Look for upcoming updates about how TSC will do a Race Team in 2011! It sounds awesome and very TSC!
So lets throw down and put our hard men (and women) of winter fitness to good use and go spank a little mainland ass!
Signed up so far: Josh (Co-Team Leader), Adam (Co-Team Leader), Peter (Lead Out/Pack fodder), Roland (baroudeur), Gavin (Lead Out), Jen (Women's leader), [you!!!!]
I'm in but, as this will be my first race, and unless some other B-groupers come along (anyone???) I may be a one-man TS team riding the entry-level category.
Hmm...so does that make me a team captain, group fodder, or my own personal domestique? Actually, the latter sounds rather lewd somehow.
For those on the fence about coming, the categories are:
A Group This is generally comprised of Category 1's and 2's as well as some very fit 3's.
B Group This is most of the Category 3's and very fast 4's, as well as most top Women.
C Group This is the place for most Category 4's.
Novice This group is for new racers and new license holders.
Youth U17 or young new riders.
It's not just fast and really fast like in Victoria.
compete: 1620, from Fr. compéter "be in rivalry with"
Ryan recommended going over the night before, but I've got a serious dirt jumping / backhoe driving / beer drinking evening planned on the 5th, so I have to go over morning of.
I think if I get a ferry reservation so I'm first off the boat, get changed / prepared on the ferry and then drive like a maniac, I should be at the race with at least 30-45 minutes to spare.
It's also possible I'll miss the start. Anybody will to take the risk can come with me. Including myself, I can carry 5 people + 5 bikes.
compete: 1620, from Fr. compéter "be in rivalry with"
I'm going over on friday afternoon with the family for this one. I do have room on my roof rack for two more bikes, but I don't have extra bike-mount racks. If we could line up two more bike mounts for a standard roof rack, I'll happily take over two more bikes.
Josh.E wrote:I I do have room on my roof rack for two more bikes, but I don't have extra bike-mount racks. If we could line up two more bike mounts for a standard roof rack, I'll happily take over two more bikes.
Do you have round bars? Would this work?
compete: 1620, from Fr. compéter "be in rivalry with"
Roland wrote:Ryan recommended going over the night before, but I've got a serious dirt jumping / backhoe driving / beer drinking evening planned on the 5th, so I have to go over morning of.
I think if I get a ferry reservation so I'm first off the boat, get changed / prepared on the ferry and then drive like a maniac, I should be at the race with at least 30-45 minutes to spare.
It's also possible I'll miss the start. Anybody will to take the risk can come with me. Including myself, I can carry 5 people + 5 bikes.
I have a charity fundraiser to attend the night before, could I take up a seat the morning of?
The day I quit is the day I die, and probably not even then.
I wish you all well in these early races and I encourage you to keep an eye three riders up for danger as these early races are notorious for squirrel-induced crashes. I may try for the 19th and 20th.
ok. lets get this party started. No use pretending we are a "Team" if all we are going to do is ride as individuals...... A pretty key concept for a team is to have what is called in the trade a "plan"..... key phrase: "Plan your Race and Race your Plan".
We need to decide who is racing in which race and decide what our PLAN is. For the first race I think we should keep it simple.
In my view the big picture in the B race is to set up Moose/Josh for the win. (Unless Adam is riding with us and not Team BC, if he rides TSC we work for him). To achieve that we need to do a couple of things:
A. Have guys take turns marking any breaks; and
B. Never ride alone - always ride with/near/in front/behind/beside a teammate. There is simply no point to being off on your own unless you are off the front or the back. If you are in the pack and isolated from the rest of the team then what help can you be to the team and what help can we be to you?
So, what about those 3 things as goals:
1. Set up Josh/Gavin (or Adam);
2. Take turns marking breaks;
3. Never be alone.
I think those in the C race should follow the same basic program particularly about not being alone. As a club we are strong enough and have enough people that the second we organize we can change the course of any race we are in. The trick is to commit to a TEAM approach rather than each of us individually trying to hang on and go for personal glory...... For example if a break goes and we arent in it then as a group we need to get to the front and get a paceline going. If we have a guy in it and we like how the break looks then we get to the front a block.
In my view we will have failed as a Team if we either:
1. Chase down our own guys; or
2. See a bunch of photos where we are riding "solo"!
We will have won if, regardless of "results", we behaved as a Team.
Only thing to add, is to keep talking. Ask what others are seeing. Who looks strong? Is there a place on the course where people make mistakes and a break can go (eg. a cross wind, someone who brakes too much for corners (both to avoid, and to use as a gap-maker, ie jump through a corner ahead of them knowing they leave a gap you can exploit). Ask team mates what they are seeing. Tell 'em what you see. Throw out ideas: "How about we tempo the cross wind straight to split it, and then you jump with X after the corner with the tail wind?"
Leadouts don't have to be protour-like trains or argyle. Even if the team mate is two riders back, it's still worth doing; he can see his opponents better in front of him anyway.
>How about we tempo the cross wind straight to split it, and then you jump
>with X after the corner with the tail wind?
Were someone to ask me that during a ride my response would be "Um...huh?"
Seriously though, having decided to ride "C" instead of "Novice" (after Dave Spiers' comments about the types of people who ride novice) I'm pleased that I'll be part of a group. But if I end up riding alone, it will be because I've been dropped not because I made a jump!
Along that line, and perhaps a silly question, but given that the course is pretty flat, what sort of pace might be expected in the "C" group?
Hey John,
You wont get dropped and be riding alone because I will be drafting you. Dont get too concerned about the race, we will do just fine and for your first race you should just try to have some fun and not stress out, all the suggestions and planning is great and all, but it does take a few races before it starts to sink in.
! C'mon folks lets start seeing some excitement!! There has been lots of chatter about a race team so lets freakin do it!
