2013 Blue Hills Classic 5/7/13

[rusto]

I attribute my inability to see that to race induced tunnel vision.

I hate to say guys, I am not sure your complaints are valid. The spot is pretty easy. It is where the fork in the road happens and there are cones blocking the road on the left. That is where it became the full road. It is that way every year.

[Bruce]

Hey guys, fun racing vicariously through guys. Congrats to all.

Noted a couple of race reports recently re confusion about finishing straight. I'll pass along some advice from Paul Curley whose record winning races needs no embellishment. At every race you should preride the course backwards from the starting line, and know exactly how many revolutions = 200 meters. Then pick out a landmark and take note of anything that will give away wind direction -- a blowing flag, tree leaves, laundry, etc. This is your advantage so you'd rather not have a big sign there for every Tom, Dick and Harry to see. If you cant ride the course backwards, try to drive it.

Russ -- re discomfort sitting in (out of wind) near front of pack. You can work on it with a Dick Ring drill maybe in context of recovery/endurance group ride. Find a cinder track (there's one in Maynard; also soccer fields at top of first climb on WNR) and go round in a pack with 38x23 gear restriction (SLOW <7 mph). Practice bumping one another and shooting gaps, moving in and out, etc. Then go out on the grass field and practice rubbing front tires, leaning front tire against lead bike and recovering. also leaning against one another. These are speed drills -- they will make you faster over the course of a race.

We used to hold group sprint nights at Ft Devens. In those deserted streets there are a couple good 4 corner 800m loops. Everybody stays neutral till 200m. Practice all kinds of lead outs and change up designated sprinters. We used to do it as a competition -- 10 sprints followed by two recovery laps. Points for 1-3. everrybohdy throws $5 in the hat.

Best

[JeremyC]

I'm in for the sprint competition

[PJ McQuade]

John, that makes sense but it wasn't pointed out at the start of the race (or maybe I didn't hear him) and while I saw the cones each lap it wasn't obvious that they signified 200 m. It's just more clear in other races I think.

[rusto]

There are really two topics covered here:

1) as Bruce said, knowing the spot where you want to make your move (tactical) - at BH, it may or may not be at 200 yds out, depending on your fitness or plan. No problem that it is a "secret" landmark that you use for this.

2) where the course goes full wide across the yellow line (safety with a hint of tactical) - this is where the official said it was ok to go over the yellow line. Since it was a safety issue, it makes sense that it be a clearly described and understood location EVERYONE could easily find.

Another way to put #2 is to ponder whether it is fair to say, "We will enforce the yellow line rule and disqualify you if you go over but won't tell you exactly where it is OK to go over the yellow line."

[pace21]

If you just crash out on the third lap you don't have to worry about what to do on the sixth.

[onegeardoug]

Noted a couple of race reports recently re confusion about finishing straight. I'll pass along some advice from Paul Curley whose record winning races needs no embellishment. At every race you should preride the course backwards from the starting line, and know exactly how many revolutions = 200 meters. Then pick out a landmark and take note of anything that will give away wind direction -- a blowing flag, tree leaves, laundry, etc. This is your advantage so you'd rather not have a big sign there for every Tom, Dick and Harry to see. If you cant ride the course backwards, try to drive it.

That's great veteran racer advice, if you know in advance where the finish straight is and where the "no yellow line rule" starts, in this case at 200m. Since they didn't announce that we had the full road at 200m until the start line instructions, that kinda makes it impossible to then go recon and calculate where 200m from the finish line is...since your race is basically starting now.

As for me, I never saw any cones, or any other indication of where 200m was. And, honestly, I didn't care. I knew where I intended to unleash my sprint from. I think it was kinda near 200m. If not, well at least I didn't get DQ'ed. At that point, though, the ref is several hundred meters behind in the follow car behind stings of dropped riders...so who cares.

However, since USAC refs are so incredibly ANAL about the yellow line rule, and technically you can be DQ'ed for crossing the line even few meters before the specified line...they should clearly provide an indication of where that line is so that even the most oxygen deprived racer can see it and comprehend it in the moment. With that said, I don't think there's any indication of doing that this weekend at Sterling.

[cbusick]

What are the rules on the final climb at Sterling?

[carlshimer]

unless things have changed ou have the full width of Meetinghouse Hill rd. on the last lap. To be specific, this on the last lap as you go through Sterling center and make a right on MeetingHouse Hill Rd.

[Bruce]

That's part of the recon ride ...schmooze official....get rules...or designate someone on team to find out...share at pre race meeting. Laugh while splitting prize money:)