Is A4 really an "Introductory" category?

C3PO

Yesterday I completed my 3rd road race in the combined A3/A4 race in Drogheda! Again I really enjoyed the experience but like in the other two races I was dropped fairly early on! Some of my mates went on to finish in the bunch at an average speed of just over 41kms per hour for the 72kms! Now I know I’m not your typical race “newbie” having just past my 50th birthday but I’m not a complete “basket case” either, riding 8-10 hours per week and being a regular (if slow!) S3 mountain bike racer! I’ve finished the three road races I’ve done at an average of 33-35kms per hour despite riding on my own for much of the time!
Anyway, the point I’m making is that in my opinion A4 is not really an “Introductory” class for road racing, there seems to be loads of guys in it who’ve been racing for years and the typical pace doesn’t seem to be very far off the more senior categories! I’m wondering whether there would be a demand for a “Sports” category as we have in MTB racing or am I in a minority of one?
Interestingly a few of us were caught by the ladies yesterday, at the end of our 2nd lap, and we shamelessly latched onto the back of their bunch and I really enjoyed the couple of laps riding at their pace! I also learned loads, being able to match the changes in pace rather than just getting spat out the back!

kennyb3

I think if you want true 'introductory' races you should look at club league races.

To me A4 is then a (slight) step up but is definitely still full of people who are only coming into open racing/coming back to the sport. I wouldnt exactly call it advanced to say the least.

I think with 8-10hours you can get yourself up to speed - i think thats more your issue. You cant expect others to slow down for you, you just gotta train harder.

edit: Anyway if you are doing 33/35kmph on your own you shouldnt be losing your place in a bunch at circa 40km/ph - to me anyway that suggests bad technique/positioning more than anything.

penexpers

A good few people on here have said that club leagues are the real introductory races.

Beasty

RPL1 wrote: »

Interestingly a few of us were caught by the ladies yesterday, at the end of our 2nd lap, and we shamelessly latched onto the back of their bunch and I really enjoyed the couple of laps riding at their pace! I also learned loads, being able to match the changes in pace rather than just getting spat out the back!

It was noticed -I have some photos of you guys in amongst the ladies

As someone of similar "vintage" I started off in Club racing last year - this is the real "introductory" level. I also did some vets racing - those guys know what they are doing, and risk-taking is minimal

Based on what I've read about and seen, I am happy to cycle in these formats and would not want to get involved in open racing

The vets have 6 ability levels, with some riders riding well into their 70s, and you may wish to give them a go (warning - they do stick you in semi-scratch until you prove how bad you are;))

DirkVoodoo

As was pointed out to me yesterday, there are some people racing who either don't have access to a decent club league or any club league at all. Open racing is their only means.

I don't believe most clubs have the resources or inclination to put on another race on top of the existing ones, unless they made the current races shorter, which would be mad!

Lumen

Whatever C.I. define as the bottom category has to be "introductory" by definition.

I think by trying to keep A4-only races short and barring A4s from the stage races, C.I. are doing their best to "encourage" the faster ones to upgrade, but there's a bit of a culture of "don't upgrade until you win" which leads to loads of fast losers staying in A4 when they could quite happily cope with the slightly faster pace and longer races of A3.

Obviously combined A3/4 races are always going to be faster, and anything with hills has a much higher risk of droppage.

C3PO

I'm very much involved in our MTB club, including our own 18 race club league series and the NPS races so finding time for another club series would be difficult (I can hear the complaints at home already!!) but Bray Wheelers are based close to me so I might have a chat with them! Can I be a member of two clubs? I'd love to do some of the Vets races but again time is an issue! The great thing about the open races is that you can just turn up, sign on and ride!

Beasty

RPL1 wrote: »

The great thing about the open races is that you can just turn up, sign on and ride!

You just need to join the IVCA and get their racing licence, or can ride on a CI licence, and you get 20+ races (plus a dozen or so TTs and track racing) available to you, mostly nearer to Dublin than yesterday's race in Drogheda

They race mainly Sundays and Tuesdays (occasionally Saturdays), although Sunday normally requires sign-on by 9am

Seriously, if you think A4 is a bit too much for you, you will soon find the right level in the vets (which will not be the slowest group, I am sure)

morana

RPL1 wrote: »

I'm very much involved in our MTB club, including our own 18 race club league series and the NPS races so finding time for another club series would be difficult (I can hear the complaints at home already!!) but Bray Wheelers are based close to me so I might have a chat with them! Can I be a member of two clubs? I'd love to do some of the Vets races but again time is an issue! The great thing about the open races is that you can just turn up, sign on and ride!

yes you can be a member of 2 clubs but I think you need to declare who you want to ride for.

The vets is good because of the early start and it is based in Dublin more or less although the have been creeping further a field like Dundalk and Limerick as well as Roscommon(?). Dont think it will be easy though the junior vets are very good and get placed in the open races week in week out.

Its only natural that you find it a bit of a struggle at the start - position, experience better handling in amassive bunch will all help. 10 hrs per week is more than enough for us just make sure you are doing "Applied Cycling Training" (thats my own makey up phrase for race specific training)