TIME TRIALLING, A BRIEF EXPLANATION FOR THE TT CURIOUS.
Time Trialling is a form of cycle racing. It
is very addictive and great fun! For me it feels very gritty, secretive and old
skool !
Individual time trialling is often referred to as ‘The race
of truth’. Mainly because it is every (wo)man for themselves. There’s no pack
riding, drafting or ‘chainganging.’ Welcome to the ‘Pain Cave’.
Club time trials are usually held in the summer months on a
designated evening and time. Individual riders gather almost secretly in some
layby or similar to ‘sign on’. Here you are issued a re-usable number which is
pinned to your back. Your number relates to the minutes past the hour that you
start, so for example if the time trial starts at 7pm the first rider will
leave at 7.01pm and they are number 1, 7.02 its rider number 2 and so on.
Riders then line up one behind the other and are set off at 1 minute intervals
to ride the measured course, eyeballs out, lungs busting, heart pounding,
adrenaline pumping, as fast as they possibly can! The course is generally not
marked on club TTs, riders are expected to learn the course in advance. However club TTs tend to be quite short,
usually 10 miles, and the courses easy to learn and ride. Other than the
volunteer club time keepers at the start and finish line there are usually no
other marshals. At the finish the time keeper makes a note of your number and
the time on the clock, you hand your race number back in and you hang around to
see everyone else come in so that you can check out your finish position and
time. Some clubs may allow guest riders for a trial ride, or have a ‘come and
try it’ event.
Open time trials follow a very similar format. However entry
in advance is required and is usually via the CTT. So affiliation is required
(cylclingtimetrials.org) The distances can be 10, 25, 50 or 100 miles. Riders are allocated a number in advance. On
the day of the race registration will be in a village hall, scout hut or
similar. Riders ‘sign in’ collect their number, maybe warm up on their turbo
trainer by their car and then once again assemble on the start line, which can
be a couple of miles from registration. If there are roundabouts or turns to
negotiate there will most likely be bright signage (arrows) and often marshals.
Once you have crossed the finish line you return to race HQ, to sign off,
return your number and most importantly enjoy coffee cake and cycling banter
with the other riders. There are usually prizes for fastest men, fastest women,
sometimes down to third place, sometimes a vet category. Prizes can be cash, or
a trophy.
There are also 12 hour and 24 hour events and also hill
climb specific races.
Sometimes there are slots available for tandems, or ‘two up’
racing. Two up - two riders together, taking turns to share the pain, usually
resulting in a faster time than individual riders.
You don’t have to have a specific time trial bike to
participate, road bikes can be used, however if this is the case the road bike
cannot have bar extensions or deep section wheels, the rider cannot wear aero
clothing or aero helmet. Often, in the open time trials there is a separate
category for road bikes. These rules may be more relaxed at a club night event.
However, at all events all riders must have their shoulders covered by
clothing, so save your sleeveless tri tops and singlets for triathlons.
I love time trialling. We are lucky to have a womens series
here in the midlands which in the past I have participated in. I like to
include time trials as part of my training to really try and nail the speed
work. I recently did a 50 mile TT as part of my build up to the Cotswold 113
middle distance triathlon. Fuelled by tailwind nutrition, caffeinated Green tea
buzz! It seemed to do the trick as I got a 12 minute PB at this event,
completing it in 2:08:49.
For more information on time trialling, including more
detailed rules and regulations, check out the CTT and VTTA.
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