Not necessary in Germany. Just join a "Radtourenfahrt" (initally supposed to be nice group rides with a signed route and food stops every 30-40 km) and try and stay on the first group. Cyclists will turn everything into a competition...
YES! on the lowest level in Belgium, no one with licence i think i did decent did some attacks no one jumped with me than at the end i let myself drop back cause i dont really have a good kick so didnt want to risk my health. Also did one a level higher with people with a licence, got dropped rather fast it was way snappier than the other one and that isnt my forte. Didnt know if i got lapped i could get back on so was to late when they passed rode like 30-40 km solo but yeah i finished didnt want to quit so made a decent training from it .
I just did my first race yesterday at the amateur "Jedermann" Eschborn Frankfurt. It was amazing. The feeling of riding through the city centre streets with the skyscrapers around you in a big group at 45km/h is an incredible feeling. The adrenaline. So many nice cyclists and spectators that make you push at the steep ramps. ❤ Did the medium track (92km / 1250 m alt.) came 48th out of 1131 and 17th in my age group. It was so much fun. I can only recommend it!
Dan as a truck driver (and a member of a local bike club) .part of the training for our cpc card was a module on vulnerable road users ..also the ones that are cyclists do know what it's like on our roads ..
I did my first race this past weekend, the Paris2Ancaster gravel race that was epic. Mud, rain and more mud. We missed you Manon! The best part of the race is that it really forced us to get out of our comfort zone, to do something in conditions that anyone sane would not agree to. Great memories made!
I did my first and only cycling race in college back in 2017. It was a 20mile road race. The highlight the race for me was, I found myself off the back and joined up with a group of two other riders. When it was my turn on the front, I put in a HUGE turn because I thought I could still catch the front group. In the middle of my monster effort a guy, on the side of road, shouted "Put the hammer down!" When I finally pulled off I saw that one of the other riders had been dropped. To this day I claim that I dropped that rider because of my massive turn on the front. I never did see the front of the race again but this memory always makes me smile.
Sounds like a great race! Those first racing memories will always stick 🙌 Great work on dropping someone on your first race... that's better than we did 👀 Are you still racing now?
@@gcn No I am not. That was the only race I ever did. These past few years I have been running alot, doing 5k/10k races in the summer. Now a days I just use my bike to commute to work.
Just had my first race this past Saturday. Cascadia Super Gravel 50 miler. 7,000 ft elevation, with conditions ranging from tarmac to single track - it was easily the hardest I've ever ridden. Finished 25/48 for my class and couldn't be happier!
Great show as always. For medical reasons I'm not able to currently do excessive exercise but each day I do a 30 minutes Z1/2 spin on the trainer and I'm always helped along with a GCN video. Thank you to the whole team for all your efforts😊
Thank you Dan and Manon..my first was a gravel event ...in the mountains !! Faltlander that I am , I learned my bike could go backwards , in a hurry ! Humbling and fun as hell.....ok, after was fun , during ? The sweep vehicle was letting me draft , so they could get in and eat !
A city in Mexico did make some public transport drivers on stationary bikes wild the busses they normally drive past at high speeds and close. This as an effort to sensitive them to respect cyclists on shared roads
The ski station at Metabief, France, hosted the craziest MTB race I've ever witnessed. Whether it runs annually, or was a one-off, I don't know... but they had entrants take their bike up the chair, and then had about a day & half to record 10(!) downhill times. We got there Friday night, not even knowing; it had rained for two days. So the racers had to choose a muddy track early, or possibly waiting for drier conditions on Sunday. Sadly, my hosts were as little interested as I was attracted to it, so I don't know how it turned out. But if I were 25, I'd be there!
My one experience of racing was a grass track event in 2012, when I was 62! It was part of a special "pre-lympics" event, organised by the BBC Local Radio station I work for. I came second. The problem was there was only two of us in the race and the winner was a fourteen year old school girl! In my defence she (Ellie Dickinson) went on to win gold at the 2016/17 track cycling world cup in Glasgow. I'm built for comfort not for speed!
10:23 .. it should be mandatory for a driving license pass to have this as a test. Then new driver should sit on a stationary bike while 20 cars and lorries pass them by 1m at 100km/h.
Can I suggest that for many cyclists, cyclocross would be a better 'first' race than the rather scary world of cat 4 circuit racing? It is hugely inclusive, there are age categories, there is a family atmosphere with mum, dad, kids all entering their respective races, and (in the UK) you can enter on any bike including mountain bikes (UCI tyre limits don't apply for league races). Every region of the country has a local league with races every weekend over the winter.
As a former runner I was used to finishing in the top 50% of the field. There was always a group of joggers and walkers who entered for the camaraderie. I have entered a few gravel races on my MTB, the only bike I ride, and it is completely different. There is no group of slow riders! I finish last or, almost last, each time. I would love to see a greater variety of riders enter these events, but at the moment, everyone is fast. I am not deterred because I enter for the challenge. But, I have considered it may be time for an ebike!
I had a cousin who lost an arm to a truck and an aunt that was sucked under a truck that passed her while she was trying to change a flat on her car. There is no way I would ride a road here in the USA that had truck traffic doing 70 to 100 MPH (yes that fast).
Racing in my area *generally* requires a USA Cycling license, which can be purchased on a per-event basis, but it doesn't take many races to justify an annual license, which is $110! (It is worth noting that most local gravel races - including Unbound! - do not (yet?) require licensing.) Especially at the Cat 5/4 level, the odds are small that it would ever happen, and I'm clean, and they would find nothing, but I don't relish the idea of a stranger showing up at my doorstep and demanding that I provide a urine sample on-the-spot. Which is all to say that if gravel isn't your thing, then licensing requirements can put a serious damper on the layman's racing aspirations.
Bike racing is fun for sure. But there is a crashing problem in low level Crits at the moment. Maybe Trainerroad etc should take greater care to encourage people to actually ride outdoors on a wheel now and again. Likewise, BC should allow GoPro cameras in ALL races and go hard after people caught riding dangerously. The commissaire's stand there at the start and nervously say 'Don't crash folks!' but instead they should shout out clearly the fundamentals. That doesn't just mean 'hold your line' as that shifts the blame to others- it means 'PROTECT YOUR OWN FRONT WHEEL' and encourage people to take responsibility for themselves. Also, the points system seems to make people go insane. The other day someone literally sprinted into the back of people at Hillingdon in their quest to get a 'point'. Upgrades should be after 20 races in a given category by invitation only. You should need 5 other riders to sign off that you are safe and respected enough to cat-up.
The Problem why i dont participate in races is because the following things: 1) in belgium you need a license (as far as i know) to do competitive racing 2) scared to be dropped after 1 lap 3) Im to heavy 4) I have never ridden in a peloton
Do you want to give racing a try? Joining a group ride might a great idea on building confidence riding with others. Those local groups can be a great gateway into the world of racing. If you don't want to race then that's fine too 🙌 There is space for everyone within cycling!
If there's one thing to experience as a Cyclist, it's the sensation and feeling of pure speed when you're in the middle of a Peloton. It's almost like you're just carried along the road by the other riders! I had the same fears you did, but I gave it a go and had a lot of fun. 🖖😄🇺🇸
Surprised no one has taken hydro tablets before-or commented on it. For years I have been taking one on group rides, wrapping it up in clingfilm and putting it into my puncture spares bottle ready for when we reach the cafe stop for the return leg. 👍🏻
I have raced twice; the first in a criterium in rainy conditions, where I think I got my tactics entirely wrong. I should have muscled my way to the front, with my substantial bulk, to avoid getting stuck behind people fannying about trying to get into clips, and slid my back wheel out round the first turn, foot down, to clear out any competition on road bikes. As it was, it was a dismal race, we got lapped, and the only thing that cheered us up was the cider that Young D's girlfriend had brought. We sadly set off home in the later afternoon sun... M: "I feel like we're still racing" "Aye - now we're heading for the pub"
I did my first road race at the Castle Combe circuit probably about 20 years back. With it being a closed road, the pack was really wide. I found it off putting at first, as I was surrounded by riders and couldn't see the road as a visual datum. Quite odd. I also did one at Thruxton too. My best ever result. Probably finished about 3/4 of the way down the start list, but won a sprint for the group I was in. I couldn't help but sit up and sail over the line with my hands off the bars. I probably looked a right plonker but it had to be done. Worth a go, bloody good fun.
Whoop whoop our local races 🎉 Great to hear you getting stuck in! Are you still racing now? You can catch Conor trying to hold on at Thruxton here 👉 th-cam.com/video/3w7eYTL0gPc/w-d-xo.html
8:40 Hmm, the idea is quite cool. One but. It would be better to have a chance to go off the path safely and end up on the grass, when it's necessary (say some sort of accident) rather than hitting one of the poles on a side.
My experience with USCF-sanctioned races in the U.S. (when I was younger -- 30 years ago) was that you needed to be at a pretty good level of fitness or you'd get dropped like a rock, which is no fun at all.
Many fast food chains offer a more healthy option on their menus now and have done for quite some time. At the end of the day it’s down to the individual to make their own smart choices regarding the food they consume.
EF Rider #1: "Boy, I sure do love our pink kits this year, don't you?" EF Rider #2: "Yes, it is the most prestigious colour a cyclist can be seen in" EF Rider #1: "Does Dan Lloyd have your kids?" EF Rider #2: "Yes, when does the Giro finish?"
I use to race often in MTB races - anything from 50 km, through 100 km and a couple of 4 day events. However I find they are just too expensive now and I can’t justify the cost. For the same money, I can have a weekend away, ride a gravel bike away from traffic and have as much fun.
Just back from the Eschborn-Frankfurt sportive. It was a lot of fun racing through the city on closed roads and mindlessly bashing out 500 to 700 watts out of every corner (and paying for it later). What I would love to do is a race with a team. I don‘t need to be the captain at all and would be very happy with a DNF knowing that I have done everything I could pulling at the front.
I've not yet raced, fascinating as I find it. I can't get past the idea that (1) I wouldn't be allowed to race on my current bikes and (2) the fact that I wouldn't race enough to justify buying a bike just for that purpose.
I entered a CX race once, in Cartmel. I arrived too late for the Masters, so had to enter the Open. I was on a mountain bike and came dead last. It was fun though. Circuit races like at my local Salt Ayre track just look a bit scary! 🤣
My first ever road race participated in was done on a Specialized Hardrock mountain bike. Surprisingly I came in second to last. This was my first time lifting a full carbon road bicycle. Boy it was much lighter than my aluminum frame mountain bike.
Hi both. We should all try racing? I calculate that I can manage 140w for 4 mins, 80w for 10 mins and 50w for an hour, max heart rate 130. Not so bad for 70 perhaps. What race might I fit in?
I think the best thing for new racers is to try and find handicap races initially, with experience you can work your way up the groups and there's always the day the handicappers get it wrong and the early starters end up racing for the win.
GCN "All cyclists should try racing!" Me, a rider who's dealt with "racer snobs", race organizers who shun "filthy casuals", and bike shops that cater to people who make more money than the GNP of many countries "How 'bout NO?"
#captioncompetition: Does anyone else dream of winning the #captioncompetition so badly, all they see on stage are 2 coveted pink GCN Elite water bottles?
As a seasoned racer, I’m not sure I agree with the idea that “everyone should race”. Personally I think this would be very dangerous for all participants. Knowing how to ride and race safely is a skill that has to be learned. Many (some? several?) clubs run specific training sessions to help people learn race craft and helps them feel safe and confident in riding, then racing in tightly packed bunches. I feel unsafe if I don’t have confidence in those around me. We all know what happens when riders are anxious and twitchy. Even in the pro peloton crashes happen and most are caused by rider errors. So whilst it would be great to see more people race, please consider encouraging more people to learn to ride safely before pinning on a number.
I've noticed with Zwift that I can usually eek out a few more watts for longer (Dont worry, Im still D Category) in a crit rather than one of the workouts. "GOTTA BEAT THAT GUY" is a very real motivational tool, even virtually.
It's sometimes funny watching you translate user names in the Hack/Bodge section. I suspect ASHH4RD1NG that you translated as Ash For Riding is really Ash Harding. Keep 'em coming. 🙂
Had a crack at a local crit race (in a very low grade) and quickly discovered that my bike handling skills just aren't up to it. Fast enough, just not good enough.
Re: upside down bike on Hack or Bodge- I think it's because the bike is a larger size, therefore the owner flipped it over. Or else it might have dragged on the road.
#captioncontest ♫ Pink it was love at first sight, and pink when I cycle my bike, pink makes me fly like a kite and I think everything will be alright, no matter where I place tonight ♫
GCN. Nice shout for the "must try racing" agenda.....but every year you completely overlook the worlds biggest timed cycle race/sportive, the Cape Town Cycle Tour, which mixes cyclist from across the world and across the cycling spectrum in an absolutely incredible event comprising 109km of road, 1200m of elevation, national parks, two oceans and one global city. Lets see a GCN team down here and competing in March 2024. If it was in Majorca, Belgium or Oregon or we would not hear the end of it.....lets put the GLOBAL back into GCN
@ Dan, your roster of names I should know I've never heard before. racing is such a small segment of cycling, I pay little to no attention to it. I'd rather be out riding than watching others ride.
Used to race mountain bikes, never better than the sport class. Had to give it up though, the butterflies got so bad that I couldn't eat anything before the race and on top that started (and continuing) to struggle with heartburn. Got to the point where it just wasn't any fun anymore.
@@gcn I enjoyed the racing (even though I wasn't very good at it) ... just the stomach issues got too much. Wasn't just the racing, big rides got me too nervous or something. Still riding.
Bike racing is scary. Crashing is a real possibility. Fear of getting in other cyclists way in a bunch and possibly making them crash too. I suppose racing in Zwift would be an alternative.
The previous video of the bus drivers experimenting how it feels to be in real danger while riding bike its from Costa Rica. Unfortunely there's a huge lack of respect from any automovile driver to cyclist and seems as a part of our culture. What a shame!!!
#Global Cycling newwork , as ex lorry / bus driver and long time cyclist, actual its the cars drivers who are the problem. lorry drivers i put up my tumb to said thank you because they always give me plenty of room
Have you ever entered a bike race? 🚴
I've raced in Criteriums, once in the Boulder-Roubaix, and about two dozen MTB Downhill races. 😄
@@cleekmaker00 Sounds like some fun racing! Are you still taking part in local races? 👀
Not necessary in Germany. Just join a "Radtourenfahrt" (initally supposed to be nice group rides with a signed route and food stops every 30-40 km) and try and stay on the first group. Cyclists will turn everything into a competition...
@@gcn Not anymore... bad knees. 😔Now I just ride recreationally, watch the races on TV, and watch you folks! 🙂
YES! on the lowest level in Belgium, no one with licence i think i did decent did some attacks no one jumped with me than at the end i let myself drop back cause i dont really have a good kick so didnt want to risk my health. Also did one a level higher with people with a licence, got dropped rather fast it was way snappier than the other one and that isnt my forte. Didnt know if i got lapped i could get back on so was to late when they passed rode like 30-40 km solo but yeah i finished didnt want to quit so made a decent training from it .
Did we hear someone say tri racing? ... oh TRY RACING... our bad 👋
😂😂 good one
That sounds like a James joke 😂
Well played ... very well played ...
I just did my first race yesterday at the amateur "Jedermann" Eschborn Frankfurt. It was amazing. The feeling of riding through the city centre streets with the skyscrapers around you in a big group at 45km/h is an incredible feeling. The adrenaline. So many nice cyclists and spectators that make you push at the steep ramps. ❤ Did the medium track (92km / 1250 m alt.) came 48th out of 1131 and 17th in my age group. It was so much fun. I can only recommend it!
Great going Julio! That sound like an amazing race 🙌 Have you got your eyes set on any more goals in the future?
Dan as a truck driver (and a member of a local bike club) .part of the training for our cpc card was a module on vulnerable road users ..also the ones that are cyclists do know what it's like on our roads ..
I did my first race this past weekend, the Paris2Ancaster gravel race that was epic. Mud, rain and more mud. We missed you Manon! The best part of the race is that it really forced us to get out of our comfort zone, to do something in conditions that anyone sane would not agree to. Great memories made!
Manon wished she could be there this year! Some great memories last year 👉 th-cam.com/video/AcMLZSoYfhk/w-d-xo.html - How did you get on?
I was there too! First gravel race for my wife and me (entered as a mixed duo team). I feel like I’m still finding mud caked on stuff! Fun though!
Ah that was a great race. Well done and glad you enjoyed. Hopefully it's motivated you to do some more races.
I'm doing my first ever race at the age of 58 in June at the Spain Masters, I only started cycling 11 months ago.
I did my first and only cycling race in college back in 2017. It was a 20mile road race. The highlight the race for me was, I found myself off the back and joined up with a group of two other riders. When it was my turn on the front, I put in a HUGE turn because I thought I could still catch the front group. In the middle of my monster effort a guy, on the side of road, shouted "Put the hammer down!" When I finally pulled off I saw that one of the other riders had been dropped. To this day I claim that I dropped that rider because of my massive turn on the front. I never did see the front of the race again but this memory always makes me smile.
Sounds like a great race! Those first racing memories will always stick 🙌 Great work on dropping someone on your first race... that's better than we did 👀 Are you still racing now?
@@gcn No I am not. That was the only race I ever did. These past few years I have been running alot, doing 5k/10k races in the summer. Now a days I just use my bike to commute to work.
Pretty amusing to hear Manon proclaim that "Wow, sprinters are nuts aren't they!"
Just had my first race this past Saturday. Cascadia Super Gravel 50 miler. 7,000 ft elevation, with conditions ranging from tarmac to single track - it was easily the hardest I've ever ridden. Finished 25/48 for my class and couldn't be happier!
Whoop whoop! That is a tough first race 🙌 We hope it's fired you up for future gravel crushing !
Great show as always. For medical reasons I'm not able to currently do excessive exercise but each day I do a 30 minutes Z1/2 spin on the trainer and I'm always helped along with a GCN video. Thank you to the whole team for all your efforts😊
Thank you Dan and Manon..my first was a gravel event ...in the mountains !! Faltlander that I am , I learned my bike could go backwards , in a hurry ! Humbling and fun as hell.....ok, after was fun , during ? The sweep vehicle was letting me draft , so they could get in and eat !
Hahahaha we've all been there don't you worry! We hope you've got your eyes on the next challenge!
A city in Mexico did make some public transport drivers on stationary bikes wild the busses they normally drive past at high speeds and close. This as an effort to sensitive them to respect cyclists on shared roads
The bike on the back of the car is like that so that the wheels don't extend too far past the sides of the small car. It is a sensible hack.
another LLoyd's show-now that's a treat!
The ski station at Metabief, France, hosted the craziest MTB race I've ever witnessed.
Whether it runs annually, or was a one-off, I don't know... but they had entrants take their bike up the chair, and then had about a day & half to record 10(!) downhill times.
We got there Friday night, not even knowing; it had rained for two days. So the racers had to choose a muddy track early, or possibly waiting for drier conditions on Sunday.
Sadly, my hosts were as little interested as I was attracted to it, so I don't know how it turned out.
But if I were 25, I'd be there!
My one experience of racing was a grass track event in 2012, when I was 62! It was part of a special "pre-lympics" event, organised by the BBC Local Radio station I work for. I came second. The problem was there was only two of us in the race and the winner was a fourteen year old school girl! In my defence she (Ellie Dickinson) went on to win gold at the 2016/17 track cycling world cup in Glasgow. I'm built for comfort not for speed!
You're never too late to get in racing! We love to hear this 🙌 Perhaps you are a diesel engine, built for distance 👀
Did my first race last week. I absolutely loved it. Just registered for my next race today.
10:23 .. it should be mandatory for a driving license pass to have this as a test. Then new driver should sit on a stationary bike while 20 cars and lorries pass them by 1m at 100km/h.
BMX in the early 1970's a few local road bike races in the late 1970's and a MTB race in 2018. Road biking in earnest since 2020.
Can I suggest that for many cyclists, cyclocross would be a better 'first' race than the rather scary world of cat 4 circuit racing? It is hugely inclusive, there are age categories, there is a family atmosphere with mum, dad, kids all entering their respective races, and (in the UK) you can enter on any bike including mountain bikes (UCI tyre limits don't apply for league races). Every region of the country has a local league with races every weekend over the winter.
Upside down bike: This has happened to me before. Given the frame size, on small cars, the wheels touch the ground!
It’s a small hatchback so they are simply using the wrong bike rack. The bike should be up in line with the back window.
As a former runner I was used to finishing in the top 50% of the field. There was always a group of joggers and walkers who entered for the camaraderie. I have entered a few gravel races on my MTB, the only bike I ride, and it is completely different. There is no group of slow riders! I finish last or, almost last, each time. I would love to see a greater variety of riders enter these events, but at the moment, everyone is fast. I am not deterred because I enter for the challenge. But, I have considered it may be time for an ebike!
I had a cousin who lost an arm to a truck and an aunt that was sucked under a truck that passed her while she was trying to change a flat on her car. There is no way I would ride a road here in the USA that had truck traffic doing 70 to 100 MPH (yes that fast).
Racing in my area *generally* requires a USA Cycling license, which can be purchased on a per-event basis, but it doesn't take many races to justify an annual license, which is $110! (It is worth noting that most local gravel races - including Unbound! - do not (yet?) require licensing.)
Especially at the Cat 5/4 level, the odds are small that it would ever happen, and I'm clean, and they would find nothing, but I don't relish the idea of a stranger showing up at my doorstep and demanding that I provide a urine sample on-the-spot.
Which is all to say that if gravel isn't your thing, then licensing requirements can put a serious damper on the layman's racing aspirations.
Bike racing is fun for sure. But there is a crashing problem in low level Crits at the moment. Maybe Trainerroad etc should take greater care to encourage people to actually ride outdoors on a wheel now and again.
Likewise, BC should allow GoPro cameras in ALL races and go hard after people caught riding dangerously. The commissaire's stand there at the start and nervously say 'Don't crash folks!' but instead they should shout out clearly the fundamentals. That doesn't just mean 'hold your line' as that shifts the blame to others- it means 'PROTECT YOUR OWN FRONT WHEEL' and encourage people to take responsibility for themselves.
Also, the points system seems to make people go insane. The other day someone literally sprinted into the back of people at Hillingdon in their quest to get a 'point'.
Upgrades should be after 20 races in a given category by invitation only. You should need 5 other riders to sign off that you are safe and respected enough to cat-up.
The Problem why i dont participate in races is because the following things:
1) in belgium you need a license (as far as i know) to do competitive racing
2) scared to be dropped after 1 lap
3) Im to heavy
4) I have never ridden in a peloton
Do you want to give racing a try? Joining a group ride might a great idea on building confidence riding with others. Those local groups can be a great gateway into the world of racing. If you don't want to race then that's fine too 🙌 There is space for everyone within cycling!
If there's one thing to experience as a Cyclist, it's the sensation and feeling of pure speed when you're in the middle of a Peloton. It's almost like you're just carried along the road by the other riders!
I had the same fears you did, but I gave it a go and had a lot of fun. 🖖😄🇺🇸
Love racing and the community. Speaking of racing, my favourite race is back- The Giro!Looking forward to the -1988 film.
The Giro is going to be a big one! Who do you think will take the victory?
Surprised no one has taken hydro tablets before-or commented on it. For years I have been taking one on group rides, wrapping it up in clingfilm and putting it into my puncture spares bottle ready for when we reach the cafe stop for the return leg. 👍🏻
I have raced twice; the first in a criterium in rainy conditions, where I think I got my tactics entirely wrong.
I should have muscled my way to the front, with my substantial bulk, to avoid getting stuck behind people fannying about trying to get into clips, and slid my back wheel out round the first turn, foot down, to clear out any competition on road bikes.
As it was, it was a dismal race, we got lapped, and the only thing that cheered us up was the cider that Young D's girlfriend had brought. We sadly set off home in the later afternoon sun... M: "I feel like we're still racing"
"Aye - now we're heading for the pub"
I did my first road race at the Castle Combe circuit probably about 20 years back. With it being a closed road, the pack was really wide. I found it off putting at first, as I was surrounded by riders and couldn't see the road as a visual datum. Quite odd. I also did one at Thruxton too. My best ever result. Probably finished about 3/4 of the way down the start list, but won a sprint for the group I was in. I couldn't help but sit up and sail over the line with my hands off the bars. I probably looked a right plonker but it had to be done. Worth a go, bloody good fun.
Whoop whoop our local races 🎉 Great to hear you getting stuck in! Are you still racing now? You can catch Conor trying to hold on at Thruxton here 👉 th-cam.com/video/3w7eYTL0gPc/w-d-xo.html
In the USA The senior Olympics is FUN & low cost! Age groups, and GREAT VIBE
I race all the time! In GT7 ;p The bike is for relaxing, not competing.
And why subject yourself to the whims of the UCI?
8:40 Hmm, the idea is quite cool. One but. It would be better to have a chance to go off the path safely and end up on the grass, when it's necessary (say some sort of accident) rather than hitting one of the poles on a side.
My experience with USCF-sanctioned races in the U.S. (when I was younger -- 30 years ago) was that you needed to be at a pretty good level of fitness or you'd get dropped like a rock, which is no fun at all.
Doing my first race in Las Vegas this week!
I train reasonably entered tli 50 plus event lasted 5k. Local 3 and 4th run at 27mp
Doing a TT is also a good start. A lot of clubs run them every week. Good if riding in large groups at speed puts you off.
i use old tubes from electrolyte tabs and will fill them up with carb mix so i can re-up on long rides when i stop for water
Brava Manon - a GCN presenter who knows how to use the word “hence” 👏👏👏
Many fast food chains offer a more healthy option on their menus now and have done for quite some time. At the end of the day it’s down to the individual to make their own smart choices regarding the food they consume.
EF Rider #1: "Boy, I sure do love our pink kits this year, don't you?"
EF Rider #2: "Yes, it is the most prestigious colour a cyclist can be seen in"
EF Rider #1: "Does Dan Lloyd have your kids?"
EF Rider #2: "Yes, when does the Giro finish?"
The upside down bike bodge: as an owner of a small car I can see why he did it. You try to minimise the amount your bike stick outs
Raced CAT 4 at Goodwood last night and loved it!
Love to hear it! Keep pushing Paul. How was your race? 💨
@@gcn Hard but fun managed to stay with the front pack until the end without getting dropped, which was my aim.
My First Race was yesterday. Eschborn-Frankfurt. It was a very good experience
We think there were a few GCN fans at that one 🙌 Hope you all gave each other a wheel 👀
To celebrate Giro d’Italia Manon strikes the pose as Mannonlisa 😊
I use to race often in MTB races - anything from 50 km, through 100 km and a couple of 4 day events. However I find they are just too expensive now and I can’t justify the cost. For the same money, I can have a weekend away, ride a gravel bike away from traffic and have as much fun.
Don’t worry Manon. You gave your all and you are still my favorite presenter!!!
Giro is my favourite big race of the year. Beautiful
Who's taking the win this year?
9:30 Greg Lemond did commercials for Taco Bell back in '89/'90...
Oh wow. How inspiring is Mavis? What a hero.
Just back from the Eschborn-Frankfurt sportive. It was a lot of fun racing through the city on closed roads and mindlessly bashing out 500 to 700 watts out of every corner (and paying for it later). What I would love to do is a race with a team. I don‘t need to be the captain at all and would be very happy with a DNF knowing that I have done everything I could pulling at the front.
Hi Christian! Are you part of a local club? That could be a great way of finding that perfect team spirit 🙌
@@gcn Unfortunately, the cycling club scene in Germany is almost dead. You can find a few in big cities but not in rural area like where I live.
I've not yet raced, fascinating as I find it. I can't get past the idea that (1) I wouldn't be allowed to race on my current bikes and (2) the fact that I wouldn't race enough to justify buying a bike just for that purpose.
I entered a CX race once, in Cartmel. I arrived too late for the Masters, so had to enter the Open. I was on a mountain bike and came dead last. It was fun though. Circuit races like at my local Salt Ayre track just look a bit scary! 🤣
Nothing wrong with dead last! You were just having the most fun 🙌 Do you think you'll do any more CX races?
@@gcn Maybe one day. At the moment my MTB has my kid's FollowMe tandem attached to it and weighs a tonne!
@@DarenC That sounds like it's own kind of fun! 🙌
@@DarenC
Perfect training tool. Pull that around all week, then when you pull it off on the weekend, you'll fly
My first ever road race participated in was done on a Specialized Hardrock mountain bike. Surprisingly I came in second to last. This was my first time lifting a full carbon road bicycle. Boy it was much lighter than my aluminum frame mountain bike.
SECOND to last! You still beat someone 🙌 Are you a full blown racer now?
@@gcn No, but sometimes I wish I was. When I am not working on my days off I am ridding my bicycle.
Would love to race but where I live in Kent has 0 crit races, at least from what I could find online
My Hammerhead Karoo II has been showing me the hills for a while now.
I was cycling to work on Saturday and I’m sure I cycled passed Dan (not sure who was in front of him) going in the other direction !!!
I'm participating in this year's New Jersey gravel grinder as my first serious race
How is the prep going? Manon picked up some great tips on her first race 👉 th-cam.com/video/-3tLn2bzls4/w-d-xo.html
Hi both. We should all try racing? I calculate that I can manage 140w for 4 mins, 80w for 10 mins and 50w for an hour, max heart rate 130. Not so bad for 70 perhaps. What race might I fit in?
I think Manon should be a permanent fixture on the GCN Show!
It is now several years since I opened the Grecian 2000 debate.
Dan is now mainlining on the substance.
I think the best thing for new racers is to try and find handicap races initially, with experience you can work your way up the groups and there's always the day the handicappers get it wrong and the early starters end up racing for the win.
Sounds like a great fun way of racing 🙌
Come to the Ragbri Party in IOWA ....it is truly a party.
#captioncompetition … cycling can at times make you legless, but having it in the arms on the podium is a totally different ball game
GCN "All cyclists should try racing!"
Me, a rider who's dealt with "racer snobs", race organizers who shun "filthy casuals", and bike shops that cater to people who make more money than the GNP of many countries "How 'bout NO?"
Brave cyclist on that close pass video !
#captioncompetition: Does anyone else dream of winning the #captioncompetition so badly, all they see on stage are 2 coveted pink GCN Elite water bottles?
As a seasoned racer, I’m not sure I agree with the idea that “everyone should race”. Personally I think this would be very dangerous for all participants. Knowing how to ride and race safely is a skill that has to be learned. Many (some? several?) clubs run specific training sessions to help people learn race craft and helps them feel safe and confident in riding, then racing in tightly packed bunches. I feel unsafe if I don’t have confidence in those around me. We all know what happens when riders are anxious and twitchy. Even in the pro peloton crashes happen and most are caused by rider errors. So whilst it would be great to see more people race, please consider encouraging more people to learn to ride safely before pinning on a number.
#captioncompetition
If I had hair like that, I wouldn't have to wear a helmet all the time.
I've noticed with Zwift that I can usually eek out a few more watts for longer (Dont worry, Im still D Category) in a crit rather than one of the workouts. "GOTTA BEAT THAT GUY" is a very real motivational tool, even virtually.
It's amazing how much energy you find when competition is thrown in 👀 Do you think you'll ever take your racing off the computer?
@@gcn I just stick to trying and failing to take Strava segments. At least Local Legend is always available
It's sometimes funny watching you translate user names in the Hack/Bodge section. I suspect ASHH4RD1NG that you translated as Ash For Riding is really Ash Harding. Keep 'em coming. 🙂
That pronunciation .. hack or bodge? 👀
15:10 grimey 17:14 conventional 🤔
Had a crack at a local crit race (in a very low grade) and quickly discovered that my bike handling skills just aren't up to it. Fast enough, just not good enough.
Coaches and lorries aren't usually the problem with close passes, it's the average, everyday car driver.
Re: upside down bike on Hack or Bodge- I think it's because the bike is a larger size, therefore the owner flipped it over. Or else it might have dragged on the road.
#CaptionContest No wonder that cork stayed put. Liebfraumilch instead of Champagne!
#caption #captioncompetition "honestly we've done all we can to lure in the Pepto Bismol sponsorship but they keep ignoring us."
I signed up for my first event (coming up in 5 weeks). My goal is to finish it! It's 120 km long and I have never ridden that far before
You've got this! Luckily Manon is on hand to help you out 👉 th-cam.com/video/29DMLOA5kQo/w-d-xo.html
Get mavis on a documentary. This woman must have some great stories to tell.
Caption: "Head and Shoulders I didn't know you had Dandruff?"... "I don't"
#CaptionCompetition #Caption Bloke on the left:"I'm not talking to you until you give me back my glasses."
Yes, and I still race at 58yrs of age.
#captioncontest ♫ Pink it was love at first sight, and pink when I cycle my bike, pink makes me fly like a kite and I think everything will be alright, no matter where I place tonight ♫
GCN. Nice shout for the "must try racing" agenda.....but every year you completely overlook the worlds biggest timed cycle race/sportive, the Cape Town Cycle Tour, which mixes cyclist from across the world and across the cycling spectrum in an absolutely incredible event comprising 109km of road, 1200m of elevation, national parks, two oceans and one global city. Lets see a GCN team down here and competing in March 2024. If it was in Majorca, Belgium or Oregon or we would not hear the end of it.....lets put the GLOBAL back into GCN
@ Dan, your roster of names I should know I've never heard before. racing is such a small segment of cycling, I pay little to no attention to it. I'd rather be out riding than watching others ride.
Used to race mountain bikes, never better than the sport class. Had to give it up though, the butterflies got so bad that I couldn't eat anything before the race and on top that started (and continuing) to struggle with heartburn. Got to the point where it just wasn't any fun anymore.
Sorry to hear you didn't enjoy it, we hope you are still riding? 👀
@@gcn I enjoyed the racing (even though I wasn't very good at it) ... just the stomach issues got too much. Wasn't just the racing, big rides got me too nervous or something. Still riding.
Maybe the guy with his bike upside down on the back of his car did it so his lights were visible - check it out - they pretty much are.
I've got my first velodrome race coming up on Thursday 🎉 I'm def 😃 and 😬
Wow! Track cycling is great fun... you are going to love it!! 💨
@@gcn I did two scratch races and one points race tonight and I placed second, third, and first respectively. I def loved it!!
Bike racing is scary. Crashing is a real possibility. Fear of getting in other cyclists way in a bunch and possibly making them crash too. I suppose racing in Zwift would be an alternative.
Caption: "He was just giving himself a little time-out after being told the race is no longer sponsored by Henninger beer."
Keep calm fans & love cycling that makes life worth living
#captioncompetition "Hurry up with your coffee, it's bloody cold out here!"
The previous video of the bus drivers experimenting how it feels to be in real danger while riding bike its from Costa Rica. Unfortunely there's a huge lack of respect from any automovile driver to cyclist and seems as a part of our culture. What a shame!!!
#captioncompetition "I think you should ride for Alpecin with hair like that"
#captioncompetition - Well, i think the pink looks better on me
#Global Cycling newwork , as ex lorry / bus driver and long time cyclist, actual its the cars drivers who are the problem. lorry drivers i put up my tumb to said thank you because they always give me plenty of room
Hack bodge upside down bike. I have had my exhaust pipe pop my tire. Maybe the bike is too big for the car so they put it upside down.
Caption competition : yes sure, you want me to dance like Alison Jackson ??
Caption : ‘You aren’t going to do the chicken dance here!’
I am a HGV driver and a cyclist
#captioncompetition
EF has two different color socks, and two different podium poses.