WP Cycling - What were you thinking?

[Grease_Monkey]

Well, THIS WAS YOUR FIRST ROAD RACE, you should have done your homework. The rest have been fun-rides. Different rules apply, don't blame the organisers for doing what has always been the accepted norm, just because your norm is different to theirs.

 

I am not defending them as they have issues as all organisers do, but this is really a non topic.

No, read my previous posts - I raced league in high school in KZN for 3 years! This was not my first rodeo. ALL the events up there had bleddy water. And that's not to say I was here to compete - I was not.

 

Again, not asking to change - just communicate! It would have been as easy as a one liner on the events page - "This is a race only, no social riders, no water points". I would have stopped there and looked for another event to enter.

 

You say I should have done more research - is that not what event info pages are for? Must everyone now do extensive research on events on top of the events page too just in case this event is different? No - put the dam info on the place you go to get the info!

 

Just because it is a norm for you, does not mean it is the norm.

[eddy]

Welcome to Racing. A race is not a funride and as said before you are in a race, if you stop at a waterpoint (if there was one) you may as well go home as you would be out of the race.

 

Leauge racing is not a participation sport, where you get a participation medal, it is racing.

 

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I was in France during July and as there were feed zones where riders could grab a fresh bottle it must have been a participation event.

 

Nobody is asking for bells and whistles, just a table with water jugs (for those that need it) at the halfway point.

[Dicky DQ]

You say I should have done more research - is that not what event info pages are for?

 

I cant really say what you should have done. It is difficult for me, as said before, I am an old codger and when I started there were no such things as water tables at races or I never had a need for them so I never looked out for them. So maybe I am missing the point.

 

I have never expected a water table on short races. Even when doing my 1st 200 Audax I never expected a water table (granted had I looked I would have seen that it was unsupported as per their website. However the point is even on a 200 km ride I never expected a water-point. 

 

Just a different perspective.

[Grease_Monkey]

I cant really say what you should have done. It is difficult for me, as said before, I am an old codger and when I started there were no such things as water tables at races or I never had a need for them so I never looked out for them. So maybe I am missing the point.

 

I have never expected a water table on short races. Even when doing my 1st 200 Audax I never expected a water table (granted had I looked I would have seen that it was unsupported as per their website. However the point is even on a 200 km ride I never expected a water-point.

 

Just a different perspective.

Yeah I get what you are saying. But just see it from the other side - the norm at events (for theast 15 years I have been riding anyway) is that there are water points. So if your event is different, just communicate that at the very least - that's not much to ask.

 

And I really do think organisers should have some water available (even if it is on the sweeper vehicle) - I was not the only person out there that had lost the bunch and was dehydrated.

[Dicky DQ]

I was in France during July and as there were feed zones where riders could grab a fresh bottle it must have been a participation event.

 

Nobody is asking for bells and whistles, just a table with water jugs (for those that need it) at the halfway point.

 As far as I know, that was not stocked by the race organisers, as far as I understand, please correct me if I am wrong. The support teams stocked these points and they are called feed zones as this is where, if you want, you can supply your team/rider with food etc.

 

A small difference is that it was slightly longer than 100km.

 

Next people are going to want to have a lay-down on the Double Century and have this time not count towards you total time............... No wait that has already happend.

[Dicky DQ]

And I really do think organisers should have some water available (even if it is on the sweeper vehicle) - I was not the only person out there that had lost the bunch and was dehydrated.

 

Did not know they have upgraded to having a sweep vehicle. Nice to know when I enter again once I have gotten all the joints working and my weight down to double digits.

[Grease_Monkey]

Did not know they have upgraded to having a sweep vehicle. Nice to know when I enter again once I have gotten all the joints working and my weight down to double digits.

Well when I say sweep vehicle I refer to a bakkie that drives behind the last rider on course. I think that's a UCI requirement (I speak under correction).

[avatar]

From what I gather, it sounds to me like you didnt need any water, you just had to take your Swiss Concrete tablets and all would have been okay 

[T-Bob]

I think this is going to be a case of two very different experiences and viewpoints that can't / won't ever get aligned. 

 

I've ridden road races since I was 12 in the UK, France, Belgium, Holland, Italy and more and have never seen a water table or water point. Now for most of those places you'd need a survival blanket and flask of tea more that a water table if you were going to provide anything. 

 

Fact is I would never expect to stop or have anything laid on as the race will be gone from you. Now is that safe in a country like SA and in heat that was like it was on the weekend? I don't think so and as an organiser I would look to be flexible enough to add it in for the safety of participants and the reputation of the race (and for ease of getting a licence to hold it next year - nothing tends to dampen an application than guys getting hospitalised or the like). But amateur road racing has, and is, always like this. It's a case of pitch up, pay, pin a number and go. All care and no responsibility (and often the care is minimal). It's like that all over. Go to a Kent Road Race League or a Kermesse and it's pretty basic. You're on your own and you're expected to know all the rules from the go with very little info. When I started out it was your proving ground and almost a rite of passage. 

 

It seems that the organisers could do with giving more info out if it's an event open to all so that people can make their decisions based on that. If it's a seeded race only and people are used to everything then fine but it's not hard to just expand it out and think more about the event you're putting on, who your participants are and who are paying entry fees. Having a well run event benefits everyone from riders to organisers and shouldn't be viewed as pandering to those who should have a cement shooter. There is a duty of care in today's society and many of my clients have to adhere to it for the events they put on. 

The OP isn't a whinging snowflake by any stretch of the imagination and I was surprised he started this post but the fact he did makes me think there was something in it and worth looking at or considered in a post event wash up. Might be something that can be implemented next time. Frankly having a guy in a bakkie with a couple of barrels 'just in case' is a bloody cheap win for any organiser and doesn't reduce your hard man level just by racing past it. 

[Mamil]

I'm with the OP here - I can maintain 30kmph for 100km on 2 bottles on a cool day.

 

But if it's 35 degrees I will need a 3rd bottle and maybe even a fourth. If I knew that there would be no water points and I still wanted to do an event I would carry a third bottle in my pocket.

[Jewbacca]

With respect, when you enter a race/funride/whatever, do you not check out the course, your competition start group etc, If you did any of that you would also notice that something as simple as the seeding  is different and ask questions (I do). Then on the day do you not check the weather conditions and plan accordingly.

 

As you can her not much sympathy from this old codger.

Of course. Look, you are talking to a guy who has done 200+ mile non stop running races unsupported.

 

I am just saying that having a small blurb about what the race is about will do wonders for the new comers.

 

Sympathy? No. But practicality is different.

 

It costs nothing to  outline what league racing is when you enter.

 

If you know, you ignore it. If you don't know, now you do and the onus is on you.

 

Again, why should I have to dig up really basic information?

 

It's such a weird mentality that people will say 'No, it's always been like that, you're wrong' when all anyone is asking for is maybe some clarity without having to learn a secret handshake, know people and learn the hard way.

 

It's dumb

[DjCyclist]

Of course. Look, you are talking to a guy who has done 200+ mile non stop running races unsupported.

 

I am just saying that having a small blurb about what the race is about will do wonders for the new comers.

 

Sympathy? No. But practicality is different.

 

It costs nothing to outline what league racing is when you enter.

 

If you know, you ignore it. If you don't know, now you do and the onus is on you.

 

Again, why should I have to dig up really basic information?

 

It's such a weird mentality that people will say 'No, it's always been like that, you're wrong' when all anyone is asking for is maybe some clarity without having to learn a secret handshake, know people and learn the hard way.

 

It's dumb

Well said

[Mamil]

Aha -- I knew it!!  Evidence of proper insanity!!

 

 

Of course. Look, you are talking to a guy who has done 200+ mile non stop running races unsupported.

 

 

[DJTerblanche]

When are we getting Cat4&5 like they have in America.

Cat2&3 is a lot more competitive than last year.

 

As a B seeded PPA rider I just managed to hang in Cat2 last year and now I am a middle of the pack Cat3 rider.

 

All of the Cat2 riders can easily ride a sub3 argus and most in Cat3 will also be able.

 

With it (until recently?) being so easy to get a A-D seeding in PPA this WP cycling rule of A-D belongs in Cat2 makes little sense. Cat3 will be empty unless you got a low PPA seeding because you haven't been doing many PPA races.

 

At the moment you will get dropped from Cat3 with an FTP below 230 I reckon. You need above 3w/kg and above.

[Yo-Yo]

When are we getting Cat4&5 like they have in America.

Cat2&3 is a lot more competitive than last year.

 

As a B seeded PPA rider I just managed to hang in Cat2 last year and now I am a middle of the pack Cat3 rider.

 

All of the Cat2 riders can easily ride a sub3 argus and most in Cat3 will also be able.

 

With it (until recently?) being so easy to get a A-D seeding in PPA this WP cycling rule of A-D belongs in Cat2 makes little sense. Cat3 will be empty unless you got a low PPA seeding because you haven't been doing many PPA races.

 

At the moment you will get dropped from Cat3 with an FTP below 230 I reckon. You need above 3w/kg and above.

 

 

Well the UCI does say the biggest rise in doping has been in amateur racing divisions especially in the older ranks. 

[Eugene]

When are we getting Cat4&5 like they have in America.

Cat2&3 is a lot more competitive than last year.

 

As a B seeded PPA rider I just managed to hang in Cat2 last year and now I am a middle of the pack Cat3 rider.

 

All of the Cat2 riders can easily ride a sub3 argus and most in Cat3 will also be able.

 

With it (until recently?) being so easy to get a A-D seeding in PPA this WP cycling rule of A-D belongs in Cat2 makes little sense. Cat3 will be empty unless you got a low PPA seeding because you haven't been doing many PPA races.

 

At the moment you will get dropped from Cat3 with an FTP below 230 I reckon. You need above 3w/kg and above.

Question is... Do you expect water points when you are racing cat 3 or even cat 4 or 5.