Cape Cobra riders skills

['Dale]

that is true, maybe they must offer some compulsary classes to all league racers

>>> YEAH, AND WE NOT EVEN TALKING ABOUT RACING CARS

I suggested Killarney Training Sessions for Rising Stars for Spring 2012 and beyond on another thread.

 

Yep, picking new frame up today, should be ready by tomorrow evening

>>> Cool! That was a quick swop. Nice!

Edited January 23, 2012 by ' Dale

[SeanMort]

I have mixed feelings about the existence of the league-lite Stars racing category and the criteria applied to qualifying. The stated reasons for this racing category existing are for riders to improve their PPA seedings and to improve their racing skills, presumably to fast-track the performing riders to big league if they want.

All well and good, and a good initiative from the organisers, but the problem as I see it is that the qualifying criteria needs a rethink. It's early days for this racing category and no doubt the organisers will hopefully fine-tune it.

I don't believe that a rider with a seeding of D/E would benefit too much by being in this bunch if some of them already qualify for a big league cat, or would most probably improve their seeding by simply starting in their normal seeded group. Judging by the results, the Stars group performance equated to the F groups performance. So the riders that probably benefited most were from F-I.

Perhaps entrants need to be vetted with more detail and not simply chosen on PPA index. Perhaps they also need to have completed a certain number of recent recognised races to qualify ?

 

As the Pirelli slogan goes ... "Power is nothing without control"

[Lucky Luke.]

Surely they just need a bike marshal and commissaire to keep them in check? The same simple rules apply to all bunches. Don't cross the white line. Not sure why they didn't have a Think Bike escort. Perhaps there weren't enough to go around.

[Zac.A]

I wonder how many people actually did the 30km?

 

Probably about 300 including the timing chipless.

But I also hate big groups, after riding U14 league last year which had about 20 people and then doing the die burger which had much bigger groups I just stayed at the back of the group and payed the price by being dropped when the wind came up.

 

The groups shouldn't exceed more than 50people...

my view.

[MTB_Roadie]

I have mixed feelings about the existence of the league-lite Stars racing category and the criteria applied to qualifying. The stated reasons for this racing category existing are for riders to improve their PPA seedings and to improve their racing skills, presumably to fast-track the performing riders to big league if they want.

All well and good, and a good initiative from the organisers, but the problem as I see it is that the qualifying criteria needs a rethink. It's early days for this racing category and no doubt the organisers will hopefully fine-tune it.

I don't believe that a rider with a seeding of D/E would benefit too much by being in this bunch if some of them already qualify for a big league cat, or would most probably improve their seeding by simply starting in their normal seeded group. Judging by the results, the Stars group performance equated to the F groups performance. So the riders that probably benefited most were from F-I.

Perhaps entrants need to be vetted with more detail and not simply chosen on PPA index. Perhaps they also need to have completed a certain number of recent recognised races to qualify ?

 

As the Pirelli slogan goes ... "Power is nothing without control"

 

I disagree there, I have a current E seeding, I cycled myself up from H with a few people tagging along, the criteria for STARS should be D-F, thats it...no G, H or I...I average +-35km/h by myself in my races with a few who is in the same leaque, you will see looking at the Tour de PPA results the times wernt to bad. Will look at the bouckaert what will happen, but you do get people like myself who train almost every morning and take things seriously to get somewhere....but they need a marshall and thhe 2 clubs mentioned before is the main problem.

[Zac.A]

I disagree there, I have a current E seeding, I cycled myself up from H with a few people tagging along, the criteria for STARS should be D-F, thats it...no G, H or I...I average +-35km/h by myself in my races with a few who is in the same leaque, you will see looking at the Tour de PPA results the times wernt to bad. Will look at the bouckaert what will happen, but you do get people like myself who train almost every morning and take things seriously to get somewhere....but they need a marshall and thhe 2 clubs mentioned before is the main problem.

 

Exactly!

The F and H times were both faster than the stars.

PPA need to wittle the group down to a more select bunch, then the pace will really go up.

[nuge]

mmm, my two cents now:

 

the "stars" concept, while great in theory, seems to be a bridge too far. Allowing seeded riders from D - I into one racing cat means grouping a bunch of riders with extreme variances in strengths, abilities and experience.

 

i support one of the suggestions here to make it compulsory that these riders first attend a set number of PPA killarney sessions as these are invaluable to learning bunch riding tips/ettiquette/abuse (verbal, physical and otherwise) in a safer and more controlled environment rather than out on the road during a race.

[milky4130]

_{Dont know why they never cater for enough Coke, especially for the guys at the back. Please organise something to drink at the finish. I think you guys are lucky it wasnt as hot as the previous days this week. Pull up your socks organisers. If the price go up,so does the expectation to have a super event. Events arent cheap anymore,get it right.}

I think they do cater enough Coke, the problem is & sometimes I'm guilty of this too, riders who finish racing 30-60mins before you help themselves to 2 & I've seen more cups of coke. Hell I've even see some okes fill their water bottles. After reading your post I'll never again take more than one cup, sorry if there was nothing left by the time you got there.

[milky4130]

Exactly!

The F and H times were both faster than the stars.

PPA need to wittle the group down to a more select bunch, then the pace will really go up.

League doesnt ride for time but for postition so that argument becomes null & void.

[Zac.A]

League doesnt ride for time but for postition so that argument becomes null & void.

 

I know that they(we) ride for position, was just saying that because of an earlier comment re their times.

[Trek Rider]

I was in the group that caught the league and luckily was just in front of the crash. When we caught the league at slangkop the just tucked in behind and got sucked along and as soon as we got to smits they found legs. The poor guy that hit the motorbike had nowhere to go other than over the white line. It started with a league guy late breaking into the corner and loosing it landing himself in the gutter the group swelled and unfortunately the guys on the outside were forced over the white line they were not passing or anything like that they were just trying to avoid the 1st accident. The bike Marshall's are brilliant and in Olympic cycles race 2 weeks ago one of the cedar guys hit the bike marshall while doing an overtaking maneuver that got him ..... No where.PPA and the league organizers are to blame for this accident . Why should we endanger our lives to teach the development riders to ride.i hope everyone envolved in the crash is ok as I heard that some one got a broken neck who went down.

[Zac.A]

PPA and the league organizers are to blame for this accident.

 

I think this may be a bit far, yes they are part of the problem, there should have been a marshall, but you cannot blame them for people riding badly.

 

Do you blame the referee if a soccer player breaks his leg?

Or an umpire if a batsmen is knocked out by the bowler?

No, the referee's/marshall's/umpires are not to blame for an accident, they should help prevent them, but sometimes it is out of their control.

 

Even if the marshall's were there, I assume the crash happened quickly and there would have been nothing they could do to stop it, as you said the guy who was hit by the motorbike had nowhere else to go, so what could a marshall have done?

 

If you feel that your life is endangered by other riders on the road then either don't participate in events or take up MTBing full time, or teach them how to ride.

[Tiny K]

I think this may be a bit far, yes they are part of the problem, there should have been a marshall, but you cannot blame them for people riding badly.

 

Do you blame the referee if a soccer player breaks his leg?

Or an umpire if a batsmen is knocked out by the bowler?

No, the referee's/marshall's/umpires are not to blame for an accident, they should help prevent them, but sometimes it is out of their control.

 

Even if the marshall's were there, I assume the crash happened quickly and there would have been nothing they could do to stop it, as you said the guy who was hit by the motorbike had nowhere else to go, so what could a marshall have done?

 

If you feel that your life is endangered by other riders on the road then either don't participate in events or take up MTBing full time, or teach them how to ride.

 

Or better yet, where would the marshal have been - in the path of the oncoming motorcycle because he would have been trying to keep the guys their side of the white line.

[Let's Ride]

I try stick away from the development riders. In the recent races it's normally them who are all over the show causing havoc. I have spoken to them during races when they try kill me but they carry on doing kamakazi stunts.

[Soggy]

Or better yet, where would the marshal have been - in the path of the oncoming motorcycle because he would have been trying to keep the guys their side of the white line.

 

Exactly, agreed 100000000%

[ccc2]

its all about being thrown in the deep end......so the rider qualifies to ride 'league' but he hasn't the necessary skills to race....or hasn't experienced racing. on top of it, most of the 'stars' group have the same problem, no racing experience and too much testosterone from the youngsters. a recipe for disaster. look what happened on sunday, the rider flew down smits, panicked, hit the brakes and took himself out and unfortunately others as well.