If you are an experienced and fit cyclist, including advanced MTB skills, but race CX the first time would you enter yourself in the B or in the open class?
B if on CX bike, Open if racing on anything else (including but not limited to: 12", folding, plastic trike, crank-less, bike-less)
Sand bag it and C grade. Take the win.
From past experience this kinda seems to be the common interpretation.
also, race whatever your mates are racing. laughter trumps podium.
If you don’t have much racing experience, open.
If on a cx bike c Grade, if not on cx then open
Regardless every one should start in the lowest and get moved up in my opinion, unless you race say b Grade road
Cx is mostly self selecting.
If your fit on a roady and have mtb skills have a crack at B.
If your out the back at the end enter C next time
I was going to say a hard nope, until you qualified yourself. Then I agreed.
Open is traditionally for non-CX bikes. If you have raced road previously at B grade or above then B. If you have more than decent dirt skills and fitness B grade. If you race at an elite level on MTB or road then GTFO if you dont race A.
If you get completely blown out the back (and not because you mechanical’ed out) over a couple of races then a downgrade is reasonable.
The state of CX in Australia (even moreso outside of Vic) is such that people can and should start in higher grades if they have the skills and fitness. It creates better racing for everyone.
Hard nope on this. Sorry tate, but I’m sick of seeing experienced riders want to ‘race with their mates’ when said mates are CX newbies and then they seem to ignore said mates when the whistle blows.
Definitely agree when you and your mates are very similar skills though.
B grade
Looks like its going to be B. While I want to have fun, I am also competitive and dont want to race with guys on trikes. I should do both in actual fact but dont have money to blow.