The PRO Gravel Thread

[milky4130]

3 minutes ago, bleedToWin said:

[Frantically checks email...]


Related to a specific event?

Yeah The gravel race the past weekend

[bleedToWin]

1 minute ago, milky4130 said:

Yeah The gravel race the past weekend

Calling @WaldoZ

[WaldoZ]

18 minutes ago, bleedToWin said:

Calling @WaldoZ

👀

 

Nothing in my inbox 

Edited May 5, 2022 by WaldoZ

[Yyyy]

i know this is off topic but

1) what is the specific reason why CSA wants to restrict registered cyclist from participating in unsanctioned events?

2) what is a unsanctioned event? PPA sportive? random MTB race etc?  Is it normally stated at race entry?

[ChrisF]

2 hours ago, YaseenEnos said:

i know this is off topic but

1) what is the specific reason why CSA wants to restrict registered cyclist from participating in unsanctioned events?

2) what is a unsanctioned event? PPA sportive? random MTB race etc?  Is it normally stated at race entry?

 

Would also like more information on this.

 

CSA website requires you to register before you can even read their rules .... so I dont know rules, even less about the intent of these (dont want to speculate that it is just to make more money)

 

 

As for which events are sanctioned .... Many MTB events clearly state on their entry that you must either have a CSA license, OR you must pay for a day license .... this probable serves as a clear indication.

 

BUT, we have driven hours to get to an event, to be told at registration to confirm CSA registration or pay for a day license ..... 

 

We are about to register for a MTB event .... NO mention of CSA anywhere on their web nor entry pages ..... does this automatically mean they are not CSA sanctioned ?  (dont want to work over any licensed riders that are looking at this event, so not naming the event)

[milky4130]

1 hour ago, ChrisF said:

We are about to register for a MTB event .... NO mention of CSA anywhere on their web nor entry pages ..... does this automatically mean they are not CSA sanctioned ?  (dont want to work over any licensed riders that are looking at this event, so not naming the event)

That is probably a safe assumption, I mean you answered yourself earlier in the same post. If you go through the entry process as well and no option to pay for day license or enter CSA membership number then it probably is not sanctioned. Alternatively you could also check CSA Events Calendar, not always 100% accurate but if the event is not listed there then again safe to assume it is not sanctioned. 

https://www.cyclingsa-events.co.za/app_v2/?utm_source=cyclingsa_website&utm_medium=link&utm_campaign=member_login_button

[Jbr]

So basically we should all be in trouble for racing the winelands race ? That one wasn't CSA Approved ?

[Sid the Sloth]

27 minutes ago, Jbr said:

So basically we should all be in trouble for racing the winelands race ? That one wasn't CSA Approved ?

Delete this RIGHT NOW

[Knersboy]

Pete Stetina describing the race start;

”Matt Beers, the South African phenom, used his MTB hard-starting skills, and made the climb one of the hardest Vo2 efforts I’ve done all year. But the tactic worked and there were maybe only 30 riders together at the front hitting the early dirt sections. The probability of crashing had drastically reduced and my wrist thanked him even though my lungs cursed him.”

[Gnarly]

Came here to read how good Matt Beers ride was ....... 4 pages of what happens if you ride a non CSA sanctioned event.  🤦‍♂️

[DieselnDust]

On 5/4/2022 at 2:31 PM, bleedToWin said:

MTB licensed riders sanctioned for doing non sanctioned MTB events is coherent with my theory of road riders (Sid) being barred from non sanctioned road events only but being free to ride MTB or gravel events of any nature...

Not sure if it is the case, but your example is not a counter example to my theory.

I’m not sure that your theory is correct as your license is against a race category not a specific discipline within the sport. For example, if you hold an Elite license you can race any kind of event that your sponsors allow but you have to race in the elite group not with the moms and pops.  So no matter whether you race a road, Mtb , gravel, BMX or even DH event, an elite license limits you to that category only. So the insurance policy your governing body holds for you only covers you and them and the event organiser if you participate in a sanctioned event and in your category. 
 

now if you chose to ride a charity event and you get sanctioned then somewhere you’ve given up the right to choose. But it’s not dissimilar to an employer that allows you to do work on the side as long as there is no conflict of interest vs an employer that absolutely forbids it. 
CSA would fall into the latter

Edited May 6, 2022 by DieselnDust

[Jewbacca]

14 minutes ago, DieselnDust said:

I’m not sure that your theory is correct as your license is against a race category not a specific discipline within the sport. For example, if you hold an Elite license you can race any kind of event that your sponsors allow but you have to race in the elite group not with the moms and pops.  So no matter whether you race a road, Mtb , gravel, BMX or even DH event, an elite license limits you to that category only. So the insurance policy your governing body holds for you only covers you and them and the event organiser if you participate in a sanctioned event and in your category. 
 

now if you chose to ride a charity event and you get sanctioned then somewhere you’ve given up the right to chose. But it’s not dissimilar to an employer that allows you to do work on the side as long as there is no conflict of interest bs an employer that absolutely forbids it. 
CSA would fall into the latter

This.

Well as I understand it, this. Best way to get any real clarity is for a race license holder to ask for the Ts and Cs

[FootballingCyclist]

On 5/3/2022 at 12:18 PM, Kom said:

i still ponder this too - i really tell myself that cross and gravel bikes are completely different, then you see Matt almost win a 100mile event on one.

He also won a crit race at Century City 2 weeks ago in the Elite category on the most unaerodynamic bike on the planet (Sworks Aethos). Apparently he and Alan Hatherly (On a Cannondale SystemSix) lapped the field a few times on a very technical circuit. Oh, and he did a 4hr, 120km ride that same morning as the crit was only in the afternoon.

[Jbr]

29 minutes ago, FootballingCyclist said:

He also won a crit race at Century City 2 weeks ago in the Elite category on the most unaerodynamic bike on the planet (Sworks Aethos). Apparently he and Alan Hatherly (On a Cannondale SystemSix) lapped the field a few times on a very technical circuit. Oh, and he did a 4hr, 120km ride that same morning as the crit was only in the afternoon.

Correction, they lapped the lead chasing group once and stayed with them. But to their credit, they kept doing turns and pacing even though they didn't have to since none of the chasers were going to unlap themselves. I haven't seen such dominance since the day Atherly and T.VdBank almost lapped the bunch at Killarney. Clearly they were in their own league.

They did lap other guys multiple times because the organisers took 2 events to efficently manage to pull dropped/lapped guys out (not sure if the Paarden Eiland/Century city races it was because they never told anyone to stop or if riders just decided to ignore the marshalls..., but it was a bit annoying at the paarden eiland one as some guys it felt we were litteraly lapping them every second lap...)

Edited May 6, 2022 by Jbr

[Kom]

Matts pre-BWR interview runs through the setup on his CRUX - how he road a gravel event on 32c Specialized Roubaix tyres (literally road purposed) is another marvel.

I didnt see much of the coveragle, but just how much gravel was involved for BWR?!?

Edited May 6, 2022 by Kom

[FootballingCyclist]

I also remember being a sweeper rider at the Race to the sea, In the whatsapp group with organizers etc they were all saying they're expecting the 1st riders to come in just over 5hrs20 or so considering the heat and wind on the day, They were all pretty shocked when Matt rolled in just over 4hr50 for the 160km 2300m course. What was most noticeable though was while some of the top riders in the country used Gravel bikes, Matt rode his MTB and still managed to win by a massive margin which was insane to witness.