The TT Thread

[rob]

I looked at the race bike hanging on the wall the other day and thought I might want to use it again.  It soon passed.

I think the way to salvage something this year would be to target a 12hr.   There’s the Breckland and the National in August.   I might even be able to string together a BBAR attempt.

[hippy]

You say that, which is conveniently what I was doing before all this kicked off, but who knows when we'll be resuming racing?

[rob]

You say that, which is conveniently what I was doing before all this kicked off, but who knows when we'll be resuming racing?

I have discovered that I’m not someone who can train for the sake of training.   Targeting a race in August would make me work for 4 months, but with a risk the event doesn’t happen.   I only backed off about 10 days ago so I probably haven’t lost much.

[mattc]

You say that, which is conveniently what I was doing before all this kicked off, but who knows when we'll be resuming racing?

I have discovered that I’m not someone who can train for the sake of training.   Targeting a race in August would make me work for 4 months, but with a risk the event doesn’t happen.   I only backed off about 10 days ago so I probably haven’t lost much.

Yes, I take the same view.
(in my case I'm still clinging to the possibilty of Sep Audaxes - vv unlikely I know, but it's something to keep me motivated.)

[Karla]

[sidles in to join the club]

[hippy]

I have discovered that I’m not someone who can train for the sake of training.   Targeting a race in August would make me work for 4 months, but with a risk the event doesn’t happen.   I only backed off about 10 days ago so I probably haven’t lost much.

I'm training for the sake of racing (ok, and a bit of sanity) with a large dose of denial in place. Essentially pretending events will happen, do what training I can and if they do, lucky me. If they don't I've probably burnt off some of the many, many litres of beer I'm also drinking in lockdown.

[Frank9755]

Is this going to be terminal for Time trialling?

It looks like vulnerable people are going to be shielded for an extended period.  Average age at TTs is pretty high, and plenty will have underlying conditions.  And that's just the riders - never mind the marshalls, timekeepers, pusher-offers, tea servers, etc.

[rob]

Is this going to be terminal for Time trialling?

It looks like vulnerable people are going to be shielded for an extended period.  Average age at TTs is pretty high, and plenty will have underlying conditions.  And that's just the riders - never mind the marshalls, timekeepers, pusher-offers, tea servers, etc.

I'm still hoping to maybe get some racing in.   This posted today :-

https://cyclingtimetrials.org.uk/articles/view/547

[S2L]

Is this going to be terminal for Time trialling?

It looks like vulnerable people are going to be shielded for an extended period.  Average age at TTs is pretty high, and plenty will have underlying conditions.  And that's just the riders - never mind the marshalls, timekeepers, pusher-offers, tea servers, etc.

Marshalls and timekeepers can maintain social distancing... pusher-offers are not strictly necessary for an event to happen, I'm sure we can all do with losing 5 seconds whilst clipping in... equally, tea and cake are nice, but strictly not necessary and it can be on a DIY basis.
Of all forms of racing, TT is the one that could go ahead even during a protracted phase of social distancing, after the lockdown is lifted.

Maybe spectators at hill climbs will have to be banned, maybe the national HC will have to take fewer than the expected 480 competitors

[chrisbainbridge]

Could TT use something like the frames I have seen at track events?

[S2L]

Could TT use something like the frames I have seen at track events?

Possibly, but is it really necessary? On the track, the longest race is 4 minutes.... The shortest TT is about 20 minutes for the fast guys, what difference does it really make if you have to clip in or not? In longer distance even less.

Maybe in hill climbs, if they last only 2-3 minutes, you can win or lose based on how quickly you clip in, but ultimately nobody becomes a millionaire out of winning these races, so I suppose we can all accept it as a risk worth taking to avoid more serious risks?

[DuncanM]

Can't you just put a big post in the ground and the rider can hold themselves up? You don't need someone to hold you up on a road/TT bike (probably a bit different for a track spring event where you have a huge gear and need both hands on the bars from the gun).

Registration and number collect/return would be more of a problem for social distancing. Maybe you can do sign- in with a dedicated room and bring-your-own pen basis, and return with a postbox style arrangement?

[mattc]

I predict panic-buying of pedals like the M520 ...

Yes of course TT is the discipline easiest to run despite restrictions. Of course we don't know how the "softening" will happen in the UK, so it's difficult to plan tactics/tricks/tech to get round things, but I'm pretty certain that some form of racing could* happen.
No pushers-off will be just one such work-around - a TT is just a timed solo ride in essence.

Premier League footy is looking at restarting!!! But then at least one CX league (Central) has cancelled their 20/21 season (although they haven't banned clubs from running "pop-up" events)


*unless future restrictions contain some truly bizarre criteria with no scientific basis ...

[S2L]

Can't you just put a big post in the ground and the rider can hold themselves up? You don't need someone to hold you up on a road/TT bike (probably a bit different for a track spring event where you have a huge gear and need both hands on the bars from the gun).

Registration and number collect/return would be more of a problem for social distancing. Maybe you can do sign- in with a dedicated room and bring-your-own pen basis, and return with a postbox style arrangement?

It is a possibility...
As for numbers... how about single use stickers to be sent by post... combined with a bit of trust that no. 7 is indeed the one rider he should be and not someone else riding as no.7?

[zigzag]

i know someone organised a "lockdown tt"; submit/pay for the entry, get a detailed xc/gravel route with video instructions, many specific segments created on strava. ride solo and upload to strava. six(?) weeks window - try as many times as you want. at the end there will be prizes and awards.

[giropaul]

Can't you just put a big post in the ground and the rider can hold themselves up? You don't need someone to hold you up on a road/TT bike (probably a bit different for a track spring event where you have a huge gear and need both hands on the bars from the gun).

Registration and number collect/return would be more of a problem for social distancing. Maybe you can do sign- in with a dedicated room and bring-your-own pen basis, and return with a postbox style arrangement?

In Belgium and no doubt elsewhere the rider just hangs onto a barrier. Dave Orford, who promoted the ICF (Sometimes called the free federations) World Championship in North Derbyshire for several years used an “ international start” - one foot on the ground.

[Frank9755]

Is this going to be terminal for Time trialling?

It looks like vulnerable people are going to be shielded for an extended period.  Average age at TTs is pretty high, and plenty will have underlying conditions.  And that's just the riders - never mind the marshalls, timekeepers, pusher-offers, tea servers, etc.

Marshalls and timekeepers can maintain social distancing... pusher-offers are not strictly necessary for an event to happen, I'm sure we can all do with losing 5 seconds whilst clipping in... equally, tea and cake are nice, but strictly not necessary and it can be on a DIY basis.
Of all forms of racing, TT is the one that could go ahead even during a protracted phase of social distancing, after the lockdown is lifted.

Maybe spectators at hill climbs will have to be banned, maybe the national HC will have to take fewer than the expected 480 competitors

Social distancing is not shielding.

Details not clear yet but if we are shielding older people +those with health conditions they probably wouldn't be going out to roundabouts and roadsides

[Frank9755]

Is this going to be terminal for Time trialling?

It looks like vulnerable people are going to be shielded for an extended period.  Average age at TTs is pretty high, and plenty will have underlying conditions.  And that's just the riders - never mind the marshalls, timekeepers, pusher-offers, tea servers, etc.

I'm still hoping to maybe get some racing in.   This posted today :-

https://cyclingtimetrials.org.uk/articles/view/547

Interesting. In truth they are as much in the dark as the rest of us. Hard to run any kind of organisation in this environment.
The argument about the levy and their reserves has been well and truly settled, I expect a lot of organisations now which they had been as prudent as CTT.
It was also interesting to see they had five full time employees, didn't know that.

[S2L]

Is this going to be terminal for Time trialling?

It looks like vulnerable people are going to be shielded for an extended period.  Average age at TTs is pretty high, and plenty will have underlying conditions.  And that's just the riders - never mind the marshalls, timekeepers, pusher-offers, tea servers, etc.

Marshalls and timekeepers can maintain social distancing... pusher-offers are not strictly necessary for an event to happen, I'm sure we can all do with losing 5 seconds whilst clipping in... equally, tea and cake are nice, but strictly not necessary and it can be on a DIY basis.
Of all forms of racing, TT is the one that could go ahead even during a protracted phase of social distancing, after the lockdown is lifted.

Maybe spectators at hill climbs will have to be banned, maybe the national HC will have to take fewer than the expected 480 competitors

Social distancing is not shielding.

Details not clear yet but if we are shielding older people +those with health conditions they probably wouldn't be going out to roundabouts and roadsides

True... maybe if traffic continues to be below average, due to many weekend attractions being close, then there is less need for marshals?

[Frank9755]

Marshalls are not to do with traffic. They are human signposts.
they are stipulated in the course descriptions which have been risk assessed. The requirements could be relaxed but it would need to be done on a course by course basis.

[S2L]

Good point...

Re. over 70... my understanding is that the rules are the same, they were different before the lockdown, but now they are the same. There are a number of vulnerable people who have been contacted on a case by case, but they are not necessarily over-represented among the CTT volunteers, I would have thought?

Anyway, hard to say what it will be allowed and when, but I would think of all the amateur sport activities, TT should be among the first to resume

[mattc]

Members under 60 have been known to run/marshall races!
Let's be positive, and not invent barriers

[Davef]

The guidelines of who should be shielding have been gradually diluting. To start with it was anyone over 70 or with quite a range of health conditions some quite common such as pregnancy.

The latest version does not mention age and the list of medical conditions has narrowed dramatically- basically if you are immunosuppressed because of an organ transplant, or cancer treatment or are pregnant whilst suffering a major heart condition.

I would have thought time trialling will probably be one of the first type of events reinstated.

Edit: and severe lung conditions

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[ElyDave]

Summert TT series starts again.  Pick a course, 12 miles, ride it each week and send your data in.  Points based on week to week performance change, no points for absolute time as we are all riding different courses. Today was much windier than last week, but on fresh legs (two hard rides in two days last week) I was only 2 seconds slower.

Looking forward to the next few weeks to see if the winter on the turbo has had any value

[mattc]

*12* miles ?!?