99'r : Ladies, Ladies,...ladies

[Flemish Lion]

You can be much weaker than the other riders' date=' but still manage to hold on to the group. And remember, these girls normally wheigh about the same as a fart, so they climb much better than heavier VA/VB vets (well, me in any case...)[/quote']

 

 

 

I'd love to test this "weaker" statement with a TT on a flattish road. You'll be surprised how many VA/VB's the top ladies will beat - maybe ALL but 10/20 of them! Some of these girls have a power to weight ratio of 5+!!

 

 

 

Or you can join us on a training ride.

 

 

 

As mentioned before why would they waste any energy at the front - they only have eye for each other and want to make sure no lady gets into a break without the other top ladies - so they all watch each other near the front of the bunch. Boring indeed, but it's not their choice to race with the men! So don't blame them for messing up the VB racing! Chat to the race officials!

 

 

 

 

[Rapunzel]

I don't know that it's a tactic thing. I think women are just taking advantage of a bit of chivalry and they ought to be embarrassed. It's not just a problem in the league bunches, it's a problem throughout the field. I'd rather do my fair share of work on the front of the bunch and gain the respect of my fellow cyclists than sit at the back and pip people at the post. m2c

[sias]

FL - I've ridden quite a few races with these girls and got dropped on the climbs! The people on the forum perceive the girls to be weaker on the flats/rolling hills compared to the VA/VB's and that is generally true - I've spoken to a few of them after the races and they told me that they were holding on for dear life and were not strong enough to come through and pull at the front.

As for power/weight ratio - if you weigh nothing, you don't have to make a lot of power...

What power do I have to make to have the same p/w ratio as, say Anriette? I weigh 80kg's...

[Flemish Lion]

I don't know that it's a tactic thing. I think women are just taking advantage of a bit of chivalry and they ought to be embarrassed. It's not just a problem in the league bunches' date=' it's a problem throughout the field. I'd rather do my fair share of work on the front of the bunch and gain the respect of my fellow cyclists than sit at the back and pip people at the post. m2c[/quote']

 

 

 

I suppose you race/ride for respect - they race/ride for a win.

[Flemish Lion]

FL?- I've ridden quite a few races with these girls and got dropped on the climbs! The people on the forum perceive the girls to be weaker on the flats/rolling hills compared to the VA/VB's and that is generally true - I've spoken to a few of them after the races and they told me that they were holding on for dear life and were not strong enough to come through and pull at the front.

 

As for power/weight ratio - if you weigh nothing' date=' you don't have to make a lot of power...

 

What power do I have to make to have the same p/w ratio as, say Anriette? I weigh 80kg's...

[/quote']

 

 

 

I don't have/know Anriette's stats, but lets ESTIMATE about 4.5 to 5 Watts/kg for 1 hour (FTP). That means you need to sustain about 360 to 400 watts for an hour. Good luck with that

 

 

 

Ladies or light men for that matter will be "weaker" then the heavier VA/VB's on flat roads. All I'm saying is that many would be surprised how "strong" many of these ladies are, even on flat roads.

[amoryns]

I have to agree' date=' i am "a lady" and dont ride racing ladies for that exact reason, it is ALWAYS a slow "block" "watch" "moan" race and I would rather ride with the men at a good pace then waist time with the women. [/quote']

TrickyLa I use to have the same mentality as you in regards of women's racing but got a good hiding when I actually moved to racing ladies. As per previous posts, it is easy hanging onto a bunch, especially men. try one elite race with the ladies (where they start in their own group) and then comment again. I think for in a very long time the ladies racing are very competative and definitely not just a tea party anymore...my 2c worth

[sias]

FL - we had Robyn de Groot off in a break with 2 guys in the AGA challenge last year and we couldn't bring the back. The 2 guys said she rode like a demon and came through for her pulls everytime.

You see what I'm saying wrt the power to weight thing?

[TrickyLa]

 

 

[...

TrickyLa2010-02-16 10:20:50

[bored girl]

I have to agree' date=' i am "a lady" and dont ride racing ladies for that exact reason, it is ALWAYS a slow "block" "watch" "moan" race and I would rather ride with the men at a good pace then waist time with the women. [/quote']

 

 

 

 

TrickyLa I use to have the same mentality as you in regards of women's racing but got a good hiding when I actually moved to racing ladies. As per previous posts, it is easy hanging onto a bunch, especially men. try one elite race with the ladies (where they start in their own group) and then comment again. I think for in a very long time the ladies racing are very competative and definitely not just a tea party anymore...my 2c worth

 

 

 

I agree completely....2008 Bela Bela I had to start with the ladies as I left my entry too late and got dropped at 15km, had to ride on my own the rest of the way. The year after I raced open and managed to hang on the whole way beating my time from previous year by quite a bit. Also Kremetart is usually a nightmare....

[scotty]

Certainly appears to be more tactical, a few years back riding in open B group we caught and passed the racing ladies even going past their lead car, feeling chuffed we commented about them being caught by boep pens ooms, next thing they hammered down and within a space of a few minutes we could not see them.

[Eldron]

Woman should have their own start - regardless of who is stronger/better power to weight/works more/wheel sucks etc having women racing with men changes to whole dynamic of the women's race.

I can understand why CSA/SACF wanted to the women to race with the men - there weren't really many women "in the old days" and making them stronger was more important than allowing them to generate their own race tactics.

 

Nowadays there is a big(ish) women's field complete with teams and a few strong individuals - hell even a few imports are racing on local teams now.

 

Racing with men makes the strongest wheel sucker win. Having a ladies only start allows the best compromise of strategy/strength/oppotunism to flourish.

 

My 2c - women should train with men and race against women.

 

 

[Brakkies Sport Fotos]

My view on the girls racing.

 

 

 

They start to low, they should start with the Sub Vets.

 

 

 

Think about it, they now sit nicely in the Vets bunch, protected , out of the wind and waiting for the sprint. They have enough in the tank to jozzle for positions 2 to 10 while they sit and wait.Yhey are nothing more than the normal leaches that you get in every bunch, sit in the back, take the free ride, and jump the front workers between the winning line and the mats.

 

 

 

So, put then in the sub vets will force them to ride at a higher intencity and more effort, only the stronger onces will?go, the rest will eventually left along the road and picked up by the fun ride groups.

 

 

 

Putting them lower down, will just shifting the problem.

 

 

 

They need to be fed to the wolwes to change their mindset.

 

 

 

The problem currently is that Jenny only needs to ride at 60 - 70% of her ability to win every funride in the W/C .

 

 

[Guest colonel]

I say they must race on their own.

[Lucky Luke.]

 

I say they must race on their own.

 

I agree Colonel, Sub Vets bunch is pretty big already. When the road is narrow with closure on only one side there is no room for us to sprint against ourselves.

 

I'm sure the ladies would prefer to have their own bunch anyway. Why don't they?

 

[Tankman]

Yes I agree, they must have their own race with own tactics and strategy.

Its not about them being strong enough to ride with the men or not, they obviously are strong enough to do that.

 

The ladies should be the ones voicing their opinions?  Maybe they want to ride with the men?

 

[Brakkies Sport Fotos]

I dont think its the ladies decision.

 

 

 

Its the married vs Un-married boys !!!

 

 

 

the girls will only choose to ride alone if the race will be on TV.

 

 

 

Can you remember last years Argus finish ?

 

 

 

Princess chuck her arms in the air before the finish, .....and blame the men afterwards ?