It has just dawned on me that the race reports I write for York Vision will make little sense to anyone not familiar with cycling as a competitive sport. So I have decided to add a little background information in this blog entry. The races you will occasionally see where Mark Cavendish claims yet another sprint victory is not too far from the reality of local races on your doorstep; minus the sponsors, team buses, crowds and safety of closed roads!
Here the majority of road racing is on open roads with a car flashing hazards to warn drivers of the oncoming bunch of 80 cyclists spread across the road; some would say it adds a little “excitement” to the sport. Others would say it is pure stupidity that country roads cannot be diverted if only to improve safety and encourage racing.
Either way, it is how it is and danger is the top of the special features list in road racing. Crashes are inevitable and often quite spectacular. Poor road conditions, nerves, adrenalin and normally a peloton of forty to a hundred cyclists within a very tight space, challenges riders to successfully manoeuvre turns, bends and “road furniture”.
Road cycling can be as much about bike handling as mountain biking; albeit slightly different skills. It gets quite sketchy in there as wheels and handlebars touch and people don’t follow the golden rules such as “holding wheels” and “shouting potholes”.
These simple but effective rules are taught as a cyclist progresses through the vital stages of racing and learns to ride in a bunch through local club runs and Saturday morning café racing, where a nice steady ride ends in a bunch sprint to the café normally for a toasted tea-cake and an espresso.
As for the rules of racing themselves, a commissaire (special cycling referee) is present to ensure riders play by the rules, which are somewhat openly interpreted; it is very rare in local races for riders to be penalised.
Depending on the course, a breakaway may form (in longer or hilly courses) or the race may end in a bunch sprint (normally on flatter, shorter courses). Riders are categorised by the number of points they have achieved each season which can be earned by being placed.
Earning an elite or first category license is extremely challenging and cyclists are normally professional or semi-professional; second, third and finally fourth category riders tend to race at weekends and on evenings but don’t underestimate their talent or indeed speed!
Races may allow fourth category riders only or a mixture of all categories or just the top few such as national level races. Average speeds often lie between 23 and 30 miles per hour depending on the course and length; which can be up to 120 miles.
Road racing on the continent is big; over the duration of the Tour de France, the cycling equivalent of the World Cup final, there will be 12 to 15 million roadside spectators! Even road racing here in Yorkshire is growing; the National Criterium championships and National Road Race Championships this year are being held in Otley and Ampleforth.
Cycling is a great spectator sport and if road racing interests you, why not come support the team? Alternatively you can always tune into ITV4 on a Wednesday and Friday evening to catch the excitement of the Halfords Tour Series, where a selection of the top domestic road teams battle it out in a short and extremely fast race around various town centres.
Great article Jess! x