Orbit Tour d' Worcester

[kent77]

Yes I could deal with the gravel as I knew about that but the road just before the gravel was ****. Ruts in the road where your wheel can get caught as well.

 

Hmm maybe your a true Mountain Biker roadie.

 

Anyways I'll be gone.

 

Agree with you 100% on this. Anyone who has raced Worcestor before is aware of risks you take riding over the gravel section but all the farking potholes before and after are not accpetable. As race organizers PPA have a reponsibility to make sure the racing conditions are safe all riders. I woke up at 4am to make this race only to hit a huge pothole before the gravel section and lost my group so my race was over. There were 2 other casualties in front of me from the same pothole so its not like i was not watching where is was going. I'll be phoning them tomorrow for there views, but i'm sure i'll get the same old answer that its not there repsonsibilty to fix the roads... Yeah but its easy to take peoples money for sub standard racing conditions. My 2 cents.

[Let's Ride]

If only PPA would give refunds for the race entry as well as for the toll fees.

 

This race actually has made me ask myself, 'what's the point in entering events? They costly, you have idiots who don't ride properly etc and in the end you get to say your in group A with a time of xx:xx.'

 

I have way more fun riding on my own or with my club and they are well educated cyclists in terms of cycling safely.

 

I will do one more PPA race this year (to get 3 rides this year and improve my seeding hopefully) and from then on will only do major events.

 

Wonder if I'm not a PPA member how would they calculate my seeding for Die Burger?

Edited September 11, 2011 by Specialized <3

[Breezer]

I agree. They should look at road surface before an event. Last year I had to bunny hop over a pothole on the road near Goudini. After the race I had to do a thorough inspection of my carbon wheels. This race is not for nervous riders.

[TitusTi]

I quite enjoy this route, yes there are potholes but then again where aren't there pot holes, a bit unrealistic for traffic officials to allow us the use of the N2 and the R62.

[Zac.A]

If only PPA would give refunds for the race entry as well as for the toll fees.

 

This race actually has made me ask myself, 'what's the point in entering events? They costly, you have idiots who don't ride properly etc and in the end you get to say your in group A with a time of xx:xx.'

 

I have way more fun riding on my own or with my club and they are well educated cyclists in terms of cycling safely.

 

I will do one more PPA race this year (to get 3 rides this year and improve my seeding hopefully) and from then on will only do major events.

 

Wonder if I'm not a PPA member how would they calculate my seeding for Die Burger?

 

The same as they calculate everybody elses...

[Let's Ride]

The same as they calculate everybody elses...

 

Yes but do they rely on the ppa seeding or if your not a member of the ppa will they simply use last years result or old Argus time etc?

[rob!]

I enjoyed the race!

The gravel section was easy to ride, the flat course allowed for a fast race, although I'd have preferred the bunch to split up a bit. The potholes could have been a bit less, but you find them anywhere and if the bunch points potholes out well it's not a problem. And the very bad patches as through Rawsonsville are actually something the riders should be aware of and make suzre they see enough of the road ahead of them and keep a distance.

Otherwise it's probably quite known what the roads are like. If you pitch up with you most expensive set up it's your own fault.

[kent77]

I quite enjoy this route, yes there are potholes but then again where aren't there pot holes, a bit unrealistic for traffic officials to allow us the use of the N2 and the R62.

 

No one is complaining about route otherwise very few people would attend. Its the blatant disorganization from the PPA which has become the norm so no one complains. I'm not expecting full on road works but how much effort would it take to fill the really large potholes on the route which clearly can do some damage. You dont even need tar, but some hard clay of sorts just for the race weekend. Maybe my standards and expectations are too high......

[Tankman]

I gave you pansies that are complaining about the bad roads a warning on page one already. If you hit a pothole, blame your bunch for not pointing them out, not PPA.

 

PPA can not become a padwerke crew and fine comb 98km of road looking for potholes and cracks. They would then need to re-tar all the roads around Worcester because they are all that bad... and we all know this is a rough race, with its well known gravel section.

 

Anyway, great race for getting the season going again. Was lekka to be experiencing pain again, well, more pain after the muddy suffer fest on Backsberg's climb with nothing but a middle blade yesterday!

 

Congrats to Leonardo and Team Brothers Sport on the win!

[Tiny K]

Agree with you 100% on this. Anyone who has raced Worcestor before is aware of risks you take riding over the gravel section but all the farking potholes before and after are not accpetable. As race organizers PPA have a reponsibility to make sure the racing conditions are safe all riders. I woke up at 4am to make this race only to hit a huge pothole before the gravel section and lost my group so my race was over. There were 2 other casualties in front of me from the same pothole so its not like i was not watching where is was going. I'll be phoning them tomorrow for there views, but i'm sure i'll get the same old answer that its not there repsonsibilty to fix the roads... Yeah but its easy to take peoples money for sub standard racing conditions. My 2 cents.

 

Were you in the A - E bunch? With deep sections? I was two riders away from the edge of the road - two okes had to stop after going through a pothole (think it was broken spokes if I am not mistaken?)

 

I rode with my 32H training wheels because I know the quality of the road is ***.... You can be glad that they resurfaced the road into Rawsonville - Last year the tar was loose and sounded like riding on loose cobble stones.

 

btw broke a front spoke but carried on because of the high spoke count - very little deviation in the rim.

Edited September 11, 2011 by Tiny K

[Tiny K]

snip

 

Wonder if I'm not a PPA member how would they calculate my seeding for Die Burger?

 

National (Racetec) / Cyclelab seeding. Not PPA organised - PPA just assist.

Edited September 11, 2011 by Tiny K

[Zac.A]

Was a cool-ish ride.

Been on antibiotics for the last 2 weeks so it was a bit of a shock with the fastish start and the hill, even though, to be honest it was hardly even a hill.

 

Had to ride 64km with 3 others...

But the season has started, amped for the league events next weekend .

 

regarding the roads,

It made the ride that much more interesting, otherwise it would have been a bore.

[E-man]

bloody wheelsuckers!

[Wannabe]

Zac.A, which group did you start in?

 

Lost one bottle just before the start of the climbs at the beginning (about 5km in), road being so bad it bounced the bottle right out of the cage. Had to stop and pick it up, could not do rest of ride with only one bottle. Obviously lost the bunch.

Actually took it very slow from there, started in F,G & H bunch and loosing them so soon. Ended up riding a long time with three other chaps from J and I bunch. Dropped back about ten km before gravel section after I stopped to help a youngster repair a flat. Had to give him my tube and actually had to do the repair myself as he had no tools/equipment with him. (one of the Junior riders, he waited next to the road for 40 min before I helped him)

 

Shortly after that I had to outsprint two HUGE dogs that was having a ball chasing the passing cyclists. Got the heart rate up.

 

After the gravel section I again stopped to help another cyclist repair a puncture, once again not having any equipment with him. Used my quickset patches to get him going again.

 

As I did not have a chip, used the day as a fairly high intensity training ride, and ended with a time most of you guys would not admit to.

 

Still, I did not enjoy the route at all, and doubt I will make the effort again to ride it.

[Guest Frail4Life]

Sorry to Hear about everyones Bad Ride!

 

If you Guys are that Upset, Why not attend the next PPA AGM this coming Week.

 

Yes I AM upset with myself, Bad Time. Better improve my Training!

 

Thanks to those Guys (F/G/H) who did make an Effort at Working the pace and letting me fall off the Back.

[Zac.A]

#wannabe I did the short ride because i've been sick for the last month, I also really didn't enjoy the long ride last year.

Wanted to ease back into things but that idea was blown out of the water.