I am doing my first outdoor Time Trial in a couple of weeks. Are there any rules that I need to be aware of? Any advice? Its a ten miler in IL. Do I need to wear a jersey with sleeves? I have a Kestrel Talon so I assume its a legal bike.
Thanks!
Ed
USCF rules specify that you wear a jersey that covers the shoulders.
You should plan on getting there quite early, to give yourself time to register, get your number pinned on correctly (make sure you know where it should go and the orientation of the number), and warm up sufficiently (like 45 minutes to an hour, including 5-10 minutes of race pace effort). Use a wind trainer if you have one, instead of riding around. Drink water. Remove water bottle cage from bike (you don’t need to drink for a 10 mile TT). Know what time you start, and plan on getting in line around 3-5 minutes prior to your start time. Put your bike in the appropriate gear before getting in line: try 53-19. I’ve seen people with too big a gear ride off the road trying to start. At the start line, someone will stand behind you (straddling your rear wheel) and keep you vertical by holding onto your saddle (yuck: they usually wear gloves). Reset your computer. You stay relaxed, clip your shoes in, grab your hoods/brake extensions, put the comfortable foot forward. At about :05, stand up in a casual movement. At :01, prepare to pedal and then go. Holder will just let go. Get up to speed, but DO NOT GO ALL OUT, or you will blow up. Shift up if you can, or get onto your aerobars and shift into your cruising gear. Go “easy” for a minute or two, then bring it to TT speed. Hammer your brains out. If there is a turnaround, make sure you come in wide (off your aerobars!), and brake through the turn, and come out wide. If you can sprint the last bit of the TT, you went too slowly. Cool down a lot.
Check the flyer for the sanctioning organization.
USCF rules are at http://www.usacycling.org/rulebooks/2004_uscf_rulebook.pdf
ACA rules are at http://www.americancycling.org/info/documents/documents.htm
Ken
Thanks for all the info!
Ed
If you can sprint the last bit of the TT, you went too slowly.
Also, if after crossing the line at the finish, if you do not feel like you are about to (or already have) tossed your lunch - or whatever resides in your stomach at the time - then you obviously did not go hard enough (learned that from Kent Bostick)!
If you can sprint the last bit of the TT, you went too slowly.
Also, if after crossing the line at the finish, if you do not feel like you are about to (or already have) tossed your lunch - or whatever resides in your stomach at the time - then you obviously did not go hard enough (learned that from Kent Bostick)!------- I’ll make sure I eat something colorful!
http://www.timetrial.org/firsttt.htm
Check it out!
sleeves-YES
.
Ken
Any specific rules when encountering another rider when passing or being passed or how far you have to stay behind?
Thanks!
Ed
Excerpted from the USCF Rulebook (http://www.usacycling.org/rulebooks/2004_uscf_rulebook.pdf): 3E. Individual Time Trial
3E6. Rider Conduct. (a) On an out-and-back course, riders shall stay to the right of the centerline at all times . ** (b) **No rider shall take pace behind another rider closer than 25 meters (80 feet) ahead or 2 meters (7 feet) to the side. . ** (c) **No two riders may ride abreast other than when attempting to pass and such attempts shall not be maintained beyond a distance of 500 meters. An attempt to pass may be repeated an unlimited number of times but each time a challenging rider fails in his attempt, he shall drop back to 25 meters behind the challenged rider before renewing his attempt.