3 + 4 cat races, so serious

Alex99

3+4 cat road race at the weekend, was a good race, but I really noticed how serious a lot of people were. I don't mean serious about the racing (which of course is fine and understandable), I mean shouty, snappy and just so on edge generally, about pretty much anything.

Examples:
1) a rider sends a snot missile to the ground and the guy behind catches a bit of snot mist and goes mad shouting and swearing.
2) a rider tries to move into a (admittedly small) gap and says "in the middle". The rider to the right turns and says straight to his face "f*&k off".
3) coming into the last 500 m, a rider intends on leading his mate out and is shouting his name at the top of his voice. However, his mate is nowhere to be seen.

To be fair, there were plenty of polite moments too, which was nice.

imposter2.0

Sounds like a total chopper-fest.

okgo

All about the points!!!!!!!!!11111111

Toks

Hmmm... experiences always vary but this year i can't remember any shouting in the 10 or so 3rd cat races I've done. The LVRC races (which I do mainly) are just full of great older blokes who know the score so bar the odd shout to get a break going its all very harmonious. Although on Sunday for the first time ever someone gave me a verbal bashing for apparently bringingg the bunch back to their very feeble looking breakaway attempt. I got no team mates and I don't have the strength to jump across sorry - #teambunch

craigus89

Sound like a bunch of Pr1cks. If you've ever played football semi-competitively, however, this sounds like playschool.

AK_jnr

I was going to mention Football. Cant beat watching everyone tear into each other all game, say they are gonna fill each other in and then shake hands at the end. Haha.

izza

You were wearing the wrong shoes.

bobmcstuff

See this type of thing is the one thing that puts me off giving it a go.

Toks

bobmcstuff wrote:

See this type of thing is the one thing that puts me off giving it a go.

Common now, its pretty harmless. Definitly don't let it put you off. Road Racing is fantastic One or two highly strung types occasionally shouting out - hold you line or swearing ain't nothing to worry about.

Alex99

Toks wrote:

bobmcstuff wrote:

See this type of thing is the one thing that puts me off giving it a go.

Common now, its pretty harmless. Definitly don't let it put you off. Road Racing is fantastic One or two highly strung types occasionally shouting out - hold you line or swearing ain't nothing to worry about.

I agree, it wasn't like it was getting properly nasty. As you say, just some highly strung types. It was still good fun.

jgsi

No body likes negative feedback as you could describe it..... however despite it piissin you off when it does happen, you just get over it.
I got bollcked for going too hard thru.. I was trying to shift a few sitters in.. and it wasnt like I was in the break where if you do, you can fck up the rhythm.
However , 20 minutes later I got a grunted thank you, 'cos he lost a wheel going up and I got meself across again and towed him back.
Racing is all very strange .. then again, has no one 'lost it' on a club run ..??? even funnier when that happens.

okgo

Racing is for ALPHA males, shrinking violets should stick to sportives.

maryka

Tbh if someone tried to squeeze into a gap that wasn't there, to my detriment, s/he'd probably get a mouthful from me too. Just like those guys who go up the leeward side of a long line of riders on a windy day and stop short of the front and indicate they want to be let in at 4th wheel or whatever.... mate you're having a laugh if you think that's going to happen. Go back to the club run if you want "after you, no after you!"

Alex99

okgo wrote:

Racing is for ALPHA males, shrinking violets should stick to sportives.

Better trade in my licence for a blanket and a thermos.

Alex99

maryka wrote:

Tbh if someone tried to squeeze into a gap that wasn't there, to my detriment, s/he'd probably get a mouthful from me too. Just like those guys who go up the leeward side of a long line of riders on a windy day and stop short of the front and indicate they want to be let in at 4th wheel or whatever.... mate you're having a laugh if you think that's going to happen. Go back to the club run if you want "after you, no after you!"

Well, it's hard being on the front. How am I going to get 9th in the sprint if I'm all tired?

fat daddy

cost value wise a race license is about the same price as a thermos and blanket.

yes you could buy a cheap sh1te thermos and blanket ..... but then again, you could do all the cheap sh1te races on a provisional license.

thomasmorris

maryka wrote:

Tbh if someone tried to squeeze into a gap that wasn't there, to my detriment, s/he'd probably get a mouthful from me too.

Fair enough in the last 500m, when as you say it's to your detriment. But some riders seem to have this 'I will not give an inch' attitude around the whole race and get quite highly strung about it. This mentality is a bit petty. One bike length in the middle of the race isn't critical.

maryka wrote:

Just like those guys who go up the leeward side of a long line of riders on a windy day and stop short of the front and indicate they want to be let in at 4th wheel or whatever.... mate you're having a laugh if you think that's going to happen. Go back to the club run if you want "after you, no after you!"

If someone is moving up the leeward side then put the race in the gutter. If the race isn't in the gutter, then the pace isn't really on, so I'd say that's an OK time to move up and it's not a time you need to get stressed about letting people in. If there's a tactical reason you don't want people moving up then apply some pressure to the front yourself.

I generally let people in. I can't think of many times in a race when one bike length is critical. Plus, when someone is moving up, it usually signifies they're going to do something, in which case, being first on their wheel is no bad place to be.

I find in return, people are usually more willing to let you in, which can be handy should you want to move up a few corners before attacking.

The only time I tend to think twice is when scrabbling for wheels and a rider is drifting back. Then I only let them in if I'm confident they won't let a gap go. However, if it's a strong ridder I'll happily let them in as I can then ease off a bike length or so

thebikeboy16

There are sportives and audax (randonneur) as well.

bobmcstuff

thebikeboy16 wrote:

There are sportives and audax (randonneur) as well.

Done plenty of those.

And to be fair you get some insane behaviour at sportives too (which has never really bothered me).

okgo

Alex99 wrote:

okgo wrote:

Racing is for ALPHA males, shrinking violets should stick to sportives.

Better trade in my licence for a blanket and a thermos.

Tom Dean

thomasmorris wrote:

when someone is moving up, it usually signifies they're going to do something

do you ride many 3/4s?

thomasmorris

Ha, no I don't. I did ride one once though

Udder

I think the shouty behaviour in cat 3/4 is down to a mixture of testosterone, high heart rates and grown men simply terrified of falling off their push bikes...

Ultimately - until someone throws a punch, it's just noise. Get some thicker skin and ride your own race.

cycleclinic

Why so serious because some take life too seriously. Also some riders think they know it all, if they did they would not be in cat 3/4 races would they.

imposter2.0

thecycleclinic wrote:

Also some riders think they know it all, if they did they would not be in cat 3/4 races would they.

Not sure what you mean by that. Plenty of experienced 'career' 3rds (like me) who just like to turn out and race - and ex Elites, 1s or 2s can also drop down to 3rd if they've been out for a couple of seasons.

mamba80

Imposter wrote:

thecycleclinic wrote:

Also some riders think they know it all, if they did they would not be in cat 3/4 races would they.

Not sure what you mean by that. Plenty of experienced 'career' 3rds (like me) who just like to turn out and race - and ex Elites, 1s or 2s can also drop down to 3rd if they've been out for a couple of seasons.

the points changes a year or 2 ago, mean its hard to keep up an E/1 licence, there has def been a trickle down of riders from e/1/2 into 3/4. (in the s/w at least)
fwiw i ve found that whatever the race cat, you get shouty types, usually they get dropped later on and who cares what someone says? your in a grp of xx riders, and i always think "he cant possibly be shouting at me, as im the perfect rider" :shock:

fat daddy

One of the things that having children has taught me is this. Everyone is still a child, in as much as everyone has the same emotions, the same wants, desires, anger, happiness, want for attention, need for love, compassion and hate. ..... BUT as adults we have the experience of 20-40 years of life to be able to hide these emotions

BUT

everynow and again, during moments of stress, excitement disappointment, the ability to hide the basic emotions of our 5 year old selves is somewhat diminished and we revert temporarily to the child mind ... men generally shout and get punchy, women generally cry ... both get embarrassingly stroppy

The best thing to do is talk to them like they are a 5 year old ....... it doesn't help the situation, in the same way it doesn't help when you talk to a 5 year old that way .... BUT ..... it does piss them off more

paul2718

Imposter wrote:

thecycleclinic wrote:

Also some riders think they know it all, if they did they would not be in cat 3/4 races would they.

Not sure what you mean by that. Plenty of experienced 'career' 3rds (like me) who just like to turn out and race - and ex Elites, 1s or 2s can also drop down to 3rd if they've been out for a couple of seasons.

He did write 'some riders'...

IME of Cat 4 only races you do get authoritative sounding shouts of 'Hold your line!' which do make one wonder. I was on the front of a Cat 4 circuit race once and we were coming up to overtake the Ladies so I took a line to give them space. No swerving or anything properly amateur, I probably even waved. Plenty of space for everybody. Cue the shout from somebody behind not paying attention.

The next post will be from somebody complaining about a rider on the front in a race they rode last August wobbling about all over the place...

Paul

cycleclinic

I mean those who shout out alot in races are the ones who think they know it all. If they were truely good at (regardless of pints changes) they would not be in a 3/4 race. I am not that good at getting points and moving up which is why I am still in cat 3/4 races. those who shout alot never change anything most races I am in there are crashes which I somehow avoid. the only thing I seem to be good in racing is rule 1) Don't crash.

There are too many people who forget everyone has to go to work in the next day and injuries are not cool. Those who shout in races have not changed that yet so you might as well chill and enjoy it the best you can.

Rodrego Hernandez

Sounds like that competition was quite competitive. Funny that.

Toks

Seasons over, for me at least, 20 odd circuit races and a bit of moaning in a couple of races. To be honest the junior racer who got shouted at my last last race (Olympic Park) was a bit "squirrelish" and the abuse he received though harsh was warranted. Old blokes definitely don't wanna crash and won't take the risks. In general though the shouting is usually reasonable advice (hold line, look over your shoulder before switching, etc...its not like anybody says "for fucksakes why are you racing with Zipp Wheels"