using RitMO rankings for category rankings
11-14-13, 02:30 AM
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using RitMO rankings for category rankings
Hi guys.. first post!
Short background story: been riding since 2008, racing since 2009. Unfortunately I live in a small country in asia with not very many cycling races ( think 3-4 a year, maybe 6-7 within 200km of me.) . So I mix it up with abit of triathlon and running.
In the past year or two cycling has really picked up with a few race organisers from overseas starting to come in , there were 9 races in my country this year, with 14 within 200km of me. I've picked up some good results, getting 2 podiums this year and my team got 2 more. I would say I'm high level Cat 4, maybe a lower level 3.
Now this has obviously introduced a problem- the local cycling federation has no history of category rankings (cat 1-5, like you have in aus/NZ, USA.) . they've always split the race into a few categories: elite, sport, Juniors, U23, or A,B,C. these categories are entirely self regulated (meaning you choose which one you sign up for.) or in the case of stage races, determined by a ITT prologue. This obviously has created some problems with getting a good even field in each category- strong riders bullying the system in the lower cats, or wayy too many people in over their heads in a category they should'nt be in ( think people joining the elite category in their 1st or 2nd road race, we have a couple of current continental riders and lower league professionals competing with the amateurs, and they beat up on everyone every time- doesn't really seem fair to me.)
So for next season, one of the organisers has proposed using Cycling weekly's RitMO rankings (https://www.cyclingweekly.cc/ritmo) to split the field- now admittedly this isn't a perfect system, with people able to choose what rides they want uploaded and what they don't. But it may be a start. What are your views? any alternatives?
Short background story: been riding since 2008, racing since 2009. Unfortunately I live in a small country in asia with not very many cycling races ( think 3-4 a year, maybe 6-7 within 200km of me.) . So I mix it up with abit of triathlon and running.
In the past year or two cycling has really picked up with a few race organisers from overseas starting to come in , there were 9 races in my country this year, with 14 within 200km of me. I've picked up some good results, getting 2 podiums this year and my team got 2 more. I would say I'm high level Cat 4, maybe a lower level 3.
Now this has obviously introduced a problem- the local cycling federation has no history of category rankings (cat 1-5, like you have in aus/NZ, USA.) . they've always split the race into a few categories: elite, sport, Juniors, U23, or A,B,C. these categories are entirely self regulated (meaning you choose which one you sign up for.) or in the case of stage races, determined by a ITT prologue. This obviously has created some problems with getting a good even field in each category- strong riders bullying the system in the lower cats, or wayy too many people in over their heads in a category they should'nt be in ( think people joining the elite category in their 1st or 2nd road race, we have a couple of current continental riders and lower league professionals competing with the amateurs, and they beat up on everyone every time- doesn't really seem fair to me.)
So for next season, one of the organisers has proposed using Cycling weekly's RitMO rankings (https://www.cyclingweekly.cc/ritmo) to split the field- now admittedly this isn't a perfect system, with people able to choose what rides they want uploaded and what they don't. But it may be a start. What are your views? any alternatives?
11-14-13, 07:19 AM
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Honestly, that seems ridiculous.
I think you need a human being making decisions. If a particular organizer wants to fix this, he should ask all racers to submit their proposed 1-5 category with a resume, exactly like you do here when you request an upgrade. I would expect almost everybody to submit the appropriate category. If anybody is wildly off, like they've done 2 races and think they should be a cat 2, the organizer can assign them the category he thinks is appropriate.
(PS. welcome to the forum
)
I think you need a human being making decisions. If a particular organizer wants to fix this, he should ask all racers to submit their proposed 1-5 category with a resume, exactly like you do here when you request an upgrade. I would expect almost everybody to submit the appropriate category. If anybody is wildly off, like they've done 2 races and think they should be a cat 2, the organizer can assign them the category he thinks is appropriate.
(PS. welcome to the forum
)
11-14-13, 08:19 AM
#3
Making a kilometer blurry
+1
11-14-13, 08:32 AM
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Ugh, that sounds like a PITA no matter how its done until someone comes through and organizes it properly.
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11-26-13, 10:37 PM
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Hmm, I didn't say it was a perfect strategy. it may be a starting point to move things forward. maybe in 2015 they start using race results, since this race organizer is new in the region.
11-30-13, 11:27 AM
#6
Making a kilometer blurry
If you already have your answer, no need for our justification.
