Hey,
What would you say is the bike equivalent to the Boston Marathon? Is there any bike race that requires specific time / performance to classify for and can used as an indicator of great vs average bike races?
Ziv
It’s a different dynamic but in cycling races you’re not racing by age group but by categories (from 5-Beginner to 1-Domestic pro level) so racing the big cat 1-2 races in the US would be kind of an equivalent as you need to qualify. Since switching to triathlon I really wish there was a similar category system; it was motivating to chase the upgrade points.
It’s probably about the equivalent of a Cat 3 upgrade in USAC for a young and healthy cyclist. Possible for almost anyone but still requires good general fitness and specific training and commitment.
FWIW USAC give a upgrade to 4 after just doing a few races, then the rest are points based. The rub is that most local races are split as 1/2/3, 3/4, 4/5. So the upgrade to 3 is pretty easy, racing equal riders. Moving to 2 and 1 is much more difficult since you need to be beating Cat 1s just to get points, or finding the rare cat 2 only race.
Maybe a Gran Fondo. Gran Fondo nationals, or something similar?
Bike racing is way different that running races as bike racing is competition only (and requires results to move into better competitions/higher cateogires), versus running in which most are just participating.
Gran Fondo is a solid mix of both, though, in which you can ride to just complete, or race at the front for some solid competition (usually with some Cat 1-3s thrown in the mix).