Welcome to the forum
Feedback requested on first running of the new TT course
Hi All,
When you run a new course, you look for feedback: does the risk assessment need tweaking, anything we need to know etc. This is your forum to post your thoughts please.
The most telling point on which I think we'll act immediately is the finish. I thank all the finish timekeepers/spotters for their efforts this evening (thanks to @Jenny, @Helen and @DavidJ), but I understand that all had the same experience. As the "true" 10 mile point is on the downslope after cresting the rise after the crossroads, the finish timekeepers only saw the riders in profile as they crested the rise before they were fast past them at the finish: it was too difficult to identify the riders and then write down their times in the short time available having "clocked" that a rider was nearly upon them. And there were also a few close finishes, which multiplied the problems.
The solution is not a purists delight, but we'll move the finish back up to the crest of the hill so the finish timekeepers have sight of the riders from the crossroads and a chance to identify them before they finish. So in that way, the course's second running will be about, say, 9.8 miles. This option is available within the current approvals from CTT and the Police and risk assessment.
Solutions could include starting further up the road before the crossroads to finish at 10 miles on the top of the rise; and/or avoiding the final turn (more on that soon) and finishing beyond the crossroads. Both have their problems and neither is available within the current approvals and risk assessment, so they are for next season, following a review and consultation.
On the final corner, I'm going to sound like a real killjoy, as it was great fun this evening and we blew off some steam. But to obey the highway code, we cannot cross the white line either preparing to take the corner or after taking the corner. Although this corner is on the footdown course, the finish on the footdown course is a mile or so further up the road, so generally there have been few problems with line crossing on the turn a Wrestlingworth when using the footdown course.
On this new course, the finish is just after the turn, so many will be winding up for their big finish so their blood is up. We've talked in the past of DQing. But this is for safety and can't be dismissed. If you took the corner, crossed the line and there was an oncoming vehicle, I shudder to think of the consequences. So it was great fun - yes - but just back off a little. OK? Cool.
Generally, the roundabout turn where I marshalled looked fine to me. Anyone have any issues?
Did anyone have any problem with traffic entering the Lower Road from the Croydon hill turn please? We signposted that for traffic approaching the T-junction, but it may not be necessary as traffic is light.
Please post thoughts and any other issues here. Thanks.
When you run a new course, you look for feedback: does the risk assessment need tweaking, anything we need to know etc. This is your forum to post your thoughts please.
The most telling point on which I think we'll act immediately is the finish. I thank all the finish timekeepers/spotters for their efforts this evening (thanks to @Jenny, @Helen and @DavidJ), but I understand that all had the same experience. As the "true" 10 mile point is on the downslope after cresting the rise after the crossroads, the finish timekeepers only saw the riders in profile as they crested the rise before they were fast past them at the finish: it was too difficult to identify the riders and then write down their times in the short time available having "clocked" that a rider was nearly upon them. And there were also a few close finishes, which multiplied the problems.
The solution is not a purists delight, but we'll move the finish back up to the crest of the hill so the finish timekeepers have sight of the riders from the crossroads and a chance to identify them before they finish. So in that way, the course's second running will be about, say, 9.8 miles. This option is available within the current approvals from CTT and the Police and risk assessment.
Solutions could include starting further up the road before the crossroads to finish at 10 miles on the top of the rise; and/or avoiding the final turn (more on that soon) and finishing beyond the crossroads. Both have their problems and neither is available within the current approvals and risk assessment, so they are for next season, following a review and consultation.
On the final corner, I'm going to sound like a real killjoy, as it was great fun this evening and we blew off some steam. But to obey the highway code, we cannot cross the white line either preparing to take the corner or after taking the corner. Although this corner is on the footdown course, the finish on the footdown course is a mile or so further up the road, so generally there have been few problems with line crossing on the turn a Wrestlingworth when using the footdown course.
On this new course, the finish is just after the turn, so many will be winding up for their big finish so their blood is up. We've talked in the past of DQing. But this is for safety and can't be dismissed. If you took the corner, crossed the line and there was an oncoming vehicle, I shudder to think of the consequences. So it was great fun - yes - but just back off a little. OK? Cool.
Generally, the roundabout turn where I marshalled looked fine to me. Anyone have any issues?
Did anyone have any problem with traffic entering the Lower Road from the Croydon hill turn please? We signposted that for traffic approaching the T-junction, but it may not be necessary as traffic is light.
Please post thoughts and any other issues here. Thanks.
Comments
COVID-19 is still a "thing", so let's stay alert to it.
OK, rant over, Thanks. :-)
1. I was watching from the crossroads (start) and think something may need tweaking around where riders "line up". With the start being very close to the crossroads, when 2 or 3 riders line up, you're beginning to get in the way of the junction. Worth getting riders to line up the other side of the crossroads e.g. Eyeworth side?
2. Lots of riders warming up, and completing u-turns on the main road close to the start/crossroads. Just didn't look safe to me. Worth suggesting riders warm up on the same stretch of road? Or perhaps that brings its own problems?
3. Yep my son had an issue with someone pulling out on him from Croydon Hill onto the B1042, and had to slow down quickly. Obviously they didn't see the sign you put up. I'd recommend keeping that sign there for now.
Thanks again & we'll be back again soon.
Steve L.
I want to underline that we value ALL feedback, please, both positive and negative. So please don't feel shy about posting.
1. The roundabout at Wimpole I thought worked fine. It’s a bit rough but not a big issue at all.
2. Road surface throughout I thought was pretty good for around here and I thought the road itself was pretty ideal given that it doesn’t pass through any villages (unlike the Guilden Morden course)
3. I had no traffic on my leg. But on my return leg I saw a couple of riders got caught behind farm traffic near the Croydon turn. Pretty unfortunate but that can happen anywhere unless you’re on a dual carriageway route.
4. The only thing I didn’t like was the turn to Guilden Morden at the end. It’s way too tempting to cross the white lines entering and exiting the corner. I think worth considering moving the start back to before the crossroads (and then Marshall the crossroads) and then finish before the crossroads. Or leave the start as is, and finish after the cross roads - in this option parking should be mandatory in Eyeworth such that riders just ride on to Eyeworth and thus avoid u turning.
Thanks for all your efforts in putting this on.
Rob
This may not be palatable to some, but why does it have to be a 10? Could we just use the F14/12 course or have a bespoke distance for this course? I’m aware of the Maximum CTT start-finish distance for a course but we might be able to do something a bit different. Beds Road do an 11.3 that is great and IRC do a 3 lap odd distance course that reduces to 2 laps when light is limited.
Just throwing this out there, it might not be the way forward, but who knows.