The Uff Da discusses why the Giro di Coppi doesn't have a 1-2 class this year. First, remember that if you are a 1-2 and 35 or older, you can still do the Masters 35+ race - that field is 35+ 1-2-3-4-5.
As for the rest of the story - the Tour de 'Toona was scheduled in conflict with the Giro. We figured there wouldn't be enough 1-2 racers left to make a decent field at the Giro, and to the extent anybody showed up we would be taking a handful of racers away from a premier race that is very well attended by local 1-2 racers. So we added an extra lower class, to really give the lunchpail racers some options. Cat 4 and 3 men (and 5s) and masters form the backbone of MABRA racing, and their fees subsidize all the other classes, including the nice the prize lists in the men's and women's P-1-2 races. These classes pay for the other classes, but their racers are often shut out of races because the fields fill up really quickly. So we decided to do a good deed.
After we had set up these fields, obtained permits from MABRA and USA Cycling, obtained insurance and set all the other race details, the promoters of 'Toona announced they were cancelling their races. To change fields, we would have had to re-do the whole process, and sticking our volunteer promoters with that duty (along with asking all the other administrative people outside the club to hurry-hurry) wouldn't have been fair. So, younger 1-2 racers, we're sorry that we won't be seeing you this year, but please understand that we weren't trying to 'dis you. It's just how it shook out. We anticipate that we will have a senior 1-2 next year.
For what it's worth, the 5 and 4 races are full, the 4/5 35+ is approaching 50 (in a 75 rider field), the 3s are about one third full. A handful of Masters 35+ racers have registered, and precisely zero women are in as of 6:15 this morning.
6 comments:
Jim -
Thanks to Coppi for continuing to run the Giro under what I can only imagine are significant pressures from the host community. The fact that you all feel compelled to apologize for fallout from good decisions made, which turned unfortunate due to circumstances entirely outside of your windshield speaks to why this is always such a well done race.
I'm sure it will be an outstanding race and, like that other Giro that they have somewhere, will be an excellent test run/tune up for the REAL July focus - The Lost River Classic!!!
Dios mio, man. Did he really just say that?
J/K
Dave
Okay Dave. Just for that tuneup comment, I'm going to ask Joaquin and Kosta about inserting a 10 mile, out-and-back flat section into our race. Just to help you get tuned up for your race. 'kay?
Seriously though, I haven't had a lot of negative feedback, just a couple questions. As Joaquin explained on the list, and Lindsey and I did in the poopile that is the blogosphere, we tried to do a good turn by the local racing community and not draw the elites away from 'Toona which usually offers stage and sometimes one day elite events. It was self serving too because surely we'd have lost our fiscal butts on two tiny elite fields, and instead we could lavish attention (and entries) upon a couple extra classes of workingman (and woman - note the separate 3 & 4 fields) racers. Didn't worked out as we'd hoped though.
zero women? It almost makes me want to sign up and let this be my first bicycle race ever.
(I think I might still be a bit too chicken to do it, though)
Do it Lorraine! Just finishing the Giro is a huge accomplishment. It's a tough course, usually in sweltering heat, so that first sip of beer after the race is DIVINE. And even if you get dropped (like I will), there's nice scenery!
"tough course in sweltering heat" is not really an enticing descriptor for a first time bike racer.
Greg, you're right. I probably shouldn't sugar coat it. "Easier course than NCVC's new race but more uncomfortable conditions by an order of magnitude" is my new catchphrase.
In other news, if you think it's hot and nasty riding the Giro, you ought to try volunteering for it. The Coppi volunteers don't get enough props, IMAO.
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