Rapha Super Cross at Ally Pally Novice race, a critique.

Boleynboy

I entered the above race believing it to be a novice race, when it probably should have been called a novelty one.
I read all the pre-race blurb about it being a fun event etc and an introduction to cross racing but there are several aspects of the day that have troubled me.
First of all the race was supposed to be for first timers but the amount of high end carbon frames and aero rims on display at the start did make me wonder if this really was everyone's first ever cross, or were some riders not brave enough to enter the senior/vet race?
Secondly, having marshmallows thrown at your face from 2 feet at the base of the steep Tarmac climb was not exactly what I call fun, certainly not for four laps anyway!
The introduction of the tequila short cut also rendered the race a non-event as far as any placings were concerned because even though some riders were taking their forfeit many others shot through without drinking or stopping, whilst the rest of us who stuck to the full laps were never going to catch up.
On the same point, was it really a great idea to have the tequila short cut in a race which also involved the youth riders? Is that how the organisers really want to present the sport. I know the youth riders were obviously not being offered the tequila and they all seemed to be taking the race very seriously (and good for them), but to me it just doesn't sit well.
It seems that there are no official placings for the race anyway, which is a shame because it would have been nice to know how everyone got on, we paid for a race after all?
The infrastructure of the day was also not up to scratch, anyone who qued over half an hour for a cold pie and frites and was then given a cocktail stick to eat it with would surely agree the catering was not up to scratch for the amount of people there. Their coffee machine had also broken down, and the reason for the cocktail stick, they had run out of plastic knives and forks!
Three portaloos in the paddock area(one of which had no flush working) were the only toilets we could find that had been provided by the organisers, sorry, not good enough.
On the plus side, the choice of venue on a beautiful sunny day was stunning, and the course was awesome, tough and challenging but nothing too intimidating.
This was my first race and it has had the desired effect on me as I am hooked, and I will definitely be entering some local races through the winter, I just think it could have been taken a bit more seriously, because for me the racing was enough fun on it's own.
I know many may not agree with me, but I paid my money and drove two hours to get there so I am entitled to an opinion.

andyp

I pity the organisers of the races you do choose to ride in the future.

cougie

Sounds a fun event - but not quite a race eh ?

How much was entry ?

mroli

My own experience of the Rapha Super Cross event was totally different from yours.

I had a leisurely ride from South West London on my cross bike (that I usually only ride to walk the dog or in last year's awful weather conditions). Once I got to Ally Pally - it was dead easy to find the course, you just followed the noise and the cowbells. I had to wait a bit to cross into the middle of the course - this was because the elite race was going on and to be frank - they were terribly inconsiderate to any people wanting to cross as they were going so blinking fast! I signed on without any bother whatsoever and once the elite race was over, had about 10 minutes of pottering around on the course getting used to it.

As we lined up - I had a good look at the other competitors. The Juniors were at the front and went off a minute before us - the remainder of the event queued up behind them. I understand that the ideal place to be is right at the front because the field stretches both ways, but this was a novice race and I wanted to ride it for fun and work out what I could do on the cross bike. The OP was right - there were some people who had obviously entered the novice race because the main race was full - and there were some bling competitors. On the other hand, at the back there were a fair few MTBs and a guy who was on a road bike, but running the fattest tyres he could under his calipers! I don't know how you can legislate against this - without a Cat system. Not the organisers fault surely that it was so popular!

The hooter went and it was (fairly polite) chaos. The first slope saw people snap chains, get off and it was hard to make up places. My fault for being at the back. But the rest of the race went brilliantly - the thing that struck me about cross is that there is always a race going on - always someone to over take and always someone overtaking you.

Re the marshmallows being thrown at you - MTFU! They were marshmallows being thrown at you by kids. When I rode past them I opened my mouth to give them a target! That is being curmudgeonly to the extreme.

The tequila short cut was, I thought a stroke of fun genius. It got the crowd properly involved booing and cheering. I did one short cut and took my forfeit and then regretted it for the rest of the race. Yes there were people who "cheated" the short cut - but again, hardly the organisers fault that some people wanted to take the novice race so seriously that they cheated. I have posted the video of one of the members of my club cheating on the club forum to name and shame!

As for concerns about scratching tequila from the race so as not to offend the youth riders - really? Perhaps we should have banned the beer tents too?

I can't comment on the catering - I had a lovely coffee from the Rapha van - short queue and it was very tasty. It took me about 1 minute to sign on, I didn't need the loo and I didn't eat there.

Really, I think that you are looking at the "novice" race with completely the wrong idea. It was there to have fun. Some people took it too seriously (and from your OP, I am putting you in that category) - but there are cross events running every weekend that are more suited to your desires. This was an "event" put on for free by the organisers with some races where you paid to no doubt cover location hire, insurance, organisation etc. Apparently placings will come out soon - the Facebook page says that they are working on it.

I thought they did a very good job and I would defo do it again (and by the fact that you say that you want to do more cross races and so do I - I would say mission accomplished by the organisers). As far as I know, this was the first event they have run there and everyone I have spoken to agrees that it was a MASSIVE success.

Monty Dog

I expect that this type event is more likely to be the future of CX racing - even the moderate field sizes at my local events are stretching the limit of the facilities e.g. car parking without annoying the locals. The downside is that if you want all the extra facilities, be prepared to accept bigger entry fees - whilst I might stretch to £15 for a great venue with amenities (league races are £10 anyway) I might reconsider if it starts getting into triathlon territory where 1 hour races are £50 (plus another t-shirt covered in sponsor branding only fit for cleaning the bike).
Finally, I prefer CX racing because people don't actually take it too seriously IME and hopefully the 'dickhead' attitude I see at some RRs makes which makes me think 'why bother?' hasn't affected crossed over.

Boleynboy

I'm glad this has created some debate, and I would like to answer some of the points made above.
Andyp you do not have to pity anyone, I know exactly what to expect from my local league races because I have gone to watch a couple of them to get a feel for what goes on before I was brave enough to enter myself. The point I'm making is that Rapha really built up the day on their website, but some of what they provided was not up to the task. Hopefully they will learn from this if the series goes ahead again next year.
Mroli your experience was not that different to mine in some respects. I found the place no probs, parked without difficulty, and signed on all of which I never had any issues with and did not mention in my original post. I also had a lap round the course before the race to warm up and I also started near the back of the field. I'm happy that you agree with me about the non-novice riders and I am not criticising the organisers for the races being so popular, it is great that they managed to attract such a large field for their inaugural event.
Again I agree with you about the actual race, I really enjoyed it and found it tough but exciting.
I accept that I was being a bit of a curmudgeon about the marshmallows, and I know that it was mentioned on the website but it did say you could choose to go the marshmallow route so they must have decided to change that to the tequila.
I never said having the tequila was offending the youth riders, I'm sure they were enjoying their race too much to give a monkeys about it, but I just do not think it is something that should be offered to people during a event like that. It gives off the wrong signals in a country that already has a huge alcohol problem, and how happy would you have been if the guy who took three shots took you out because he was beginning to feel the affects?
Yes you are probably right in that I may have taken it too seriously, but I paid for a race and that is what I thought I was going to get and IMO it did not turn out like that.
I had already decided i was going to enter some races in my local league but thought Sunday would be a good introduction to what cross is all about, and in some ways it was, as I said I have the bug. I will just have to make sure I am fit enough to enter the vet race next year and then I can take it as seriously as I want, oh and also remember to bring my own food and then I really will not have anything else to moan about!

FransJacques

mroli wrote:

I signed on without any bother whatsoever ...

Oh my I hope you didn't get any lip from the annoying geezers at sign in. They can be so difficult with sign-this...liscence-that...pay-that etc. Can put a guy off racing.

I'm glad you took it in the spirit it was intended.

mroli

FransJacques wrote:

Oh my I hope you didn't get any lip from the annoying geezers at sign in. They can be so difficult with sign-this...liscence-that...pay-that etc. Can put a guy off racing.

Nah - I've done a few road races so I know the score. Health and safety (well insurance) innit. Sign in guys were plenty helpful.