Great Lakes - Hillsboro Robaix Questions

Hoping those who have ridden it before will help me out.

How do they handle feed zones? Do you put your stuff on the side and dismount to pick it up or what? I know it's neutralized.

Looks like there is one decent hill near the end? Anything else tricky to know about (descents, corners, etc.?)

Thanks

Never been there myself, but I don't think there are 'rest stops' in any races. ;)

I'll be there as well and open to any info on the course.

Looks flat. One hill on the finish run into town?

http://i219.photobucket.com/albums/cc54/biffbradford/cycling/PRcourse.jpg

Then you have to have someone for hand-ups or do you just label a musette bag and officials do it?

The officials are there to yell at 'ya for something dumb that you did. :rolleyes:

Until we hear from someone who's ridden it, check the flyer for info on a feed zone,
otherwise you'll have to ask at registration. It would be up to you to find someone
to hand your bottle or musette up to 'ya. Running solo? Stuff those pockets! :)

You could put a cache of water or grub on the course, but don't expect anyone
to wait for 'ya.

You know those three things on the back of your jersey, usually referred to as "pockets?" Use em' :rolleyes:

Feed is done at the base of that hill. It's your responsibility to arrange for your own feeder. The exten5 of feed for most people will be handing up fresh bottles. Many races don't allow for feed, so double check that yours does.

And, if you expect to stay in contention, don't plan on ever stopping that bike... for feed, bathroom break, or anything else!

Wilke, that main hill heading back into town, through to the "in town" section (where the cobbles are) and the finish line will have some of the best spots, and they're fairly close together.

Feed is done at the base of that hill. It's your responsibility to arrange for your own feeder. The exten5 of feed for most people will be handing up fresh bottles. Many races don't allow for feed, so double check that yours does.

And, if you expect to stay in contention, don't plan on ever stopping that bike... for feed, bathroom break, or anything else!

Wilke, that main hill heading back into town, through to the "in town" section (where the cobbles are) and the finish line will have some of the best spots, and they're fairly close together.

Thanks. Road races are so hard to cover, but I've got a plan in mind. Luckily these races start in late morning, that will give me a little bit of recon. time.

Yeah. And they've reworked the loop, so I have no idea about the new part.

That hill coming back into town cut the 4's field in half last year, and then did the same thing at the finish. I wouldn't say it's a killer... just not a very pleasant way to finish off a long, hard race.

First lap I went from 20th to 60th on that hill - and I'm a good climber. What happened was a couple of teammates and I tried to gutter the pack in a crosswind a couple of miles previously. It was the only coherent attack of the race - we were bored. Didn't work out, the massed Chicago teams with 3 letters decided to actually do some work to stop us. Anyway, I didn't recover in time and fell behind when the hammer dropped through town.

My buddy attacked about a mile before the hill on the 2nd lap. He went from 1st to 40th on that hill.

The hill was basically a sprint. The only hard effort of the first lap for 90% of riders. Easy to do if you're happy to sit in.

For the 4's it's going to be a longer race and the extra miles will sap the legs of quite a few people. There are a couple of riders registered who are cat 1 CXers, they'll be able to ride OTF at will. Should be interesting.

For the masters and cat 3s it'll be shorter than last year. Expect more intensity. For all - things will get insane on the 2 miles through town, do everything you can not to get dropped. Be especially careful of the downhill out of town. If a gap forms, and there's a headwind, you'll be dropped on the uphill afterwards. Bitter experience speaking.

There'll probably be some neutral volunteers handing out water on the feed hill. Grab some if you need it. Otherwise, try to arrange with some team members who have SOs there to give hand ups to you as well.

For the 4's it's going to be a longer race and the extra miles will sap the legs of quite a few people. There are a couple of riders registered who are cat 1 CXers, they'll be able to ride OTF at will. Should be interesting.


Name names!

http://www.arras.net/circulars/archives/McCarthy.jpg

Shouldn't be too hard to figure out. Both should have FTPs in the 330-350W range, I'd estimate. Ain't no other cat 4 going to catch them if they take off together.

Thanks everyone, especially Carlos.

OK, so we can reliably count on water at the feed zone from a neutral handup? Cool. The masters 50+ is 60 miles so two water bottles isn't going to get it done for me. Food/gels I can carry.

Is this summary correct? Anything to add?

1. Make sure you're rested for the hill as it will be a sprint.

2. Don't get dropped in town or on the downhill.

3. ?

It sounds like people attack like mad in town to get a gap then form groups for the long haul out and back from town, correct?

If I go down and pre-ride on Friday, sounds like I should check out the downtown portion and the hill. Anything else worthy or reconnaissance?

Neutral hand up? NO

YOU arrange the handup - IF there is one.

Why only two bottles? Can't get one in your pocket?

If you've got the time, drive the whole course.

I'm thinking this map I posted is not current? That's what's on the webpage tho.

http://web.me.com/iccc_stl/Hillsboro/Race_Map.html

John, You are saying no neutral hand-ups are available? This is not what Carlos said.


There'll probably be some neutral volunteers handing out water on the feed hill. Grab some if you need it. Otherwise, try to arrange with some team members who have SOs there to give hand ups to you as well.

Depending upon how hot it is, 4 bottles may not be enough (for me), with the third pocket for food. Plus, I'd rather not drag around two pocket bottles if I don't have to.

Sure I can drive the whole course, I was talking riding the specific sections of high interest, like downtown and the hill.

Well, if they've got volunteers handing up water bottles to racers, that's a new one on me.

Bottles? Who's bottles? "Cups of water?" At speed? Do they know what they're doing? :rolleyes:

It's only 60 miles.

3 bottles, a bunch of Gu, maybe a banana if you really need it.

+1

You might be so busy that you don't have time to feed.

What ev .... I'm not riding. :p

There'll probably be some neutral volunteers handing out water on the feed hill. Grab some if you need it. Otherwise, try to arrange with some team members who have SOs there to give hand ups to you as well.


OK, so we can reliably count on water at the feed zone from a neutral handup? Cool.

"Probably" =/= "reliably count on"



What ev .... I'm not riding. :p
Ditto that.

Christ - i can't stand it anymore....

Tim - there is NO ONE PROVIDED that will hand you anything. If there are - as Carlos mentioned "neutral handups" - they are from companies promoting products. You want a freee protein drink you've never had before?

No one is going to take care of your shiz for you. It's a race - not a ride. It's 60 miles. 3 bottles and gels - that's it.

They typically don't even allow the lower cats to officially use the feed zone. Mainly because they don't know how to take hand-ups at speed without decimating the entire field. Seeing as how you are riding in the 50+ race with some of the best racers in this part of the country I think you'll have plenty of time to stop and pick up a bottle if you leave it by the side of the road.

At no point should you kid yourself about this race. Having a strategy is worthless. You stand absolutely no chance of hanging with the guys that are going to win your field. If you are with them then you need to realize it's because they are letting you be there. These guys have have competed, medaled, and/or won national championships and are basically cat 1 racers who would rather ride against people their age.

Don't waste your time worrying about your fluid, or nutritional uptake - take what you can fit in your pockets - and then when you get done shake your head over the fact that you never even had a chance to take your hands off the bars until you got dropped.

You probably could have done well in the cat 5 race. Too bad - you could have used a brick on your mantle I am sure. Now that you're doing the old guy race - it's really not worth over-thinking. Just enjoy the ride.

OK, Thanks for the clarification Psimet. I'm on my own for food/drinks. I can do it, just would have preferred not to.

Because I ask strategy questions doesn't mean I think I have a chance of winning. I saw the winning speeds last year and laughed (23+mph for nearly 60 miles in heavy wind). Yikes! But, since winning is out, I still want to do the best I can and that means trying to educate myself as much as possible so that I am as prepared as I can be before it becomes time to pedal. If I get ridden into the ground but have given it my all, I can hold me head up. If I make stupid mental errors that get me dropped (or cause me to crash) I'm not nearly so satisfied with my performance. That's it, just want to do the best I can. I seriously don't have a chance of being anywhere near the front and I know it, just hoping I can hang on for the whole race and not get pulled.

Wayne Simon isn't that strong.

They don't pull people in a 60 mile road race. You only pass the officials twice and once is the end.

Worrying about a handup is the LAST thing you should be worried about in any form. I mention you getting dropped for the reason that even if you ride the best race you can - as you mention - you will be dropped. Then once you're dropped just stop and grab a bottle if you need one. This isn't a century or a fun ride where your finishing time matters at all. It's a race. If you don't finish in the top 3 then no one care except yourself and no one gives a crap about time. Once you're off the back you can quit and no one will care - so stopping to pick up a water bottle you left by the side of the road is something you will have plenty of time to do.

I only know this from experience. I will once again be dropped this year - most likely near or right after the feed zone on the end of the first lap. Last year MJH2 cramped up completely and fell over on the hill. I laughed at him only to suffer the same fate later. We both could have walked up the hill and it wouldn't have mattered. If anything I may have given up 1 or 2 places due to stupid mistakes. So I guess I should have been 60th or 61st or something like that....meh. I can sleep at night.

Christ - i can't stand it anymore....

Tim - there is NO ONE PROVIDED that will hand you anything. If there are - as Carlos mentioned "neutral handups" - they are from companies promoting products. You want a freee protein drink you've never had before?

No one is going to take care of your shiz for you. It's a race - not a ride. It's 60 miles. 3 bottles and gels - that's it.

They typically don't even allow the lower cats to officially use the feed zone. Mainly because they don't know how to take hand-ups at speed without decimating the entire field. Seeing as how you are riding in the 50+ race with some of the best racers in this part of the country I think you'll have plenty of time to stop and pick up a bottle if you leave it by the side of the road.

At no point should you kid yourself about this race. Having a strategy is worthless. You stand absolutely no chance of hanging with the guys that are going to win your field. If you are with them then you need to realize it's because they are letting you be there. These guys have have competed, medaled, and/or won national championships and are basically cat 1 racers who would rather ride against people their age.

Don't waste your time worrying about your fluid, or nutritional uptake - take what you can fit in your pockets - and then when you get done shake your head over the fact that you never even had a chance to take your hands off the bars until you got dropped.

You probably could have done well in the cat 5 race. Too bad - you could have used a brick on your mantle I am sure. Now that you're doing the old guy race - it's really not worth over-thinking. Just enjoy the ride.

+1
As a 5 you stand no chance.
And neutral feed zone means no attacking. If you're still with the field they'll be going hard through the feed zone, especially on the first lap.

+1
As a 5 you stand no chance.
And neutral feed zone means no attacking. If you're still with the field they'll be going hard through the feed zone, especially on the first lap.

He's a 5 but he has some long term power....but racing in the 50+ is going to be a joke.

+1 on them cranking through the feed. I had reconnected to the 4's field in the feed zone and they just dialed it up like crazy. It's not attacking.....because they all did it... ;)

They dropped anyone stupid enough to try to get a bottle. Seriously.

Wayne Simon isn't that strong.

+1 - Tim you should try to ride with him and the boys on Tuesday. They are in the green Verdigris kits going the opposite direction as our group. It should give you a good idea of what's in store for you this weekend. They're a nice crew too so they'll wait up for you if they drop you.

I've ridden this race many times and have always been frustrated. All your expectations are worthless. You will get dropped and you'll probably get dropped far, far sooner than you ever imagined, say within the first 3 miles.

Best thing to do is think of it as a race-paced training ride that you will do solo. If you're lucky you may hook up with a few guys out on the course and ride together, taking turns in the wind.

When registering race morning, check and see if there's any spots in the 5s and switch groups if possible. The 50+ will be one of the hardest cats of the day: if you haven't trained 15 hours a week for the last 10 years, you don't stand a chance.

Thanks for all the help. Sorry for all the newb questions but ... I'm a newb.

Reading this thread and recalling the pain from last year, I do not regret my decision to skip this one. At all.

You guys have fun out there.

I'll be up in Madison racing the crits on Sunday. 3 races for $26, a shorter drive, and a much lower chance of getting dropped... I love you Wisconsin crit organizers!

Reading this thread and recalling the pain from last year, I do not regret my decision to skip this one. At all.

You guys have fun out there.

I'll be up in Madison racing the crits on Sunday. 3 races for $26, a shorter drive, and a much lower chance of getting dropped... I love you Wisconsin crit organizers!

OOooooo...linky linky? Might be a nice "recovery" ride. ;)

http://www.gdvc.net/calendar.shtml

And looking at that flyer, I'll probably only do the 4 and masters 4/5. Still for $26. You'll never see a deal like that around here. It's like carlosflanders says, people in Chicago only think something is worth doing if it is expensive.

Helluva deal. Nice that they have a masters 3/4. Between that and the 4/5 and the 4 I can race 3 times. i still ove this too:


We don’t race in your toilet so please don’t pee on the course.

Helluva deal. Nice that they have a masters 3/4. Between that and the 4/5 and the 4 I can race 3 times. i still ove this too:

Yep. And $19 for one race, $26 for two, 3rd is free. Long live cheesehead organizers!

They've also put 4's and masters 4/5 back-to-back, which is way nicer than the hour delay that the Illinois Cup folks have instituted.

Hillsboro/Snake Alley: who cares. All that driving for nothing. No matter how long I live or how much I train I will never get a top 10 at Snake Alley, yet year after year I sign up for that stupid race.

I need the miles so I'll do Hillsboro but I haven't signed up for the Snake this year, don't know if I will. My bubble has been burst.

Yep. And $19 for one race, $26 for two, 3rd is free. Long live cheesehead organizers!

They've also put 4's and masters 4/5 back-to-back, which is way nicer than the hour delay that the Illinois Cup folks have instituted.

I noticed that on the price and totally agree on the no wait deal. If I cool down that much i just assume head home. I ended up with something like 2-3 hours on the trainer at blackhawk just trying to stay loose.


Hillsboro/Snake Alley: who cares. All that driving for nothing. No matter how long I live or how much I train I will never get a top 10 at Snake Alley, yet year after year I sign up for that stupid race.

I need the miles so I'll do Hillsboro but I haven't signed up for the Snake this year, don't know if I will. My bubble has been burst.

+1 on needing the miles. Hillsboro will be a long training ride with a lot of tempo at the beginning of it for me. I need the long miles and might as well have it be a race.


Snake alley though... meh. No thanks.

I was going to ask you how the recovery was coming but then I noticed you were behind me for most of the COUGAR series which just isn't like you - so I am guessing you're still hurting?

You know what, I am scared. The COUGAR races were my first back (not counting cross) since my broken wrist and I kept feeling like a crash was coming. 6 guys did go down in my first race. I would have had a pack finish but got stuck behind the wreckage.

It's going to take a few races to sharped my mental focus and try to wrestle with negative thoughts. Mental recovery from a crash is tough.

Physically I am behind form previous years. The home rehab and nasal surgery took a huge chunk out of my winter training. As you get older you see how fast your body looses it's fitness. I lost most of the season last year and now I find guys that i once easily passed are leaving me in the dust.

The feeling of not doing well in a race is frustrating. I don't put up huge watts so it's all about finesse for me: strong winds early in the season send me back to my car real fast. Got to fight to keep it in perspective. For me, after the crash, just lining up to race is a victory of sorts.

23 mph average? I don't think that's what's going to drop you. Put a piece of tape over your computer and just ride the wheel in front of you. Forget about numbers until you've regained consciousness when you're done. I ran across an old team mate while riding this noon. Sez he's raced that one before, claims to have won the masters one year. Sez the crux of the race is in town, bombing down the brick descent at 50mph. That's the masters race. Kewl! :D

Was good to ride a while with him again. We used to train together all the time, but timed passed by, I got run down by a truck and he had to have his nose re-attached after crashing during a crit. in (?) Athens, IL.

Good times. :)

http://www.gdvc.net/calendar.shtml

And looking at that flyer, I'll probably only do the 4 and masters 4/5. Still for $26. You'll never see a deal like that around here. It's like carlosflanders says, people in Chicago only think something is worth doing if it is expensive.
Link to updated 2010 flyer... http://www.wicycling.org/media/raceFlyers10/gdvc10.pdf

Sunday 4/11 and Sunday 4/18.

23 mph average? I don't think that's what's going to drop you. Put a piece of tape over your computer and just ride the wheel in front of you. Forget about numbers

:roflmao2::roflmao2::roflmao2::roflmao2::roflmao2::roflmao2::roflmao2::roflmao2::roflmao2:

This is a guy that posted a page report for a recovery ride!

lol. Guilty!

I'll be your support CC :innocent:

Sez the crux of the race is in town, bombing down the brick descent at 50mph. That's the masters race. Kewl! :D


:eek: Bombing down a perfectly smooth road at 50mph is already pretty fuggin scary... :twitchy: Some people obviously have no fear whatsoever.

If you want to WIN ...

Those guys are all 'Type A', very 'nervous' in general. Their minds are going 50 mph all the time.

I hadn't seen the guy in 5 years, I obviously wasn't riding much, yet he half wheeled me for 10 miles at 35 - 40kph.

:wtf:

Hey, John Wilke :)

I'm riding in the Women's 4....my first race. I figure I'll be off the back somewhere alone and you can get some good shots of me and we'll just pretend I was OTF. :D Maybe I'll get to meet you in person!

Hey, John Wilke :)

I'm riding in the Women's 4....my first race. I figure I'll be off the back somewhere alone and you can get some good shots of me and we'll just pretend I was OTF. :D Maybe I'll get to meet you in person!

Hey now... I trademarked that idea already during the Autobahn race from 2 weeks ago when I was spit out the back during the 4 race. :D

I'll be there. Somewhere. First lap probably between mile 4 and 5. After that prob. on the brick or near finish.

GOOD LUCK EVERYONE.

Hey now... I trademarked that idea already during the Autobahn race from 2 weeks ago when I was spit out the back during the 4 race. :D

We think alike. ha Didn't know you had told him that too. ha Perhaps, he's heard that a lot.

Holy Cheese Whiz. Back in Cheese Land where all is right with the world again and it's cold (57F!).

Anyone got the top 3 of Cat 4? My copy is blurry, can't read it.

LOL

Hey John, did you happen to catch me OTF in masters 50+ (with a Mack rider). I was wearing an alien jersey.

C'mon man, I just got home! Gotta make deadline first. You can look for yourself on Monday like all the other studs. Unless, of course, you've got the top 3 in Cat 4, then we can make an exception. :)