3B.2.5 Climbing road race
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Started
This is an event that has been organized at UNICON20 in Grenoble (which has already been organized at CFM2015 in Scionzier and is planned for CFM2025 also in Scionzier in place of the traditional marathon).
Of course, such a race can only be envisaged in a country with a particular topography, where there may be a climb of several kilometers. The question arises of defining a minimum distance? We can also plan a long course and a shorter one if the topography allows. In fact, for the CFM2025, a 15km expert course and a 7km espoir course are planned. The course is the same. I wouldn't set a maximum distance (the limits are topographical).
This type of competition should avoid flat, downhill sections as much as possible (especially at the start and finish). The start can be on a moderate gradient (3% min?), but should not be flat or downhill. It's possible to have flat sections on the ascent, but we could require the average gradient to be greater than 6% (this seems to me to be the minimum - in France, most asphalt pass climbs have an average gradient of between 6 and 8%). At the other extreme, all passages must be possible to ride (for the best riders) without having to put your foot down. There may be an unpaved section, but these must be short and rolling, as the majority of the course must be paved.
In the event of a fall, it is possible to walk but not run.
To preserve sporting interest, this event must have only one unicycle category (for section 3B.2 Unicycle).
For the name, we can keep “climbing road race” (term used at UNICON20), but we can also consider other names such as “Uphill road race” or “Hill Climb”.
Comment
I like this proposal, i would like to see a hillclimb race as a possible recognized competition.
A few points I’d like to raise:
The start line being required to be on a grade may be more difficult than expected for organizers. Many suitable hills may have an artificially leveled area that is the most appropriate place to hold a start line. If we limit maximum flat section length it seems to handle issues that that rule seems to target.
A possibility of multiple stages, with additive times could open up many more locations to racing (although i think it might be too difficult to organize in most cases)
Hillclimb is what i expect an english speaking cyclist would most typically call this event style
Comment
See my comments in proposal 50 related to this topic.
This is the place to discuss whether it needs both standard and unlimited class
The issues are:
- it may be rider dependent, and slightly subjective, as to whether a 29" standard is faster than, say a 36".
- The standard class allows wheel sizes smaller than 29", but so does the unlimited class
- if it's so steep that only unicycles smaller than 29" have advantage.
- unlimited class still allows geared hubs an advantage on steep hills. If a hill has, say 3% gradients and 20% gradients, then a 24" geared unicycle could switch between high/low gear whereas the standard class has only one option.
One suggestion is a reverse standard class. This means that you are not allowed to use gearing smaller than the specified standard class. eg for 29" standard, you are not allowed to use 20" or 24" unicycles. This allows the unlimited class, which has no restriction, to ride 16", 20", 24". Unlimited class isn't about bigger gearing, it's about equipment choice. In this case, smaller gearing.
You could also 'lock-in' a specific wheel size for standard class. So although the 29" standard isn't allowed to use anything anything bigger or smaller than a 29" wheel. However, the unlimited class could use a geared 24" (maybe for a flat section on the climb in high-gear).
Comment
First of all, I would like to say that I think it is good that we are discussing a separate competition that can explicitly take into account the special aspects of an uphill race. If such a competition is interesting for the athletes, I think it is perfectly justified to include it as a separate discipline in the rulebook - especially if it has already been tested at various competitions.
Regarding the classes:I can follow most of Kens points and would say that this are valid points.
> This means that you are not allowed to use gearing smaller than the specified standard class. eg for 29" standard, you are not allowed to use 20" or 24" unicycles.
The rules already say "Using 24 Class and smaller wheels is not allowed in races longer than 20km without express permission of the racing director." - but this effects only the Standard Class, since here every Class has a lower limit for the wheel diameter.