In hindsight it might have been cruel scheduling a power points race as one of our longest races of the season, but cycling is pain and so it goes…
This weekend’s club race p/b Accelerade and 2nd Surge consists of A and B fields doing 8 and 7 laps respectively with points awarded each time across the Cat’s Paw start/finish and at the top of Harlem Hill on each lap except the first. The C field will be a scratch race finish after 6 laps. The Women’s clinic will be taking place on the course as well, so again riders, please ensure you give extra courtesy and extra care if you pass that field. (And B field, if you get caught by the women again, neutralize and let those faster riders through…and the chase if need be). Also, it needs to be clear that no racers should pass their field’s moto. There was some confusion on this point last week.
At our last race we had more crashes than we should, conditions not withstanding, with season ending injuries resulting. We may not have the wet conditions this week that we had last week, but we will have bigger fields. Please don’t race above your skill capabilities- it’s a club race and not worth putting yourself or others in more danger. Race hard, have fun, but please make sure that you and those you race with can ride home at the end of the race.
A couple of particular things I feel the need to call out:
– Jogger’s lane violation. Any rider identified as riding in the joggers lane for any reason is going to be DQ’d and suspended. If you are on the line, you are over the line. Treat the line as a curb and give it plenty of space. Passing up the inside is dangerous. We will have marshals stationed on Harlem Hill during the race who will take down numbers or team uniforms of any rider identified as heading in to the joggers lane. Board members in the field have the authority to report dangerous riding or joggers lane violations and members will be DQ’d and suspended.
– After the race – clear the roadway and the jogger’s lane. Its the biggest complaint to Park’s Department gets about our races. Lets not give people excuses to complain.
– After the race – do not ride on any paths in park. We have received numerous complaints about riders riding on the path that heads east from the top of Cat’s Paw Hill. Please don’t….
– Marshals are not arriving early enough and not all marshals are arriving with the ability to travel across the other side of the park to get to their post. If you are appointing a sub, make sure they know what is required of them. Failure to meet the requirements may prevent you from getting marshal credit.
– And finally; a reminder that fields may fill up. Our races this week start at 5:45. We will have registration open at 5am. Come early to guarantee your spot in the race. If you get shut out of the race or arrive too late, you are not permitted to race. Joining a race without registering is against USAC rules and exposes the club to additional liability.
Regards
Rod