Just me or is the dirt-road stuff coming back?

[davidw]

With the 'Eroica' in Italy, Battenkill in NY, and another one whose name I forget in Colorado, it seems that racing the skinny tires on dirt roads is making a bit of a comeback. Or is it just me?

I'm happy to see it because it definitely adds some character to races. I used to have a lot of fun in my home state of Oregon riding on some of the better surfaced logging roads on my road bike, as it added a huge number of new places to ride beyond the 'same old' paved roads.

I suppose that it might not be so good in stage races, where a bit of bad luck could kill months of careful preparation, but for one day races it seems cool, as long as they don't overdo it.

Ciao,
Dave

 

[RDV4ROUBAIX]

You are absolutely right, dirt and gravel road races are really coming to the fore again, thanks in great part to pro races like Montepaschi - Eroica. For the last three years the U.S. racing scene is experiencing a surge in Vitamin G (gravel, sterrati) racing, and most of them are unsanctioned, self-supported Century races. Fun as all get out!

Google "gravel road race" and you'll see a huge list.

 

[jaylew]

I don't know if they're making a comeback or that people are taking more note of them. We have a couple in my neck of the woods and they're a blast. I recently won one that was a 100 miler with about 17 miles of dirt/gravel. Can be a bit of a crapshoot, though, with the increased chance of mechanical. I like watching races like that with varied terrain, but hate it when one of the favorites get taken out because of it.

 

[180mmCrank]

There is one called Harris Roubaix in Vancouver BC - where you ride a good section of each lap on dirt track...it generally causes caos...but it's lots of fun too. Makes a change from the regular diet of square crit courses.

 

[Alpe d'Huez]

I think the uber-exciting 2005 Giro stage over the Finestre really helped bring some attention to them.

I too, would like to see more of them. I mean, if Coppi and Bartoli could ride 100 kilometers over dirt passes, guys today can ride 20km over them. Heck, let's go back to the days of Thys, when ALL of the passes were dirt, and ALL of the valley roads were cobblestones!

There was talk after the 2008 Tour of Georgia of adding a dirt climb to a stage, as the entire race seemed determined by Brasstown Bald.

Hey Dave - Ever ride from Ripplebrook to Timothy Lake? FR-57 has about a 3-5km stretch of compact dirt over a logging road that's rideable. Most people continue on 58 up to High Rocks and down to Little Crater Lake, but 57 is a great cutoff. Such a beautiful part of Oregon, lots of paved (and some dirt) roads up there that are incredibly scenic and perfect for cycling.

 

[ingsve]

Don't forget that race in Denmark. GP Herning, GP Midtbank, GP GLS Express as it's been called in various years. That race usually involves gravel roads as well but unfortunately the race wasn't held last year due to economics. The race looks to be back this year though...

 

[ElChingon]

A race or two (or stage) is fine but if its more than a hand full it might as well be a cycle cross race or MTB, don't you think? Its fun to ride a stage/race ala the old days but I think its time to move on for the serious races to keep it on the road. Hence the name Road Racing.

 

[benpounder]

Seems to me that a number of the 2008 Giro riders did not like stage 16. The name Ricco comes to mind.

Riccò did not look as brilliant as he did 24 hours previous on the Passo Fedaia. He carried the maglia bianca of best young rider well over the first 7.6 kilometres of the course, but lost time on the upper section of gravel road.
[...]
His wheels slid on the roads that had deteriorated since the first rider, Markus Eichler, departed at 10:00 this morning. "In the finale, I was going well. I could not give more or I would slide, so I could not get out of the saddle."

Some of the best rides here in NWColorado have to be accessed by... unpaved roads.

 

[RDV4ROUBAIX]

One of the many dirt climbs out on my regular rides.

 

[ingsve]

A race or two (or stage) is fine but if its more than a hand full it might as well be a cycle cross race or MTB, don't you think? Its fun to ride a stage/race ala the old days but I think its time to move on for the serious races to keep it on the road. Hence the name Road Racing.

What's the diffrence between dirt roads and the pavee sections and climbs in R-R and the early spring classics? To me there is none. As long as we're talking about gravel roads that are actaully roads and not just trails in the woods then I don't see how it's not road racing...

 

[Alpe d'Huez]

I agree, ingsve. We're not proposing what riders did 50+ years ago, are we? And even then, it was still road racing. Like I joked about Thys and the boys 85 years ago (I'm sure it was no joke to them) where the pavement was nearly ALL cobbles, and the passes were ALL dirt, all of them. Plus, back then most stages were over 300 km long. Some over 400km. If pro racers today can't handle a few 10km passes over dirt they're wimps.

Until we've reached single track, or barriers, it's road racing. Asphalt, cobbles, dirt, gravel. If it's a road it's road racing.

IMO unless it's so wet it's mud, compact dirt isn't that bad at all anyway. It's fresh gravel and rocks that are tougher. You really wear out your tires and get more flats, and the wheels slip more.

I recall some 20 years ago the Croix de Fer being paved, but horribly beaten up with cracks and potholes, and with off camber turns. I don't know what it's like these days, but passes like this are arguably more difficult than good compact dirt like the Plan de Corones.

 

[RDV4ROUBAIX]

E R O C I A !!! Ryder Hesjedal having a dig!! Is that "the Killer" behind him? Bennati and Schlek on the right. They love the vitamin G!!!

 

[ElChingon]

What's the diffrence between dirt roads and the pavee sections and climbs in R-R and the early spring classics? To me there is none. As long as we're talking about gravel roads that are actaully roads and not just trails in the woods then I don't see how it's not road racing...

So where do you make the distinction between MTB Cyclecross and Road then?

 

[RDV4ROUBAIX]

So where do you make the distinction between MTB Cyclecross and Road then?

Is this a quiz?

Answer:
Mtb and Cross races are generally not held on 200k worth of public roads with gravel or pavé sections.

Do I win a free video?

 

[BroDeal]

I hope the trend continues. There is something antiseptic about a lot of the racing today. I got tired of watching the Armstrong years, where riders would get dragged to the last five klicks and then almost sprint to the finish to grab forty seconds. For some reason it reminds me of why I could never get into watching basketball: In too many games the teams trade points the whole game and then the last five minutes is the only thing that is important, and that turns into a strategic foul fest.

I would like to see the GTs go even further old school. Up minimum bike weights by a kilo so we can get steel back in the pro peloton.

I love taking my road bike on dirt, but the goathead thorns where I live cause problems.

 

[RDV4ROUBAIX]

I love taking my road bike on dirt, but the goathead thorns where I live cause problems.

Arizona I bet?

 

[BroDeal]

Arizona I bet?

Arizona is way too hot for me...

Colorado and Utah. There are times of the year where the goatheads are not too bad, but there are other times where riding on the road is problematic enough without venturing off road.

I am pretty jealous when I see pics of the Eroica. It looks like a dirt road riding paradise. The second interview with Hampsten that I posted talks about the cyclotourist version of the Eroica.

 

[RDV4ROUBAIX]

If you look on the previous page, I posted a teaser pic of one of my regular dirt climbs. Once summer time is in full swing, my pic album here on the forum will be full of gravel madness!!!

 

[BroDeal]

If you look on the previous page, I posted a teaser pic of one of my regular dirt climbs. Once summer time is in full swing, my pic album here on the forum will be full of gravel madness!!!

Where is that at?

Where I ride dirt/gravel is seldom as well groomed as that.

 

[RDV4ROUBAIX]

Where is that at?

Where I ride dirt/gravel is seldom as well groomed as that.

This is the Coulée region of Western Wisconsin, just south of Eau Claire on the Mississippi River. Riding there is like the Wallonian Ardennes, but without the culture, more cheese and Amish than anything. Sometimes we don't see a car for nearly an hour on some rides. Sweet, eh?

Not all my climbs are dirt though, just a couple.

 

[jaylew]

If you look on the previous page, I posted a teaser pic of one of my regular dirt climbs. Once summer time is in full swing, my pic album here on the forum will be full of gravel madness!!!

Previous page? You need to change your settings!

 

[RDV4ROUBAIX]

so........how bout those dirt roads there jaylew? Oh I see your preoccupied, nevermind.

 

[BroDeal]

Sweet, eh?

That is freaking sweet. Everything here gets rutted easily. All the rocks in the soil do not help.

Wasn't the TdF looking at adding a non-paved climb a couple of years ago after the accolades the Giro was getting?

 

[RDV4ROUBAIX]

That is freaking sweet. Everything here gets rutted easily. All the rocks in the soil do not help.

Wasn't the TdF looking at adding a non-paved climb a couple of years ago after the accolades the Giro was getting?

Not sure, wouldn't doubt it though. Do you offhand how many times the TDF has taken in pavé sections from Roubaix, besides that time in '04 or '05?

 

[Stelvio]

I'd really like to see the Tour use Col de Tende:

The French side is gravel for about 10km (at about 8%) while the Italian side is tarmac (the Giro used that side as a finish climb a couple of years ago). It was easily rideable with a fully loaded touring bike when I was there some years ago.