Scary race stats

[porky]

I believe the concept of lap-racing (10-20km long laps) needs to be revisited. This way marshalling and traffic control will improve' date=' as will spectator value. Road closure would also affect less people.[/quote']

 

Thats an interesting alternative I think Buckstopper.

 

Personally I am more of a runer than a cyclist and probably only do 6 or so races a year (cycling) but even that is becoming an issue now, my last race "The star fast one" was really quite frightening from a big fast bunch point of view - too many rabbits in the bunch for my comfort.!!

 

I cant afford to be laid up in hospital or off work for days due to a crash in a recreational cycle race, and the way things are looking now the chance of this happening is increasing with every race. 

[big mama]

i had a very interesing conversation with a Vet cyclist at the recent Worldsview Challenge, which makes sense.  He suggested that cycling revert back to what it was many years ago.  Have interclub events every week and have a big race with road closure once a month. This will keep the cost of race events down and each club organize one of the events.

This way clubs and members will benefit and keep the money in cycling !!

[joevan]

I agree Big Momma, this will be the way of the future

 

joevan2008-02-20 14:50:00

[bruce]

I believe the concept of lap-racing (10-20km long laps) needs to be revisited. This way marshalling and traffic control will improve' date=' as will spectator value. Road closure would also affect less people.[/quote']

 

I agree!  I cannot understand why we don't do more circuit racing.

 

In the U.S. they have night races in the industrial areas when there is nobody around.

[eliminator]

I studied with a guy who was ridden of the road by a taxi. His face was badly scarred.<?:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />

A taxi pulled off the road in front of one of my cycling buddies one morning when we were training - they got out and tried to grab his bike, but he swung wildly and landed a good shot on a jawbone.

He escaped, but shortly after we read in the newspaper that cyclists were robbed of their bikes while they were training on that same route.  We have since moved, but went to ride there again recently and on that day the rides were escorted by a police car.

Two Saturdays ago while we were training a truck came by, honking the whole way as he went. Yes we were riding next to each other, but there was enough space for him to pass and no oncoming traffic.

 

When we got our drivers licenses a cyclist had as much right to use the road as any motorist - hence the hand signals and all the rest.  I guess if you buy your driver?s license you won?t be aware of this.

 

I shiver every time I go out to train, but peace comes after I've prayed.

 

Races are still exciting - especially now that we're trying tandem racing and being a male pair.  Much faster and easier.

 

- we bought the tandem from a pair of whom one was paralyzed when a motorist lost control and injured him when they were riding single. His friend also gave up cycling.

[AndreZA]

I believe the concept of lap-racing (10-20km long laps) needs to be revisited. This way marshalling and traffic control will improve' date=' as will spectator value. Road closure would also affect less people.[/quote']

 

I agree!  I cannot understand why we don't do more circuit racing.

 

In the U.S. they have night races in the industrial areas when there is nobody around.

 

Bruce, I still say that a nice crit race can be held in Jo'burg on a Sunday morning. That place is dead then.

 

 

[Ox_Wagon]

After the R4S carnage and the kamikaze way some guys are riding I am wondering about my decision to do more Road races.  It is getting way to dangerous and expensive.  I starting to wonder if I should simple sell all my road stuff and invest it in a really nice MTB.   <?:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" />

[decibach db]

I love taking my kids out on MTB - I have a carrier at the back, and when you hit nice gravel roads it's just you, them and the road.

 

They enjoy it as well.

 

Bought the wife a MTB with carrier seat and she takes the other one.

 

This way the whole family are spending time cycling.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Sean Badenhorst]

Wind and hills early on during a race usually result in less crashes because the bunches aren't as huge. Amashova starts with a decent climb, while Argus and 94.7 have some climbing early on which helps spread things out a bit. But those are all races with road closure. Flat, fast routes with no road closure - which is probably 70 percent of all road races - are simply scary!

[porky]

I believe the concept of lap-racing (10-20km long laps) needs to be revisited. This way marshalling and traffic control will improve' date=' as will spectator value. Road closure would also affect less people.[/quote']

 

I agree!  I cannot understand why we don't do more circuit racing.

 

In the U.S. they have night races in the industrial areas when there is nobody around.

 

Thats also something to be considered, although here we may have no lights but that should just add to the fun what!

 

I have never done a cycle race in the US, but I have done a few running events and they have innovative ideas there to, like a race around a mall, some roads are closed (obviously laps are involved) and the runners enjoy the race while Mom shops.!!

It was great, ample parking, lots of activity etc.

   

[GIRR]

Did anything come of the idea of doing criterium racing at kayalami a while back?  I'm sure that would receive a lot of support.

[javadude]

I'm sure this has been tried quite recently. Wasn't the Liberty Crit series cancelled due to lack of support, despite the fact that there was 50K up for grabs at each event.

 

The one excuse i saw for the lack of support was that Microsoft were too strong fot the rest and were bagging all the cash, so why bother racing.

[cycling&diving]

Hey guys I dont think its money and price, fees didnt increase so much, It is rather a case of bad wheather. 2008 started abnormally wet and lower temps. Not so much changed is SA from end 2007 to early 2008, except for jaco zuma and eskom power"also a factor of wheather" 

[decibach db]

Would love the Idea of cycling at Kyalami.

 

Imagine riding in Group N. (lol)

 

 

 

really sounds nice.

 

 

 

Didn't Andrew Mclean ride there in the past, providing training ect.?

 

 

[Sean Badenhorst]

There used to be racing at Kyalami. I did an 80km race there a few years back. Think it was a winter series of races when the track was open for cycling between 8-12 on Sunday mornings.

I thought it was a great venue, but I know ownership of the track changed about two years ago (hence the 94.7 Cycle Challenge no longer using the venue for their finish), so not sure how possible it is to have races there these days. I believe the guys that own Troisports, a triathlon/cycling shop in Sunninghill have the rights to the cycling activities at Kyalami these days.

 

[Joe Low]

Another slant on no.s racing:

Carnival City this yr - 2,161, last yr 2,028, and yr before that 1,615

 

Edenvale/Emperors this yr - 1,307, last yr 479, yr before that 581.

 

133,000 seeded cyclists on Supercycling's ladder is as many as it's been in the 3 yrs or so I've been looking.

 

Best just to carry on and do your own thing - the no.s don't mean much.

 

Even mine above can't be relied on to give any kind of picture - Carnival was rained out 2yrs back and Edenvale was relocated on the calender and lost momentum before this yr's event with a new venue and sponsorship.

 

Lies, damn lies and Hub statistics.