reprobates who turn

up
week after week, and occasionally look out for one another, except of

course
when they're trying to tear your legs off. Gotta do everything

possible to
keep those nasty Waratah guys out of the placings.


Ahh, most of the races I do have a few Blackburn people in them and I'll
help them if I can unless it's an all Blackburn race in which case I'm
going for the win! :-)
I know a couple of other races better than most so I pay special
attention
to them in a race and will help if I can and receive offers of help from
them depending on the nature of the race and how they are feeling.

hippy


 




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