Sportives

stevemac

hey, Im a new cyclist and was wondering what level I should be at before I should try one of them.
Im able to average 23km/h over 30km over a flat enough route at the moment. Just wondering what I should be aiming for? Not trying to win them or anything, just don't want to be embarrassed and way behind everyone else.

Dermot Illogical

You won't be, just stay away from long hilly ones until you're fit.

triggermortis

A few that I've looked at (not done one yet myself - new road cyclist too) have training plans on their websites so you can see what prep you need to do. If you're comfortable enough with what they outline, you should be fine. At least that's my theory. I'll find out later this month...

Jawgap

Throw your hat over the wall.....


Pick a 100km sportive (one of the flatter ones) in the latter half of August and enter it today!

Nothing like a goal to focus the mind - plus once you have a clear objective like that I reckon the quality and qunatity of your cycling will improve as you'll now have something to work to.

I'd also suggest that come the day of the sportive you'll finish wishing you'd entered for something a bit harder.

Good luck

smacl

+1 to everything Jawgap posted there. Training plan is simple, just get out regularly, slowly extend your distances, try to be comfortable with ~60% - 75% of the distance before the day, and most of all enjoy the training and the event. You wont finish last, and many of the sportives will have a range of routes to suit various abilities on the day. I've only done three so far (Wicklow 100, Etape Hibernia, and Wicklow 200), but found everyone to very friendly and encouraging.

seamus

stevemac wrote: »

Not trying to win them or anything, just don't want to be embarrassed and way behind everyone else.

Sportives aren't competitions.

Unlike a race, you don't get a big bunch in sportives all powering along together. Sometimes they run a bunch for the first few km to get the field safely down a dual carriageway or the likes, but by and large it all breaks up quite quickly as some people push themselves, and others are happy to relax back and just do any easy ride.

As you ride, you'll find yourself fairly consistently passing slower riders and being passed by faster riders, but there's no competition there. Everyone's just getting to the end at their own pace.

The Martin Earley tour of Kildare is coming up, which appears to be very much a leisure event. It's Kildare/midlands so it's mostly flat and there's a 50km route. It's 6/7 weeks away, so might be a good event to cut your teeth on, at least to get an idea of how sportives work and how fit other people are. Though if you go out every weekend between now and then, 50km will be a doddle for you by the time the event comes around.

Haven't a seen a thread on boards this year about it, but it seems to get good reviews every time.

ROK ON

seamus wrote: »

Sportives aren't competitions.

Unlike a race, you don't get a big bunch in sportives all powering along together.

Not so sure that they can be easily categorised like that.
In the past 14 months I have been at 5 sportives that had a big bunch driving off the front spliiting the field. Everyone was lined out trying to hold on in one of them. Twas great fun though.

The key is that Sportives can be anything you like. You can tootle along at your own speed with the achievement simply finishing your first 100k or 200k or climbing a certain amount of hills. Or you can try stay with the racing guys that tear off the front and use sportives as a casual/fun/training race. Some days you'll want to go around fast as you can. Other days you'll just want to ride along and chat with folks. Other days you just want to survive.

Thats the great thing about sportives - there is something for everyone.

My advice is to pick some targets and try a few. Personally I find having done a fair few of them that the long distance affairs dont really suit me. I prefer a brisk 120km ride. The great thing about cycling in Ireland at present is that from April thru to September there appears to be a sportif on every weekend.

DirkVoodoo

Sportives are like marathons, you are out to best your own time goal. Whether that involves hammering it in a group the whole way around or tootling along and relaxing at the feed stops is entirely up to you. All that matters is you finish in one piece and satisfied with your own effort.

seamus

ROK ON wrote: »

Not so sure that they can be easily categorised like that.
In the past 14 months I have been at 5 sportives that had a big bunch driving off the front spliiting the field. Everyone was lined out trying to hold on in one of them. Twas great fun though.

Indeed, you're right, there can often be a big bunch driving at the front. What I mean though is that it's not like a normal road race where you have your leaders, followed by a massive following group, and then a couple of hundred meters behind are the guys that everyone feels sorry for, killing themselves trying to keep up. But within the space of 5/10 minutes, the entire field has passed by.

A sportive in contrast could have a field that's 10 or 20km long, depending on the kind of start, and nobody's looking at anyone thinking, "Look at that poor bollix struggling at the back".

ROK ON

seamus wrote: »

A sportive in contrast could have a field that's 10 or 20km long, depending on the kind of start, and nobody's looking at anyone thinking, "Look at that poor bollix struggling at the back".

Exactly. I know a few middle aged ladies who will do teh Ring of Kerry tomorrow. They are not cyclists per se, but train for this event. It will be hard and they will probably be sore upon completion. But it is a great achievement to cycle 170km after training for it. They will put more effort in and achieve more I believe than the A2 or A3 rider that gets around in around 5 hours.

aquanaut

OP - I was similar at the beginning of this year, and only did my first Sportive in April (??), came the day I was bricking it as my average was 23 kmph and 40km was longest distance. I loved it, did 100km and only the last 10km was a struggle but everyone was encouraging. Finished in 3 and a half hours. Not great but not last, anyway, I am signed up for 3 more this year - Tour de Kilkenny, Sean Kelly and The Rebel Challenge and I cant wait. Not even worrying about speed, time or distance - just a great bit of craic. Do it and you wont regret it!

daragh_

OP. As Seamus says the Martin Earley Tour of Kildare is fairly flat. I did it last year. Was my 3rd event ever. Only one real hill and that's pretty short. Also the first bit (30k or so) is controlled behind a car so the pace is pretty relaxed and you get plenty of time to chat to everyone.

After that they have a food stop and then it goes a bit nuts with a bunch at the front determined to do the last 70 odd k in about 15minutes. If you feel up to it you can try and hang in with the fast gang or just sit back and enjoy the spin around with the majority. Good fun and you get a nice burger at the end as a reward.

ednwireland

seamus wrote: »

Sportives aren't competitions.

as someone once said to me if it has a start and a finish line .................

i agree i ride them and struggle round in the bottom half

munsterleinster

daragh_ wrote: »

Martin Earley Tour of Kildare is fairly flat. I did it last year. .

Trying to find more info on this.. Naas CC only has the date but no info on the route etc.. Anyone have a Mapmyride log or similar of last years?


Was thinking of doing a Sportive in July, Aug & Sept this year.(have never done one)
Shortlist so far:
August: Martin Earley, Lough Neagh or Sean Kelly
Sept: Rebel cycle or Welcome home
Any comments on the above?

The only one I can find in July is the An Post Trim but its the only weekend I'm not availalbe.
Anyone know of any other interesting sportives in July (at about 100k)

seamus

munsterleinster wrote: »

Trying to find more info on this.. Naas CC only has the date but no info on the route etc.. Anyone have a Mapmyride log or similar of last years?

100k

50k

Presumably.

Benbecul97

munsterleinster wrote: »

Anyone know of any other interesting sportives in July (at about 100k)

How about one in Connacht MunsterLeinster?? :-)

WesternLakes Polka Dot 2011
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056308004

munsterleinster

Benbecul97 wrote: »

How about one in Connacht MunsterLeinster?? :-)

WesternLakes Polka Dot 2011
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056308004

Like the sound of that.. Only 2 weeks away so better get my thinking cap on.

straighttohell

Am I missing something or are Sportives glorified races between clubs? Been on more than a few and am not affiliated to any clubs but nearly all head off like the clappers leaving a few stragglers that even the broom wagon has given up on, me included. Before they take your dough it should be clear minimum kmh required.........

benneca1

If broom gives up on you don't do it next year. Usually there are cut off times for certain points on the route maybe you missed them.

DanDublin1982

straighttohell wrote: »

Am I missing something or are Sportives glorified races between clubs? Been on more than a few and am not affiliated to any clubs but nearly all head off like the clappers leaving a few stragglers that even the broom wagon has given up on, me included. Before they take your dough it should be clear minimum kmh required.........

Have to say as a solo rider my experience is nothing like this. I once had the wagon follow behind me for the last 10k of a hundred event (turns out i wasn't last home though, phew!! )

Have you ever contacted an organiser pre event to ask the question about minimum speed? Personally if I was worried about being left behind I'd do that before signing up. Also i can't think of a single event I've entered where I wasn't given an emergency contact number. If the broom passed me and I needed it I can't imagine any hassle in that being arranged if I was to ring that number.

philstar

pick one of these, handy enough for beginners

https://www.anpost.ie/AnPost/IrishCyclingSeries/Events/

straighttohell

ahh yes the call of shame for the broom wagon, pride is a dangerous thing! the small club sportives are the ones I'd have had this experience. Noone going under 25kmh, a bit of rivalry etc. Within 10 minutes the elastic band is broken.

terrydel

stevemac wrote: »

hey, Im a new cyclist and was wondering what level I should be at before I should try one of them.
Im able to average 23km/h over 30km over a flat enough route at the moment. Just wondering what I should be aiming for? Not trying to win them or anything, just don't want to be embarrassed and way behind everyone else.

Theyre not a race and theres no broom wagon, so dont be worried about your averages. Do the sportives an over time the avg speed will improve.

seamus

Do larger sportives if you're a slower rider. Smaller ones ( < 500 people) tend to be unintentionally full of club riders who are going to head off in fast packs.

Any sportive which also has routes for different abilities (especially a children's spin), will also be calmer.

If in doubt, you can always ring up and ask them straight out whether they think it's a fast spin.

Daroxtar

Clonard road club run the Tour of South Meath in September. They specify 3 speed groups-25kmh, 28+ and 32+
It works quite well

straighttohell

Yeah Seamus, in my experience thats adds up also