racing - being in the bunch

evsy
Posts: 111
hey everyone
so this is only a hypothetical question as i am no where near ready for racing, but i spotted something when watching the paris roubaix highlights, so thought i would ask on here.
say you are in the bunch and you are at the front of the bunch. you are speeding along and then suddenly you notice a massive pot hole directly in your path. what would you do? would you serve or slow down knowing that you would likely collide with another rider?
or would you have to risk continuing along your path and hit the hole, hoping that it doesnt break a spoke?
also, if you did break a spoke in a race would that be the end of your race or do you get support cars which carry spares?
sorry if these are dumb questions, just thought i would ask.
so this is only a hypothetical question as i am no where near ready for racing, but i spotted something when watching the paris roubaix highlights, so thought i would ask on here.
say you are in the bunch and you are at the front of the bunch. you are speeding along and then suddenly you notice a massive pot hole directly in your path. what would you do? would you serve or slow down knowing that you would likely collide with another rider?
or would you have to risk continuing along your path and hit the hole, hoping that it doesnt break a spoke?
also, if you did break a spoke in a race would that be the end of your race or do you get support cars which carry spares?
sorry if these are dumb questions, just thought i would ask.
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Comments
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If you are at the front of the bunch you move out of the way of the pothole and call it out for the riders behind you.
If you are in the bunch and it has been called out then the riders will move round it and you follow.
If you are in the bunch and no-one calls it out then you don't see it and when you hit it, it hurts.
There is normally enough room in the group to move round.
There are no following cars in the lower category races. If you puncture or the wheel becomes un-rideable then your race is over and you make your way back to your car. Sometimes in circuit races you are allowed a lap out to change a wheel, but you still need to be fortunate enough to be near your spare wheel whel your problem occurs.
Hope that helps.0 -
Generally you should not do anything that's unpredictable or dangerous - if you are on the front, call out the pothole - you don't need to signal with your hands as you would on a club run just shout "HOLE" and be prepared to hit it if you can't take any avoiding action - there should be no potholes of any serious depth on a road race though without quite a lot of warnings so it shouldn't be that unknown. But no you don't swerve erratically to avoid a pothole - see it a long way ahead and gentley avoid it calling out.
In a short circuit race, then you can often have a lap out to get a spare wheel - and then rejoin the bunch if it's not in the last 5 laps.
In road races, there are sometimes service cars, but generally unless you're very, very good - and lucky - 'cos there's only one service car and if the people behind have punctured he'll be off dealing with them. Then you've not got a chance of making it back to the bunch and the service car really just gets you back to where you can ride home.Jibbering Sports Stuff: http://jibbering.com/sports/0 -
thanks for the advice fellas. like i say its going to be next year when i look to race as i have only been cycling a few months, but was curious about what would happen in that situation.0
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just one more thing regarding racing. i understand that most in this country tend to be flatter courses. i would be entering in at the lowest level so can someone give me some insight in to what type of distances these races would be over, and a rough average speed they are contested at?
thanks0 -
About 50 miles and 25mph.More problems but still living....0
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evsy wrote:just one more thing regarding racing. i understand that most in this country tend to be flatter courses. i would be entering in at the lowest level so can someone give me some insight in to what type of distances these races would be over, and a rough average speed they are contested at?
thanks0 -
kettrinboy wrote:Round my area in the spring and summer the NCRA run handicap races so that newbies to racing can have a go,
Northamptonshire's version of the World Championships.
A good introduction to road racing for newbies.
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You could always jump it0
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amaferanga wrote:About 50 miles and 25mph.
really? ok then...dont think i will ever be able to do thatthe best average i have had is 18.4mph over a 25 mile course - and that was pretty flat.
thanks for all the responses though0 -
evsy wrote:amaferanga wrote:About 50 miles and 25mph.
really? ok then...dont think i will ever be able to do thatthe best average i have had is 18.4mph over a 25 mile course - and that was pretty flat.
thanks for all the responses though
Bear in mind that A) people exaggerate andspeeds will be much faster in a group
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evsy wrote:amaferanga wrote:About 50 miles and 25mph.
really? ok then...dont think i will ever be able to do thatthe best average i have had is 18.4mph over a 25 mile course - and that was pretty flat.
thanks for all the responses though
individual average speed bears no relevance to speed in a group - they can't be compared.0 -
evsy wrote:amaferanga wrote:About 50 miles and 25mph.
really? ok then...dont think i will ever be able to do thatthe best average i have had is 18.4mph over a 25 mile course - and that was pretty flat.
thanks for all the responses though
Plus, if you bunnyhop the pothole and listen to 2nd wheel taking the rest of the bunch down, that's your time to attack and collect points.0 -
PeteMadoc wrote:evsy wrote:amaferanga wrote:About 50 miles and 25mph.
really? ok then...dont think i will ever be able to do thatthe best average i have had is 18.4mph over a 25 mile course - and that was pretty flat.
thanks for all the responses though
Bear in mind that A) people exaggerate andspeeds will be much faster in a group
People do exaggerate, but I'm not. Unless the race is on either a particularly hilly circuit or one with lots of slow corners the average speed IME from 3rd/4th Cat races is usually in the range 24-26mph.
Of course I never average anywhere near that riding solo.
Only way to find out if you're up to racing is to try racing or try riding with the fast guys in a club and see if you can stick with them.More problems but still living....0 -
I did my first race last week. It was around a 2km circuit. The format was ride for 30mins then + 5 laps.
If you imagine the course as an oval then half of it was on a hill. I averaged 37km/hr for the race. My normal ride average is about 30km/hr on a comparitive course.
Can't wait to go back back this week. You should definately give it a try.
PS A short write up is in my blog in the sig belowTri Coaching
https://www.h3otriathlon.com0 -
Furrag wrote:The bunch do pull you along and create a huge draft though - don't underestimate that.
Indeed! Although I don't ride in a group routinely I saw one ahead of me last summer and peddled like the wind to catch up. Once I got got close it was as if they had a tractor beam on me pulling me in. :shock: I swear I felt the bike accelerate as I closed in.Purveyor of "up"0 -
PeteMadoc wrote:evsy wrote:amaferanga wrote:About 50 miles and 25mph.
really? ok then...dont think i will ever be able to do thatthe best average i have had is 18.4mph over a 25 mile course - and that was pretty flat.
thanks for all the responses though
Bear in mind that A) people exaggerate andspeeds will be much faster in a group
Pretty typical numbers for a road race IMO.0