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Ramon Benitez at the Tour de Ephrata
Photo by Greg de Vitry
A quick course on the sport of Bicycle Racing
for those interested in watching or trying racing.
Updated for 2010 season.
By Richard Ruoff
Bicycle racing has a long and rich history. It is the second most
popular spectator sport in the world behind Soccer. In 2003 the Tour de
France celebrated 100 years since it's inception. The Tour de France is
the largest annual sporting event in the world with 20 million live
spectators and a daily television audience that fluctuates from 100 to
900 million people.  There are professional races all over Africa, the
Middle East, Asia, Australia, South America and the U.S. But the home
of professional bicycle road racing is Europe.
The road season starts with the Tour Down Under in January and
runs through the Tour of Lombardy in October. After that there is the
cyclocross season and an indoor track season. Every European country
has a national tour (race), from the 3-week Grand Tours like France,
Spain and Italy to smaller stage races like the Tour of Luxembourg.
Throw in numerous regional stage races and the one-day events including
challenging 150 plus-mile classics like Paris-Roubaix or
Liege-Bastogne-Liege in Belgium and you have a very full season.
Track racing used to be quite large in the U.S. from the late 1890's to
the Depression. In fact one of the most popular track events in the
world is an exciting team race called The Madison, which was started in
New York City's Madison Square Garden about a hundred years ago. In
Pennsylvania we are lucky to have the best track in the country, the
Lehigh County Velodrome in Trexlertown PA, now called the Valley Preferred Cycling Center. They have a full summer
program and offer courses for new track racers.
A handful of Californians started mountain biking in the 1980s. It grew
so fast in popularity that it joined road and track racing as an
Olympic Sport in 1996. At first, Americans dominated the international
mountain biking scene, but once the rest of the world discovered it, we
now have a hard time breaking into the top 20 in big races.
U.S. riders showed sporadic success internationally in road racing until
a handful of riders started making waves in the late 1970's. American
Greg Lemond then went on to win the World Professional Championships
twice in the 80's as well as the Tour de France three times. This
fueled a wave of growth in the sport that hasn't slowed since. Lance Armstrong has been the big dog in international
cycling, with seven wins in the Tour and one World Championship to his
credit. We have a local connection to Lance with former Farmersville
resident Floyd Landis. Mr. Landis was a teammate of Armstrong's
and he is one of the best riders in the world.
Watching Bicycle Racing: Most of All That is Good.org's bicycle
races are road races. The riders are on bikes that come equipped with
20 to 22 speeds. They are light, 14 to 18 pounds, strong and responsive. If
you're at a course that is hilly, one of the best places to watch is at
the steepest part or top of the climbs. This is where the riders are
really struggling and you can tell who is strong and who is not.
Frequently riders attack on the hills to try and get gap on the pack.
Another great place to watch is in the corners. This is especially true
on a short course race known as a criterium. The pack will be charging
into the corners at up to 35 M.P.H. and leaning their bikes way over.
The leader will take the tightest line around the curbs and if you're
standing on the sidewalk next to the curb you can feel the wind of the
pack whoosh past you.
If you like crashes, this is the place to be. Tighter corners and
faster speed add to the thrill. Throw in some rain and you have a
recipe for some real excitement. The premier category of riders
(Elites) are Professionals and category 1 and 2 amateurs. These are the
most experienced racers at our events. Their bike handling skills are
superb and to watch a pack of top cyclists, bumping shoulders, hips and
elbows, while navigating tricky corners is a sight to see!
This is also a good place for photos. Catching the pack exiting the
corner usually rewards the photographer with some great shots. Just be
sure you're behind a hay bale or a crash fence!
And of course, the finish line is where you need to end up for the
conclusion of the race. If it is a pack sprint finish, watch out! This
is were the field will spread out curb to curb rocking their machines
side to side attaining speeds of 45 m.p.h. Of course, if a rider
manages to win in a solo fashion, give the person respect. Winning a
race alone is a hard thing to do. It takes power and smarts. Smarts to
figure out the best way and the best time to get away from the field
and power to hold the lead once they have earned the gap.
Bike racing is about energy or, in other words, judicious use of
energy. Drafting is a key element in the sport. A person riding behind
another cyclist at race speed (approx. 30 m.p.h.) uses about 30 percent
less energy than the one in front. The rider up front is breaking the
wind for the rider behind him. Multiple riders working together, taking
turns, rotating at the front of the race can travel more efficiently
than one rider by himself.
Tactics: When you see a pack of riders together it doesn't
necessarily mean that the rider in the front is "winning". It could be
that that person is just pulling through or taking their turn at the
front. The ultimate goal is to be first across the line. Leading in the
beginning of the race or in the middle does not mean nearly as much as
leading across the line at the end of the race. One way to increase
your odds of winning a race is to try and get into a breakaway or
"break". If a small group of riders can get away from the main pack and
start to work together they have just increased their odds of success.
When watching a race you will often see numerous attempts of riders
trying to get away and form a break. Sometimes the group of riders
isn't strong enough to stay away from the chasing field. Sometimes just
the right combination of riders form a break and they have a chance to
stay way to the end. If a break contains at least one rider from each
of the strong teams in the race, their teammates will stop chasing and
the break has a better chance of success. If one or two strong teams
miss a break away opportunity then their whole team will go to the
front of the field and start to chase. Sometimes if a really strong
rider sees a break develop that he thinks has a chance to succeed, he
will put in a supreme effort and try to jump across or "bridge" the gap
between the pack and the break.
Newer fans don't realize how important team tactics are in bicycle
racing. In the higher categories of the sport, as the riders develop
more experience, team tactics are the rule. On any given day, based on
the type of course and the strengths of a particular rider, a team will
set out to work for that person and try to set him up for the win. For
instance, if you have a fast sprinter in the team and the course if
relatively flat, a team will shelter him from the wind and try and
deliver the sprinter to the finishing stretch as fresh as possible.
They will lead him out with one rider after another pulling through,
then dropping off when they have spent their energy, ideally leading
the explosive sprinter to the front in the last 200 or 300 meters. If
they have timed everything correctly, their sprinter will win the race.
If a team has a great climber and it is a hilly race, then they will
all protect the rider and try and deliver him to the toughest climb as
fresh as possible. There the climber will take off and try and win the
race. This is a tactic frequently used by the teams when
they delivered Lance Armstrong to the final climb of the day in the Alps
or the Pyrenees. We'll see it again in 2009 since Lance has come out of retirement.
On tough courses or windy days the team will work on getting the big
strong man on the team up into a break. There are dozens of scenarios
where team tactics come into play. Bicycle racing is definitely one of
those sports where the more you learn about it, the more interesting it
is to watch.
When you're at a race and you want to learn more, slide up next to a
race fan and ask questions. Most fans love to tell you about "their"
sport.
Types of Racing: There are numerous types of road racing. A true
road race is actually point-to-point. Say from Lancaster to New York
City, which is about the typical distance of a Pro Classic race. This
would take the riders around 6 hours to finish depending on the terrain
and wind. Think about that, 6 hours from Lancaster to N.Y.C. on a
bicycle! Most of our "road" events are technically referred to as
circuit races, typically from 7 miles to 15 miles long.
A Criterium is a short course road race. These are great for
spectators. Typically a mile around, they are frequently in downtown
areas, such as the, the New Holland Criterium or the
criterium stages in the Tour de Ephrata or The Tour of Lancaster County. A
typical Elite race is 30 to 35 laps. You can really watch
tactics develop during a race such as this.
A Time Trial  known as the race-of-truth, is one rider at a time riding a course as fast as
they can against the clock. No drafting is allowed. Typically a rider
will start once every minute. We have Time Trials at our stages races. These events are not particularly interesting for
spectators, though if you hang around the finish or on the last climb
you get to see who is really moving and who is really losing. The rider
with the quickest time wins!
A Stage Race is a series of events (stages) where the leader is
based on overall time or points. The rider, who completes all of the
stages with the lowest cumulative time or the most points, wins! The
Tour de France and most pro stage races are based on time. Our
stage races are based on points though we do timed races sometimes too. The 2010 Tour of Lancaster County is a good
example. There are road races on Friday and Saturday, followed by a Sunday morning
time trial and finishing up with a Criterium on
Sunday afternoon. The first 15 people in each event earn points, 18
points for 1st place down to 1 point for 15th. Stage Races reward good
all around riders. You have to have strengths in multiple disciplines
to be successful. The Tour of Lancaster County in late July and early August features developmental categories too for cat. 4 and 5 men and cat. 3 and 4 women. This a rare opportunity for for newer riders to try a stage race.
Cyclocross  is an end of season sport where riders use bikes
that look like road bikes, but are designed for racing on grass and
dirt. There is usually at least one section of the course where the
rider has to dismount, pick up their bike then run over an obstacle or
two. The course is typically in parks and frequently runs back and
forth next to itself, which makes for ideal race watching. This sport
is very popular in Belgium and quickly growing in popularity in
the United States.
Track Racing is a great spectator sport. Tracks (Velodromes) are
typically 250 to 333 meters in length and are steeply banked in the
corners, (sometimes over 50 degrees). The riders are on light, fixed
gear, single speed bikes with no brakes. There are numerous
sub-specialties of track racing including:
The Sprint  , which combines a powerful explosion of speed with the tactical savvy of chess. The Kilo 
is an all out effort against the clock for 1-kilometer. World-class
times are just over a minute. This is a standing start event. Sprint
and Kilo riders tend to be massive, powerfully built people. You don't
want to mess with them in a dark alley.
Individual Pursuit involves two riders starting at opposite
sides of the track and then they chase each other around for typically
4000 meters. A close pursuit can be thrilling to watch. Team Pursuits  are the most beautiful event to watch in all of cycling. Two 4-man
teams start on opposite sides of the track and then chase each other.
Each rider typically pulls for 1/2 lap then slides up the banking to
let the next rider pull through. Meanwhile the man who pulled off will
drift to the end of the line and get back in just inches off the wheel
of the rider in front of him. Top pursuit teams maintain speeds over 60
K.P.H.!
Points  Racing involves a large field of riders who will sprint for points every five or 10 laps. This is an Olympic event.
Madison Racing involves either two- or three-man teams who alternate tossing
each other into the race. The rider in the race will ride super hard
for about two laps while the teammate drifts slowly around the top of
the track while he recuperates. When it is his turn to race he will
drift down and hold out his hand behind him and the racing rider will
reach up and grab his hand and then sling the other rider into the
race. This transfer of power takes timing, skill, strength and a bit of
craziness. Throw in the fact that there are numerous other teams on the
track doing the same thing and it can get quite "hairy" out there. A
typical Madison lasts for 120 to 150 laps and the teams sprint for
points every ten laps. The racing is fast and furious and is truly
exciting to watch.
Mountain Bike Racing is different than cyclocross. While it
too is held "off-road", the courses tend to be more extreme. The bikes
are designed to withstand heavy abuse, with thick knobby tires and
sophisticated suspension systems. These machines can withstand the
rigors of rough trail riding over fallen logs and through boulder
fields. The sport of Mountain Biking has grown with different kinds of
events from the traditional cross- country style to downhill racing,
dual slalom and even marathon 24-hour events.
So You Want to Try Bicycle Racing?
Are you ready? Well probably not, but you need to start
somewhere. Pick an event, preferably one on our schedule, and enter.
You can pre-register on line. If
you're nervous about registering on-line you can register at the event
also, but there is usually a late fee for entering on the day of the
event, plus most of the time our category 4/5 fields fill up in advance. You may also
register at our events if space is still available in your category. Minors don't forget you must
have a parent's signature on the release form.
What event should I enter? Our first Road event of the season is Sunday, May 16, 2010, the Fawn Grove-Roubaix Style Race. Not a traditional road race, this 14.4 mile per lap course offers up multiple sections of hard pack dirt or stone roads between sections of rural farm roads. Modeled after the famed Paris-Roubaix race, this will be guaranteed to be a blast.
What category should I enter? If you're young, we have no Junior races for 2010. If you are under 18 you should enter a cat. 4/5 race unless you have lots of experience. If you're 18 or older male and have never raced before you should also enter the Cat. 4/5 races. This is the beginner category. More experienced riders will want to race the higher categories.
If you are over 40 years old you will be eligible to ride masters
events.
Women race Women's events when they are available. Recently the women's fields have been growing and more promoters are adding separate categories for them. There has been an effort to grow women's racing There is a national circuit of women's races
that shadows the men's professional circuit and offers up big races
with big prizes. There is even a Feminine Tour de France.
How do I move up a category? , You get upgraded by riding 10 events as a category
5. You may also get upgrade points with good results. You have to have
three places in the top three or six in the top six. If you meet someone
who is a category one racer, they didn't get that way by being around
at a lot races, they had to earn it by it by placing well and most
likely winning a few events.
I'm a nervous about riding in a pack. That's good, you should
be. Until you have ridden enough miles in close company you should be a
little nervous. I recommend that you try and get out on training rides
on some rural roads with groups of other riders before your first race.
Get comfortable drafting, riding side-by-side with other riders even
bumping elbows and shoulders once in a while. Watch the more
experienced riders and how they take their corners. Try not to overlap
your front wheel with someone's rear wheel. Don't panic if you do, even
if you accidentally touch wheels. Frequently an inexperienced rider's
over reaction to an unintentional wheel touch causes a wreck. A
rotating wheel really wants to stay up; you have to do a lot to it to
make it fall over.
Relax your upper body when you're riding. Bend your elbows, and don't
grip the handlebars too tight. Ride in a straight line and call out
potholes and cars when you see them. Keep your head up and don't fixate
on the wheel in front of you. Use your ears and listen for sudden braking. Practice your starts with one foot on the
ground and roll off and try to clip your foot in the pedal (if you have
clips) without looking down and while still riding in a straight line.
There is nothing more embarrassing then causing a wreck at the start
line! If it happens don't panic! Untangle yourself from your bike and the ground, laugh it off, and remount. Most races rarely start so fast that you won't be able to catch on quickly.
Do I need to join a team? Not really, but over time you might
meet some fellow riders you end up training with and traveling to races
with and before you know it you have formed your own team. You can also
try to affiliate yourself with an established team or club. Usually for
new riders there isn't much of a budget. You'll be lucky if you can get
a free jersey out of it. Entry fees would be a luxury. Well-organized
clubs retain sponsors that help out with costs. Many towns have at
least one club or team and some have more. Get in touch with your local
bike shop and see what they know about the racing scene. Some shop
owners are out of the loop. Perhaps as you form a team and you
patronize their shop you can convince them to start sponsoring you.
Do I need a fancy bike? Not to get started. It should be in good
repair and appropriate for the race you are doing. You don't want to
use a mountain bike for a road race. You're not allowed to have aero bars on your bike in a mass start race. If you like to spend money, this
is the sport for you, but you don't have to. There are some good deals
on decent bikes that will be competitive at the beginner level. You can
spend a couple of extra thousand dollars for the state-of-the-art
carbon fiber machine so you can save 2 or 3 lbs off your current bike.
Or you can just close your mouth and lose the 2 or 3 pounds for a lot
less money. I'm pretty sure Alberto Contador would still be fast even if
his bike weighed 3 lbs. more. Once you get hooked on the sport
you'll slowly find yourself budgeting more of your income towards the
good equipment.
It's race day, what do I do? Go over the checklist you have and
make sure you have everything you need: shoes, helmet, sunglasses,
riding clothes, bike, water bottle, money, license (if you have one),
pump, and tools. If you don't belong to a team, you should wear a plain
jersey. Not one of the fancy Team Radio Shack jerseys, people might
confuse you with Lance Armstrong. No, not really, but you'll look like a
dweeb. Don't feel bad, even Lance was a dweeb when he started racing. A
very strong dweeb indeed! Also, don't forget a change of clothes for
after the race. Don't hang around in your sweaty clothes after an
event, it just isn't cool, plus you smell bad.
Read your race flyer and get there early. Look for the race address and use a mapping program. Register, pin your number on
the correct side of your jersey in the correct position. Ask where that
is at registration. You are trying to make it easy for the finish line
camera to record your finish. Prep you bike. Make sure tires are
properly inflated. Warm up, but not on the course, unless you allowed.
Actually if you are real serious about this you will have pre-ridden
the course before the event. Plan ahead and bring food and drink. Lots of drinks for hot weather. All That is Good.org will send out a pre race email to all pre-registered riders and let you know about weather forecasts and whether there will be food service at the event plus last minute details. If someone on your team has a pop up tent, bring it along. They are a great gathering place for teams and you can get out of the sun or rain. Bring folding chairs and a blanket. Make sure tent is secured to the ground. If you're in your race and the wind picks up, you could find your tent taking out the whole pack!
Wear your helmet all of the time, even if you're just riding over to
registration or the port-o-john. This is a rule that is strictly
enforced for insurance purposes, plus it is common sense. Some of the worst injuries happen in slow speed accidents. Make sure you know when your race
starts and make sure you are there early. No point in doing all of this
preparation and then missing your start. No refunds for rolling up to the start line one minute late! (-:
Line up and listen for the official's instructions. If your not sure
about something just ask. Wait for the start and then roll off. Unless
you are making a conscious tactic to attack from the gun, take it easy
and stay with pack until you settle down and warm up. Give yourself a
little extra room in the corners until you see how people are taking
them. If you're in the front or middle of the pack do not brake in the
middle of a corner. If you must brake for a corner, do it before you
enter it, then release the brake as you go through the turn. If you're
nervous in the pack, stay to the outside in corners, but don't go so
wide as to hit the outside curb. A great way to learn about cornering
is to plant your self on a tight corner during a category 1/2 race and
watch how many people never touch their brakes. 
Now you're racing. Good luck!!
No matter how well you do in your first race and every race there
after, learn from them. If you keep getting dropped, then learn how to
draft better. Make it your goal to not be dropped by the pack. Then
make a goal to ride in the front 1/3 of a race. Because that is where
the winner is hanging out. Then make a goal to get yourself in a break.
If you find you can hang comfortably in the pack, but the field in the
end passes you, then work on your sprint. If you learn you lack fast
twitch muscle fibers then you must start attacking and try to do well
that way. Keep learning and you will get better.
A True Story by the Author.
Thirty-some years ago when I was 12, I entered my first bicycle race in
Fairmont Park in Philadelphia. It was a 5-mile race on a 1-mile
criterium course. I was lapped. I came in dead last. It was a dreadful
performance by any standard. I was smiling from ear-to-ear. Maybe I was
just simple, but I was hooked. I kept trying. A year later I rode my
first Pennsylvania State Championship Road Race and got soundly beaten
by a strong 15 year-old named Matt Eaton. Matt later went on to become
the only American to win The Tour of Britain, England's biggest race.
I kept plugging. Over time I became competitive regionally and even got
to race against my generation's greatest riders, Greg Lemond, Andy
Hampsten and Steve Bauer. The point of the story is, if you like the
sport and you stick with it you will find a level you can compete
successfully at. I learned that I am average physically, at least in
regards to the aforementioned riders, but I still had a great time
racing and even won some decent money from time to time.
The sport has many rewards including raising your physical fitness to a
level most people can't even imagine. There is something rewarding
knowing that what you are doing puts you in the upper echelon of human
performance. Because this sport doesn't tear your body apart like many
others you can compete successfully well into your 60's. Besides the
competitive nature of the races there is also the physical challenges a
rider will endure. It becomes a mental test of how much you are willing
to suffer and how much you understand tactics in the sport. I hope this
article has been helpful to you.
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