Tuesday Night Worlds
Great news this morning. I've been invited to race in the Tuesday World Championship series.
Getting invited to compete in any world championship competition is a huge honor. And this one is an honor I frankly didn't expect. After all my racing career is only just beginning, what with the Ouachita Challenge coming up at the end of the month and all. The selection committee obviously has seen beyond my lack of experience and realized I have what it takes to compete at this level.
As I said, I had not expected this. With further thought, however, I've realized I do after all have the qualifications to compete at this level. I have a bicycle, a helmet and a license. I ride occasionally. Some would even call it training.
Not least important among my qualifications: I had the $20 registration fee.
Welcome to the Tuesday Night Worlds. The series starts next week with the A-race only. In a couple of weeks the longer days will permit the addition of a B-race and a C-race.
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Pumped eh?
That soon, sheesh, with this cold weather it still seems like January. I missed the meeting last night. Had a killer headache. So are you ready to do battle in the mighty B races?
coming up soon
it does seem like the season has come up on us quickly this year. I like that. Last year at this time I was struggling with my back problems and wondering if I would have to ultimately give up cycling because of it.
Having come through that - or the worst of it, hopefully - it feels like winter blew through here at pro peleton speed.
I'm glad of it.
B-races? Someone told me last night I should earn my stripes in the C-races first. I'm not sure I'll wait for them to start. Plus, doesn't C stand for "carnage"?
More Carnage in B
In general, there is more carnage in the B race because the field is so large. Last year the average number of racers in the B must have been 80 with some nights over 100. I crashed on the very first race on the last lap. It kind of tainted the season for me. I was not nearly as aggressive as I was the year before when the fields were smaller. But there has been a lot of upgrades so perhaps it will not be quite as bad.
so, you really are going?
I thought you were kidding...but it sounds like you are really going to do some of these? Great! You may want to do some drills with some riding partners you trust to practice riding close, and possibly even bumping.
I feel that if more riders were less *uncomfortable* when in tight quarters and during the occasional contact, they would be much less likely to get hurt. In criteriums, it is a certainty that contact will occur sooner or later...so be prepared.
These will be some GREAT training rides/races for you!
I used to practice sprints and contact situations with Mertens...Man, he is great for that! I would pretty much bounce off that guy....all BS aside, he has some real "presence" in a tactical situation.
Good idea
I would be up for this kind of practice. But actually, Tuesday nights were supposed to be for the purpose of practice. But last year, they were given USCF points so that tends to make them a bit more than just training.
I don't mind the bumping
I don't suppose I'd mind the bumping so much as the falling down and losing skin. Oh, and bike parts.
Skin grows back and scars are cool. Waiting for it to heal is not much fun, but as long as I can train through it.
Replacing broken bike parts gets expensive.
Points? Who needs 'em?
How to practice...
In a grassy field. You start out slow and learn the dynamics of shoulder checking, and why you don't want to use elbows. Once you figure out the basics, then move to the pavement and work on cornering progressively harder and closer.
It is probably flawed logic to think that a person can avoid ever crashing in races, but you can sure make yourself more comfortable in pressure situations, so that you can make better choices when the brown stuff hits the fan.
Knowing how to avoid a crash, when to push through, when to back off, when to hit the brakes, and when to push back. This stuff takes a lifetime to figure out probably.
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