[Event] 947 Cycle Challenge 2016

[Cav']

me neither because doesn't give a true reflection if you stronger on the road and your mountain bike seeding drags it down and vice versa.

They take your best event/seeding (as indicated on another thread) so one can not drag the other down per sé. 

[Pikey]

They take your best event/seeding (as indicated on another thread) so one can not drag the other down per sé.

 

ok that's seems a lot more logical .

[HBO]

In your guys experience. To be in the first third or so of the start pen, how much time before the start will one need to be in the pen?

I would say at least 45 mins. The further back you start, might even be an hour or more.

[HBO]

from my point of view D and E are the best bunches in the entire field for a sub 3.  I haven't pulled the stats recently, but these two bunches are massive, normally around 480 riders strong (compared to A, B and C that are <150) and roughly half of the bunch will break 3 hours.  This means that the front half of the group will carry you to a sub3.

 

The first hill will be hard, but hang in there its only 5 minutes of effort.  Then its smooth sailing until heartbreak hill.  hang in there.  Kyalami is new, but I suspect it will be hard up the mineshaft.  That's only a 2 min effort, so hang in there.  At woodmead you'll know whether your bunch is too fast or too slow to last for the next 2h30. Fall back if you need to and re-coup your energy on the M1 up until corlett dr.  The hill on the M1 starting at 11th avenue passing the s-bend and the zoo will be hard but hang in there.  After that you'll be awarded with a good rest until the bottom of Conrad drive.

 

From witkoppen on things start to get a bit more scattered.  Find the wheels that you can match and make sure not to lose contact.  You don't want to be isolated on Malibongwe or the stretch going from the lion park down to the bottom of Cedar rd.  From cedar rd there's no more structure so stick to your own and just give it horns for those last 3 lil hills.

Good advice, exactly what I plan to do.

[Blue Monster]

I would say at least 45 mins. The further back you start, might even be an hour or more.

At most of the local road races, I am in the first two rows in the formation start pen.  As we move closer to the start, guys push in, and I am luck to start mid pack.

You need to be forceful, and remember there will always be that guy that arrives 30secs before the start, and lifts his bike over the fence and then jumps it, to start in the first row.

[hilton_]

At most of the local road races, I am in the first two rows in the formation start pen.  As we move closer to the start, guys push in, and I am luck to start mid pack.

You need to be forceful, and remember there will always be that guy that arrives 30secs before the start, and lifts his bike over the fence and then jumps it, to start in the first row.

 

"that guy"... translated: "that c*@%"

[HBO]

At most of the local road races, I am in the first two rows in the formation start pen.  As we move closer to the start, guys push in, and I am luck to start mid pack.

You need to be forceful, and remember there will always be that guy that arrives 30secs before the start, and lifts his bike over the fence and then jumps it, to start in the first row.

Yip, it pisses me off. New thing is to get at the back of the previous group and when they start/ move forward, just stay put. Thus he is at the front of his group. Sneaky move.

[Vetplant]

Yip, it pisses me off. New thing is to get at the back of the previous group and when they start/ move forward, just stay put. Thus he is at the front of his group. Sneaky move.

It wouldn't piss me off so badly, but all of these are usually the same people who don't want to work or who loses the wheel infront while struggling to get going I usually burn a couple of matches at the start to make contact with the front group, which then usually costs me in the last 15% of the race but I still think my time benefits from spending 85% of the route with the leaders 

[Long Wheel Base]

Any news/rumours of a route change due to damaged roads on the 947 route?

[Long Wheel Base]

[Frosty]

one radio station reports of a collapsed bridge, another of debris that has been cleared...

[Vetplant]

one radio station reports of a collapsed bridge, another of debris that has been cleared...

The "collapsed bridge" might have been a incorrect report. A quick look on Google Maps at the traffic situation on the R55 in Kyalami shows no closures or bottlenecks. Lets hope it was just the debris situation that needed to be cleared. Rebuilding a bridge is a massive undertaking.

[Fat Boab]

At most of the local road races, I am in the first two rows in the formation start pen.  As we move closer to the start, guys push in, and I am luck to start mid pack.

You need to be forceful, and remember there will always be that guy that arrives 30secs before the start, and lifts his bike over the fence and then jumps it, to start in the first row.

 

I've often wondered at such a big race like 947, whether officials shouldn't be policing such behaviour in the start pens? It's Joburg after all - can't be long before fists and wheels start swinging! 

[Cycotic]

I've often wondered at such a big race like 947, whether officials shouldn't be policing such behaviour in the start pens? It's Joburg after all - can't be long before fists and wheels start swinging! 

 

It might be difficult to police it, especially as it is happening all the time and in pretty much every group, including the groups where bunch riding and working together is pretty much non-existent (which is baffling).

[Fat Boab]

It might be difficult to police it, especially as it is happening all the time and in pretty much every group, including the groups where bunch riding and working together is pretty much non-existent (which is baffling).

 

Argus seems to manage it? Granted, the queue-jumping takes place earlier on the way into the start pens?

 

People and patience........!

[nonky]

Good advice, exactly what I plan to do.

Me too!