GCN-British Cycling Racesmart

dermabrasion

The series of instructional videos on racing put forward via GCN are quite good.
Link: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLUdAMlZtaV10DXaKA900aksfQfhjQlEGO

It looks like this is an attempt to promote safe and strategic racing as well as address some of the dangerous crap that occurs in (lower cat) races: wrong-side of the road, poor etiquette and unpredictable manoeuvres.
Fair play to them. Perhaps CI could put up a 'do's and don't' for our A4 bunch. I don't know if there is anything out there already for us, but there are a few things I would like to see on such a video like: sprinting from 60th for 50th, tossing gel wrappers, meandering through the bunch, screaming at oncoming cars, half-wheeling, pissing in people gardens. ect. Not to focus entirely on the negatives, but a simple introduction to racing safety and etiquette might help.

DaveR1

Just watched the video "How To Move Up In A Bunch". Not sure its of much help especially to an A4 rider.

"Move up the outside" is mentioned a few times, but it also says "do not cross the white line"..... Most races I've been in, the bunch is 4/5 riders ride and already on/over the white line, how do you move up there without crossing the white line?

He also suggests not moving up to the front too early to sit back save energy and move up closer to the end to get in position for the finish. This is what causes crashes in the races, everyone sitting on saving energy and then 40 lads all trying to move up at the end and get in position.

While his ideas are nice in theory, they are the fundamental problems encountered in bike races in Ireland, which will not be solved by watching the video.

07Lapierre

DaveR1 wrote: »

"Move up the outside" is mentioned a few times, but it also says "do not cross the white line"..... Most races I've been in, the bunch is 4/5 riders ride and already on/over the white line, how do you move up there without crossing the white line?

The answer is you don't.

Harrybelafonte

07Lapierre wrote: »

The answer is you don't.

Why not? We're asked to follow the rules of the road? So you move up when it's safe to do so.

CramCycle

Harrybelafonte wrote: »

Why not? We're asked to follow the rules of the road? So you move up when it's safe to do so.

If its a broken white line and there is no oncoming traffic, I can't see an issue so long as you can clear the other riders.

Chips Lovell

Q:How to move up when its crowded on the right hand side.

A: When you see some traffic approaching, regardless of whether it's on a collision course with those on the right of the bunch or not, shout "CAR!!!!!" in your most panicked, "we're all going to die" tone. Watch everyone frantically try to move left. Glide serenely up the path cleared for you.

I've seen this tactic used to good effect a few times this year.

daragh_

Sit in the top ten before the start

Attack from the off.

Repeat this until you are out of A4.

Has to work. Right?

daragh_

CramCycle wrote: »

If its a broken white line and there is no oncoming traffic, I can't see an issue so long as you can clear the other riders.

In A4 its more like - Move half way up the bunch. Run out of steam. Dive back in and expect everyone to roll into the ditch because you are an idiot.

n-dawg

I did find it quite funny how he shows you to move up a bunch of 8 riders... its a different story altogether when there are 88...

07Lapierre

Harrybelafonte wrote: »

Why not? We're asked to follow the rules of the road? So you move up when it's safe to do so.

Because its illegal...you can't cross a solid white line in a car either...broken white line is different, you can cross a broken white line "if its safe to do so"

Harrybelafonte

07Lapierre wrote: »

Because its illegal...you can't cross a solid white line in a car either...broken white line is different, you can cross a broken white line "if its safe to do so"

Yes, obviously, but the original comment you referred to was to my reading a more general reference to a "white line". The word "continuous" was not used and I felt your reply did not take that into consideration. A broken white line, is still a white line, if you get my gist.

Harrybelafonte

daragh_ wrote: »

Sit in the top ten before the start

Attack from the off.

Repeat this until you are out of A4.

Has to work. Right?

More like:

Sigh up for A4

Get shouted at for doing something wrong

Get shouted at for doing something right

Get shouted at for pulling too hard

Get shouted at for not pulling enough

Give up

Sit at back

Just sign up for A3 next year

Repeat process next year

couerdelion

daragh_ wrote: »

Sit in the top ten before the start

Attack from the off.

Repeat this until you are out of A4.

Has to work. Right?

Alas not.

Inquitus

couerdelion wrote: »

Alas not.

You were doing it all perfect on Sun, attack from the off, check......until you went straight on!

Craig06

Just put your team on the front and line it out for 60km. Then nobody will be moving up.