Cyclosport

DaveyL

I can see it already - the Rapha Gorilla suit. For the discerning, attention-seeking, fundraising sportif rider.

wildmoustache

DaveyL wrote:

I can see it already - the Rapha Gorilla suit. For the discerning, attention-seeking, fundraising sportif rider.

LMAO at that... the mountain gorilla suit in fitted charcoal sportwool with distinctive silver rear zipper pocket to celebrate the dominance of this species in the congolese mountains.

DaveyL

Titanium

I don't care for the weird arguments on other websites. But cyclosportives in Britain are not cyclosportives, they are randonee rides. You have a classification but are supposed to stop at red lights, give way at junctions and roundabouts. This just doesn't happen in an Italian or Swiss Gran Fondo event, nor a French or Belgian cyclosportive.

wildmoustache

yeah, i have some sympathy for that view titanium ... the whole effort to turn these events into races is a bit misguided ... fine up to a point, but then when you get league results coming out etc. you really asterisks for who had to stop at which red traffic light.

anyway, back to Mike Cotty ... oh look, who's that on the front cover of Cycling Plus this week...
:roll:

vermooten

Titanium wrote:

I don't care for the weird arguments on other websites. But cyclosportives in Britain are not cyclosportives, they are randonee rides. You have a classification but are supposed to stop at red lights, give way at junctions and roundabouts. This just doesn't happen in an Italian or Swiss Gran Fondo event, nor a French or Belgian cyclosportive.

I had to stop at red lights in the Tour of Flanders sportive this year. At one there were about 500 riders or more waiting for the lights to change.

Ken Night

Titanium wrote:

I don't care for the weird arguments on other websites. But cyclosportives in Britain are not cyclosportives, they are randonee rides. You have a classification but are supposed to stop at red lights, give way at junctions and roundabouts. This just doesn't happen in an Italian or Swiss Gran Fondo event, nor a French or Belgian cyclosportive.

Interesting points,

There are a number of features distinguishing randonees and sportifs-the timing chip, the placings, route marking, feed stops, some mechanical support/broomwagon, and largely closed roads/marshalling identify sportifs, as well as the type of riders/bikes

Randonees as you put it, are identified by brevet card (so last century), no published timings (though most riders will tell you their time ) and self reliance

High profile sportifs like the Marmotte in France are run on open roads, and although the marshalling will generally give you right of way over traffic at T junctions, and roundabouts, they will stop you on grounds of safety, and I believe in the absence of marshals normal road rules apply.

On smaller sportifs like the Dauphine and Vaujany (held the Sunday before La Marmotte) the roads are closed for the first few kilometres, and normal rules apply thereafter

These events are mass start.

.....but where does Paris Brest Paris sit, where you have a way marked route, marshalls waving you through some T junctions, but rolling starts and of course is the peak ambition of randoneurs

Personally, I like the mass start events, and closed roads even better. If I was being elitist, I'd say they were true identifiers of sportifs

Perhaps the real difference is how hard they are ridden, but you'll find it really steamy at the front of 200k audax, and many people riding to get round sportifs

I like to ride sportifs and randonees/audaxes

I'd add to the points Doom makes-the more events on the road, the better-to promote cycling and to make it more visible

We all would like to see cycling as a mainstream activity, and whole heartedly embraced as a way of life, with the ultimate expressions being
-the willingness of the majority of the population to accept cyclists,
-to be prepared to hop on the ancient gaspipe special to nip down to the shops,
-as opposed to getting in the Chelsea Tractor (SUV to you Titanium) and striking terror into the heart of anyone who does choose to ride

Thats why we all have a responsibility to be courteous road users ourselves (in the face of some pretty irresponsible, discourteous behaviour from the average petrol head, or boy racer), not to jump RLs, etc, and to make our point about our chosen sport/lifestyle choice

I offer an anecdote about the sort of attitude we need to change. I organised a village cycle ride around pretty lanes nearby, getting as many children as I could out on on a Sunday morning. On one lane, a Landcruiser tore round a corner stopping inches from a six year old with her father. The driver rolled down the window, chucked out his cigarette stub, and yelled "Oi, what do you think you're playing at? Riding round the roads like that, someone is going to get killed"

Sportifs, audaxes, randonees, social rides by the coffee morning set, or whatever we need to get more people on the roads

Maybe the Cyclosport site will provide a definition of sportif-as sportifs are their raison d'etre, but I think that most who ride them know what a sportif is, wouldn't you say Titanium?

bobh

If you are planning to ride the Ryedale Rumble and are based in or near North Yorkshire then you might be interested in being able to ride for FREE!

On the 28 / 29th June we are organising the BC National Road Race Championships at Helmsley and we have our usual call for volunteers. This year in addition to the bag of sarnies and crisps we will also offer all volunteers a free ride in the Ryedale Rumble. This will be a cash-back arrangement on the day of the Sportive. Gives you the opportunity to be close up to the Nationals and ride a major Sportive for nothing but sore legs!

The Rumble website is in its final stages of prepartion and should be live within the next few weeks.

Bob Howden
Event Organiser
BC National Road Race Championships
and the Ryedale Rumble Sportive

bobh

By Volunteers I did of course mean marshals...I'm not asking you to ride the Nationals as well!

oldwelshman

Cor what a post
Staying out of all the ploitical arguments which I am sure will eventually get resolved, I see no reson why we cannot have some sportives massed starts, other not, and even some like the Wessex with a race at the front. Why should all sporives have same format?
I think mas starts are great and you get a huge buzz at the start waiting and then setting off with hundreds or even thousands.
Obviously the start would have to be well organised and probably use a big stretch of wide road, closed, for a few miles until the natural sorting out of riders happens.
Obvioslky this is not possible for all sportives as some, like the Autumn epic are in small rural views, with stunning routes but small roads and headquarters, but there is room for both.
It will be interesting to see how the Wessex pans out.
It will give some beginners, oldies, amateurs and youngsters a chance to see elite riders, see thier bikes. legs and even mingle with them a bit and this would also be a benefit.
For all those worried about a league and times, forget it, every ride, evry route is different and times are meaningles in that respect, if your that concerned about such events, enter a TT or road race.
The sportive is about the route, the organisation, comraderie etc, though it is nice to think you have rode well but more important how you enjoyed it.
For the record, I do road race, track race and sportives so cannot be accused of bias :-)

Ken Night

oldwelshman wrote:

Cor what a post

..you talking about me....why thank you
.

oldwelshman wrote:

.....I see no reson why we cannot have some sportives massed starts, other not, and even some like the Wessex with a race at the front. Why should all sporives have same format?
I think mas starts are great and you get a huge buzz at the start waiting and then setting off with hundreds or even thousands.

Why not indeed?

oldwelshman wrote:

It will give some beginners, oldies, amateurs and youngsters a chance to see elite riders, see thier bikes. legs and even mingle with them a bit and this would also be a benefit.

Good point

oldwelshman wrote:

For the record, I do road race, track race and sportives so cannot be accused of bias :-)

....but not audaxes, cyclocross, mtb in it's myriad forms, club rides, coffee mornings, charity events, E2E, nip down to the shops/pub...surely you have a bias towards road and road racing .....as we do on this forum and on the thread.

However, it's as you say, the more opportunities to show off cycling and for us all to mingle, with each other (think how often you go on your own on a training run), the better

oldwelshman

oldwelshman wrote:

For the record, I do road race, track race and sportives so cannot be accused of bias :-)

....but not audaxes, cyclocross, mtb in it's myriad forms, club rides, coffee mornings, charity events, E2E, nip down to the shops/pub...surely you have a bias towards road and road racing .....as we do on this forum and on the thread.

However, it's as you say, the more opportunities to show off cycling and for us all to mingle, with each other (think how often you go on your own on a training run), the better[/quote]

Almost correct but not quite
I do not do audax out of choice i dont like stopping to read maps and would not want to have to wait at te end to stay within time limits 8)
I do get on a MTB but rarely so did not mention it as a pastime.
I certainly ride club rides, both with fast group and some with oldies
If you check below you will also see I did a charity ride recently and raised £2200
I guess to meet with your approval I better get on my bike to the pub for some beers
But as I normally only drink during rugby matches I tend to get a tad too drunk to even recognise bike let alone ride one !!!
So definately not biased in any direction :roll:

enjoy_the_ride

smileytastic

SteveR_100Milers

Thanks Matt - I missed all this. Personally have never had reason to complain about cyclosport but then I hardly ever use it (the site). I would have thought that he could have foreseen that if sportive events become increasingly popular, it is inevitable that at some point then one of the umbrella cycling organisations would want to get involved (cynically grab a slice of the lucrative cake, and why not).