mattm

NCNCA race calendar is coming online: Events | Northern California Nevada Cycling Association

Only seems to be filled in up to April - but most races are there.

And Cherry Pie crit is back on the calendar! Dunno why but I like that crit, even though I've never done that well at it.

hack

Nice...looks like San Bruno HC is back on there, too, for those that climb hills.

I wonder why the Chico Stage Race got moved up a month. Hopefully it still pulls in Kelly Optum, Smartstop, Airgas (w/Horner??), and others.

spdntrxi

Chris was an animal today at LKHC..

mattm

Horner is on airgas?!!

hack

I think so. Airgas-Safeway

caloso

Sweet. I may be able to do the Chico Stage Race after all. The prior date was going to interfere with a family trip to DC.

hack

Makes February a pretty stacked month. Coppertown early, Snelling mid month, and Chico at the end of the month.

UmneyDurak

Hmm, might start my season with Coppertown Circuit. If the weather is good.

Also Red Kite is continuing taking over crits... PG&E last year. Next looks like they will be doing Old Town Crit...

mattm

old town is the one that's cones in a parking lot right?

UmneyDurak

No idea. Hack or Caloso would know.

Hopefully one in the park is back on the calendar. That was fun. A nice mix of technical and fast corners.

hack

No clue, unless it is the "Towne Center Crit"? That one used to be in El Dorado Hills and did have a parking lot segment (but an overall technical course), but EDH doesn't have an "Old Towne".

UmneyDurak

Hmm, maybe it's new. Thought I seen it on calendar before. Red Kite Omnium Event #5 - Old Town Criterium | Northern California Nevada Cycling Association

hack

Ahhh...if its a RedKite, then definitely not up in El Dorado Hills. I'd GUESS that it is old town Pleasanton, which could make for a fun crit.

UmneyDurak

Oh it's by Livermore. I could have swore it said Sacramento when I looked at it. lol.
That would be a fun crit. They did it once few years back. I don't think it will happen again. lol. Might be through Livermore downtown. That would be super fun.

Doge

I'm working on the 2015 schedule for Puppy Doge and team members. What do you know about these races. I'm primarily interested in knowing if anyone shows up, how safe the conditions are and how safe the fields are (P,1,2). End of June is Nationals in Tahoe so not wanting to risk crashes in June. Comment on weather too.

Saturday, Feb 07, 2015 Knights Ferry RR - Nor Cal
Sunday, Feb 08 , 2015 Red Kite OM - Nor Cal 1:00PM
Thursday, March 06, 2014 Madera SR - Hillclimb TT
Friday, March 07, 2014 Madera SR - TT, Crit
Saturday, March 08, 2014 Madera SR - Daulton RR
Saturday, June 13, 2015 Mighty Tour de Nez
Sunday, June 14, 2015 Tour de Nez - Fernley Speedway
Saturday, June 20, 2015 Sattley Time Trial (5,000ft)

mattm

Knights Ferry is pretty small, maybe 20 last year? It was dry but cold.

It's simple course with 180's at each end, and some rolling hills. Finish is at the top of a 2-3' climb but it's not very steep.

The Red Kite race is (I think) the circuit race, rolling hills and generally safe. This race happened in May or June last year, and turnout was in the 20's I think.

Honestly if you're coming up this way there are better races to go for.

hack

I think Matt's last comment is spot on. I don't think those aren't the best selection of NorCal races.

Sattely is supposed to be a fast course. You're at elevation and it could be chilly.

Tour de Nez had a small turout (maybe 15 in the P12??), but is well run and offers a variety of courses. Weather can be great or it can be awful, you're in the mountains at elevation. Given the location and timing relative to Nat'ls there may be a bigger turnout.

Madera is pretty flat, could be chilly with winds and potential rain. Crit is basic and RR is flatish with some rollers. Decent fields last year if I recall (I watched as I was injured).

Timing wise, you may want to check out the Nevada City Classic (June 21). Good turnouts when nat'ls aren't in the same month and around the corner, so should be a packed field this year. Climb/descend for 45-90 minutes.

Doge

Thank you for the input.
If you have them for those weekends - let me know.

Here is the logic.
Feb 7/8 the SoCal alternative is a crit in a business park. The following weekend is Valley of the Sun in Phx where the TT is a very big deal as it is the Euro Selection race.

March 6/7 again not much in SoCal - so what have you got? Prior week is Valley of Fire in Vegas and Vlee Huis in Bakersfield (great course BTW). Following week is Murrieta OM with uphill dirt TT finish on Friday, but next two days are mostly flat.

In June, because of Nationals location, the kids will be in Mammoth. Doing a 3 hour drive to Reno works and we anticipate we will have about 5 kids that can do the Cat 2s as a team. We are there for Sea Otter too, but that is done as a Jr. race. Nevada City being over the hill and also days from Nationals will likely not be done.

Hermes

Doge, I think you may have the Madera dates incorrect. For the P/1s or maybe the P/1/2, there is an HC TT on Friday. On Saturday, there is a crit and time trial and Sunday is the road race.

I have done this race twice but did the Saturday crit and TT and the Sunday road race. I am not sure exactly which categories do the Friday hill climb TT.

Madera is a fun race with an easy four corner crit course. The TT is windy, full of bees (plan to get stung) and flattish. The road race course is 16 miles with 2 miles of very rough road. I mean ball busting crappy where stuff falls off of bikes. Right after the rough road section is the rollers that are not that difficult but there is always an attack from the finish of the rough road section.

I have had my fill of ball busting rough roads and bees but it seems perfect for juniors. They will bounce like golf balls on the broken pavement and get a lesson why strong big men win races like Paris Roubaix and the bees will just make them mad wishing they were not there.

I have done Sattley many times and will do it again this year. It is pancake flat but can be windy.

Doge

Good info. I did have my dates off a bit. Had puppy do some of those roads way back in 2009 for velopromo race.

shovelhd

Are you serious? Even at my advanced age I'd be a Cat1 by June with those kind of fields.

Ygduf

I only know Knights Ferry. It's kind of unspectacular back and forth on some bumpy roads. It was very cold last year. I was 2nd in the 3s. There's one short hill at one end turnaround and again the same 1-min hill at the finish.

Doge

Captain obvious here. Up hill finishes are typically better for those with a smaller top gear. So those can be good choices

hack

That event seemed to have a lot going against it. It's way up near Reno (2 hours from Sacramento and 4 hours minimum from the Bay Area) and it was going up against a pretty well like crit. I think most of NorCal opted to drive a much shorter distance for the crit.

shovelhd

Reno you say? I might know someone from there.