Might Crit. Questions.
Thinking of maybe possibly doing something I said I would never do.
Athens Twilight Criterium is having amateur races in the morning to qualify for a champ race in the evening before the pro's hit it.
One Day license, for me, I'm sure. Masters 35+? What does it mean when it says the qualifier is 40min? Most mileage covered? Goal would be to just finish. But, position myself in the front to stay out of trouble? I've seen riders get lapped at these things. If I get dropped, do I just recover until the group comes back around and then try to hang on again?
offer anything you got!
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Comments
The 40 minutes refers to the race duration in that you ride the course for 40 minutes (doing however many laps the riders do) and maybe one or 2 more laps to the finish once the time is called. They usually then signal the bell (last) lap and then it is Z5 to Z17 time. Sometimes the pace is really fast and sometimes it is slow for a while and thus the number of completed laps isn't the determinant. You'll see people try to jump off the front at various times during the race in a breakaway. Sometimes it is for real, trying to make it stick til the end. Sometimes a team will have folks in the race and do things like send a rider up ahead in a break to try and slow it down or be up there to help another rider who bridges up, etc. Pretty much what you see in pro races, except that many of the folks are not that strong and skilled.
I don't know what the drop policy will be but unless they pull lapped riders you can hop back in. Most of all have fun.Be very careful in that race. People won't hold their lines, especially in the corners. Watcxh for folks that are unstable in the early laps and then STAY THE HELL AWAY from them if you can. Folks will grab a drink in the middle of the pack - and STOP pedaling - WTF!!! If there's a hill learn the pack's behavior and adapt to your comfort level. Remember that the group will have some huge momentum that can carry you along if you shelter yourself. Riding on the edges will work you harder just like being on the front. You'll probably see riders getting up and doing a little sprint out of the corners and that will drop folks. No tri bikes or aerobars allowed.
I'm not interested in testing my crash replacement policy with my Cervelo, but I am interested in having some racing fun. A local group around here behaves, on a smaller scale, like the unpredictables that you describe. That experience could come in handy. I realize that the only way I'll get the truth is to sign up and do it. Nothing will truly prepare me for that first one.
Just gotta decide if I want to risk breaking the carbon or the clavicle.
This could be fun. Only have a big century and a couple of oly tri's on the docket this year.
I say go for it, but having already broken a clavicle and both my left and right radii (?) I don't recommend crashing. Also, remember that on a scale from 1 to 5 (5 being the best), riding skill is inversely proportional to the category number - and everyone is nervous and trying to go fast. Is it really early in the season, too? That's even better... What could possibly go wrong?
Does your wife know all your email and online passwords? What about your online banking account? I'm sure you'll be fine.