UPDATED - Team MK Road Race Sessions

In partnership with the British Cycling Talent Programme. your club is inviting YOU to the first in a monthly series of Road Racing coaching sessions, designed to give you the tools to become a better road racer.

The first session, on March 13th 2010, is open to Team MK youth and junior riders from ages 13 to 18, women and senior men new to racing. The sessions will cover skills on close quarters bunch racing, bunch confidence, tactical awareness,  and the recreation of racing scenarios seen in team racing to improve all round racing skills.

The sessions are aimed at preparing riders for the Team MK Season Starter races in March and April and racing later in the season.

We are very lucky to have John Scripps - British Cycling Talent Development Coach for South East & Central regions running this inaugural session, so please make use of this wonderful opportunity.

The sessions are part of a full day of training on the bike. The group will meet as usual for the Saturday morning club run, finish at the Bowl, then start the technical road session in the afternoon. The objectives of the sessions are not for training, but an ideal opportunity to develop your skills so you can use them in the racing.

For the day, take plenty of food and drink along, and make sure you are able to change into warm clothes after the club run, so you’re comfortable for the technical session. Make sure you have spare tubes and tools in case of punctures or mechanicals.

Come along, and help make Team MK a force to be reckoned with in the races in 2010!

Please email your interest in attending to ...

Stuart Sargant stua...@arcpet.co.uk or

Richard Harrison richardhharrison@btinternet.com

More details nearer the time so watch this space for more information.

The club house will be open for changing/tea making/toilets etc.

Some basic info for those new to road racing:

Road racing is fun – hard work but most rewarding, with camaraderie and a great sense of achievement. For most mere mortals starting out, just finishing with ‘the bunch’ will be a goal in itself! But don’t despair, after a short while you’ll get into the groove and start moving up the result sheets! 

Choose the type of racing you’re best suited to – but most importantly you enjoy. Pick the right types of event to enter, it’s always better to be at an event with other team members (we’ll get a club racing calendar up on the website soon).

People forget that road racing is essentially a team sport – being part of a winning team is a great feeling - and can save an awful lot of energy!

Here’s some very simple tips and answers to some common questions that people have when starting out road racing:

Training.

Group riding and variation are key here. Joining the club runs of a weekend is very useful. Put a lot of variety into your training routine, interval training on the turbo or rollers is a great way to adapt your body to the speed variations of road racing.          

Bike & Kit.

• bike must be a road bike in good serviceable condition – good tyres & brakes and a good ‘fit’. If you don’t want a professional set-up done, experienced riders in the club should be able to help you with the basics to get you started.
• For entry level Go-Race races there is no requirement to use registered club kit but anything above this level and you’ll be representing the club, (and a requirement under BC rules) that entrants wear the clubs registered colours.
• Helmet – requirement to race – again must be in good condition, more details about recommended minimum standards is on the BC website.

Racing Licenses.

For Go-Race events, like the Novice races at the Team MK Season Starter events, a race licence is not required.

Moving on, for more challenging regional races, you will require a licence. If you are a full BC member, then you can race under a provisional licence or purchase a race licence. Non members can purchase a day licence. This second option is fine for a one-off – or to see if it’s your thing, otherwise an annual racing licence is considerably cheaper over a season (also, you can not score ranking points on a provisional or day licence). More details can be found on the BC website HERE:

Nutrition.

Remember – food is fuel. No matter how fit you are, you’ll get nowhere on an empty tank! Use training rides to perfect what you’ll need to get you through an event without the dreaded ‘bonk’ and practice your eating on the move technique.

• before an event – at what time, how much & what.
• during – what can you eat/drink (easily) - little & often is the secret.

Please use the club forum for any general racing questions or just ask on the club runs – they’ll always be experienced racers around to help.

There is more here for those with time on their hands…….. The BC rulebook HERE

Finally…………..some simple ‘Top Tips’

• Take care overlapping your front wheel with other riders back wheels.
• Try to look as far ahead as possible – don’t be mesmerized by the wheel in front of you.
• If you have a puncture or a mechanical, put your hand up and slow down slowly.
• Use your gears.
• Avoid braking sharply or changing your line.
• Check for other riders coming past you before you pull out of the bunch.
• Attack from the back half of the bunch and give it some.
• When you get out of the saddle make sure that the bike doesn't go backwards into the rider behind.
• Don't put 140psi in your tyres, 100 will do ..... its a triathlete thing!
• No tri-bars or mudguards allowed on the bike in road races.
• Check your shoe plates, pulling your foot out in a sprint is usually pretty terminal.
• You don't have to chase every attack as soon as it goes!