"There are too many factors you have to take into account that you have no control over...The most important factor you can keep in your own hands is yourself. I always placed the greatest emphasis on that." - Eddy Merckx I am your VP of Rider Development - Scot Willingham. The focus for this coming year involves safety and that involves a minimum racing skills recommendation. Racing is a completely different beast from riding a bike. Though parallels exist between pace-line riding and riding in a group, the speed, unpredictability, motivations, assertiveness, and rules for racing create different and separate demands.
Read the Bike Racing Skills here
Many of us come from non-racing backgrounds and have been told to simply ride our bikes with other riders and we will improve. However, racing requires technical and non-intuitive techniques requiring teaching or coaching. These techniques are safely learned by completing a comprehensive developmental or educational process or program.
The Club feels a responsibility to educate our racers about these techniques, providing an optimal and safe experience for bike racing. To achieve that this year, all new riders are strongly recommended to attend and successfully complete a skills session.
All Category 5 riders, attending a session counts as a race for upgrading.
Veteran members, the same recommendation applies. Please assess your abilities according to the skills listed. If you find you are lacking, participation in the offered sessions would be recommended.
While this doesn’t address all causes, it does address those we can control.
Thank you. Have a great season.
"Keep the rubber side down and between the ditches."
Scot Willingham, MA VP of Rider Development, CRCA
