SoCalCycling.com

[bmbcyclist]

I must say, riding the ADT this weekend was great fun!

It was my very first time on the track, so of course, why not race.....I had a blast. Thanks everyone for your helpful hints.

Hope to see more ladies out on the track this winter! First FREE clinic is coming up in October!

[K2]

Nice job for your first time on that track. I'm looking forward to seeing more women racing on the track, hopefully the ladies only sessions coming up will be successful!

One comment about the women's points race: They shortened it by half. 56 laps. The problem with this is that I, and the other women that raced, were expecting 112 laps. In less than 3 weeks, we will be racing a 100 lap points race at Elite Nationals. Our workouts right now are very important, and to have a "workout"/race cut in half is not good. A 56 lap points race is not good preparation for a 100 lap points race. Perhaps the 4 women who raced in the men's points race instead of the women's knew in advance that the women's race was going to be shortened? Honestly, had I known, there would have been 5 women in the men's points race.

Bottom line? I'd like to see the people who make the decision to shorten a race - especially by half - to take into consideration how it will affect the racers and upcoming events.

[dbloseven]

Ladies Only Track Sessions.

The same thing happened in Encino last weekend at the State Qualifier. The scratch race was shortened to just 20 laps w/only 4 ladies racing. Then 3 wks ago at the ADT qualifier the Scratch race did not even happen because there were only 2 of us.

The same thing crossed my mind...I need & want to race the full advertised distance.

[bmbcyclist]

One thing that would have helped... I know the 5 women in the men's race needed to get a good workout for nationals. But by women racing with the men in many events, the women's field lack, and eventually the women's events will not exist.

I would have encouraged the women to race the women's event, maybe put the men's sprint in between the 2 points race events, then the women could race a second race with the men. Then the women would have potentially raced 200 laps! And even though the women's race was shortened, 56+120 would have been a great workout for all the women.I tell ya, even with 4 of us there was some tactics and real racing going on.

I can see both sides. I understand some elite women do need to keep their training a priority, and maybe this weekend wasn't the event to "support women's racing". But at many of the events during the season, even here at the San Diego Track, some women neglect to ride the women's events thinking it will hurt their training in the men's events or they are too good to race with women or whatever. I don't know their exact rationale, I race with both.
But wouldn't racing more help? By riding more laps, more events, wouldn't that give the women even more stamina etc? I think in lower priority races, ALL women should try to support the women's side and race women's events, not necessarily to dominate (we know you can) but to help newer riders get experience with fields and tactics etc. And of course they can ALSO then ride with the men. And how fantastic would that be to see the women kicking but in the men's race even after having just ridden!

I would hate to see women's events disappear, but if I was a promotor and saw that 1/2 the women raced with the men anyway, I too wouldn't BOTHER with having women's events.

Just something to think about.
Happy training! Nationals is coming up quick....

[K2]

Someone told me that it's against USA Cycling rules to shorten district championship races. Does anyone know if this is true? Sure makes sense to me. A 56 lap points race certainly plays out quite differently from a 120 lap points race.... At this point, it's too late to change the past - I would just like to know for the future.

[bmbcyclist]

Not to mention the rule that once a rider is lapped twice, that rider should be pulled instead of being allowed to continue the event to lead out a team ate. Was kind of a bummer.

There is a rule that after a rider is lapped twice, it is the Officials Discretion to pull the rider. Just wish this was used. I do believe the results were effected.

And for sure at a national level event they won't allow a rider to continue that gets lapped more than twice....otherwise I'd to the points race! hehe.

[bmbcyclist]

Another thing I just learned.

In the women's sprint events, women tend to be disqualified and deemed dangerous riding, where as the same moves in a men's sprint event is okay and considered aggressive riding.

Is this a double standard? If the elite women are allowed to race with elite men, and can handle it why would certain tactics be disallowed when women ride with women?

This is curious. At the elite level, most women have ridden with men, train with men, race with the men. Hence, these women learn certain tactics and techniques that I assume would be very difficult to change just because they are now racing with women.

Since there is ONE USCF rule book, shouldn't the same rules apply no matter the gender?

I assume international competition is aggressive. I have been told that in women's racing UCI is less apt to DQ a female rider for the same moves and tactics that are considered dangerous here in US. I would think it is difficult in the heat of racing for a rider to try to remember what is a "legal" move depending which Rule system is in play. Wouldn't it make more sense to be similar?

I have read the rules and have become familiar with the sprint events for track. I did this to be sure I am up to speed with the rules for nationals. Was this a wasted effort on my part since the book is not the "rule of thumb" so to speak? How much discretion is at play versus the black and white? I am just curious. Thanks.