Hillsboro news
Nov 12
2009
Filed in: Race news


Comments (16)

Is it too early to start thinking about Hillsboro-Roubaix?

No, of course not.

Former race director Rich Pierce (ICCC) reports at StLBiking that in the interest of safety, the 2010 edition of our spring classic may be longer, taking a 29-mile route that eliminates a challenging climb but provides safer turns. Fields overtaking one another was an issue in 2009, and this may help with that, too.

Compare with the traditional 22-mile route.

Pierce writes that he expects P/1/2’s to do three laps, the 3’s two. The challenge of a 29-mile course is what to do for the 4’s: 29 miles is too short, 58 miles too long. Half-laps could be an elegant solution, but a potential logistical nightmare.

The same thread cites Saturday, April 10, as the 2010 date.

Comments

1.

Nov 12
2009

11:33 am

kevin c (.5 acre)

Why is 60 miles too long for 4’s? Seems fine to me.

What about a circuit before the finish? (Even though that wouldn’t suit my personal strengths as a racer.)

2.

Nov 12
2009

11:39 am

RHRoop (Team Higher Gear)

As a Cat 4 I would drive to Hillsboro for a 60 mile race. I won’t even think about it for a 29 mile race.

3.

Nov 12
2009

11:41 am

.(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) (Half Acre Cycling)

i concur with kevin, 60 miles isn’t too long for a cat4 race.

4.

Nov 12
2009

12:29 pm

Luke Seemann's avatar

Luke Seemann (XXX Racing-AthletiCo)

Maybe, maybe not. 35-45 strikes me as the appropriate range for 4’s. But wouldn’t you want the 3’s to do more than the 4’s? That would mean 90 miles for the 3’s ... and 120 for the 1/2’s?

Then again, if the 4’s did only one lap, that would be the same length as what I expect the 5’s will do. That doesn’t seem right either.

A circuit could be a solution, but I suspect logistical nightmare for officials, organizers and marshals. It worked at Denzer-Larue-Denzer, but that was with much smaller fields. I can’t imagine it working with several hundreds of racers on the course at once. (Various factors require all the H-R fields to stage at once.)

Of course, this is all speculation. No schedule will be perfect, but I’m sure ICCC will come up with a schedule that satisfies as many racers as possible.

5.

Nov 12
2009

3:28 pm

.(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) (Alberto's)

Why not 120 for the 1/2’s??
Everyone makes this event out to be epic, then so be it.  Al Stern RR used to be 160 mi for the 1/2’s

6.

Nov 12
2009

4:12 pm

Chris Clary's avatar

.(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) (Turin)

It’s not unheard of for the 4s and 3s to do the same distance (that’s why 3/4 fields make sense).  I think the Battenkill route had the same distance for the 4s and the 3s this year.

I don’t see what’s wrong with 90 for P/1/2 and 60 apiece for the 3s and 4s.

The 3s will be faster and thus harder.  Distance isn’t the only marker of difficulty.

7.

Nov 12
2009

8:28 pm

Luke Seemann's avatar

Luke Seemann (XXX Racing-AthletiCo)

@Rich That’d be fine by me!

@Chris I suppose there’s no good reason for it not to be so, and, given the choice, I’d rather the 4’s do the same distance as the 3’s than the same distance as the 5’s.

8.

Nov 13
2009

9:17 am

psimet's avatar

psimet (PSIMET - hell on wheels.)

A long road race draws more people than a short one.

9.

Nov 13
2009

11:50 am

hemme (killjoy)

60 seems reasonable for the 4s…Id like to race 60.

10.

Nov 13
2009

2:20 pm

quickkarl's avatar

quickkarl (Wild Card Cycling)

60 for 4 sounds great.

11.

Nov 13
2009

4:04 pm

druber's avatar

.(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) (Scarletfire Racing)

120 would kill most of us 1,2 riders since it’s so early in the season.  Hell, most of us had trouble in July when Superweek used to have RR’s that long.  I love the concept though. 3 laps would be a great race with more than 10 riders finishing.  Old guy race of 60 miles would be appropriate as well.

12.

Nov 13
2009

4:47 pm

Luke Seemann's avatar

Luke Seemann (XXX Racing-AthletiCo)

Early, shmearly. Some of us peak for Hillsboro.

In fact, I’ve already begun to taper. I figure if I don’t ride between now and April 10 and tweak my WKO preferences just so, I’ll show up with a TSB of +125 and will thus win.

I don’t see how that ccould possibly fail.

13.

Nov 16
2009

3:41 pm

.(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) (Project 5)

LMAO…look at all the DNF’s from past years at the old distances and everyone wants to add miles….HA

14.

Nov 17
2009

2:38 pm

.(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) (Tower Racing)

You guy’s need to think more like the promoter who is putting on the race.  Can you fit a 90 mile race, and a 60 mile for the young guys, and then fit in all of the juniors, and various other catagories?  By making the race longer it probably adds corners that need to be marshaled.  How many hours are there in the day during the early spring time to fit all of those miles in?  Sure you would think you could fit more races on the course, but then you have to worry about the 50s catching and passing the 3s since the 3s are actually slower then the fast 50 + riders.  By the way I am 46 years old, and not promoting the 50+ category.  Let me make a prediction, you won’t have to worry about 120.  A longer race does attract more people, but is more difficult to manage.  Difficult decisions to be made, which will not make everyone happy.  I will not travel 6 hours to race 29 miles (1-lap), that is for sure. Fun to speculate.

Don Hanke
Tower Racing

15.

Nov 18
2009

12:13 pm

Tim Speciale (PSIMET Racing)

4’s road race distance.

Hmm…35 miles, 40 miles, 60 miles…does it really make a difference?  It’s just going to be an easy group ride for the pack for the first 95% of the race anyways.

16.

Nov 18
2009

2:10 pm

RHRoop (Team Higher Gear)

There is a very interesting article on the Tour of Battenkill on Pez today. Lots of folks got dropped in the pro race- and you don’t hear of people saying the race is to long. I would rather try to race 60 miles and get dropped than finish in the pack of a 30 mile race.

 

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