dz_nuzz

I think you might hear crickets on that one for the next week or so.

YMCA

Too bad about the Jamestown Classic. I was headed up that weekend from FL to do the GRR ride in Mass with my wife on that Sunday and then race on Monday. A 19 mile non-sanctioned "race" with age groups seems weird. Probably not worth the travel???

On another note, I won a road race this past March, where I pee'd off the bike 7x during race. Felt horrible in stomach that morn and forced huge fluids through beforehand. No big.

Flatballer

Anyone racing or watching the Bucks County Classic? Doylestown, PA. Looks like it used to be a big deal UCI road race but now there's just a crit left.

Pro men and women, plus a Men's 2/3 race. I might try to head out there with the family and catch some action. We'll see.

gsteinb

was it actually canceled? I was waiting for the USCF fields to pop up. That would suck...I was planning on going this year.

YMCA

the Jamestown website is only listing non-sanctioned 19 mile races, shovelhd says something about pissing in public, which is basically just an excuse for lack of support or funds typically in my experience

SysteX

From an email flyer about the Jamestown Classic sent out earlier today...

"No, it’s not a USCF sanctioned race this year, but a Gran Fondo event for women and men, girls and boys in different age categories with one mass start. The course will change, beginning and ending at Ft. Getty, but the beauty of riding around the island of Jamestown never changes. Why did this occur? It was not the call of our Rotary club, but the unfortunate result of small town “politics.” Last year a scant number of businesses complained about the inconvenience they perceived the event caused, thereby capturing the ears of town officials, who then publicly portrayed a negative picture of our race. As happens in these cases, gross exaggeration took over, and things swelled out of proportion. So as not to let a wonderful tradition turn sour, we made these changes in order to perpetuate a much-loved Columbus Day tradition and the good work our Rotary club is able to do in this community thanks in great part to this race and your participation."

hubcyclist

I think Jamestown gets its fair number of visitors given its proximity to Newport, but I don't understand why these small towns, especially the businesses in them, wouldn't love events like this which bring in people who normally wouldn't stop in. I think it's silly that, on a holiday of all days, that people would feel that inconvenienced by the influx of people. Anyhow, Jamestown is charming, but not enough that I'll go out of my way to visit.

Matt2.8NJ

My team is the hometown team (Doylestown) and I'll be racing the 2/3. It's a tough race. But the arts festival and the bars make the day fun. My team will be set up at the start of the main straight with kegs from our sponsor. I hope to get shelled in the first 45 minutes and get a start drinking before heading home to watch Giants/Cowboys later in the afternoon

Matt2.8NJ

Folks that have done the Mayor's cup in Boston - I'm considering bringing the fam up for the weekend from NJ to do touristy stuff along with the Cat 2/3 race (Boston Children's Museum, etc).

In terms of race logistics, how is it for spectators? I'm trying to figure out if it makes sense to send the wife and kids on to the museum.

Is the race typically selective because of the course? I took a walk-thru on Google Maps, and the corners look mostly benign.

Any color on the event would be appreciated

hubcyclist

Well I work in the middle of the race course, so I'm familiar with it from a spectators point of view. There definitely shouldn't be any issue from a spectators point of view, plenty of places to stand and have a good view of the road, particularly at the start/finish point on Congress St (there's even an elevated viewing area, if you're on street view and see a wall that says garden of hope, the top of that wall is a standing area there). Should be good

mike868y

it's a fun course but definitely not selective.

gsteinb

I had boston down, but given the 10am start I'm beginning to think I'll be hanging in the mountains doing something else that day.

dz_nuzz

In some ways Mayor's cup is just a souped up version of Wells

Spectator access is pretty good in that area. You can view the course from almost anywhere and there are steps right near the finishing line that let you get some elevation.

Another little known watching spot is the Parking structure on Sudbury street. You can get a clear view of the finishing straight. Though it is a bit of a distance so don't expect it to be up-close.

FFJ

CRCA is bringing back a late November "Turkey Race" in Central Park this year. Date is November 13. Start time is 7:30AM... a lot later than the CP races during the regular racing season. Entry fee is also super low at $25 for early pre-reg.

Y'all should all sign up stat!

bikereg.com/crca-turkey-race-pb-lucarelli--castaldi0

shovelhd

The Mayors Cup is an excellent course for spectators. It is barricaded all the way around with marshaled course crossings so you can walk the whole course if you want. The finish stretch has a grandstand and a beer garden. If you like crashes most of them happen in turn three and are pretty benign.

hubcyclist

Got an email from Jamestown Rotary Club to sign up for the fondo. I want to reply that I don't want to pay $40 and drive 2hrs to do a measly 19mile ride. But really I'm sure this isn't what they wanted either, so no use taking it out on them

dz_nuzz

Yeah I saw that. It is a shame since I really liked that race I am not certain if a low turn out means that the race will simply cease or if it will prompt them to turn it back into a race again. But yeah, a 19 mile Gran Fondo for $40 is just not my idea of a good deal.

DieterDrake

Everyone's doing it these days...

People think I'm crazy, but this will define 'road' racing in the near future; individual categorized racing is going away on open roads. Costs and liability are way too high now.

gsteinb

While I appreciate that 'everyone is doing it' supports how you see things and want things to be, the reality is I raced every weekend since there was snow on the ground with options almost every weekend day. I also had up to five different weekday options with in 60 miles of my house. So less racing? Yep, sure is. Some races are going away. All of it being replaced by gran fondos?

dz_nuzz

Not certain I get the (literal) picture here.

EDIT: Now I get it! (The sky is falling)

Some road races have gone away, some new races have sprouted up. And as long as people still love road racing there will probably still be those willing to sacrifice for it.

DieterDrake

Sorry if you took that the wrong way, Gary, or perhaps misunderstood me. Traditional open road racing is most certainly and undeniably going away. That's true everywhere and not just the NE. Crits will eventually be the only option for single category racing. New recruitment into the sport is not happening and the math just suggests that it'll not be worth it for organizers to host an event for less than 100 people on the road or fields less than 40 or 50... insurance, police, and officials costs will eat that up. It sucks, but it's true.

gsteinb

Track racing was once the single most popular spectator sport in this country. It largely went away. People kept pedaling and racing. That one sort of event is replaced by some increased popularity in some other sort of event is the normal ebb and flow of life. Road racing, at the least the narrow swath of "open road races" are decreasing. Cross and mountain biking are on an uptick. People kept pedaling circles and racing these things called bicycles. I really can't get too exercised <pun> about any of this. I don't generally do RRs because they don't interest me or fit into my life, so I'm indeed part of the reason why they're going away.

DieterDrake

Yeah, you're exactly right.

To answer your question about gran fondos... I think the answer is yes, but it's also yes to cyclocross, gravel grinders, the local 5K running event, tri, etcetera. Just compare the bikereg calendar from 2016 to 2011 for example. There are far more options for people to choose from now and people are choosing easier options.

gsteinb

looks like CDR's buddy went back to bumblebee from hulk.

shovelhd

I respectably disagree with you. It will get harder to pull off. It will get more expensive. However the price/value inflection point hasn't been reached, at least for the race I'm involved with. If you have a great course, and work tirelessly to make your race the best that it can be, racers will support you.