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JayT
04-20-2004, 11:33 AM
The Road Racing Season is underway! The 2004 race schedule can be seen at www.mcf.net (http://www.mcf.net/)

The OPUS Crit Series starts Tuesday (4/20) night. All basic information is at www.loonstate.org (http://www.loonstate.org/).

Information to make racing at Opus more enjoyable read on.
This year you can purchase the series which will allow you to race twice per night for all six Tuesdays. If you plan on racing at least five nights you'll still be ahead. An added benefit to buying the series is quicker registration for weeks two through six. If you do buy the series package you must keep your number the entire series. If you lose your number or forget to bring it with you there will be a $5 replacement. Remember the series makes registration quicker and if you don't have your number you defeat the whole purpose.

This year we will be using computers for registration and the key for registration is having your license with you. Without your license you'll be forced to purchase a one day and only be able to race as a Cat 5! Don't forget your license.

New this year is a "miss and out" for the 1,2,3 race on weeks 2,4,6. If it is well received it may also be used in other races. Race times have changed from last year. First race goes off at 5:45pm with the Cat 4/5 race followed by the women and Master 35+ Cat 4/5.

Last year started out with a visit from the Minnetonka police
department. I don't want that to happen this year. When most of us will be getting into the OPUS complex the workers in the area will be on the way out. They'll be in a hurry and maybe aggressive. Please don't give them excuse to call the police be overly courteous to them and keep your hands on your handle bars. Ride single file and try to stay on the inside. You've heard it more than a zillion times but we are guests to
this area so we'll need to act like it.

Hope to see you all there,
The promoter,
Mike Delaney
Loon State Cyclists

nigel
04-20-2004, 03:31 PM
Hey Jay T and other roadies...... ok so i do a lot of road riding, i have not a clue how fast i would be in a race situation but i know that i am extremely comfortable bumping folks off-road in tight singletrack, grabbing bars and hip checking, ya know, all the fun race stuff. However, when im in group road rides, i get all nervous when im in the middle of a pack. Crits help with this? I know more and more group rides do, and i do the Wheelman rides when i can, they are so fun! Any hints on how ot prepare for ones first crit race? I wanna get out and try some road racing for once!

Douglas

JayT
04-20-2004, 04:20 PM
As far as crits go OPUS is a nice course. It's just a big loop with no tight corners. It's been a couple years since I've raced my road bike and I'm not a crit racer (or road racer) at all, but OPUS is one I'll do. The field size will seem large if you're not use to it, but there's only one way to get used to it... as with most things there's always a bit of a learning curve.

Come out and try it, then come back and try it a couple more times. The first time out is always the most difficult, but you will get the hang of it. After you acclimate you might find yourself hooked.

Good luck!

SPR
04-20-2004, 04:28 PM
Hey Jay T and other roadies...... ok so i do a lot of road riding, i have not a clue how fast i would be in a race situation but i know that i am extremely comfortable bumping folks off-road in tight singletrack, grabbing bars and hip checking, ya know, all the fun race stuff. However, when im in group road rides, i get all nervous when im in the middle of a pack. Crits help with this? I know more and more group rides do, and i do the Wheelman rides when i can, they are so fun! Any hints on how ot prepare for ones first crit race? I wanna get out and try some road racing for once!

DouglasLot's of riding to get a base and then add some interval training. Try a crit race and see how it feels. This is how I started many moons ago. And I would highly recommend racing the OPUS crits as a start. It's a demanding course with an uphill finish and a nice downhill. It lacks the tight right and left corners of a traditional crit course but this is good if you're new to the sport. I used to race the OPUS series when I was road racing. Seen many a strange thing on that course and had some of my best races there, including 3rd in the State Crit Championships one year.

nigel
04-20-2004, 04:54 PM
Lot's of riding to get a base and then add some interval training. Try a crit race and see how it feels. This is how I started many moons ago. And I would highly recommend racing the OPUS crits as a start. It's a demanding course with an uphill finish and a nice downhill. It lacks the tight right and left corners of a traditional crit course but this is good if you're new to the sport. I used to race the OPUS series when I was road racing. Seen many a strange thing on that course and had some of my best races there, including 3rd in the State Crit Championships one year.
Ill have to try and go watch one first.....i did see the Northfield Crit last year, looked fun as heck! Those Cat 1's can cruise around them corners and climb with ease! What about the Dakota Tech series? Either/or, is one better to start at then the other?

D

slothlike
04-20-2004, 11:15 PM
Hey Douglas,
You'll love Opus, it's all uphill or downhill, just curves no corners. IMO a flat, four corner crit is the wrong place for someone skittish in a pack, but once you find out crashing is no big deal you'll stop being skittish anyway.

If it ever warms up I'll ride out and race with ya.

-ted

nigel
04-21-2004, 10:55 AM
Hey Douglas,
You'll love Opus, it's all uphill or downhill, just curves no corners. IMO a flat, four corner crit is the wrong place for someone skittish in a pack, but once you find out crashing is no big deal you'll stop being skittish anyway.

If it ever warms up I'll ride out and race with ya.

-ted

Ted my friend.....it has been way to long, call me up big guy 612-702-2781

Douglas

SickBoy
04-23-2004, 02:13 PM
Opus = fun and relatively safe since no cornering skill is required. For the most part, the pack can travel around as one big blob, but also tends to make it one big bunch sprint drag race to the finish.