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The Space Between: What cycling events might look like in a post Covid19 world


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Water tables. That is going to be challenge number 1. At events like Cape Town Cycle Tour and Karoo to Coast, as a back of the pack rider I have arrived at many a watering hole and decided to rather not stop, than get involved in such a cluster of people all scrambling for  coke and water. Jubilee Square in Simons Town comes to mind. All my life I have not been a "crowd" person, hence my love of cycling. I can do the social thing, but still not get stuck in the pack.

But now, Post Covid, I will be avoiding those points for more serious reasons.

 

I also felt such a inner-rage well up inside me when I went to collect my registration pack at the CTCT for being forced to wade through a mass of people who were lazily moseing around at the CTCT Expo. Apart from my general dislike of such occassions, it was exacerbated by knowing that Covid was in the vicinity. I saw a few people walking around coughing and sneezing with not a care in the world. Ja, things have changed since, but I am not sure the "herd" will likely change their behaviour in the long term. People will now attended masked up, with their noses sticking out over the brim of the mask, not keeping a socially adequate distance.

If I may propose one suggestion that will sway me to enter again. Online registrations, and allow riders to print their own numbers, or have them posted. One number that can be used every year, but will only be activated by making a payment that will allow a QR code on the board to be successfully scanned at the entry to the chute on race day. Failure to scan will result in refused entry. And do away with the expo element. Or at least give people who don't want to attend such a coral to the abbatoir an option to forego that insanity.

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Water tables. That is going to be challenge number 1. At events like Cape Town Cycle Tour and Karoo to Coast, as a back of the pack rider I have arrived at many a watering hole and decided to rather not stop, than get involved in such a cluster of people all scrambling for  coke and water. Jubilee Square in Simons Town comes to mind. All my life I have not been a "crowd" person, hence my love of cycling. I can do the social thing, but still not get stuck in the pack.

 

But now, Post Covid, I will be avoiding those points for more serious reasons.

 

I also felt such a inner-rage well up inside me when I went to collect my registration pack at the CTCT for being forced to wade through a mass of people who were lazily moseing around at the CTCT Expo. Apart from my general dislike of such occassions, it was exacerbated by knowing that Covid was in the vicinity. I saw a few people walking around coughing and sneezing with not a care in the world. Ja, things have changed since, but I am not sure the "herd" will likely change their behaviour in the long term. People will now attended masked up, with their noses sticking out over the brim of the mask, not keeping a socially adequate distance.

 

If I may propose one suggestion that will sway me to enter again. Online registrations, and allow riders to print their own numbers, or have them posted. One number that can be used every year, but will only be activated by making a payment that will allow a QR code on the board to be successfully scanned at the entry to the chute on race day. Failure to scan will result in refused entry. And do away with the expo element. Or at least give people who don't want to attend such a coral to the abbatoir an option to forego that insanity.

agreed

 

Also, when I first got into cycling the coveted permanent number after 10 successful finishes at larger events was waved before me, when I got to 10 all I got was yellow on a random number.

Issue those that have done 10+ at your event with a permanent number and link it to the QR code idea above and you already cut down on number collections.

 

The expo as we used to know it has not been working for anyone for a while, both retailer and consumer, its time for something different. I can understand the need for a revenue generation angle to the festival of cycling, but what is currently in place is not working and dying.

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New Zealand is back to racing as they were pre lock down. Here it will certainly have to change.

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The future of events will be time trials IMO. You can space people out on the road and s at the end post event much better.

The idea of time trial will already reduce the interest and field. LOL

A similar suggestion came up in random discussion, but leaning toward team team trial like at DC.

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agreed

 

Also, when I first got into cycling the coveted permanent number after 10 successful finishes at larger events was waved before me, when I got to 10 all I got was yellow on a random number.

Issue those that have done 10+ at your event with a permanent number and link it to the QR code idea above and you already cut down on number collections.

 

The expo as we used to know it has not been working for anyone for a while, both retailer and consumer, its time for something different. I can understand the need for a revenue generation angle to the festival of cycling, but what is currently in place is not working and dying.

 

To date I have not spent 1 cent at any cycling expo. In fact, in 2016 I visited the CTCT expo to collect my number, and crossed the street to go buy a pair of Craft MTB baggies at Chris Willemse. I did not even want to look to see what was available at the expo.

 

Apart from that, I have only ever bought a cup of coffee at Trailseeker Hemel & Aarde I think back in 2015.

 

I'm not a big spender at events, and I can't see why I am forced to have to endure the pain of looking at rubbish I'm not interested in. I'm there to ride my bike, not shop. I get that other people feel different about it, and that's why an option to pass is not completely off the mark.

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The idea of time trial will already reduce the interest and field. LOL

A similar suggestion came up in random discussion, but leaning toward team team trial like at DC.

Its all new skills and up in the air at the moment - where we land will be interesting.

 

Multi-day events with people attending pre and post events are going to be a no no until we have a way to understand immunity and vaccines. People are going to want to arrive and ride - hence the comment around time trials. You aren't going to want to get in to start pens.

 

The downside for me, next year cycle tour would have been 20 and i was focused on 21 participations. But i am not sure now when i will get that if at all. 

 

We are all getting fitter on Zwift (if you are on there) and i am seeing my FTP and Vo2 numbers improve but i don't have a goal event that i can hope to aim towards. I have even thought of creating my own milestone and goal to give me something to focus on.

 

So the future of events and being able to attend an event is key to a lot of why I do this. even if you race twice a year - having a goal is something that makes you focus. Events are the goals.

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..having a goal is something that makes you focus. Events are the goals.

 

Not for everyone. I chase Strava segments and the enjoyment of being in nature.

 

I haven't attended an organised event for quite some time and also haven't seen the point of it for quite some time...

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Not for everyone. I chase Strava segments and the enjoyment of being in nature.

 

I haven't attended an organised event for quite some time and also haven't seen the point of it for quite some time...

Nothing beat an early morning ride out in the veld, with no wind blowing.

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Why havent they implemented these measures to prevent TB, flu, common cold, pneumonia etc from spreading? 

 

At best, covid has a moratlity rate of 0.05%, which is even lower amongst young fit people and has a near negliable risk of transmission outdoors. 

 

We have become so affraid of death, we are forgetting to live our lives. 

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