tasmania handicaps

Can someone explain what the point is in Tasmania in getting several of the top track riders down
there, and then giving some lazy-assed cat 4s such a big head start that it's pretty much
impossible for them to be caught. If they did 2:03 for 2km in Launceston, then how was anyone
supposed to catch them, especially as they'd of had to be going round everyone that they caught,
probably 3 or 4 wide at times?

Latrobe $12,000 1 Damian Ladd (315) 3.17.11 2 Brenton Crawley (375) 3 Adam Hartley (345)

Launceston Wheelrace 1 Brendan Geale (110) 2.03.41 2 Clint Johnson (150) 3 Karl Menzies (100)

what makes it worse is that the guy who was first across the line actually thought it was a genuine
achievenment.

"Geale ................ threw his helmet into the air on his victory lap and was clearly delighted
with his win"

Isn't this all rewarding people for not doing any training?

 

Trackrools wrote:
> Can someone explain what the point is in Tasmania in getting several of the top track riders down
> there, and then giving some lazy-assed cat 4s such a big head start that it's pretty much
> impossible for them to be caught. If they did 2:03 for 2km in Launceston, then how was anyone
> supposed to catch them, especially as they'd of had to be going round everyone that they caught,
> probably 3 or 4 wide at times?

No matter how many world championships it continues to win, no matter how many Olympic golds it
earns, Australia will never be a first-rate cycling nation as long as it's richest one-day even is a
handicap race. How can it be taken seriously with such silliness?

Dan

 

Trackrools wrote:

> Can someone explain what the point is in Tasmania in getting several of the top track riders down
> there, and then giving some lazy-assed cat 4s such a big head start that it's pretty much
> impossible for them to be caught. If they did 2:03 for 2km in Launceston, then how was anyone
> supposed to catch them, especially as they'd of had to be going round everyone that they caught,
> probably 3 or 4 wide at times?

You don't know that's how it works down here? Cat 3 and 4 turn up for the race, tell the handicapper
"I haven't been riding much" or "It's been a big training week" and get a good mark.

2:03 for 2km off 110m handicap is not bad (55kph) so I suppose you could say it was a genuine
achievement. But then I didn't see the race. Did you?

Of course you could say if you've paid for the big stars to come over, then why would you give them
the $12K dream too ? STF

 

Dan Connelly <[email protected]> wrote in message
>
> No matter how many world championships it continues to win, no matter how many Olympic golds it
> earns, Australia will never be a first-rate cycling nation as long as it's richest one-day even is
> a handicap race. How can it be taken seriously with such silliness?
>
Who says we want to be taken seriously?

cheers, Jeff (itinerant aussie, inhabitant of a banana republic, big supporter of silliness)

 

Stewart Fleming <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:<[email protected]>...
>
> You don't know that's how it works down here? Cat 3 and 4 turn up for the race, tell the
> handicapper "I haven't been riding much" or "It's been a big training week" and get a good mark.
>
> 2:03 for 2km off 110m handicap is not bad (55kph) so I suppose you could say it was a genuine
> achievement. But then I didn't see the race. Did you?
>
> Of course you could say if you've paid for the big stars to come over, then why would you give
> them the $12K dream too ? STF

Stewart, that may happen at club or equivalent level but not in the bigger events.

Outcomes may rely on the luck of the draw so to speak. Riders make the final through heats and they
carry with them their handicap mark to the final. You can be lucky that you have a group on marks
close to you so you can work together from the start to keep the back markers at bay. But you can be
unlucky and be out there on your lonesome and have to make a decision to go all out to catch the
next group quickly (on the proviso you are not on the limit mark) or go out not so hard to wait for
the next bunch.

2.03 is not an unbeatable time by the backmarkers if they are in numbers. It is sprint pace working
together and faster than the 1km TT pace. There is a lot of disturbed air to ride into.

They are exciting to watch and participate in and even the likes of Dan Connelly has an opportunity
to compete in the richest track event. Sounds silly, doesn't it?

J'amie Carney goes Down Under every year to compete so will Connelly be suggesting therapy
for Carney?