PPA One Tonner logistics

[GLuvsMtb]

Personally I think that a few teaspoons of HTFU will sort you out!!

 

Realistically, just think what a logistical nightmare it must be for the PPA to attend to injured or other riders over a circle route course of 203km!!!

 

Sorry, but if you decided to stop and it's NOT life threatening.....be prepared to wait!!

Sweeping and medical support is part of what you pay for. It is also not life threatening when you get to the finish and have to wait 2 hours to get your car out of the venue due to poor planning, but warrants a response from those affected. The event does not allow support vehicles to follow the riders, but in the same breath cannot supply a basic sweeping service. Even though you pay for sweeping, next time you should either over-state the seriousness of your condition / injury or phone a friend / family member to pick you up.

 

I have been on the receiving end of a few phone calls in the past to go and help riders with technical issues / medical issues at PPA events and usually put my roof racks and tow bar rack on as there are always many more that needs an evac.

[Mechanick]

In fairness, for a race of this length most people entering would not be your average part time cyclist. There are a number of shorter PPA races one can use to improve your seeding if starting at the back was an issue.

 

Its not an issue starting at the back, but waking at 5am, getting to the venue by 6-15 and leaving by 8am is 3hours of my day already gone past with nothing productive - if they said group "S" would start at 8am, I would rock up at the venue by 7-30

[Snytjie]

I broke down 20kms into the race just after Pniel, as I busted a spoke in my rear wheel..

 

I was also taken joy ride along the route for some hours before got dropped off at the finish, only because 1 of the ladies we picked up had a tight chest, and due to that we luckily got taken back to the end :-) otherwise we would of carried on along the route...

 

Nevertheless, the ride helped me to calm down as I was p-off of having to accept the mechanical issue not along me to complete race..

 

1 thing I must share, a guy along the route broke down also due to a rear broken spoke, but at the point where he broke down, there was another guy who I think was struggling, he actually gave his rear wheel to that guy so that he could continue the race.

 

I don't know what everyone else thinks, but it would be a very nice thing to invite bike shops to setup along the ride at various points, so if a rider breaks down with any issues, there will be help along the way to sort you out, so that you can continue the race. I know what the feeling is wanting finish badly, but you can`t, but if there was a bike/mechanical shop close by, I would  pay and d anything to be able to finish the race.

 

I was the recipient of that wheel, and I am greatly thankful to Theo who offered it. I made the same type of "aggravated peace" with the fact that I'll not finish, but he saved the race for me... What a top guy. I wish we were all like that.

 

While I'm here. On the positive side: I thought that there were some great organisational elements. I lost my timing chip before the race and could quickly buy one (with a card, nogals!). The water tables were well spaced and stocked. The route intersections were very well marshaled i.t.o. directions and creating right of way for riders. The start was well organised (but late).

 

On the negative side: it seemed to me that the roaming marshals were way too few and not well supported. While stuck next to the road for 1:30 I only met two and they both had limited knowledge/contact with organisers. One was only asked to marshal the week leading up to the race. Also, although subjectively, I would have paid top dollar for service from a mechanical van. Lastly, I agree with others here that the finish vibe was a bit of a let down.

 

It is disturbing to read about the less than proper medical support mentioned here. There was - as is usual when biking - several close calls with traffic in the groups I rode with. This aspect should be much more poignant.

[arlindo]

I Agree on the bad show that PPA put up these days .

The water points are a joke and the organization in general is very poor .

The atmosphere at the village was non existing .

[Pure Savage]

Ok, but to get in at 3pm aint no joke. was a moer of a long time. Feel for the rider. Must just say that the atmosphere at the end is like an RETIREMENT VILLAGE. SECOND YEAR IN A ROW THAT ITS PLAIN AND BORING. No lekker vibe like at the Argus road and mtb. Hell the Burger road and mtb has more life in it, just m2c worth.

Our team had a lekker spot at the end, some cool beverages, deck chairs a bit of music, shade. We were there till about 2:30. Its what you make out of it, we had to arrange all that stuff.

 

People make the event not the organisers I think. Bleak for anyone that has to wait around. I have been in that hot bus back a few times.

[Dicky DQ]

An open message to the PPA One tonner logistical team.

 

Yesterday i had the unfortunate experience of pulling up at the halfway mark in the one tonner at 09:40 with a bleeding nose and a bad case of what turned out to be gastro.

 

Upon stopping i immediately notified the marshall of my situation whoradio'd in the pickup is needed. I chose not to get a medic as this wasnt life threatening, a little bit of water and food would keep me sustained until what i thought would be an hour or two max before i get back to the start.

 

3pm.................5 hours and 20 minutes later was the time i got back, that's after sitting at the water point for 2 and a half hours. We were unable to get food, had to sit in the sweltering heat while your 2 or 3 sweep vehicles fumbled over each other stuffing things up left right and centre........why not fill one vehicle up and go?

 

It was nothing short of a disaster and a fiasco from your part. You were pathetic and atrocious, you should be wholly ashamed of your performance yesterday.

 

Piss poor performance PPA, you should really jack your logistical team up and start using common sense and logic.

The way I see it is this:

1. For medical issues let them know and get on the ambulance (that is the real medical support organized)

2. If you choose not to do that you will be picked up by the sweeper/broom wagon. and as the name suggests it is the sweeper. It will only get to the finish when the last person is either at the finish or in the broom wagon. Simple.

 

If you want to get back sooner phone a friend.

 

 PPA, hate them as I do, what with their moronic policeman attitude and all. I even I had a run in with them at the start, but eventually accepted that that is what their brief to marshals etc. is.

 

So you and I need to HTFU and deal with it. PPA are not obliged to do any more. And if you want them to do more expect a significant increase in entry fees.

[fandacious]

Thanks troll.

 

 

typical hubbers. bitch and moan about everything.

 

you should go read up on what trolling actually is

 

the sense of entitlement some people display is mind boggling

[Malpiet]

I had a similar experience at the medallion, at about the 65km mark I hit a cat eye and cut the sidewall of my rear tire, ended up walking back almost 1.5km to the water point.

 

The marshall then advised us the sweeper is on his way and I gave away what was left of my racefood,bananas & gums only to wait 2hrs for a sweeper van in the blazing heat at a water point that only had ICE..!!!

 

Furthermore the van was filled at that one water point yet we were taken on a joyride along the route for another 2hrs, ended up getting to the finish line at 1pm when everything was packed up.

[Smurfy]

Sweeping and medical support is part of what you pay for. It is also not life threatening when you get to the finish and have to wait 2 hours to get your car out of the venue due to poor planning, but warrants a response from those affected. The event does not allow support vehicles to follow the riders, but in the same breath cannot supply a basic sweeping service. Even though you pay for sweeping, next time you should either over-state the seriousness of your condition / injury or phone a friend / family member to pick you up.

 

I have been on the receiving end of a few phone calls in the past to go and help riders with technical issues / medical issues at PPA events and usually put my roof racks and tow bar rack on as there are always many more that needs an evac.

I did that with the Burger road race last year. Played supporter role and ended up playing support crew for a couple of cyclists with breakdowns. Felt good to be on the otherside of a breakdown for once, and managed to be at the line when my wife came in.   

[Korkstah]

typical hubbers. bitch and moan about everything.

 

you should go read up on what trolling actually is

 

the sense of entitlement some people display is mind boggling

 

You display no sense, you generalize and assume without any facts. if the hubbers are so bad then why not leave then and start your own community?

[Korkstah]

The way I see it is this:

1. For medical issues let them know and get on the ambulance (that is the real medical support organized)

2. If you choose not to do that you will be picked up by the sweeper/broom wagon. and as the name suggests it is the sweeper. It will only get to the finish when the last person is either at the finish or in the broom wagon. Simple.

 

If you want to get back sooner phone a friend.

 

 PPA, hate them as I do, what with their moronic policeman attitude and all. I even I had a run in with them at the start, but eventually accepted that that is what their brief to marshals etc. is.

 

So you and I need to HTFU and deal with it. PPA are not obliged to do any more. And if you want them to do more expect a significant increase in entry fees.

 

What i had could have turned bad but it was not life threatening which is why i declined the medical assistance. it would be immoral to ask for medical assistance simply to get back to the start.

 

We had another person in the bus that had to seek treatment with medics at the malmesbury water point as we were simply taking too long. 

 

leaving people in a bus at 33 degrees with no food after a few of them are injured but not life threatening for 5 hours is simply not on in anyones books. They can do better.

[Gerhardc]

It really was not a choice to stop, it's extremely disappointing. Thank you for being on point though troll, the internet will be proud.

I am not a troll dear Korkstah cyclist....my name and surname is well clear and visible for all to notice!!

 

I do not hide behind any pseudonym!!

 

Kind regards,

Gerhard Cruywagen.....alias your TROLL!! 

[Pure Savage]

I think the only solution is for ppa to hold two fun rides each weekend costing R130, one in the northern burbs one southern suburbs. This will enable them to wax their logistics and provide a stellar service. Any shortfall from the events can be taken from their massive investment account.

 

This will also reduce cyclist casualties, even though yesterday there may have been some frustrations and a few knocks. No one was hit by a car. That's why I think ppa should be hosting more fun rides every weekend.

[GLuvsMtb]

I think the only solution is for ppa to hold two fun rides each weekend costing R130, one in the northern burbs one southern suburbs. This will enable them to wax their logistics and provide a stellar service. Any shortfall from the events can be taken from their massive investment account.

 

This will also reduce cyclist casualties, even though yesterday there may have been some frustrations and a few knocks. No one was hit by a car. That's why I think ppa should be hosting more fun rides every weekend.

logistics are stretched as it is! Surely you are joking about 2 events per weekend?

A possible solution is to have LESS events, PAY your marshals well, try and get ROAD CLOSURES for some of the sections and have SUFFICIENT support to ensure that injured / stranded riders still get back to the start at a reasonable time.

Something like the 1-Tonner should be an occasion. Perhaps the lack of entertainment and a vibe is because events are just more of the same every weekend. Lets face it, we only have about 4 routes with a few permutations of these for all our races, so why not then just have 4 road events a year and make these count?

[Guest Karma]

I Agree on the bad show that PPA put up these days .

The water points are a joke and the organization in general is very poor .

The atmosphere at the village was non existing .

 

The water tables were great, they had water and coke (ice cold), bananas, bar-ones, jelly babies, dustbins and friendly crews to fill your bottle up. 

 

The atmosphere? Really? Did you expect clowns and a jumpy castle?

[Skubarra]

logistics are stretched as it is! Surely you are joking about 2 events per weekend?

A possible solution is to have LESS events, PAY your marshals well, try and get ROAD CLOSURES for some of the sections and have SUFFICIENT support to ensure that injured / stranded riders still get back to the start at a reasonable time.

Something like the 1-Tonner should be an occasion. Perhaps the lack of entertainment and a vibe is because events are just more of the same every weekend. Lets face it, we only have about 4 routes with a few permutations of these for all our races, so why not then just have 4 road events a year and make these count?

 

Seriously gluvsMtb, no... You don't need less events to organise them better. More than a 1000 riders rode on Sunday so the interest is there despite the flawed organisation.

 

And I'm sure the vast majority of the riders had a good time, the post race entertainment is frankly not really important in the bigger scheme of things.

 

Only thing i agree with is that we seriously need a bigger effort to get road closures. even partial ones - starting with our 2nd biggest race the (ex)-Burger