Originally Posted by
furiousferret
I get what you are saying, but telling a Cat 5 to sit and not worry about winning, is basically telling them not to enjoy racing until they hit the 4's. If I want to do that, maybe I can just Cat up doing an MS150 ride. People are always trying to marginalize Cat 5. Despite having a crowd of less than 5 people, a course not swept or set up, no medical support, no team support, not even significant others caring to show up its still a race to the people toeing the line. We still train just like every other racer, go to sleep hungry, attend the hammerfests, obsess about power numbers, etc.
Whatever system gets put in play it shouldn't interrupt the actual race.
No... I don't think we are on the same page. If you are racing and enjoying it only to win, then you are going to be disappointed more often than not. This has to be about enjoying the sport as a whole, bad days and good days. This is where a club comes in ( a well structured club, not one one based on club member status. ) one where there is mentoring for new members. Where there is a system designed to bring riders up to speed with the intricacies of racing.
You cannot race well without the needed skills. Riding a bike and racing a bike comprise a very different set of skills. Which can only be achieved with a lot of training. Bike handling is key when conditions are less than ideal, the competitors are stronger than you anticipated and the course is plainly a challenge. Cat 5 is a learning phase, we all had to go thru the phase at one point. Looking at it on the positive/productive spectrum of What can I get out of this ? rather than " This isn't good or that isn't what it should be" will only shut you off from observing critical subtleties.
You couldn't put a NASCAR driver in an FI car at the Monaco Grand-Prix and expect that it will be a win. More like a carnage. Not being offensive but there are vital skills to be learned at the Cat 5 level and no one is exempt.
I read the other posts and I beg to differ. As you rise up the Categories, there are various skill sets needed that demand to be not only learned and ingrained but also refined.
Racing a closed circuit Crit isn't like racing at Killington Stage Race where in the circuit race finish, it's an all-out sprint downhill at 70+kph, or descending from Brendon Gap attempting to bridge. Or riding in a crosswind echelon in the pouring rain at full gas.
Sorry the race course isn't swept clean or the support isn't there or whatever. Bike racing is really about attrition and the one's that can adapt to the challenges will do well.
I rarely have raced on a course that is 100% prepared, smooth pavement, no glass, no sand, no annoying potential canines or suicidal squirrels.
It's all part of the fun and enjoying the moment. Some promoters are great at providing a well designed, safety conscious race course. Other's, not so much. ( I was a Promoter so I'm speaking from both viewpoints. ) Also bear in mind that often what a city or town promises to have repaired or prepared for race day doesn't always happen, as a matter of fact, I was more surprised when they came thru then not.
Look at the big picture, sweating the small stuff like solo support, logistics challenges etc.. is no different than what everyone else goes thru racing. Be it here or at some small race in a petit patelin in France.