Junior Racing Help?

calmx5

Ok, so having meaning to start racing for a while, I was wondering where I start from here.

I am 16 years old, have two years knowledge of riding in a club group, and often take a regular training evening cycle.

Living in the East Midlands, can someone give me an example of a race I can enter, just to work my way in slowly, to avoid being thrown in at the deep end? Or is it too late for that?

Do I count as an U16? Or am I simply 4th Cat now? Or 4th Cat junior?

An example would be great.

FrancisScotland

Were you 16 on the first of January? If so you're a junior if you just turned 16 ( like me ) then you're a youth A this season. Not much guidance on races but look for APR events for an intro to racing. Likelihood is you'll struggle in the first few but if you get a few months hard training from now till the start of the season you should be flying!

16mm

There is road racing at Darley Moor near Ashbourne, Mallory Park near Leicester, Blyton near Gainsborough, and ?? just north of Grantham. All closed circuits, usually weekly or monthly.
Also weekly track leagues at Newcaste-under-Lyme nr Stoke, and Scunthorpe.

Also this year there is a east mids RR series, with races south of Notts, and around the region.

Look at the British Cycling Calendar.

calmx5

FrancisScotland wrote:

Were you 16 on the first of January? If so you're a junior if you just turned 16 ( like me ) then you're a youth A this season. Not much guidance on races but look for APR events for an intro to racing. Likelihood is you'll struggle in the first few but if you get a few months hard training from now till the start of the season you should be flying!

Cheers Francis, great help, blogs a good read too. Turned 16 13th Jan this year, so are we saying youth A?

I'm in the fortunate position of having a new school cycling team too, so I'll have some support on that front too!

Jim C

Where in the East Mids do U live? Lots of good Go Ride clubs who will help U get started with it, Derby, Nottimgham, Matlock and Lincolnshire for starters

good events to aim for are Darley Moor circuit races, near Ashbourne, Derbyshire. 9th, 16th, 23rd Mar. 12 or 12.30 start. You ll ideally need a racing licence, but U ll get this free via a British Cycling club
Races last around 25minutes. Circuit is largely flat. Traffic free.

Last year under 16, as U R, is a good time to start. Its harder, but not impossible as U u18, junior.

Pross

calmx5 wrote:

FrancisScotland wrote:

Were you 16 on the first of January? If so you're a junior if you just turned 16 ( like me ) then you're a youth A this season. Not much guidance on races but look for APR events for an intro to racing. Likelihood is you'll struggle in the first few but if you get a few months hard training from now till the start of the season you should be flying!

Cheers Francis, great help, blogs a good read too. Turned 16 13th Jan this year, so are we saying youth A?

I'm in the fortunate position of having a new school cycling team too, so I'll have some support on that front too!

Yep you get virtually a whole 'bonus' year as a youth A rider. You will need to make sure you comply with the necessary gear restriction for your age group when racing (in case you weren't aware).

mentalalex

youth A you will be if i read that right!

I started racing as a last year youth, 52*16 or 46*14 are the ratios needed.
you can only enter cat 2/3/4 if you have 15 national points and applied for dispensation.

If you score points this year you will go straight to 3rd cat next year or if you score 40 youth points (not %100 sure) you will go to cat 2 and 100 will get you cat 1 (think that right possibly higher).

Join a go ride affiliated club (most are) if your club coach see's you performing well he should select you for RSR's (regional school of racing) which is a training session all day led by the local talent development coach, these session provide a good days riding but more importantly it teaches you how to be a better rider on and of the bike!

At the end of the day make sure you enjoy it, the more you enjoy it the better you will do! you have plenty of time to develop as a rider so don't panic if you find yourself struggling in racing, bit of training and learning and you'll be right up there! i remember my first race and training session with a local club! i didn't realize people could ride so fast!

few years later down the line a bit of training, i'm now U23/elite and finished top in CX and MTB when i was a junior in the national rankings. raced for GB a fair few times, and i started a second year youth

got any other questions email me welburn.alex @ yahoo dot co dot uk

mentalalex

forgot to add, once you joined a club (recommended) get yourself a BC race licence and look on the calendar for races.
Darley moor will be the most local, as said above and last around 25 minutes, there is also Curbrough around 40 minuets from Darley.

DHTT

Juniors for 2013 are born 1996 or 1995. Youth A in 1997/8. Depending on how far you want to take it is worth looking at the National Series which is up on British Cycling now, worthwhile to race after you've done a few regional to find what the next step level is and then have some extra motivation and aims for later in the year. Worth putting entries in early though for the Nationals as they fill up fast. :-)