When is a race not a race?

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G3CWI

Veteran
Location
Macclesfield
Apparently the Cheshire Mini Sportive was on today - saw lots of them about. I was curious and so I checked the website. One thing I found was this:

"This year as well as having individual entrants we are are introducing a team classification . Teams will be made up of four or more riders.

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Tactics are entirely up to each team to decide. The only rules are that each team must finish a minimum of four riders. The time of the team is taken when the fourth rider crosses the finish line. Teams can compose of any number from 4 to 8 riders."


That sounds a bit like a race to me. Or have I misunderstood?
 

Dogtrousers

Kilometre nibbler
Why a race? Is there a winner?

Many rides give you a time that you took to complete the course. In this case there are some rather odd complicated rules about awarding a time to your "team". I don't see any difference between this and any other ride that awards completion times, of which there are many. If this is a race, then Pru Ride London is a race. And we all know that's not the case, don't we. ;)
 
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G3CWI

G3CWI

Veteran
Location
Macclesfield
I dont know as I have never done one but if you actually list people in order of time, someone will come first - and that sort of sounds like a race.
 

Dogtrousers

Kilometre nibbler
I dont know as I have never done one but if you actually list people in order of time, someone will come first - and that sort of sounds like a race.
Neither have I (done one) but I'd say it's more like a time trial than a race.

I guess there are legal definitions in order to get police permission to hold the event.
 
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G3CWI

G3CWI

Veteran
Location
Macclesfield
I guess there are legal definitions in order to get police permission to hold the event.


There must be. There seemed to be a real assortment of riders participating from Lycra-carbons to Denim-BSOs. One group nearly followed our party down the wrong road which amused all concerned.
 

Dogtrousers

Kilometre nibbler
I should get out more, I know, but I looked up the "Cycle Racing on Higways Regulations" and this tells us that:

'bicycle race' means a race or trial of speed between bicycles or tricycles, not being motor vehicles, which is not a time trial;


Which I'm sure you'll agree settles everything. :laugh:

(To be fair it does also have a lengthy definition of "time trial")
 
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G3CWI

G3CWI

Veteran
Location
Macclesfield
Race or not, I am sure that we all enjoyed the Cheshire sunshine today.
 
A 'race' requires different permissions than a 'Sportive'. If you call your 'race' a 'Sportive' you can have your 'race' and not have to jump through the hoops required to hold a 'race':whistle:.
 

Twinks

Über Member
Sounds like same old, same old to me as an ex endurance horserider. It is illegal to race horses on a public bridleway! In endurance (horse) riding the ultimate competition is known as an ER....competitive Endurance Ride. However the winner is the first past the post who also passes the vetting parameters. How is that not a race?
As @Racing roadkill says it's about jumping through hoops.
 

winjim

Smash the cistern
When people say to me they've got a race coming up when really it's a sportive, I just think bless them! It's rather sweet really.
 
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