Sportives - are they out of control?

[Dusty Bin]

So, once some influential verderer in the New Forest works this out and persuades a senior police officer to test it out in a court, we could have an answer.

The thing is, anyone could find out this stuff after about 5 minutes on google. All the sportive organisers have to do is avoid anything which might give the impression of a race and the police are largely powerless. Sportives do not even need police permission in order to run. There was a classic case a couple of years ago where a 'proper' and long-standing road race had to be cancelled at the last minute, because the organising club discovered that a new sportive was going to be run on the same day, using part of the race circuit. Because of that, the police had no option but to withdraw permission for the race (for safety reasons), because the sportive organiser didn't bother to check. Ironically, the sportive was able to continue, because it didn't need police permission.

 

[Dusty Bin]

Like the times and placings?

Yes. BC advice to sportive organisers is NOT to publish results in finishing order and not to award 'podium' prizes. Timing info can be used, but I believe this must not be in chronological order either.

http://www.britishcycling.org.uk/zuvvi/media/Cycle_Sportive_Event_Guidelines_V2_April2013_FINAL.pdf

Having said that, I know of at least one large sportive which breaks most of these rules.

 

[Dusty Bin]

If it is important, a court could decide. Seeing as they only annoy two groups of people, proper racers and car drivers, though I don't think that it is.

It would be a disaster if some clueless judge had to set a precedent which could potentially affect the future of cycle racing in this country. It would be a start if all sportives were made to run under the BC calendar and guidelines..

 

[VamP]

If it is important, a court could decide. Seeing as they only annoy two groups of people, proper racers and car drivers, though I don't think that it is.

I don't even think that they annoy proper racers all that much. With the exception of those whose race got cancelled obviously.

 

[Boris Bajic]

Back in the Eighties, tracks and clubs ran track days for motorcyclists. This was before the recent (last two decades?) explosion in these events.

Scutineering was fairly severe (wired sump plugs, wired side stands, taped lamps, removal of indicators, centre stand and so on) and leathers had to be worn (although not one-piece in those enlightened days).

At every turn, the organisers and club officials (IMOC etc) would stress that this was not racing; it was just a day of track experience.

Those track days made a noise like a duck and they walked a lot like a duck. They even looked like a duck, but they were not a duck because we were told they were not a duck. I think that sportives also have something of the duck about them in manner, voice, appearance and gait. But they are not ducks either.

 

[Dusty Bin]

Are you sure? There are posts in this thread that suggest otherwise.

'proper' racers probably do get annoyed with them being called races - because they are not races..

Car drivers also get stuck behind proper races - as well as getting stuck behind sportive groups. In both cases, all car drivers see is a group of cyclists and are probably unconcerned as to the exact classification of the event that they are stuck behind.

 

[PK99]

Well now you know there is at least one who doesn't call it a race, There are many others that I know who don't think it's a race, and that includes organisors.
But then that is because Sortives are not races!

The very fact that there are Gold/silver/bronze awards for times achieved, often with age categories, suggests there is a degree of self deception in not admitting they are races in all but name. they cannot be called races or referred to as races by organiser as that would lead to an automatic ban.

 

[snorri]

'Cycle Racing on the Highways Regulations, 1960'

Some might say ripe for revision

 

[Dusty Bin]

Some might say ripe for revision

They were last revised in 1995, but they're probably due again. There is currently a lobby for a completely new law, in any case...

 

[T.M.H.N.E.T]

spor·tive
/ˈspôrtiv/
Adjective
Playful; lighthearted.
Synonyms
playful - sportful - frolicsome - gamesome - frisky

 

[VamP]

Are you sure? There are posts in this thread that suggest otherwise.

Pretty sure.

 

[Dusty Bin]

spor·tive
/ˈspôrtiv/
Adjective
Playful; lighthearted.
Synonyms
playful - sportful - frolicsome - gamesome - frisky

words you would not normally associate with sportives...

 

[jowwy]

I have read through a few replies in this thread and find them quite funny

i ride sportives, do i think they are a race - NO.

but we could say that people riding without due care and attention to the road cause they are chasing a KOM or fastest section on STRAVA would be racing without being in a race

a sportive is what an individual makes of it, some will treat it as a mass group ride to enjoy with like minded others, some others will treat it as a race and try to finish first. But all the sportives i have ridden in have never had people stand on a podium and accept medals for 1,2 or 3rd and none of them have listed the timings in this order either.

WHY - cause its not a race SIMPLES

 

[DRHysted]

I have read through a few replies in this thread and find them quite funny

i ride sportives, do i think they are a race - NO.

but we could say that people riding without due care and attention to the road cause they are chasing a KOM or fastest section on STRAVA would be racing without being in a race

a sportive is what an individual makes of it, some will treat it as a mass group ride to enjoy with like minded others, some others will treat it as a race and try to finish first. But all the sportives i have ridden in have never had people stand on a podium and accept medals for 1,2 or 3rd and none of them have listed the timings in this order either.

WHY - cause its not a race SIMPLES

Don't think I could put it any better.

Me and everyone I meet at the Sportives, will continue buying into the flannel that they are not races, because they are not races. If they were we would be racing, and I know I'm not!!!

 

[Hacienda71]

Then to confuse the issue further you have events like The Great Manchester Cycle and Ride London which are closed road events but are not races, despite certainly in the case of the GMC having timing chips, published results, both by overall rank and age category rank. It was also ridden by a fairly large number of people who are actively racing or time trialling at other times. Iirc it was sponsored by BC. Sort of a no man's land between racing and sportives. I suppose as the GMC was organised by a company affiliated to Brendan Foster it took inspiration from athletics mass participation rather than cycling. In both instances average speeds of the faster guys was 24 to 25 mph which is not disimilar to many intermediate Cat road races.