Now that the forum has re-awoken from it’s winter slumber thought it would be a good idea to draw everyone’s attention to this vital information if you are planning or are interested in racing bikes with McGill Cycling this coming spring and summer.
What races do we attend?
MCT participates in two conferences during our season the Eastern Collegiate Cycling Conference (ECCC) and the Fédération Québécoise des Sports Cycliste (FQSC). In short the ECCC are US collegiate races that we are graciously allowed to participate in while the FQSC are races that are open to anyone. The ECCC are MCT’s big race weekends and the races this year are all in reasonable proximity to us. The four ECCC weekends we are attending are as follows:
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[]March 28–29 - MIT/Tufts Boston Beanpot
[]April 4-5 US Army Weekend
[]April 11-12 UVM Green Mountain Weekend
[] April 18-19 L’Enfer du Nord and UNH Live Free and Ride
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The FQSC season kicks off with the GP de la Mairie de Contrecoeur on April 19th followed by Grand Prix IGA Ste-Martine on April 24th. The next big race the team always makes an effort to have a good presence at is the G.P de Charlevoix an incredibly fun and challenging 4 stage race that takes place in one of the most scenic regions of the province. As a team we will also decide on other races to attend throughout the summer based on interest.
What do I need to race with MCT?
FIRST You must have paid us your full team fees and SECOND, you must have a race license. Provided you live in Quebec you can purchase a UCI license through the FQSC HERE. A FQSC License goes for about $125 and is good throughout the 2015 season. If you choose to do this you can indicate that you are a member of McGill Cycling which is in the process of being registered as a Club with the FQSC. (just write it in the box to indicate which club you are affiliated to). It’s worth mentioning the FQSC site is entirely in French so if you have any trouble navigating it feel free to contact me for help.
You can also purchase day licenses at ECCC and some FQSC events. For the ECCC you can only race in Intro and D on a day license and it will set you back $15. Some FQSC races offer day licenses as well, but not all, and they cost about $20.
How much does a race weekend cost?
Through the generosity of our sponsors MCT is able to subsidize part of the cost of race weekends throughout the season, we do our best to make the weekends as affordable and accessible to everyone as possible. Travel and lodging for an ECCC weekend usually falls in the range of $40-$60 while races closer to home that do not require as much travel can sometimes be fully subsidized. However race registration fees usually fall on the individual to pay. The ECCC always has a Criterium which costs $20 to register for and a Road Race registration being $25. There is also always either an Individual Time Trial ($10) or a Team Time Trial ($25) during the ECCC weekends.
What category should I race?
The ECCC has 4 categories for both Men and Women with the addition of an Intro category.
Intro - Good for riders with moderate to no pack riding experience. Races are very short, and experienced riders are in the pack giving advice and making sure everybody is safe. As much a learning experience as a race, and totally no-pressure.
D - A level of fitness that does not demand a particularly high level of training, but comfort riding in a group is required.
C - The highest level I would recommend for a first-time racer. Level of fitness will almost certainly require regular focused training, but if you have the fitness the pack is a bit safer than Men’s D because people are more experienced
B - Moderate to high level of fitness with racing experience
A - Experienced racer who follows a strict training regime with a high level of fitness
Women A/B race together in the ECCC but are placed separately in races.
In the FQSC men choose between racing Senior 3 and Senior 1/2. Senior 1/2 is for advanced riders and contain semi-professional and professional teams so if you are starting off Senior 3 is probably where you belong. Women only have the choice between Senior 1 and 2 which I believe race in the same field. If you have any questions about where you think you fit in, please feel free to contact me or any of the other exec in order to ensure you start in the right category for your level of fitness and experience.
Isn’t racing scary and dangerous?, it can be but don’t be hesitant to try it out. It is also an incredibly thrilling and satisfying experience! Even if you aren’t winning races, struggling to finish and push yourself to the limit is a great achievement in and of itself. Talk to every great racer and you’d probably be surprised to find out they were dropped and struggled through their first race. It only motivates you to train harder and be more focused next time! The ECCC is the best way to learn about racing, the atmosphere is welcoming, kind, and exciting. Everyone is super encouraging and having fun is always a priority. Unlike the FQSC, which has only two categories for men and one for women, the ECCC has enough categories that you will be racing with people of comparable abilities. You also get to race three times in the weekend, which is awesome.
Get excited cause racing season is almost here!!!