Road Bike Racing - Closest RR to Midwest with 5mi+ climbs?

You read the title. I'm looking for a race, regardless of state, that offers me some serious climbing. I want a Cat 3 RR with some big long climbs and 50-60+ miles in length. Appalachia would seem to be the best bet?

Closest to Indy, if possible.

Not close to Indy at all really but still in the midwest region (sort of...for me since I am in Missouri it is:p ): Joe Martin Stage Race...it should have all the climbing you need. The TT is a 3+mile climb so I assume the RR is pretty hilly as well.
~Nick

Same weekend as collegiate nationals. No can do.

Not that I know of any, but I would be interested to see what people come up with as well.

Green Mountain Stage Race? :D

lol- that's only what, a 20 hour drive or something? :D

howabout the tour de altoona? don't think there's any 5 mile climbs, but from what I can gather there are some decent climbs on the course

Nah....maybe 15-17. Not too bad.

yikes, even to get to altoona from indianapolis its like 500 miles :eek:

500 miles is nothing :)

Then again, I have driven 10,000 miles in 20 days before (which included a few days off of any real driving here and there)...so my views may be a bit "skewed"....

500 miles is nothing :)

Then again, I have driven 10,000 miles in 20 days before (which included a few days off of any real driving here and there)...so my views may be a bit "skewed"....


The Green Mountain Stage Race looks rather intriguing. I hope to be employed by then so it might not be possible to take off 3-4 days of work that early in my new career, but who knows. I definitely like the looks of that uphill prologue. Should suit me rather well, I think.

That prologue is pure evil. I seriously almost passed out and puked at the top.

I loved it.

I did the "Midwest Championship Stage Race" in Bloomington a couple of years ago. I raced the ABR cat 4 catagory. Two hilly road races with a flat TT in between.

No 5 mile climbs, but some serious hills in the St Crispian Road Race. That would make a nice training race. Ever done it?

http://www.indianabikeracing.homestead.com/Schedule07.html

lol- that's only what, a 20 hour drive or something? :D

howabout the tour de altoona? don't think there's any 5 mile climbs, but from what I can gather there are some decent climbs on the course

For Cat 3 and upper, the saturday RR has 2 climbs in the 7 mi. range (blue knob and sugar run), and lots of "bumps" in between.

No 5 mile climbs, but some serious hills in the St Crispian Road Race. That would make a nice training race. Ever done it?

http://www.indianabikeracing.homestead.com/Schedule07.html


Also, 50+ miles. 1 "lap".

Bit of a stretch, but does anyone have any power data files from these races? Mainly interested in w/kg, results and how I'd stack up.

I'm mainly a crit rat at this point in the game, working in breaks and kilo surges being my best qualities. But as I'm a smaller guy with pretty decent overall wattage, I thought I would give stage racing a go this summer. I don't have the absolute power to be a flat TT or solo break crit specialist so I want to see what I might be good at. Starting up track racing in earnest this summer as well, to diversify my options.

Bit of a stretch, but does anyone have any power data files from these races? Mainly interested in w/kg, results and how I'd stack up.

I'm mainly a crit rat at this point in the game, working in breaks and kilo surges being my best qualities. But as I'm a smaller guy with pretty decent overall wattage, I thought I would give stage racing a go this summer. I don't have the absolute power to be a flat TT or solo break crit specialist so I want to see what I might be good at. Starting up track racing in earnest this summer as well, to diversify my options.

What's your FT w/kg? Do you have long climbs near where you live? Track huh? We're hosting the collegiate track nats this year...are you planning on coming?

Never done an FT test. Done a 20min test, however. Still have a kilo or two to lose, but I'm at 4.9w/kg at the moment. Plan on being at 5.1ish at my peak.

I've only done two races on the track, both of which were training races as part of a clinic. Not going to be in track shape, or tactically aware of how the track races REALLY operate any time soon. I want to use it to help develop skills for crits, improve my fitness, and have fun at the same time. I'm really still in the learning phase of how road racing goes as well, to be honest.

Never done an FT test. Done a 20min test, however. Still have a kilo or two to lose, but I'm at 4.9w/kg at the moment. Plan on being at 5.1ish at my peak.

I've only done two races on the track, both of which were training races as part of a clinic. Not going to be in track shape, or tactically aware of how the track races REALLY operate any time soon. I want to use it to help develop skills for crits, improve my fitness, and have fun at the same time. I'm really still in the learning phase of how road racing goes as well, to be honest.

Yeah, I'm still a bit wary of track racing. First time I did a sprint in a race on the track I let up for a second after the line and ended up sliding at 60+ kph on my back. It's great for leg speed, intensity, and improving pedal efficiency. And the pursuit stuff is fun.

At about 5.1-5.2 w/kg for 20 min (lost a lot of weight and getting stronger), I'm about upper mid-pack climbing ability in the As in my conference. Not sure about 3s, but I think those fields are definitely easier than collegiate As. Also, if your test was just done on a trainer, I bet you could put out more power in an actual hill climb.

It was done on a crit course. I think on a climb it might be a little higher. And yeah, the 3s are much easier than college As. I'm getting my @ss handed to me on a weekly basis. Just hoping that I'll learn from the experience, finish some more races and get stronger.

The Tour de 'Toona is in Altoona, PA, and has some good long climbs. The 4/5 RR had an 8-mile climb. Not sure how far that is for ya...

(edit) Found the link to the map for the 2/3 RR...

http://www.tourdetoona.com/Stage6M2-3BlairCountymap.asp

About the Tour de 'Toona: I know it's a stage race for the Pro/1/2 boys, but what about the 3s and below? On their website I can't find any information regarding that sort of thing. I might only have a weekend or so, or I might have the entire week to do it.

Basically, if I wanted to do one or two stages, and pay as such, could I? Or do I have to do each stage in order to do the next one. I.e. stage race vs. omnium for the 3s?

It looks like its a stage race. On bikereg they have you sign up for the whole stage race, it just happens to be a shorter one than the pro/1/2's do. I think its 3 or 4 days for the cat3's.

Ahhhh never mind. I found it. Three Day Points Race. Looks goooooood.

If I dont make the ESG's this year I'll definitely be at the Toona. That queen stage looks sick :beer:

Ahhhh never mind. I found it. Three Day Points Race. Looks goooooood.

Yeah, it was a 2-day thing for the 4/5's... The RR was pretty intense for my 6th race ever as a 5 last year. It was 20 miles, but 8-9 of it was a climb. Ugh.

The Blair County RR looks like it will be a nice group ride followed by an uphill ITT and then a screaming downhill to the finish.

The Blair County RR looks like it will be a nice group ride followed by an uphill ITT and then a screaming downhill to the finish.

Cat 3 is a points race, no requirement to finish any of the stages in order to compete in the next.

Friday is a 40 mi. RR, very rolling and very fast. Finish is in the town of holidaysburg, a very tight, very technical crit style finish - love it.

Saturday is brutal for Cat 3 and above (i.e. 1/2/3, pro). Blue knob is a ridiculously hard climb, then sugar run is long but not steep until the very top. After that it's a screaming downhill (50 - 55 mph +) for about 8 mi., + about 3 mi. of flat w/2 kickers in the last K.

Sunday is a technical crit - my favorite, but I won it last year:D

I'll be there in the Cat 3 race this year. It's a great event, very well supported by the community. Very cool for a little railroad town in central PA mtns to have decided 25 yrs. ago that a bike race was a good idea for promoting and generating revenue for the area.

Consider comming to WI for Superweek (http://www.internationalcycling.com/) July 13 - 29. Especially check out the "Holy Hill" road race that's sure to put some ache in your legs.

http://www.internationalcycling.com/venue/holyhill.shtml

http://www.internationalcycling.com/images/maps/holyhillcontour.gif

jw

Consider comming to WI for Superweek (http://www.internationalcycling.com/) July 13 - 29. Especially check out the "Holy Hill" road race that's sure to put some ache in your legs.

http://www.internationalcycling.com/venue/holyhill.shtml

http://www.internationalcycling.com/images/maps/holyhillcontour.gif

jw


I did some of the superweek races last year. Loved the fact that I could take a last lap flyer, get caught, fade, take 10-15th place and still make money on the day. The fact that we shelled fully half the field helped, I guess. I'll be there again this summer.