Club League 2015

We've received a couple of queries from Vets asking if there is any exemption for people who've attended the IVCA's marshal training course.

We've decided that since the two courses are pretty much identical, if you can verify you attended IVCA marshal training in 2014 or 2015, we will accept that as an alternative to attending the Orwell training.

For everyone attending tonight, don't forget to sign the attendance sheet. See you later.

The league committee would like to remind riders that cameras, either on your bike or yourself are prohibited by UCI rules. If you show up to a race with one, you won't be allowed start until you remove it.

Dick wrote:

We've received a couple of queries from Vets asking if there is any exemption for people who've attended the IVCA's marshal training course.

We've decided that since the two courses are pretty much identical, if you can verify you attended IVCA marshal training in 2014 or 2015, we will accept that as an alternative to attending the Orwell training.

For everyone attending tonight, don't forget to sign the attendance sheet. See you later.

If attending the IVCA session, please check in with Eddie Lynch - he's in charge of collecting names for verifying attendance.

Brian wrote:

If attending the IVCA session, please check in with Eddie Lynch - he's in charge of collecting names for verifying attendance.

Eddie is covering attendance on Sunday Arthur Ebbs will be on hand at Saturday's session.

Siobhan wrote:

Do you know if it works the other way too? i.e. if I do the Orwell marshal training, can i get a pass on the IVCA one?

Denis was trying to negotiate this, but did not succeed to the best of my knowledge. So you'll have to do the IVCA training to be allowed race in their league.

Hi everyone,
We’ve just posted this year’s Club League spreadsheet on the front page of the site. The sheet contains all the information surrounding this year’s league, including the calendar of races, marshal roster, handicap groups, race organisers, results table and sign on sheets. It’ll be updated every week in the days after each race.

I’d encourage everyone who’s signed up for the league to check it as soon as possible and make sure that:

1. Your name is there
2. You are in the correct handicap group
3. You know which two nights you are scheduled to marshal

If anything is incorrect, please email myself and Brian McArdle and we’ll endeavour to help.

Reasons your name may not be on list:

• We have no record of you completing compulsory marshal training, either the Orwell organized sessions or with the IVCA in 2014 or 2015. If you haven’t done the training, it’s up to you at this stage to try resolve the situation, either by finding out if the IVCA or another club is running another session or getting together and organizing training at your own expense.
• Our records indicate you don’t have the correct racing licence. In order to compete, you’ll need a Cycling Ireland Full Competition or Limited Competition Licence. IVCA members can also race with their licence. You can take out a licence (or change your existing licence) on the Cycling Ireland website. We can add you to the league once you’ve done that.

Marshaling
I know we’ve mentioned it several times, but please do remember that one of the key obligations for league members is that they do their two nights marshaling. If we don’t have enough marshals, races can’t go ahead, so everyone has to do their bit.

If you can’t make one of your dates, use the forum to organize a swap. If you do it well in advance, you should have no problem getting a replacement. On the nights you are marshaling, bring a car if you can since some of the marshals are needed to drive lead cars. It’s also more fun than standing on a corner.

Grading and Handicapping
Every league member starts the year in the handicap group they finished last year in. Newcomers who have never raced have been assigned to the Limit group.

Brian McArdle is responsible for managing grading and results, with input from the rest of the league committee. As the league progresses, automatic upgrades will be issued to riders whose performances indicate they should be able move up a group.

Upgrades and downgrades are also available on request. Requests for upgrades are in most cases granted. Requests for downgrades will usually require some demonstration of your inability to manage in your current group. In short, don’t be emailing Brian before the league even gets going saying you’ve done no winter training and asking can you go down a group. Wait for a race or two and see how you get on.

Bear in mind that the purpose of the grading system is not to give you a chance of winning, but to give everyone a chance of getting a decent night’s racing. If you’re lasting more than half the race in your group, then you’re probably in the right one. If you’re getting blown out the back in the first few minutes, then you might consider asking to go down.

Here’s a few tips for anyone who’s new to the league

• Every race is a learning experience, but particularly so in your first season. Getting a result is nice, but it’s even more important to get to work on developing the skills needed to ride smoothly in a fast moving bunch. Stay switched on all the time and keep an eye on what’s going on around you. You’ll absorb a lot by watching others. Realising why someone failed is often as educational as working out how someone won. Also, don’t assume that everyone in Limit or Semi-Limit is a green as yourself. We have plenty of men and women who’ve won national medals, represented Ireland in international races and done multiple Rás’s between them. You can learn a lot from them.
• Don’t be disheartened. If you’re struggling with the pace, it’s often tempting to pack it in and say you’ll come back next year with a better winter behind you. But there’s a lot to be said for plugging away. You can set yourself targets, such as trying to stay with the bunch five minutes longer than last week. Doing the TTs will give you a benchmark to aim for and beat next year. And the experience you get riding in the bunch will stand to you when you get fitter.
• Most of the races are within cycling distance of Dublin city centre and it’s often a good idea to ride out. You’ll be well warmed up by the time your there and the spin home is a good opportunity to get to know your clubmates. Don’t forget to bring a jacket and some lights for the journey home, especially in the early months.

I've made a few updates to the spreadsheet - people we'd missed in the paperwork overload, or were sorting out their licences. If you were missing your marshalling slot before, it should be there now.

if you're missing on any of the pages - results, roster or handicap groups, please let me know.

Also, based on his performances over the winter, Freddie Stevens has won an upgrade to SL! Well done Freddie!

Dick has pointed out to me that a person could end up marshalling one night this week, and racing the other (and the same for the next two weeks). If you marshal one night, and race the other, you can only collect a maximum of 5pts for signing-on as a rider or marshal in one week.

However, if you end up marshalling and racing in the same week, you have increased your chances of scoring more points overall, as you're fulfilling your marshalling duties without missing a race in which you could potentially place and score points.

Marginal gains!

A note on downgrades - if you are struggling in the league each week, please let me know, and I can look into moving you down a category. If you're consistently out the back before the halfway point, it might be time to take a step down so that you can take a fuller part in a race, get a better workout where you don't just blow your lights, and stand a chance of a placing.

Signs that don't mean you need a downgrade:
- usually finishing in the bunch or just behind it
- blowing your lights after a big attack
- having a bad week
- not getting in the placings

I don't see all the action in every race, and it can be difficult for me to see and identify dropped riders. The results speak for themselves, but if you feel you need a downgrade, just send me an email and let me know. I'll be asking a couple of riders shortly if they want one, based on others' feedback.

Also I've updated the spreadsheet with those who attended the marshalling training organised by Daniel McElroy.