Commonwealth Games

ozzzyosborn206

Hi I am just after a general consensus of what other people think/ would do if they were in the situation I am in.


Basically coming from Guernsey we can send a team to the Commonwealth Games I stand quite a good chance of getting selected if I go for it but am undecided if i should go for the experience of competing in arguably the second biggest multi sporting even in the world. Or if I should save myself the embarrassment of getting a royal kicking from some of the best cyclists in the world I know a few guys who rode in Delhi who are a similar ability to me and they got through the race but i expect due to the nature of the course Glasgow will be alot more savage and hard to 'sit in' on.

Thanks in advance

Birdthom

Personally I thought that was quite funny :-)

To the OP, definitely go for it. Better to regret doing something than to regret not doing it. Sounds like an amazing opportunity.

racingcondor

Not often you get an opportunity like that and lets face it. That's quite some training motivator.

Sure you won't get a result in race terms but depends what you aim to do, outlast the other minor nations, survive in the bunch to the end of the race, get some camera time in a breakaway. I'd say pick something that might be achieveable and get stuck in.

olake92

What event would you be competing in? My heart says go for it, it's a great opportunity! However, this year's RR is crazy. Did you ride the National RR Championships this year?

shockedsoshocked

Go. It will be a fantastic experience. You can always say you competed at that level!

baz_123

Mate go ... Amazing opportunity.

johnboy183

Go!

Pross

Got to be a yes. If not there'll come a point in your life where you'll regret missing a chance to race with top level pros. I can guarantee you won't be last and wouldn't be surprised if you finished top half. Outside of some riders that may ride from the likes of the home nations / Aus / NZ and Canada I suspect the level won't be any higher than a Premier Calendar and possibly even lower.

andy_wrx

Yep, go for it, you'll regret it forever if you don't.

The whole Games experience, the Opening Ceremony where you walk in behind your flag into a stadium full of thousands of people.

Bragging rights to say you competed in the Commies, team kit.

In the race, at worst can't you compete in a 'race-within-a-race' with some of the other smaller nations, a bit like The Island Games ?

moonshine

At the British RR on the same course, the pros from OPQS (Cav & Fenn) together with a Sky & Millar smashed the field from the gun. The circuit nature of the course meant a 12min lap & those caught for a lap were pulled out by the commasaire. I expect the same will happen @ Connie's.
There were a lot of strong riders who only managed to survive to half race distance.
I'd say that if you are a good Cat 2/1 /E rider, then by all means see if you get a start. If you are Cat 3/4 forget it . You won't last more than a handful of laps.

lyn1

moonshine wrote:

At the British RR on the same course, the pros from OPQS (Cav & Fenn) together with a Sky & Millar smashed the field from the gun. The circuit nature of the course meant a 12min lap & those caught for a lap were pulled out by the commasaire. I expect the same will happen @ Connie's.
There were a lot of strong riders who only managed to survive to half race distance.
I'd say that if you are a good Cat 2/1 /E rider, then by all means see if you get a start. If you are Cat 3/4 forget it . You won't last more than a handful of laps.

That's true and there was certainly some collusion among some of the Continental based riders to take it out hard and get rid of the British based pros who were sharp from the Tour Series Crits. It is less likely that there will be collusion between the strong national teams or a need to get rid of some riders very early, so the race could pan out differently.

I think you should put 100% effort into your preparation and give 100% on the day. No-one can ask for more and you have done all you can to justify your selection and your appearance at the event.

okgo

Pross wrote:

Got to be a yes. If not there'll come a point in your life where you'll regret missing a chance to race with top level pros. I can guarantee you won't be last and wouldn't be surprised if you finished top half. Outside of some riders that may ride from the likes of the home nations / Aus / NZ and Canada I suspect the level won't be any higher than a Premier Calendar and possibly even lower.

You say it like most riders can even finish a calendar race. Plenty of e/1/2 riders that would be gone pretty quick in a prem calendar race, including me I reckon.

olake92

After some thought, I would have to say yes, go for it!

As some people say, it is highly likely that you'll either find it very difficult, or not complete it at all. However, the experience counts for a lot; I got demolished at the 2013 National RR champs on the same course (as did all but the UCI World Tour riders), but the thing that stays with me is lining up at the front next to Cavendish, Fenn and the Sky team, and then riding on their wheels! Plus the thousands of fans lining the route were great.

Sure, you won't win, but it will be bloody awesome!

ozzzyosborn206

Yeah I have decided I am going to try do as much as I can to get selected and then if I do in the lead up ride the high end UK races, Prems and Nat As and some Elite Nat and 1,2,3 races in France and see what happens, with a bit of luck a break with all the strong nations goes early and they are all happy with who they have in it and so it is not balls out for 180k. Even if i get popped after 60k it will still stay with me for ever and like other have said chances are there will be other people from small nations that are there for experience that won't last much longer than me.