Pro 1/2 - Sun & Rain
The TBRA road race schedule is beginning to heat up with three weekends worth of results already posted. The month of April is complete since Dogwood is cancelled, yet the months of May and June will offer the most intense racing of the year. I have been unable to attend the latest events due to work obligations, but I have been following the results online and/or speaking with people who competed.
One category showing some sunshine and rainy reviews is the Pro 1/2 field in Tennessee. On the positive side there have been quite a few professional racers attending our races, but the downside is the field of Category 1/2 in our state is suffering a shortage of qualified racers. This decline has been taking place over the last two to three years, but it's beginning to reach critically deficient status.
Here's a list of pros who have raced in Tennessee this year:
Spencer Beamer of VMG
Zach Bolian of VMG
Cesar Grajales of Navigators
Eddie Hilger of Priority Health
Jeff Hopkins of Jittery Joe's
Craig Lewis of TIAA-CREF
Jacob Rubelt of AEC Toshiba Jet Network
Trent Wilson of Jittery Joe's
In my view having these guys attend our races is a wonderful thing. Of course they'll lay down some suffering on the Cat 1/2s in the field, but having the pros show up and race makes everyone better in the long run. Pros showing up in Tennessee has more to do with timing than anything else, but we should do everything possible to encourage them to keep coming. I already know that several from this list plan to attend a few of the May races, particularly the NashvilleCyclist.com Coliseum Criterium!
If you're a Cat 1/2 rider racing against pros is should not discourage you or kill enthusiasm for a top finish. Actually, it's an opportunity for you to test yourself against the best and to learn from the experience. Watching how pros go about their business and conduct themselves on and off the bike is invaluable for someone wanting to be the best they can be. You may never become a pro, but your aspiration should be to become the best Cat 1/2 possible.
I would encourage you to approach the professionals, ask questions, and take a keen eye to look for those minute details that set them apart. Certainly their talent is well above average, but it took more than talent for them to reach their status. Every pro in every sport will tell you it's what you do in preparation and off the field of competition that sets you apart from everyone else. The tips to be learned from these guys may be what helps you win the TBRA jersey one year!
As for the rainy portion of my assessment we definitely need more local Cat 1/2 riders. The field in Tennessee has no depth and is suffering from turnouts that border on the absurd. As a race promoter it's hard to justify providing a rich Pro 1/2 purse when at most only 20 to 25 racers will toe the line. If the field cannot pay for all or the majority of the purse through entry fees then it's a hard loss leader to swallow. Especially when the Masters and Cat 4 fields are growing and in reality paying for the event to be held.
It benefits everyone involved in our sport to strive to build talent that will reach that level or beyond. The upgrade system through USA Cycling is very specific, and to reach Cat 2 status is not an easy thing to accomplish. However, the Cat 3 and Masters fields are full of talent that's turning their backs on the Pro 1/2 opportunity. I've noticed a few familiar Cat 3 riders have recently upgraded, but obviously we need more.
Certainly, upgrading to Cat 2 status is a serious commitment to the sport. Just finishing with the pack in a Pro 1/2 race can be an accomplishment, but really it's no different than when you moved from 5 to 4 or 4 to 3. It's all relative, but if you're consistently a top 5 rider in the Cat 3 field then it's time to make the jump. I realize many guys have full time jobs and family obligations which mentally keep them thinking the 3s or Masters is where they should be, but with more specific training it's entirely possible to be competitive as a Cat 2.
A healthy Cat 1/2 field is the best measuring stick when assessing the strength of racing in any region. Tennessee should strive to be one of the strongest states in the South, but it will happen only when the riders follow through after gaining the results. Sandbagging at any level shouldn't be tolerated. In my view that's disrespecting the sport and your fellow competitors. Moreover, the officials in our state should have more oversight and encourage or force riders to upgrade.
What's all the fuss about anyway you ask? Go race in Georgia, the Midwest or the Carolinas to see the competitiveness at the higher levels. The higher category fields have much more depth, and when there's consistently more depth it attracts more racers to each event. Stack that up against the turnouts we have here in Tennessee, excluding the Highland Rim Classic. Tennessee doesn't attract many racers from Georgia, the Midwest or Carolinas or Midwest because those guys know the investment isn't worth their time. However, we'll go to their events. Why? Because everyone wants a big field with good competition, and outside our Tennessee borders is where the action is happening.
It's a painful truth, but we can do something about. Here are five things to think about and hopefully act upon:
First - If you qualify then you should upgrade regardless of what category you're currently racing. Seek a greater challenge and strive to achieve that goal.
Second - Show up to more races and support as many Tennessee events as you can. Sure it's expensive and time consuming, but it's money and time well spent.
Third - Encourage guys in the Cat 4 and 5 fields to stick to racing and challenging themselves. It's these guys that will eventually make up the Cat 2/3 and Masters fields and feed future growth, but they need some pats on the back.
Fourth - Invite some of your non-racing friends who hammer everyone in the group rides to come out and try a road race. I bet you some will get hooked if only they had a little bit of encouragement. Think about what got you into the sport and use that as your selling pitch.
Fifth - Most importantly, do all these things with a high level of enthusiasm! Remember, we do this for fun, right?
All this isn't to say racing in Tennessee is suffering that badly across the board because it's not. However, anyone paying attention can see the writing on the wall. Tennessee boasts the strongest racing organization in TBRA, and I would argue some of the best organized and committed race promoters in the South. However, we racers must hold up our end of the bargain in order for this beautiful structure to continue.
posted by NashvilleCyclist.com at 4/16/2006 08:23:00 AM
4 Comments:
While I tend to agree with many of your comments, I would like to add some additional observations.
Tennessee racing is very much at a crossroads when it comes to this subject matter. The 1-2 Category in this state has experienced a decline over the past couple of years. I don’t feel like this decline is related to the quality of Tennessee’s 1-2 fields, but simply the quantity of riders currently participating in the category.
Your assessment of other state’s racing is correct. In Georgia and Carolina, the largest fields are almost always the 1-2 fields. These large fields generate prize lists that make racing in the category very attractive to many riders (including 3 and 4’s). The interesting thing is that these races aren’t any harder or difficult than any TN local race with a relatively small field and miniscule prize list. If you can finish top 3 in a local Tennessee 1-2 field against any number of UCI-licensed Pros, you probably stand a similar chance in a bigger, deeper, out-of-state field.
So why does Tennessee seem to be lacking in the number of Category 2 racers, when the state seemingly contains reasonably prosperous numbers in many other categories?
What is the root of this decline? I think there are several key factors.
Rider Support – over the past several years we have seen a number of very good elite teams based in the state of Tennessee. These elite teams had sizeable budgets and focused on developing younger riders. Backyard Burgers (w/ its Southern Cycling Development Team) was instrumental in developing riders like Mike Lange (TIAA-CREF), Zach Bolian (VMG), and Christian Foster (Jittery Joe’s). Team Krystal was successful in funneling a number of current professionals through their team during this time frame including: Ryan Trebon (AEG), Jake Rubelt (AEG), John Murphy (US National), and Saul Raisin (Credit Agricole). Both of these team models consisted of older, more experienced racers and young, up-and-comers. The more experienced racers could mentor the younger ones and receive some sort of subsidy in return. This type of arrangement no longer exists.
I don’t think it is out of line to suggest that the average 1-2 rider races quite a bit more than the average Masters, Cat 3, or Cat 4 rider (by my very non-scientific estimate, upwards of 25% more frequent). It is part of the commitment to racing at that level. When attending an out-of-state event, I always see more familiar faces in the 1-2 field than any other race. My point is that with more racing, comes more racing expenses. Without some reasonable financial subsidy, these racers have no need to continue to race in Tennessee or with Tennessee clubs. Has anyone noticed that almost all of Tennessee’s registered Category 1 racers compete on out-of-state clubs? At the same time, there are Tennessee clubs that have extended the type of benefits that have historically been reserved for Category 1-2 riders to a broader range of racers. This obviously creates less incentive to race at a higher level.
Club Focus – over a similar period, we have also witnessed a change in focus at the local level. When I began racing six years ago, the Pro 1-2 race was the show and everything else was secondary. Those were the guys you aspired to be. That was the level you wanted to race at someday. If you raced in another category, you always stayed to watch finish of the Pro, 1-2 event.
This is not the case now. Today, most TBRA clubs seems to have there own area of special interest. Whether it is Masters, Women, or Junior Development, each club has seemingly become focused on a particular category of racing.
Junior Development has become an interesting buzzword for clubs at the local level. Without the existence of a healthy top tier category of racing, what exactly are we developing these Juniors into? Our Junior racers are traveling all over the country to race at a higher level. Why not have them race at the highest level locally in an effort to accelerate or accentuate the development process?
TBRA Series - While many will disagree with this notion, the TBRA Schedule and Point Series are in need of an overhaul. Many of the issues have been addressed or are in the process, but several still exist. The current incarnation of the TBRA jersey does nothing but promote “sandbagging” by riders who simply want to win the award at season’s end. The TBRA award hand-ties our officials from mandatory upgrading riders that will not do so voluntarily.
Our Tennessee series has historically been a collection of random local races put on by various promoters. More effort has been made to pool events and create bigger weekends of racing, but we still have a way to go. Look at the GA Cup. The series actually has fewer races than TN, but enjoys broader participation and greater sponsorship dollars (resulting in a healthy Pro 1-2 prize list and sizable participation).
While I tend to agree with many of your comments, I would like to add some additional observations.
Tennessee racing is very much at a crossroads when it comes to this subject matter. The 1-2 Category in this state has experienced a decline over the past couple of years. I don’t feel like this decline is related to the quality of Tennessee’s 1-2 fields, but simply the quantity of riders currently participating in the category.
Your assessment of other state’s racing is correct. In Georgia and Carolina, the largest fields are almost always the 1-2 fields. These large fields generate prize lists that make racing in the category very attractive to many riders (including 3 and 4’s). The interesting thing is that these races aren’t any harder or difficult than any TN local race with a relatively small field and miniscule prize list. If you can finish top 3 in a local Tennessee 1-2 field against any number of UCI-licensed Pros, you probably stand a similar chance in a bigger, deeper, out-of-state field.
So why does Tennessee seem to be lacking in the number of Category 2 racers, when the state seemingly contains reasonably prosperous numbers in many other categories?
What is the root of this decline? I think there are several key factors.
Rider Support – over the past several years we have seen a number of very good elite teams based in the state of Tennessee. These elite teams had sizeable budgets and focused on developing younger riders. Backyard Burgers (w/ its Southern Cycling Development Team) was instrumental in developing riders like Mike Lange (TIAA-CREF), Zach Bolian (VMG), and Christian Foster (Jittery Joe’s). Team Krystal was successful in funneling a number of current professionals through their team during this time frame including: Ryan Trebon (AEG), Jake Rubelt (AEG), John Murphy (US National), and Saul Raisin (Credit Agricole). Both of these team models consisted of older, more experienced racers and young, up-and-comers. The more experienced racers could mentor the younger ones and receive some sort of subsidy in return. This type of arrangement no longer exists.
I don’t think it is out of line to suggest that the average 1-2 rider races quite a bit more than the average Masters, Cat 3, or Cat 4 rider (by my very non-scientific estimate, upwards of 25% more frequent). It is part of the commitment to racing at that level. When attending an out-of-state event, I always see more familiar faces in the 1-2 field than any other race. My point is that with more racing, comes more racing expenses. Without some reasonable financial subsidy, these racers have no need to continue to race in Tennessee or with Tennessee clubs. Has anyone noticed that almost all of Tennessee’s registered Category 1 racers compete on out-of-state clubs? At the same time, there are Tennessee clubs that have extended the type of benefits that have historically been reserved for Category 1-2 riders to a broader range of racers. This obviously creates less incentive to race at a higher level.
Club Focus – over a similar period, we have also witnessed a change in focus at the local level. When I began racing six years ago, the Pro 1-2 race was the show and everything else was secondary. Those were the guys you aspired to be. That was the level you wanted to race at someday. If you raced in another category, you always stayed to watch finish of the Pro, 1-2 event.
This is not the case now. Today, most TBRA clubs seems to have there own area of special interest. Whether it is Masters, Women, or Junior Development, each club has seemingly become focused on a particular category of racing.
Junior Development has become an interesting buzzword for clubs at the local level. Without the existence of a healthy top tier category of racing, what exactly are we developing these Juniors into? Our Junior racers are traveling all over the country to race at a higher level. Why not have them race at the highest level locally in an effort to accelerate or accentuate the development process?
TBRA Series - While many will disagree with this notion, the TBRA Schedule and Point Series are in need of an overhaul. Many of the issues have been addressed or are in the process, but several still exist. The current incarnation of the TBRA jersey does nothing but promote “sandbagging” by riders who simply want to win the award at season’s end. The TBRA award hand-ties our officials from mandatory upgrading riders that will not do so voluntarily.
Our Tennessee series has historically been a collection of random local races put on by various promoters. More effort has been made to pool events and create bigger weekends of racing, but we still have a way to go. Look at the GA Cup. The series actually has fewer races than TN, but enjoys broader participation and greater sponsorship dollars (resulting in a healthy Pro 1-2 prize list and sizable participation).
Umm, I really don't believe there is much sand bagging going on in TN, Actually I believe its the other way around,,,I know for a fact that there are many racers who are getting upgraded even though they don't have the points. (sure they have decent finishes in TN races, but most TN races don't qualify for upgrade points). All this is doing is making all the TN categories weaker than other states categories. I'd say if you are a DOMINATE rider in TN in your cat., you wil be an okay rider in the same cat. out of state.
I certainly agree there have been some riders receiving "mystery" upgrades and you are correct that the technicality of field size keeps our officials from mandating upgrades.
If a rider consistently finishes top 3-5 in TN races, they stand the same chance in a bigger out of state race. I stand by this premise that the quality of our fields (in all categories) is as good as any states with larger fields.
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