Irish Road Racing 2023

wav1

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120516081#Comment_120516081

99% sure it's 50

dahat

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120516728#Comment_120516728

Wrong answer 😂😂.

Thanks for clearing that up for me.

Plastik

Same. I think 45-50 you can downgrade before each season but need to upgrade during the season if you accumulate the points, and 50+ you don't need to upgrade at all regardless of points earned.

dahat

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120516813#Comment_120516813

That sounds like a decent solution - from what I have been reading it’s downgrade with 5pts at start of the season.

CramCycle

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120516081#Comment_120516081

Sorry dahat, it is your 50th, you can downgrade at the start of next year if you are between 46 and 49 but you will get auto upgraded to A2 once you reach the points threshold. Once over 50, the auto upgrade disappears but you can upgrade if you reach the points threshold and request it.

CramCycle

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120516884#Comment_120516884

Zero points carried forward at the end of the season, if that makes you feel better again.

dahat

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120517155#Comment_120517155

46 in June so that gives me all the answers o need.

Downgrade & upgrade then downgrade until I’m 50 😂.

levitronix

Groucho's G.P.

On the 13 of may, does anyone have a strava for it, 1110m sounds a bit tough if its not all spread out

mamax

The Crotty Cup

This Sat 6th May

All races now have enough signed up to run so registration Will close this Thursday night at 10pm to allow admin to plan the days racing.

There will be no registration on the day or late entries after Thursday's deadline

Best of Luck to anyone here taking part.

Crotty Cup A1/2

West Clare A3 cup

Cotter Cup A4

L&L Ladies Cup

https://eventmaster.ie/event/YvnEurOFjv

dahat

I believe we had one from the forum continue his good form with a win in Castlebar this weekend, well done!!

Bambaata

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120547094#Comment_120547094

Thanks a mil, really enjoyed that circuit, main climb had some nice flat sections to recover a bit and course overall nice and undulating. Think im still just about A2 thank feck. I dont want to go A1 yet, or ever again!

dahat

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120549524#Comment_120549524

Time to park the sprints for the year then. A win or nothing for the rest of the year..

JoeFloyd

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120534407#Comment_120534407

I didn't do it last year, but I believe they used an older circuit to recent years. the current course is mostly on the tandragee 100 motorbike circuit - a few laps of a curcuit, punchy in places, with one long drag - its a tough day out alright. If they follow the same pattern as recent races, the a4 finish is out on the circuit, whilst a2/3 deviate off the laps and finish up the 'muur de richill' outside grouchos pub. technical/sketchy turn onto that ramp, and it fairly kicks up to the line.

levitronix

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120550453#Comment_120550453

Im signed up for the A2 .Really looking forward to it think i ll have good legs had a good solid 2 weeks really good training and recovery

harringtonp

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120517155#Comment_120517155

They're the rules but I really think the race commission got it wrong on this.

Even if you're 70 and you're good enough to get the points to get up to A2 you should be forced to either ride that category for the rest of the season or take a break, rest your old legs and give others a chance.

In the past I've seen one old fellow consistently blitz A3, scratch races may have been beyond him in terms of podium but he was certainly good enough to get around in the bunch... just like most of the journeymen in these races

And I'm not a young lad airing these thoughts

CramCycle

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120592891#Comment_120592891

I'd be mostly in agreement, one of those is a friend of mine but him and another lad fighting it out for top A3 every year with 60 points each was beyond stupid. Another winning A3 races over the last few races but pipping A1s and A2s in our club league makes no sense. It certainly needs rethinking. Whether it's a case of a longer count back so that if they decide to stay in A3 they then only get points towards a separate masters league or similar, or they get stalled from downgrading for a month but the points to get reupgraded are lower. I've given no real thought to it passed the glass of red in my hand.

G1032

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120592891#Comment_120592891

Couldn't agree more

I haven't been able to race since end of summer '21, (after doing damn all racing that season either) due to after affects of multiple COVID infections. Beginning to get back somewhere towards 'normal' but still a long road ahead. But..........I'm not even sure what I'll do regards racing if and when form fully returns. I think the whole scene is broken really.

The cost is prohibitive now. I have absolutely no idea what we get for the licence fee. No clue. It's crazy money for no return. Race entry fees are so high now too with no subsidy or help from CI who seem happier to spend nearly a million euro on consultancy fees than help local clubs run races. (not blaming clubs here because I know races are expensive to run).

Couple that with the cost of race day supplies (gels etc) and diesel (anyone from the West has to travel a fair distance for any race) and all of a sudden you're talking a lot of money. And for what? Do get absolutely stuffed at the start of the season as an A3 because of the Juniors and then throughout the season because guys who should be upgraded just stay back in A3. The whole racing scene is broken I think. Grading is a mess. Very few races in the West. It's an absolute sh!tshow.

Anyway, I think I'll reassess at the start of next year but at the moment I'm thinking I'll stick to local league races between Sligo and Mayo. Buy an LC licence and attend whatever midweek races I can and just forget about open road racing. Long way off yet though for me. 🙈

dahat

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120598070#Comment_120598070

I would argue one day races fees are fair at €20 and have been since before Covid but stage racing is costly so i can understand increases there for sure.

The LC license with a suitable midweek club league set up isn't a bad call to make and one i'd consider if the option was available.

Early season racing is hard and i'm hoping that structures improve around masters racers as let's be honest master riders are holding up most racedays in terms of numbers.

G1032

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120598176#Comment_120598176

Ya. Agreed here. I don't think the 20 fee for a one day is unfair, but that still doesn't take from the fact that it's expensive. The overall cost, when everything is taken into account, is huge. Licence fee, bike maintenance, food, diesel, race food, race entry. It really does all add up very quickly.

Edit re the midweek league. We used to have 11 races in the Mayo league. That's down to 5 now. I don't even know the full politics (or want to know for that matter) surrounding that change but it is what it is now.

joey100

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120598070#Comment_120598070

Agree with this. It's tough on clubs organising races, trying to get enough numbers to break even and find volunteers. No issues with the races and I'm not having a go with the race organisers, it's more about racing in general.

As a new A2 I think I'm just there to make up the numbers so the top lads can have a race. I'm from a small club, small numbers racing, we are never going to be in a position to work for each other or anything like that. With most of the races being A1/A2 I've really felt that us A2's are only there so that the A1's can race, we aren't going to be in the mix and are happy just to get around. The A2 only races I have done have been great, much more involved and better fun really. If I had choice of A2 only race that was a further drive than a joint A1/A2 race I'd be going to the A2 race, unfortunately not a lot of A2 only races. I know race organisers have it tough and probably have to put the A2's and A1's together to get the required numbers to break even, but I do think it would be nice if sometimes it wasn't the A2 race that was sacrificed for the A1's.

Mapaputsi

I have only been racing for about 4 years, probably similar to a lot of others on the racing scene in Ireland as I saw a lot of people pick it up in the mid 2010s in local clubs and as they got stronger on the bike started looking to racing to test themselves.

I think it's sad to see the decline this year. A3 races are holding up the race days. I was at the PJ O'Riordan memorial yesterday in Limerick run by Newcastle West (cracking race on a great circuit btw), and there was about 20 in the A1/A2 race, and looking back on the start line not much more in A4. A couple of years ago in 2018/2019 any A4 race would be full with guys new to racing giving it a crack, and maybe even a separate A1 and A2 race.

I don't know where the sport goes from here, as an A3 I would actually be avoiding an upgrade because I know my days of being competitive or even finishing a race would be numbered (not that I'm anywhere close at the moment 😁). I know there was a push to get more A2 races on the calendar at the start of the year but that didn't happen.

dahat

Newcastle yesterday was a cracking race on a great circuit. My favourite one this year after initially fearing the course.

Is there further changes to the jnr structure planned for 2024? I’ve heard whispers that jnrs may have a choice to ride A2 from the start.

All in all numbers are down this year significantly & this will no doubt be a factor in 2024 with more all in handicap races unfortunately.

ratracer

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120598291#Comment_120598291

I’ll just leave this here 😜

dahat

Already entered 😉

joey100

@ratracer that looks good! but with a bit of luck I'll be racing around Blackrock in Louth on Sunday! Best of luck with it and fair play for putting on a race.

Chips Lovell

I think people sometimes lose sight of the reason that grading is there in the first place. It's to try make sure people at least get something of a race., i.e. they're not blown out the back in the first 10km. It's not there to give you easy wins. If you're getting around in the bunch, then you're probably in the right race.

If you're wondering where your licence money goes, look at the annual report and accounts. It's all in there.

G1032

I'm not wondering "where it goes". 800k on consultancy fees iirc or it could have been legal fees. Can't quite remember. What I'm wondering is what does an ordinary A3 get for the near 150 euro for a licence? Nothing from what I can make out. Absolutely nothing.

Large bottle small glass

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120600627#Comment_120600627

A Dealz insurance policy for people in employment and with their own private health insurance.

If people actually had to pay for a proper insurance policy to race on open roads you see the cost of an actual insurance policy that gives real cover.

I'd imagine you'd need a zero on the end at least.

G1032

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120600882#Comment_120600882

Ok. Fair enough.

Another question. Why is the LC licence so cheap in comparison to the full licence? Same roads that are raced on and every race an LC is in will also have full licence holders

Large bottle small glass

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120601087#Comment_120601087

I presume it's seen as much safer; insurance premiums should be data based on risk.

I've asked for that data and got waffle.

Most of the costs like bike, maintenance, travel, food are orders of magnitude above your license cost.

In truth like most good sports organisation the cost of the racing event in borne by selfless volunteers who for the love of cycling put the events on. If volunteers had to be paid even minimum wage, a race would probably start at €100.

If you get back to full fitness, race again the day will come when you won't be able/have the opportunity. Fcuk it this time 3 years ago you could hardly leave the house 😀.