"The 33"-Road Bike Racing - What is Your Prefered Omnium Schedule

Tell me what you guys think here.

My team is putting on an omnium this June and we are trying to figure out the best schedule. It's going to be a road race, crit and a TT but the timing is what is of interest. Because the road race is a good ways away from the TT course we have determined that doing the RR and TT on the same day will not work out.

So the options are.

1) Saturday road race -> Sunday morning TT -> Sunday Crit

or

2) Friday early evening TT -> Saturday RR -> Sunday crit

I prefer the option 2. I've done races in this schedule before and really liked it. The thing is though people will be required to travel to the TT on Friday which means for some people they need to take a half day at work or the whole day off and then of course it's one more night in a hotel for racers.

What do you guys think. Would you prefer an omnium over a three day period or one packed into a two day week end?

edit: BTW this race is down in Blacksburg so I really want to know what you D.C. and N.C. racers think :)

1.

1.

Including Friday excludes a lot of people who can't get the day off and don't want the extra hotel night. I also always preferred TT and crit on the first day, RR on the second day, but that is just preference.

TT/Crit on Saturday, RR on Sunday. I've always found that to be the best order.

1 will probably get you the biggest draw from up here. going from DC to Blacksburg (or anywhere for that matter) on a friday is a traffic nightmare so have the RR starting at like 10. check the mabra calender as it's pretty heavy in june with established events that will compete with yours - tour of wash county, poolesville RR is in June this year, and so is Reston GP.

tt/crit on saturday, rr on sunday. I've always found that to be the best order.

+1

tt/crit on saturday, rr on sunday. I've always found that to be the best order.

+1

TT Friday, RR Saturday and then I can leave because crits suck.

How about a crit and then a crit on Saturday, followed by a crit on Sunday?

1.

Including Friday excludes a lot of people who can't get the day off and don't want the extra hotel night. I also always preferred TT and crit on the first day, RR on the second day, but that is just preference.
+1 My reason for never entering the San Dimas Stage Race is because taking a day off of work is a PIA, and anyone who has to travel any distance will at least need to get off early. I'd vote for 1.

How about a crit and then a crit on Saturday, followed by a crit on Sunday?
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How about a crit and then a crit on Saturday, followed by a crit on Sunday?

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+1 My reason for never entering the San Dimas Stage Race is because taking a day off of work is a PIA, and anyone who has to travel any distance will at least need to get off early. I'd vote for 1.

I was going to have to leave thursday evening to make my 9:30am tt start time, or leave super early in the morning. Now it looks like bumping up to a 3 moves my start time until after noon so I don't have to stay thursday night :thumb:

I was going to have to leave thursday evening to make my 9:30am tt start time, or leave super early in the morning. Now it looks like bumping up to a 3 moves my start time until after noon so I don't have to stay thursday night :thumb:

Did you already re-register as a 3? I know they already posted the start times, but I'm wondering how flexible they are.

Did you already re-register as a 3? I know they already posted the start times, but I'm wondering how flexible they are.

There was a big gap between the 3s and the next group, like 10 min. I assume I will get a time with the 3s and the guy that gets my spot in the 4s will get my time too.

I prefer a real stage race.

Hey thank you all for the input. We decided to go with the Sat TT, Crit and Sun. RR.

I will let all you MABRA racers know when it's set but put the week end of June 20th on your calendars. If you like omniums and road races in particular then you are in for a treat. And this is one of only like three road races in the whole crit friendly state of Virgina...

#2 would suck and you would get 90% of the people only doing the road race and criterium.

I prefer your #1 solution. Works best for me to be leading on CG after two stages then crashing out of the crit. :innocent:

#2 would suck and you would get 90% of the people only doing the road race and criterium.

I prefer your #1 solution. Works best for me to be leading on CG after two stages then crashing out of the crit. :innocent:

Ha Ha. See that's why personally I like the Friday TT. The very first stage race I ever did I won the yellow jersey from the first day TT. I am good at TT's but not if they are on the same day as another race. I know everyone else in theory is in the same boat, though the omnium format allows any one to register for any of the races individually, but even so it's hard on me doing two events in one day.

How about a crit and then a crit on Saturday, followed by a crit on Sunday?

That sounds like every weekend in April in MABRA world.

Saturday TT/crit, Sunday RR is not only easiest for most racers, it is probably easier on the promoter as well, under most circumstances. Circuit races and TTs are also not a big problem for running on the same day. A long RR and a TT on the same day sounds like a nightmare to me - it would be very difficult to stay on schedule.

no way in hell you'd get folks from DC to drive anywhere (or skip work) on a Friday night.

there are a few road races in the DC area but yeah, any more RRs in Virginia in particular (not maryland) would rock - we need more races south of the district. unfortunately, blacksburg is way down in bumf*ck and even with a 10AM start, you wouldn't get many folks from the DC area on saturday morning. I know I wouldn't want to race after sitting in a car for over 4 hours.

I'm from Prince William County (VA), and I'd love to help any club (re: PoWER darnit!) organize a race somewhere out there or in Stafford. Great roads if you get away from the 'burbs and no farther from the district than most races in maryland.

My club is hosting the new Lost River Classic RR in West Virginia (only 2-2.5 hours from DC though) near the Lost River Barn/Raw Talent Ranch. check that one out. I think the guy setting it up is already considering options for an omnium in future years... but one step at a time.

Yeah see that's the thing. We who live and train in this area know how great it is and want to share it with everyone else in the form of a race. There are great century rides around here and Virginia Tech always puts on a race for the area though it's collegiate only. There is rich racing history here. I know guys that still live here and remember races in the 80's over epic roads. This terrain was host to stages of the Tour Du Pont in the early to mid 90's, Lemond passed the torch here to a young Lance Armstrong on the clime to Mt. Lake, the finish of that stage was down town Blacksburg.

I think and I hope we will attract people from all over, it will be worth it.