first race

skim

alrite im going to attempt my first race this weekend seeing at the response to the gorey thread i no there are a few racers with a bit of experience just wondering is there any tips ye can give me with riding in a group cause all ive done myself is ride with 2 friends and what would the pace be like.dont fancy gettin dropped on the first corner any help would be much appericiated

smithslist

i wish you all the luck, what race are you thinking of doing? ill recommend sundays race (bohermenn) rather than saturday's (roundwood), as sat will be quite hilly.

sit at the back of the bunch and hang-on in there as much as you can......pace would be average 25miles p\hr, dont worry about speed, you wont notice how fast your goin cos you are in a bunch.

also try not to be last man at the back of the bunch, try being placed 3\4 way down in the bunch,

Quigs Snr

Yep about 40kph on average for the C race. Sit in, hold onto a wheel and bury yourself on the hills to hang in because as soon as you let go of the wheel in front its usually sayonara. Good luck, thinking of going to do the 2 races up in Roundwood and Bohermeen myself, going rubbish lately could do with blowing out some cobwebs, besides all my training partners got promoted to "A" so I have to pull the finger out !

Dig in hard at the start, these things usually go off fast but tend to settle down and after that its all up and down, there will be a burst then it will slow down again... usually when the break goes away things become more civilised.

Planet X

Go from the Gun! :eek::eek:

animal

Best of luck is right. Racing can be a shock to the system as you might be only doing about 19/20mph in training and all of a sudden you're cruising at 25mph.
I'm not so sure that sitting at the back is a good idea as when you're towords the back and the guy in front of you lets a wheel go you may have to close the gap which requires a big effort and waste of evergy. If you're comfortable for the first few miles i'd suggest moving forward in the bunch. In a 3rd category race many of these guys are inexperienced too so crashes are actually more common.
The most important thing when racing is to stay safe. Remember that you're riding in a bunch with riders either side of you, in front of you and behind you.
- Dont jam on the breaks unneccessarily as riders can go into the back of you
- Always ride with your hands hovering over the brakes. (either on the hoods or the drops) At least this way you can be quick on the brakes if the guy infront of you brakes unexpectedly.
- Dont change your line quickly. By this i mean dont move left or right unless you know there's nobody behind you. maybe just a little signal with the hand like when youre in traffic just to signal your intent wont go astray!
-Usually its a case of just following the wheel in front of you as close as you can while obviously remaining safe!
- DONT LOOK BEHIND YOU WHEN IN THE BUNCH....Even if you see others doing it. When you look behind you, you enivatably sway to the left or right and this can be dangerous.
- Out of courtesy riders usually "call" potholes and oncoming cars. this is sometimes a hazard.
- Depending on which the wind is blowing Bohermeen should be an ok race to start with. It's flat but very fast and if there's a cross wind it is very exposed and it can make it a very tough circuit.
- Apart from that id suggest arriving about an hour before the start. Get well warmed up. The day before make sure your bike is working properly, test all of your gears to make sure they're working properly and not jumping.
-

King Kelly

Maybe you should consider some club races with smaller fields to start with. Both of these races will get fields of at least 70-80 riders which will be a bit of a shock if you've only cycled with two friends. You won't be thanked if you cause a shunt!

If you do race remember to listen to the warning shouts for potholes, cars etc. and return the favour.

Also make sure to get a good long warm up before the race - ie 20-40minutes. These races start out at a furious pace - there not like the pro races where the first hour is to get settled in! If you are well warmed up it will be easier to stay the pace. Above all don't be dis-heartened if you are dropped - everyone has to start somewhere.

smithslist

some good info here, good stuff animal!!! a few more tips:

- stay behind a rider with a team jersey, rather than the guys without a team jersey, as more likely these guys without a team jersey are in-experience bike riders.
- use the bunch, i mean if winds are coming from the left, be on the right side of the bunch etc, if you use the bunch you will save some energy.
- when your eating or drinking, make sure it is safe for you and for the bunch, nutrition before\during\after race is important also, and rest, even eating during the race when you are not hungry\tired is important, even though it is a short race (compared to A\B race) it is still important to eat\drink properly.
- also remember, everyone around you is suffering, so you are not along.
- try pedal a low gear faster rather than use a big gear slower, higher cadence i mean, this will slow down tiredness.
- yes if you feel good move up in the bunch, remember you can tired pretty quickly, so calculating when to move up\attack is important.
- if you puncture\bike mechanical failure while you are in the bunch, it is common courtesy to put one hand in the air, and other on brakes, this is to warn other riders that you are having bike failure.

remember enjoy it, and don't give it up, alot of people give up after their first few races, believing they don't have the strength for it, it is a gradual fitness process, slow but worth it at the end.

ba

first race? what will you wear + what bike have you got?

skim

thanks for the advice it should help me quiet a bit im doin the one on sunday not to sure what to wear though a jersey or a jacket i no most people wear arm warmers but i dont have a pair

ba

you should be grand with a base layer + a light long sleeve jersey, not a winter jacket. but it really depends on the weather.

Hungrycol

Jeeze, 40kph! I though I was doing ok clocking an average speed of 29kph on my 14.6km commute home from work! I keep telling myself that that includes traffic lights, junctions, etc so my average would be down compared to a non-stop run.

These are really great tips on this thread. I esp like: if you puncture\bike mechanical failure while you are in the bunch, it is common courtesy to put one hand in the air, and other on brakes, this is to warn other riders that you are having bike failure. An that everyone else is suffering!

trek climber

skim wrote: »

alrite im going to attempt my first race this weekend seeing at the response to the gorey thread i no there are a few racers with a bit of experience just wondering is there any tips ye can give me with riding in a group cause all ive done myself is ride with 2 friends and what would the pace be like.dont fancy gettin dropped on the first corner any help would be much appericiated

Best of luck at the weekend - what about putting up a post next week to let people know how you got on

crashoveroid

your lucky its a C race if its A B race speed can go to 60kph. your best bet get in the middle of the bunch and try to find a strong rider in the bunch and become wheel buddy with him try to stay in the bunch and ride round if your still feeling strong in the last few Km you might as well have a go and see if you can place and make some cash.

smithslist

crashoveroid wrote: »

your lucky its a C race if its A B race speed can go to 60kph.

was doin that speed stage 1 of the gorey last week after the first few k's!!!!!

King Kelly

I was driving a team car and we hardly dropped below 60kph for the first 10 miles! I coudn't believe how quick the break got away. We were still in the middle of the team car, stock car race, every man for himself, no prisoners taken, fight for position in the cavalcade when race radio said the break had 20secs at Blessington!

5th year driving a team car and for the first time I don't remember one crash over the 3 days.

Good result for Lavery. With him and Sam Bennett, Dunworth etc theres a good crop of juniors coming through.

smithslist

King Kelly wrote: »

5th year driving a team car and for the first time I don't remember one crash over the 3 days.

and no rain!!!!

SACH Central

Skim, do let us know how you get on. I'm kinda in the same boat as your self so I'm interested in seeing how you go. I just need to get a few more miles into the legs first

ba

race in roundwood was cancelled. but the Waller Cup proceeded this afternoon. great turnout, for all categories. and the waether was good too.

as for skim and others in the same boat as him, you've got to be used to cycling in a dense bunch before thinking of coming to a race. there was a big crash today on the first lap, some lads came down, taken away in an ambulance, i dont know who was involved, but inexperienced riders are a liability to the bunch.

skim, hope ya got on grand, sure let us know how you got on.

smithslist

ba wrote: »

there was a big crash today on the first lap, some lads came down, taken away in an ambulance, i dont know who was involved, but inexperienced riders are a liability to the bunch.

yeah heard it was a touch of wheels, happened right at the front of the bunch, so a few lads got left behind.....lucky with the weather thou.

anyway skim, hope that wasn't which ended up in the ambulance, let us know how you got on.........

King Kelly

No results yet on Peter Purfields site for todays race. Anyone got any details?

ba

could have been touching wheels, but heard it was a handlebar that cracked while yer man got outta the saddle to sprint. so he went over the bars, face plant. bodies everywhere.

animal

I heard somebody is in Drogheda hospital as a result of head injuries suffered in that crash. Lets hope he's alright. If its as a result of cracked bars - I think the problem there was probably carbon bars having been crashed previously. It happened me a few years ago. They looked fine but a few weeks later the cracked in training. I didnt fall - miraculously. So if you have crashed carbon bars/stem/fork id consider changing them!

Todays results:
A race -
1. Derek Burke of Pezula
cant remember who else was up there! I know dan Kirwan of Lucan, Shane Baker of Usher and David Brennan from castlebar got prizes. There were less than 30 riders in the A race.

B race:
There was a break of 8 went away at the half way marker and young Philip Lavery and Brian Ahern were the only 2 to stay away in the end. Lavery won it.
Myles Kirby, Joe Fenlon, Colm Bracken took some minor placings and they had all missed the earlier break.

I think a Bohermeen fella won the C race.

Not sure about the other races. It was a great day for racing. Quite windy but dry and a nice temperature. Some horriffic pot holes on the circuit but in fairness there was a sign on the side of the road warning us before the worst of them!

smithslist

ba wrote: »

could have been touching wheels, but heard it was a handlebar that cracked while yer man got outta the saddle to sprint. so he went over the bars, face plant. bodies everywhere.

heard the rider slowed down while the bunch speeded up, boom boom touch wheels and down they go, yer man went straight into ambulance.

c race was a bunch finish, vet\jun was a break away that won it, same for a race also i think, not sure who got up thou......

Quigs Snr

Hurt my back yesterday, so decided to do the C race today and just roll around, but got stuck behind that crash (doing my first "endo" since my BMX days way back when, crash looked bad though, lucky the lad who stopped with him is actually a doctor. Pace went up for a few mins after that and it took me a few miles to get back on and then I was momentarily pooped so stayed around the back. There didn't seem to be any riders capable of staying away today so I figured that wouldn't be too risky (in a combined race though you could forget about it). Took a nosy near the front on the last lap and then when lining up in the last couple of K, was stuck on the wrong side of the road when we caught the juniors and vets (you'd know Lavery wasn't in the race), got boxed in good and tight and couldn't sprint, which was a shame because it was barely a Sunday spin out there pace-wise, I could have used a big finish to send me home hurting ! Nice fast circuit, but seriously dangerous with the potholes and more importantly the gravel in the middle of the road on all those sharp 90 degree junctions. Good fun though, worth the trip and defo better than sitting at home watching the footie !

Would love to know how the original poster got on, I wouldn't imagine too many got dropped in a race like that, although I wasn't paying attention. I suppose a new rider could easily get intimidated in a tight bunch like that. I know I prefer doing league races surrounded by A and B riders than C races where the riders are far more unpredicatable. I was looking for a non-club jersey but didn't spot any.

smithslist

Quigs Snr wrote: »

Would love to know how the original poster got on, I wouldn't imagine too many got dropped in a race like that, although I wasn't paying attention. I suppose a new rider could easily get intimidated in a tight bunch like that.

not just the bunch, but the stop and go of the bunch, the circuit layout with the potholes, gravel cornered roads etc, didnt notice anybody out the back but the crash did split the bunch i reckon a good bit.......

Quigs Snr wrote: »

I know I prefer doing league races surrounded by A and B riders than C races where the riders are far more unpredicatable.

yeah same here, in c only races the only safe area is in a break away or at the front of the bunch.

Quigs Snr wrote: »

I was looking for a non-club jersey but didn't spot any.

didnt see one either, but culd have gotten of the back when crash happened.

E@gle.

looks like Pezula riders won all round them today

skim

well how did my first race go?not to great now got dropped bout well over half way on i tink the third corner but got in with a few other riders at the back and then we were stopped at the crash and another rider told me the race will prob be stopped so when we got going again after a few mins we just stopped racing and just rode back to the village then.i must say i was expecting for the pace to be high but its the yo yo effect that had me wrecked it wasnt a stedy pace at all especially with the road the way it was it wasnt what i was hoping for though id hold on a bit longer but you have to start somewhere just need to do alot of speed work now and hopfully ill do better next time

E@gle.

Your best off joining a club and get used to cycling with a group,
i'm just back from the first evening spin of the year so far,
our clubs Tuesday evening spin is traing for races and today was very fast.

The only wait to get quicker is with a group.

skim

ye i no joining my local club already

Quigs Snr

Chin up Skim. You just go take your beatings and if you take enough of them you get to hand a few of your own out ! The up and down pace throws me too, really I trained mostly for 7-10 hr audax rides up until recently where steady is the name of the game. In racing prepare yourself to sprint out of every corner. The bunch usually speeds up coming out of corners, be ready for it and you will be able to handle it. And don't forget, in a C race especially, that flat out pace won't last, it will calm down. I did a race last year where I was dropped on the final climb, but absolutely buried myself, threw the kitchen sink at latching back onto the bunch over the top. I was sick from the effort and was swinging at the back for 10 miles, then in the finish strait, I saw a line on the right hand side, had a go and ended up winning. The funny thing is that 20 minutes earlier it was race over and I was in such a state that I was retiring from cycling ! A lot of racing is in your head and sometimes the difference between first and last place is suffering the agony for an extra 20 seconds. I agree with Eagle, head out training with some racing types, it will make the world of difference and get you used to the pain.

smithslist

yeah totally agree, joinin a club and training wit them benefits you alot......

Quigs Snr

Just saw on IrishCycling that the lad who crashed on Sunday is still in a bad state. Hope he gets well soon. I thought it looked bad at the time and now knowing how bad it is, I feel sick. The bike just does not feel so important anymore. Fingers crossed.

E@gle.

Quigs Snr wrote: »

Just saw on IrishCycling that the lad who crashed on Sunday is still in a bad state. Hope he gets well soon. I thought it looked bad at the time and now knowing how bad it is, I feel sick. The bike just does not feel so important anymore. Fingers crossed.

I just read that, i hope he gets better soon

smithslist

Quigs Snr wrote: »

Just saw on IrishCycling that the lad who crashed on Sunday is still in a bad state. Hope he gets well soon. I thought it looked bad at the time and now knowing how bad it is, I feel sick. The bike just does not feel so important anymore. Fingers crossed.

yeah same here....hope he gets well soon.

Harkev

Just read the report of the crash on irishcycling too... Broken carbon fibre stem, sounds like a really nasty fall he had.

Hope Stefan recovers soon, most people who've raced around the Dubln area in the last few years will probably know him, he's a really decent guy.

Fair play to his fellow racer (Dr. Colin) who stopped to treat him at the side of the road.

Kevin