A Critique of Ontario Racing
I've got to say that the racing at this past weekend's Provincial Championships was disappointing - too few riders in the field were there to race as opposed to finishing. Racing abroad and then here in Ontario can be a trying experience and definitely shows up the differences in style.
I don't think that the riders here in Ontario are any less able than those we race against overseas, I think that the difference is in attitude towards the racing. In Belgium and in England they race with a never-say-die attitude, an early break does not mean that the race is over. Racing continued there behind the breakaway as riders repeatedly tried to get to the front of the race - all the riders were there to try and win the race. Many failed and were dropped, in Lincoln there were only 35 finishers out of at least 100. The point being that finishing the race isn't the point of racing, winning is. Riders here in Ontario need to take a more aggressive approach and also keep in mind that it's not always best to wait for Jet Fuel and Italpasta to make the race - take the racing to us, it would be a lot more fun. Having a break that rolled up the road in the first 5km win is a bit embarrassing.
Race organizers must also play a role in making Ontario racing better. For instance the course on the weekend offered little in the way of challenges, and the race was also too short. If it had been another lap the break probably would have come back as their gap was down to one minute at the finish. The races need to be challenging and longer, in that way we can develop some home grown talent. If the races are always less than 100km, as they seem to be this year with almost every race shorter that last year's (while entry fees increase), then we will never develop riders capable competing beyond our borders. Without riders improving and competing successfully abroad there will be little incentive for youngsters unpopular to attempt great things in this sport.
13 Comments:
Andrew I agree totally with you and that race didn't need to be another lap longer for us to have caught that break. When we made the final right turn onto the long 8K finishing straight I could see from the rear of the main field the lead car of the leaders and it turns out that they were only :35secs in front so YES it is lame that riders just give up, but with 15 guys in RED and BLUE (Ital and Jetfuel) just waiting to sit on your attempt to bridge maybe the early gamble is the way to go about it?. Regardless, we need more riders thinking in your terms and maybe we need a few more ONTARIO BASED teams. We have the riders, maybe we can even organize a draft ala the NBA or NHL -just kidding, I think?..... but you get my point.
Dido in Kamloops (off last years result) or better keep the rubber side down.
June 27, 2005
To Neo Pro...I think if you had been away with a jet fuel AND an Ital they would have worked happily with you. I understand they wanted more presence in the break. The problem is, that too many riders would pull back the counters with the whole field on their wheel. I was told by many that this happened time and time again. This kind of racing happens in Ontario often. It's called "gratuitous pulling". There is usually no reason to pull with a field sitting behind you. It's almost like riders are afraid to the let the race get away, but are also too scared to try and BE the race that gets away. Racing for the "result" rather than the win. It is frustrating to race this way. ATTACK! Then pull all you want........
June 28, 2005
I agree with a lot of what you're saying Andrew, especially about having more people race for the win - but I do have some criticism for the way our 2 top teams raced. Too often the tactics are get someone in the early break and sit-on or contribute to a bridge later. As an independant my tactic is look for the first move with both teams and go with it - because you'll both bog down any chase effort there after. Jetfuel and Ital were the only two teams capabale of controling the race, but didn't. Don't like the situation, bring it back. There was too much "not our job to chase, we have a rider up there" - especially from Ital considering they had the wrong guys up there to win (understand JetFuel being happy with Joe there). Of anyone there, only these 2 teams had the horsepower to put a few people on the front to keep the race close enough to make bridging possible and still have someone in reserve. And both teams were just as guilty of chasing back breaks with the whole feild on their wheel. The way I see it of anyone there, only JetFuel or Ital was capable of changing the outcome and neither stepped up to the plate.
June 28, 2005
I agree that Ital and Jet Fuel are the only two teams capable of controlling the race, but that's why the break should never be allowed to get 3+minutes by the pack. As soon as the move rolled off the front there should have been a flurry of attacking by riders not on these two teams. A break should not be able to just roll off the front without a fight behind, and it can't be up to Ital and Jet Fuel to chase it back when they've put guys into the move.
In some ways what I'm trying to get at, in an overly simplified manner, is that if each rider launched just one attack in the race then the racing would be a whole lot faster and better. Right now it seems that there's just not much fight in Ontario racing.
June 28, 2005
i agree with andrew and most of the comments on here. a lot of people looked at gears and wondered why they didnt get moving. they had one guy in the break, but it wasnt one of thier big names.
definately need to see longer and more challenging races. that race would have been a lot harder had there been more wind..
June 28, 2005
I remember a certain rider that rolled off the front at nationals last year and did very well for himself.(yes,Andrew that would be you.)Ontario racing can be trying at times.But the riders that went up the road were of a relatively high calibre in Ontario circles.The field looks around sees the depth of Jet Fuel and just waits for you to crank up the pace.The riders in the break did take the race to you.....just as last year you took the race to others in Kamloops.The field lacked respect for the break and thats why the break stayed off the whole day.Thats racing.
June 29, 2005
Unfortunately, in a situation like this where a break goes up the road with all the big teams represented an Ontario race is bound to become negative. This is because as a high calibre team, Jetfuel/Ital/Gears will try to shut down the pack and any attacks. If a break goes they are willing to sit on, as if it doesn't succeed they have lost nothing, and if it suceeds, they have better numbers in the break. This is a smart thing to do as a team, and what should happen at a high level of racing.
Unforunately, with the big teams not working, there is not really enough horsepower/organization to chase down a solid breakaway. Look at Greg Reain who was desperately trying to bridge up. He's obviously not going to drag a Jetfuel guy up with him, but he doesn't have any help to do much of anything else. As strong as any guy is, it is very difficult to do much with at least 5 guys marking you.
Sure, Greg could probably bring the break back with the help of a few guys, but then he's spent and to what purpose? He has no team mates that will benefit. Now if Greg pulled the break back with a team mate going for a counter attack you have a proper race going.
Can you blame the big teams for their tactics? No, it's pretty standard stuff. It's negative, yes, but is good team tactics. The real problem is that no other rider can deal with that kind of horsepower, and it's doubtful that a group of 5 independant riders will be able to band together and do the job.
That said, Darko won with little help of a team, but that was because of the skill/strength/luck he used to get himself into the winning break.
Realistically, right now there are only the 3 big teams and a few other individuals who actually can make something happen in Ontario on a consistent basis.
June 29, 2005
Remember if the " Big Teams " show up you must change your tactics!!
Buck did very well at Nature Valley two weeks ago and had no team but a good race tactic!
But I submit at Provincals.. Randall, You should have made something happen during this event if for nothing else to hopefully improve racing in Ontario, I mean after all.. Darko alone and winning are you kidding??
June 29, 2005
"Darko alone? Are you kidding?"
No, Darko is a strong rider, it came down to a break sprint, he had the fastest legs to the line, but dont think for one second if the course was selective enough, Joe would have let it come down to a sprint, those were the cards JetFuel was hoping to play, but Joe couldn't shed them on that highway of a course.
June 29, 2005
I think there are two topics at hand here.
1. What went down at the provincials
2. The general state of ontario racing
The provincials was used just to illustrate the point. Remember Andrew is coming fresh off a stint racing oversees, so the subtle --and not so subtle-- differences are really top of mind for him. I have to say, I think some of the comments here border on defeatist. To say that JF and Ital are the only teams capable of changing the outcome is just wrong. If you think that, it's game over.
I definitely remember that in europe there is far more churn in the bunch during a race, because everyone attacks, all the time, no matter what.
To say I'm not going to attack because 2 itals and a JF guy are going to sit on me when I do is kinda lame. I mean the race is up the road, go for it, get yourself back in there. So what if you bring another JF and Ital guy up there. The important thing is you got yourself back in there... and now your in with a shot. Sure, maybe its a shitty shot, but its a better shot than back in the bunch where you've got none.
That's the difference in europe... I think, guys are always thinking am I in a winning position? If not how do I get there and I'm going to make it happen for me. And a shitty shot at winning is better than none at all.
One thing I've always wondered here is why its always seems sooo much harder to get away in the 2nd move vs. the first? Its like the pack defeatist attitude, I've lost the race, it's up the road, but I'm not going to let anyone else change it either... I'll chase you down so you don't get 12th, but I won't chase down the break so I might get 1st.
June 30, 2005
Kevin, your last paragraph said EXACTLY what I have thought for many years now. It's inexplicable. I have even said things to people during races. Typically there is no response. It's a real problem in Ontario racing (though I have to say it happens elsewhere in N.A.) and for the racing to come up another notch it needs to change. Anyone care to guess on the origins of this style of racing? It wasn't always this way....
June 30, 2005
Could it be the passive Canadian attitude, to accept what has been delt to you. I would hope to think that we all race because we and are beyond that.
June 30, 2005
To the person that said that I should have lit it up at Provincials, you've missed my point. What I'm saying is that there are more than just the "top" guys that can change the course of the race, and these guys need to show their stuff more. "In order to win you can't be afraid to lose ".
June 30, 2005
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