After reading several of the recent posts regarding the number of people on loop bike courses, do RD’s actually give a rats ass about drafting or the safety of riders? Major races that used to draw top talent are becoming CF’s. Races like St. Anthony’s, many IMNA events, the Philadelphia tri could be a CF in the making and even smaller regional races that are going to loop courses are becoming dangerously congested.
I’m an above avg bike handler but have been at races where I needed every bit of skill I possess. I’ve taken turns that appear clean but 2/3’s of the way in get clogged b/c I’m coming through a downhill 90 degree turn at 33mph while someone else is riding the brakes at 13mph.
How can you have a 20k loop course for 1200 and not have drafting? How many cyclists can one have before there is a major collision leading to severe injury or death? How many people have crashed due to someone else’s erratic bike handling?
I know that major city tri’s cost money to put on, but at what point do we say enough?
If USAT really has safety as a top priority when will it grow some balls and tell RD’s that you can only have X number of cyclists per loop. What is that magical number?
Not sure what I “CF” is, but I know what you are talking about.
I am no fan of the multi-loop courses for any distance race, but this is what seems to be happening more and more. I see the reasoning from the RD side - it makes race-day logistics, road closures, municipal sanctioning, aid station allotment/set-up and other things a lot easier. However, from a racer’s perspective, I really don’t like them. When you get into the second lap on the bike or run, suddenly you have no idea of what place you are in. I know, not a big deal with many, but I would hate to miss out on an age-group win/place or an IM qualifying spot because the guy I needed to beat, finished completely unbeknownst to me 10 seconds ahead of me or slipped by me on the course and I had no idea. I like to know where I stand and on a multi-loop course, it’s very hard to tell that.
On the bike handling front, I agree. I say this with respect, but the bike handling skills of your typical triathlete are . . terrible. It’s further complicated by people riding on aero-bars and weaving ALL OVER the road with out learning the basics of bike handling and reaching behind the saddle for water bottles and weaving ALL OVER the road. And as for cornering, well, I am not even going to go there. That’s a disaster waiting to happen in many races. What’s with all the braking? No wonder there are so many questions about brake pads on the forum!! Not to brag, but I have done entire IM races and barely touched my brakes!
this happened a few times at IM BRazil…
with only a bit more than 1000 entrants but roads divided in 4 (two outside parts for cars) middle of the road for bikers going up and down…some people crashed in other riders, others in the cones on the road.
As much as I enjoy the Ottawa triathlon, the bike course is a disaster waiting to happen. A 15 km loop with a try-a-tri, sprint, 1/2 and as of this year, IM length all going on at the same time. Lots of drafting and a wide range of rider speeds and experience. I enoy it because it feels like a road race, but the bike course needs to be lengthened for safety reasons.
“What’s with all the braking? No wonder there are so many questions about brake pads on the forum!!”
LOL, brakes are for entering the transition area or “ohhh shit” situations in tri’s and du’s. The 180 turnarounds I guess are an acceptable place to feather the brakes as well.
I did the relay leg at big triathlon a few years ago. The relay wave merged mid to back-of-the-pack with the rest of this multi-wave 1200 person race. I have never been in this part of a race field before and it was a bit of an eye-opener for me. Here’s what I saw:
Many people weaving all over the place who clearly had no idea how to ride with aero bars
Same story with behind the seat bottles - people weaving radically all over the road to get at their water
Also numerous bottle being ejected on bumps on the course from behind the saddle bottle holders
So many centre line violations I gave up counting after 5K on a 30 K ride
Many who did not understand the phrase “On your left”
Many braking radically and erratically going into corners
People walking their bikes up hills in the middle of the road
Probably the best thing to do would be to write a letter of complaint to the RD and cc your federation(USAT). The other thing to do is not do the race. Vote with your feet and pick races with small fields and/or safe courses. I quit doing a local sprint race in the seattle area after they put up a course that seems way too dangerous. Every year, the paramedics seem to haul somebody off the bike course. This is a sprint race with 1000 people on city streets.
several issues at hand. i think USAT does a lot of great things but whose really watching the store any longer? 1200 on a 20K loop in an urban area automatically says RED FLAG. or at least it should to anyone reviewing a sanctioning packet. i seriously doubt however by the nunmber of sanctioned events doing this that anyone gives a rip.
there is no magic number in terms of riders per set distance per loop. it used to be called common sense.
just as importantly though, that kind of scenario should be a flag to anyone considering the event. USAT can’t do it all and should not be expected to. good races need participant numbers to hold them up. races that are not worth the money or are a mess need to be ignored. if we don’t apply our own common sense to race choices…who will?
major races in major urban areas are simply logistical nightmares.