Amateur Stage Races

Jotham

Hi

Sorry if this has been asked somewhere else. I’m starting to plan my races for next year and I would like to do a ¾ day stage race either in the UK or Europe. Does anyone know of any that are open to amateurs or have any advice?

Thanks

Jotham

Dess1e

Depending on what level you are currently riding at

Surrey League Easter 3 day
Etape De la Defonce (South Wales - teams of 4)
Ras de Cymru (South Wales - teams of 4)
Tour of Dorset
Surrey League 5 Day

There are others in other parts of the UK and Ireland such as the Ras Mumbahn (SP?), Tour of the North etc.

Bronzie

There's the Etape de la Defonce in Wales 2-day 3-stage race which is open to 3/4s - normally held in June:
http://new.britishcycling.org.uk/events ... la-Defonce

Ras de Cymru is a 5-day 2/3/4 stage race again in Wales in June:
http://new.britishcycling.org.uk/events ... Stage-Race

There was also a 5-day stage race in 2009 in Surrey but not sure it was / is being held this year.

3Pears

Hi Jotham, If you've a 40yrs+ rider, there is always the 3 day LVRC Tour of the Abberleys.

A short TT followed by 3 road stages Usually early May

Pross

If you can't get a club team of 4 together for the Etape or Ras then the organiser may put you in to a composite team but both races usually have more demand than available places so you may struggle to get in but it's worth a go. I assume you already have some race experience? If not it will be worth getting a few single day races under your belt first, also the Ras is quite hilly.

tomb8555

Neither of the Surrey League ones took place this year.


I can very highly recommend the South East Road Race League (SERRL) 3 day, which took place this year over the end of May bankholiday.

Prologue TT
Crit
2x Road Stages, one of which was very hilly.

Open to cat 1/2/3 riders and very very well organised. Timing chips + multiple neutral service cars.

capilinconnemara

If a 3 stage 2 day would suit you Ballinrobe 2 day in Mayo Ireland might.suit .2 road and a I TT
. Its open to all cats and run on a Handicap for stages 1 and 3 http://www.westernlakescc.com
Will let you see this years details.
We had a 3 lads from the UKFire Service and " guys from St Helens CC over this year some of them back after a 15 year break.
Easy access through Ireland West Airport

gsk82

is the tour of the borders happening next year? it was easter weekend last year but was abondoned after a series of big crashes on pot hole ridden roads

ozzzyosborn206

here in guernsey we have a stage race at easter, it used to be massive but tends to only have a few riders from england still coming over, but the racing is pretty good standered with a wide range, it normally starts with a 1k prologue on the thursday evening, then a handicapped road race on the friday, a 10mile tt on the saturday, a scratch road race on the sunday and then a handicapped 25tt based on the times from the 10tt. it does not come with bc points but has a good prize fund with the top3 riders normally getting over £150. Depending how good you are and what results you have you may be able to get in a belguim team and they have some pretty good stage races but you need to be a strong cat 1 or elite rider to survive in those

jibberjim

ozzzyosborn206 wrote:

then a handicapped 25tt based on the times from the 10tt.

How does that work? Doesn't that mean if you deliberately take the 10tt easy, you'll then get a good handicap time in the 25 tt and be able to make up the time you lost and even more over 2 1/2 times the distance by going properly all out?

ozzzyosborn206

jibberjim wrote:

ozzzyosborn206 wrote:

then a handicapped 25tt based on the times from the 10tt.

How does that work? Doesn't that mean if you deliberately take the 10tt easy, you'll then get a good handicap time in the 25 tt and be able to make up the time you lost and even more over 2 1/2 times the distance by going properly all out?

yes it does it is a bit silly really, but it is done on points not time overall so you can't really risk going too easy on the ten otherwise you could loose more places than you could gain on the 25. You always get the odd few who manage to gain some places by soft tapping the 10 but normally the best riders come out on top anyway

jibberjim

ozzzyosborn206 wrote:

yes it does it is a bit silly really, but it is done on points not time overall

Ah, then yes that makes more sense, the only reason to soft tap at all then is if you're already the fastest to ensure you only just win, rather than win by a long way. Makes it possible to win a stage I guess but not the overall.

Kirky

Jotham wrote:

Hi

Sorry if this has been asked somewhere else. I’m starting to plan my races for next year and I would like to do a ¾ day stage race either in the UK or Europe. Does anyone know of any that are open to amateurs or have any advice?

Thanks

Jotham

It's been mentioned in the first reply, but I can vouch for the Dorset Tour in August (see www.entryweb.co.uk for details). Mark, the organiser, puts on a great event and it's very popular - with a full field of 100 riders this year. It's a 2/3/4, three day, 4 stage race - very well organised, leaders jerseys on offer etc, etc. This event is only going to get bigger each year.

We ran the neutral service for it this year (doing over 30 wheel changes in the 3 days due to the bad weather conditions!!) and last year, and loved every minute of it, just wished I was riding!! And, as long as Mark wants us, we'll be back next year.

KIRKY

ozzzyosborn206

i did the dorset tour and the organisation was top notch, although i didn't really rate the racing as it was very negative, however this just depends on who turns up, next year it could be really good...

Kirky

ozzzyosborn206 wrote:

i did the dorset tour and the organisation was top notch, although i didn't really rate the racing as it was very negative, however this just depends on who turns up, next year it could be really good...

Really?? From the race convoy it appeared to be a great race!! Were you riding as an individual or as part of a team?? We certainly noticed this year that there were a lot more teams involved, and people actually riding as a team - which is 2/3/4 racing is great to see. Might make life a lot harder for 3rd / 4th cats on their own, but I think it's great to encourage proper team riding in the lower cats.

KIRKY

Italiano

In Italy there are a few choices, mainly around end of July/start of August.

shockedsoshocked

gsk82 wrote:

is the tour of the borders happening next year? it was easter weekend last year but was abondoned after a series of big crashes on pot hole ridden roads

I think so, the organisation is apparently being taken over though. Easters a bit later this year, hopefully get some decent weather.

amaferanga

ShockedSoShocked wrote:

gsk82 wrote:

is the tour of the borders happening next year? it was easter weekend last year but was abondoned after a series of big crashes on pot hole ridden roads

I think so, the organisation is apparently being taken over though. Easters a bit later this year, hopefully get some decent weather.

Is that the Scottish Borders? Can't find anything about it with Google - anyone got any details about it?

shockedsoshocked

amaferanga wrote:

ShockedSoShocked wrote:

gsk82 wrote:

is the tour of the borders happening next year? it was easter weekend last year but was abondoned after a series of big crashes on pot hole ridden roads

I think so, the organisation is apparently being taken over though. Easters a bit later this year, hopefully get some decent weather.

Is that the Scottish Borders? Can't find anything about it with Google - anyone got any details about it?

You might have to search for Newcastle Cheviot Easter 4 Day (or something along those lines!)

Swan-Neck

what are the races in italy? anyone know of anymore in europe open to individuals?

Bronzie

Think the Tour of Sardinia is open to individuals - not a clue what standard or riders compete though:

http://www.girosardegna.it/

Swan-Neck

anyone know of any stage races in europe early season, march, april time?

Italiano

In Italy you may find 2 days event races in spring but not much more.

Peter Herold

http://www.girosardegna.it/ Giro of Sardinia is the obvious answer

Dess1e

Just came back from the Masters tour of Mallorca. 2 races and the younger cats is actually open to over 23's despite its name. Great atsmosphere, closed roads, more police outriders than the ToB. Now if only the riders went a lillte slower...