Sportives - are they out of control?

[Dusty Bin]

Sounds rather like a lot of sour grapes to me, a minority chastising a majority for enjoying themselves. The minority seeming to be mainly BC license holders, how very predictable .

Just in case that was directed at me - as I said earlier, I don't have an issue with people riding bikes on organised events. But I do want to see better co-ordination of them so that nobody (riders, race organisers, local residents) is worse off as a result. If you don't like BC licence holders, maybe you should not enter any BC events.

 

[Hip Priest]

Sounds rather like a lot of sour grapes to me, a minority chastising a majority for enjoying themselves. The minority seeming to be mainly BC license holders, how very predictable .

The vast majority of those against sportives aren't even cyclists.

 

[jowwy]

Jealousy is a strong emotion

yes it is - im jealous of a lot of peoples bikes within this forum, but i dont berate or chastise them for owning it.

 

[lukesdad]

Just in case that was directed at me - as I said earlier, I don't have an issue with people riding bikes on organised events. But I do want to see better co-ordination of them so that nobody (riders, race organisers, local residents) is worse off as a result. If you don't like BC licence holders, maybe you should not enter any BC events.

You have a problem with the Merlin or tour of pembs events? Both are scheduled well in advance and are well organised

 

[Dusty Bin]

You have a problem with the Merlin or tour of pembs events? Both are scheduled well in advance and are well organised

Have you looked at the way the Merlin displays the results?

 

[lukesdad]

Have you looked at the way the Merlin displays the results?

...and? I think you are confusing a race with a long distance time trial and as you will know from your history it's not the first time this debate has existed in the sport in this country.

 

[Dusty Bin]

...and? I think you are confusing a race with a long distance time trial and as you will know from your history it's not the first time this debate has existed in the sport in this country.

You don't seriously think the Merlin is a long distance TT? Like I said earlier - BC guidelines require that organisers do not do anything to give the impression of 'competition' - including publishing the results in finishing time order and awarding placings. That is what the organisers have done, or did you miss that bit?

The event was billed as a sportive under BC regulations - not a long distance time trial. BC goes out of its way to define sportives as 'non-competitive' and CTT don't do sportives. Not yet anyway...

 

[Hip Priest]

yes it is - im jealous of a lot of peoples bikes within this forum, but i dont berate or chastise them for owning it.

Can't believe you're still going on about it. It was a joke, I apologised to you, get over yourself.

 

[jowwy]

Can't believe you're still going on about it. It was a joke, I apologised to you, get over yourself.

im just replying to a comment made - i accepted your apology i have nothing to get over.

 

[lukesdad]

The vast majority of those against sportives aren't even cyclists.

That'll be any cycling event they're against.

 

[Hill Wimp]

and I thought I was ignoring the CAD thread

 

[Hip Priest]

That'll be any cycling event they're against.

That's probably true, to an extent. But it's the frequency of sportives in some areas of the country that has prompted some people to take action.

 

[jowwy]

[QUOTE 2711101, member: 30090"]What bike have you got? Full spec and pictures please.

Ta Mulchy[/quote]its in the photo gallery - show me your titanium

 

[DRHysted]

All the Evans sportives list riders in finishing order too. I think it's fairly ubiquitous.

I think all the guys protesting that they are not a race should have a reconsideration about their own motivations for riding sportives. Why travel long distances, pay high entry fees, be confined to a pre-determined and crowded routes, endangered by poor riding, wear a timing chip and have your time recorded, just to claim that they are not racing?

What do you get out of it? Not judging, just puzzled.

Enjoyment.
Is that a crime.
And it's not a flaming race.
If it was a race would we all be stopping at the food stops, having a chat, looking at the elevation profile. No we'd only stop if need be, and then the stop would be as fast a possible. Would groups stop at the top of steep hills, to cheer others on, Hell no we'd be charging on, don't want others catching up.

The only conclusion I can draw is that you are entering races, whereas I am entering sportives (which are not races ffs).

 

[DRHysted]

Doesnt the dragon ride supply time chips for people? I do think though when you are having 3000 people turn up to use open roads a bit much, spesh when they are charging huge amounts to enter.

The thing is the ones I have been on it's 3000 over two days, so 1500 per day (and that's if everyone that paid turns up). Shockingly the media are distorting the numbers slightly. Also it seems to be only the commercial ones that are being hammered, we had the cycletta last weekend, and there was not a peep from the media (in fact there were 3 events here last weekend, but because none of them had Wiggle in the title nothing happened)