Sportive "races"

[400bhp]

Loads of 'real' bike races, and virtually all time trials are run on open roads too. Tri- and duathlons. In fact road closures are pretty damn rare, and only really happen for the most important events.

Lets not compare apples with pairs.

I was responding to an incorrect analogy with sportives and marathons.

 

[400bhp]

Sportives are like marathons in many respects. Whether you come 11,000th or 11,001st in the London marathon doesn't mean much as you would be amongst the jogging herds, but coming 8th is impressively high up the list and she would almost certainly have been amongst some competitive cyclists.

Sorry Norm, but they are not.

 

[Norm]

Sorry Norm, but they are not.

Do you want to think about anything which may justify that position, or will you just leave it as a meaningless contradiction?

 

[freecyclist]

Loads of 'real' bike races, and virtually all time trials are run on open roads too. Tri- and duathlons. In fact road closures are pretty damn rare, and only really happen for the most important events.

+1 Even Fred Whitton, arguably the best placed sportive for road closures (due to it's popularity, and dangerous nature of some of the descents) has failed to make any inroads into that particular area.

Most actual races are held on open roads, closing roads in the UK is a major, major undertaking. Surrey Classic this year is a great example of what we're talking about. Thousands of people involved.

Obviously sportives aren't races, but a lot of participants treat them thus, and the standard of riding is often shocking. I guarantee any Sunday group ride is far far better behaved and organised than pretty much any sportive.
My 2 penneth

 

[400bhp]

Do you want to think about anything which may justify that position, or will you just leave it as a meaningless contradiction?

Nope, CBA as I'm not spelling it out.

 

[theclaud]

You've learned a lot about sportives in the last week then?

It's verging on the miraculous...

 

[Norm]

Nope, CBA as I'm not spelling it out.

But you do feel the need to post your opinion half a dozen times on this thread.

I'm sure you'll understand that opinion not gaining much credence.

 

[Emmanuel Obikwelu]

Praise the Lord

Hallelujah. Praise be to god and let gods love shine forth and radiate on all my cycling brothers and sisters.
Thank you my brother Adrian. I feel your love.

 

[brokenflipflop]

Didn't understand much of that. Just nipping out for my Sun before work. I'll ask Steve and Fred at work, they might not know the answer but at least I'll understand them when they say what the ***** a Sportive.

 

[400bhp]

But you do feel the need to post your opinion half a dozen times on this thread.

I'm sure you'll understand that opinion not gaining much credence.

Agree, don't know why I bothered.

 

[VamP]

It's verging on the miraculous...

It's also a word for word cut and paste from my earlier post on the same subject. This is one seriously disturbed puppy.

 

[Moss]

I think if people genuinely think it's a race then these sorts of events on open roads will soon disappear.

They won't be able to get insurance.

I'm sure more people would participate in Sportive rides if : 1, The entery fee was a little less!! Some of these events are a money making exersize! £65, entry for some of the sportive events!

2, if people stopped reffering to them as "Un-Official" road races! Although I can understand the challenge to be first past the post in any type of cycling event.


Lets remember that organised cycling rides are for everyone, not just the elite riders and amateur road racing types, give a thought for those cyclists that see it as a challenge just to complete the course.

 

[Norm]

That sounds like a marathon.

 

[John the Monkey]

That sounds like a marathon.

They're called "Snickers" now, Norm. And you're going to HATE what they did to Opal Fruits.

 

[Lard Armstrong]

Yes this discussion is all very good, but what I want to know is, what is a 'prannock' ?