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Hawthorn CYCLING CLUB
An Introduction to Road Racing and the
Northern Combine Series
4 April 2015
Introduction and Objectives
The topics and format of today are:
• an overview of road racing, covering:
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types of races (handicaps, scratch races, ITT, TTT),
the various series (NRS, VRS / Open, NC, Club Champs),
grading,
field sizes,
distances etc;
a discussion on road racing strategies, tactics, techniques, rules and
safety;
familiarisation with the South Gisborne course.
The objective is to provide foundation information about road racing, so that
members who are new to road racing are aware of the fundamentals and it’s more
enjoyable.
Hawthorn Cycling Club
Road racing – overview of event types
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Scratch races
Handicaps
Time trials
– Individual
– Team
Hawthorn Cycling Club
Road racing series on offer
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Northern Combine (Brunswick, Coburg, Hawthorn, Italo, Melb Uni,
Preston, St Kilda, Sunbury
Victorian Road Series (VRS) open to all CA affiliated riders
Southern (and E, W, N) Masters
Hawthorn CC club championship
National Road Series (NRS)
Other (non-Northern Combine) clubs
Hawthorn Cycling Club
Grading
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Ability-based (A, B, C, etc.)
Age based
– Junior, Elite or Masters
– Occasionally more granular - Junior and Masters sub-categories
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Grading (continued)
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Northern Combine running:
– Junior (U13-17) – selected events
– Womens – (depending on numbers?)
– Mens – A to E grades
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Also an aged-base series
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Rounds 1, 7, 14 and 16
Men U19/Elite, Masters 123 and 456
Women Elite, Masters 123 and 456
Series points for top 10 finishes
Hawthorn Cycling Club
Northern Combine racing basics
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Field sizes – 30-40 for Men’s
Racing is predominantly on open roads
Courses north of Melb (up Calder Hwy)
Need (motor vehicle) transport
Online pre-entry (volunteer priority)
Start times usually 10am Saturday
Race distances – 40-80km depending on grade and event
Hawthorn Cycling Club
Discussion on strategies, tactics and techniques
Strategies, tactics and techniques:
• Time trials (the race of truth):
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– pacing is key, ride at an even level of effort that you can sustain for the distance;
– On an undulating course most riders will naturally go harder up hills than down hill –
this is OK.
Team Time Trials:
– As above, here pacing is what the team can sustain – try and get an evenly matched
team;
– It’s important to practice riding together and swapping turns to ensure efficient, safe
and smooth riding.
– Be aware of the wind direction as this will impact the way you swap turns; the rider
swapping off goes down windward side.
Handicaps:
– Unless you are far stronger than those in your group, treat it as a team time trial until
very close to the end;
– The key technique in handicaps is rolling turns – this needs to be practised;
– Be aware of the wind direction as this will impact the way you roll turns, the slow line
is on the windward side.
– Know the decisive point on the course – often a hill at or towards the end of the race;
– If a faster group comes by, latch on then rest if the group is big enough;
– Working together is generally the only way you will catch those in front and stay
ahead of those behind.
Hawthorn Cycling Club
Discussion on strategies, tactics and techniques (cont.)
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Scratch races:
– Conserve your energy, very often the winner is a rider who appears for the first time just
before the end;
– Be towards the front but not on the front of the peloton, particularly at the start of hills;
– If practical, be on the outside going up hills, it will enable you to follow breaks;
– Most bunches put the hammer down at the beginning of hills and then the pace tapers
off;
– Be aware of where you are in the peloton and how this can change quickly;
– Be prepared to chase decisive breaks (learn how to detect these), but don’t do all the
work;
– Talk to others who have done the race before or raced at the course before – often there
is a particular ‘style’ to the race;
– Scratch races tend to be far more punchy than handicaps and time trials;
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The type of effort for TT & handicap and Scratch races differ enormously –
on one measure of variability:
– ITT - 3%
– Scratch race – 40% (45% of the race time was spent in the recovery zone)
See http://cyclingtips.com.au/2009/02/rolling-turns-pacelining-echeloning/ fro a description of
the various group riding techniques (rolling
turns,
turns etc)
Hawthorn
Cyclingswapping
Club
Discussion on rules and safety
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Rules, the key ones are:
– Keep left of the white line, you have half the road. You will get DQ’ed for crossing
double lines;
– Obey Commissaires, corner and other marshals instructions;
– Keep your line when sprinting;
– No physical contact between riders;
– Ensure your numbers are visible (you will get fined and / or DQ’ed);
– No use of iPods, phones etc;
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Safety (all in common with bunch riding):
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Don’t overlap wheels;
Avoid sudden braking;
Position yourself so you have an ‘escape route’
Point and call out hazards;
Keep your line;
Don’t chop wheels;
Be aware;
Hawthorn Cycling Club