How hard is TOO HARD for a road race??

Kirky

Hi all, quick question / some opinions needed please. I'm looking at putting on a road race in 2009, the basic idea is a 3rd/4th cat in the morning (plus juniors and women if it works out) and an E/1/2 in the afternoon. So I've been out looking for a course.

The question is, how tough should I make it??I found a great circuit today that's about 7 miles in length with minimal junctions to worry about - but it has got around 780 feet of climbing per lap (basically one stonking hill each lap!!). Is this too much for a domestic UK road race?

I want the event to grow over the coming years and make a real impact on the racing in the South West, but will this just put people off and suffer from poor entries due to the one big hill each lap??!!??

Some thoughts would be appreciated, there's some great countryside around here and it would be a shame not to make more of it!!

KIRKY

Jez mon

Don't know, personally as a lightish guy who has had to get used to riding on flat circuits, it sounds good. It would also be good to watch. HOWEVER, a race that hilly might completely blow up and therefore be difficult to marshal and look after.

Also, are there any village halls near by?

Are the majority/all of the turns left?

Is the descent dangerous?

What's the quality of the tarmac on the course?

Can you imagine 80 riders going along the roads you've looked at? Do you need bigger roads, or will you reduce the size of the field?

Good luck, and thank you for putting in the effort of putting on a road race, there seem to be too many circuit races!!

Kirky

Hi Jez,

Thanks for the reply, the reason for the road race is because I already run the Cotswold League and put on the final event at an air field - and in 2009 we'll looking at introducing a mini 'spring series' of weekend events.

As for this particular course, two left turns from major to minor and one left from minor to major (the only part that will need some serious consideration). Very nice fast, open decent with good road surface. One slightly dodgy patch, but nothing worse than most the roads in the country anyway!! I can't see an issue with 80 riders on those roads.

HQ wise, there's loads :-)

Like you say, it will get very spread out because of the climb - but could be an interesting event!! I just need to make sure I get enough entries to make it worth while!! Personally I can't climb, so would rather ride flatter courses - but I won't be riding this one!!

KIRKY

Jez mon

Personally, I'd love to ride it. It sounds like a good hard course, bear in mind that most races are flat, so you might actually find that people are willing to travel further for a race that offers something more than your average flattish hillingdon/thruxton/castle coombe type circuit.

Besides, there aren't usually that many road races in a weekend, and most racers would rather race than go on a club run etc!

Kléber

Go for it, you'll put on a proper race where the strongest wins the day. Sounds good.

But remember, you need to get the circuit approved by BC, there will be risk assessments and police approval. So start now!

Kirky

Thanks for the feedback, I've been having another look at it and think I can work in two circuits. The first being 10 miles which is slightly more rolling (with 530 feet of climbing) which would then lead onto a finishing cicruit as mentioned before that is 7 miles with the single climb of 780 feet - I'd then set the finish line about a mile from the top of the climb.

Thinking that the 3rd/4th race would do a two or three of laps of the bigger circuit followed by one of the finishing circuit (27 or 37 miles depending on the number of times the flatter lap is used). The E/1/2's could do three of each (50 ish miles).

I'm going to head out and ride the two laps in tomorrow and see what they're like for roads / corners etc and can then start talking to the right people to get it all moving.

Will have to make sure I get a free weekend in the south / south west and really make it an event people want to ride :-)

Should also have space at the HQ to include some youth racing / come and try it events too - just to add to the day long feel of the event.

KIRKY

Kléber

Quick question for you, those distances look very short. A 3-4 race should be 2 hours at least and the E-1-2 should be more than 3 hours.

Tom Butcher

Yes I'd make the 3/4 race longer than that - that's short enough to put people off travelling.

Kirky

Happy to play with the mileage - adding more laps isn't a problem. Rode the longer circuit today and there might be a few things to iron out but it should make for some great racing. Even to the point where the shorter / finishing lap might not be needed!!

KIRKY