Full racing license for 2011

[Frosty]

I think the retiring Pro's or those "out-of-contract", that want to race in Cat1, should be allowed to continue in the Elite category as "Vets Masters". It keeps the standard up for at least a few more years.

 

As part of the organising team for the Carnival City Macsteel National Classic, I know that most of the other local race organisers in Jan/Feb 2011 will be sticking to the tried-and-tested age category grouping (Fast One, Ride for Sight to name a few).

 

The Carnival race will have a slight change, two distances for the Vets Masters - 134Km and 103Km (One category for each distance, no age categories). We believe the top Vets Masters should be racing in one group and racing 134Km instead of 103Km. The elite ladies might also be drafted into the same category (pending approval from the officials), making it similar to the Vet's Super Series in 2009.

More to follow in the next few weeks once we've published the official entries.

As far as seeding goes, the guys running the MTB XCM series (SASeeding) seem to be getting it right. Each (subscribed) race is graded and your index is adjusted before the next race according to a formula which rewards recent results over aging results. So the less you race, the worse your seeding gets. It's not full-proof, but it's working really well.

 

[Spinnekop]

Sounds interesting....thanks Frosty....

 

Question.

Why push the Vets to race longer distances? Not enough of them dying on the shorter route?

 

I race regularly with the Vets......

I would say maybe 10 out of the 100 would MAYBE be able to stick to the Elite bunch in a full blown race....

 

So you'll have a lot of DNF's........

Thus my question.....why push the envelope? 2020 vision for Vets for what?

Edited November 2, 2010 by Spinnekop

[Spinnekop]

I think the retiring Pro's or those "out-of-contract", that want to race in Cat1, should be allowed to continue in the Elite category as "Vets Masters". ELITE / CAT 1

 

There fixed it.

You want to eat with the big dogs, don't like a puppy is the old saying?

Cat 1 = Cat 1

Cat 2 = Cat 2

 

It really is easy.......

Just chuck all the Vets categories, names, profiles away and seed EVERYONE according to ability and not age.......

 

DUH.

[AndreZA]

There fixed it.

You want to eat with the big dogs, don't like a puppy is the old saying?

Cat 1 = Cat 1

Cat 2 = Cat 2

 

It really is easy.......

Just chuck all the Vets categories, names, profiles away and seed EVERYONE according to ability and not age.......

 

 

They should toss everybody together for about 4-5 races and then relegate them to where they belong. You will see how some of those vets are only good enough for Cat 3 or even Cat 4.

[Frosty]

Sounds interesting....thanks Frosty....

 

Question.

Why push the Vets to race longer distances? Not enough of them dying on the shorter route? Something like that. The 103 is an easy, boring, flat ride for most of the TOP vets (note I said top Vets, not the wheel sucking types, so this should add some spice to the category. Ride for Sight is 116Km, Vasbyt is 151Km. As a club ride, we did the route in 2010 (134Km) in 3:45 (pre-ride), whereas the Elites did it in 3:09.

I race regularly with the Vets......

I would say maybe 10 out of the 100 would MAYBE be able to stick to the Elite bunch in a full blown race.... for our race the Vets won't be with the Elites - they'll be racing the tour of SA)

 

So you'll have a lot of DNF's........ not really

Thus my question.....why push the envelope? 2020 vision for Vets for what? SA's would have been completed a few weeks prior, so the distance is already in their legs.

[Spinnekop]

So Frosty......

You say that Vets going to be able to stick it with the Elites on 150km race?

 

 

Question is....

DO I WANT TO?

 

NO.

So I won't be entering your race.

[Lucky Luke.]

So Frosty......

You say that Vets going to be able to stick it with the Elites on 150km race?

 

 

Question is....

DO I WANT TO?

 

NO.

So I won't be entering your race.

 

Ja, longer races will make it tough. I can stick to the Elites on a relatively flat 90k race, but give me 150 with a few climbs and you are talking a few more hours a week training and a few less muffins. x_x

[Spinnekop]

Ja, longer races will make it tough. I can stick to the Elites on a relatively flat 90k race, but give me 150 with a few climbs and you are talking a few more hours a week training and a few less muffins. x_x

 

And a few more beatings from the Mrs. for spending too many hours on the bike.

 

The Elite/Pros on the other hand does not have this as they do it as part of their job.....

[Rebound]

I think the biggest thing is longer races (especially if they are flat) and if they are shorter make them more difficult add some hills or something... I did the clover lowveld challenge in mpumalanga with the elites (+-150km a day) and it upped my game big time and that was only over the course of like 4 days. Imagine what a season of that would do... The PPA systme in cape town really does have its merits as well, racing against people your speed is always a lot more fun than being out of your league whether its A or O batch...

[Andyr249]

I think the retiring Pro's or those "out-of-contract", that want to race in Cat1, should be allowed to continue in the Elite category as "Vets Masters". It keeps the standard up for at least a few more years.

 

As part of the organising team for the Carnival City Macsteel National Classic, I know that most of the other local race organisers in Jan/Feb 2011 will be sticking to the tried-and-tested age category grouping (Fast One, Ride for Sight to name a few).

 

The Carnival race will have a slight change, two distances for the Vets Masters - 134Km and 103Km (One category for each distance, no age categories). We believe the top Vets Masters should be racing in one group and racing 134Km instead of 103Km. The elite ladies might also be drafted into the same category (pending approval from the officials), making it similar to the Vet's Super Series in 2009.

More to follow in the next few weeks once we've published the official entries.

As far as seeding goes, the guys running the MTB XCM series (SASeeding) seem to be getting it right. Each (subscribed) race is graded and your index is adjusted before the next race according to a formula which rewards recent results over aging results. So the less you race, the worse your seeding gets. It's not full-proof, but it's working really well.

 

 

Each timed race should qualify for seeding with some grading applied. How does the system work then if in the most recent result one has a mechanical or crash? Would that rider's seeding drop down a few groups?

You also don't want the situation where seeding varies too greatly.

[Lucky Luke.]

And a few more beatings from the Mrs. for spending too many hours on the bike.

 

The Elite/Pros on the other hand does not have this as they do it as part of their job.....

 

True - not getting dropped vs. not getting divorced - not such a tough call when you think about it

[Frosty]

So Frosty......

You say that Vets going to be able to stick it with the Elites on 150km race?

 

 

Question is....

DO I WANT TO?

 

NO.

So I won't be entering your race.

I never once said the Vets will be racing with the Elites - read my post again...

 

for our race the Vets won't be with the Elites - they (the Elites) will be racing the tour of SA.

Edited November 2, 2010 by Frosty

[Frosty]

Each timed race should qualify for seeding with some grading applied. How does the system work then if in the most recent result one has a mechanical or crash? Would that rider's seeding drop down a few groups?

You also don't want the situation where seeding varies too greatly.

Read how the seeding works for MTB here - I never said copy them, but they're doing something right