Legion…

[jesper2913]

I think closest euro equivalent is belgian kermesse, but yea they crazy here in US. Especially Cali, and South florida to a lesser degree

I don't think Kermesse and US Crits come close to eachother

https://thechainstay.com/bicycle-racing ... n-belgium/

Kermesse is how we race en europe. We usually ride laps, because it's too difficut for organizers to close too many streets. But the laps are bigger than crit laps. I've seen laps as small as 10 km and up to 30 km. But usually they are around 15 km.

This isn't something you should be confused about. Many riders enjoy fast crits with huge fields.

When there are safety issues like terrible course design, shitty fences, not enough hay bales, etc. complaints are filed.

Regular road races exist, but crits are more popular and the big ones draw spectators. 30 riders in a road race is borderline too small, especially if a couple teams show up with 5-6 riders each. I mean, I love them because it becomes far less technical and more of battle of fitness, but it's not for everyone.

You are probably right. I was just concerned about safety in those races. During the years we had some fataleties in races, usually because of motorists forcing their way into the closed laps we race on. So safety both towards outside traffic but also between riders is highly prioritized.

This year I've done 7 races and had no crashes. There was only two races with crasches in my category. So seeing those big crashes with a lot of riders looks like a nightmare to me.

We also don't have teams. There are only tradeteams en cat 1. We do ride for our club, but I wouldn't call it a team. We never work against eachother, but we don't ride like a tradeteam with teamleader etc.

We also have crit's, but they are not that popular. Riders here want to ride 2-3+ hours instead of 1 hour.

[justkeepedaling]

Crit racing in the US has a ton of participation, lots of riders, lots of crashes. One reason there are so many aluminum frames/bars/etc still used at the highest level of crits.

But why are riders accepting these conditions? And why do they keep paying for participation?

If riders didn't turn up to races like these, nobody would make money from them.

Don't you have regular roadraces in the US? Located in the countryside with laps of at least 15 km and with distances between 90 and 140 km? And participation between 30 and 60 riders?

I mean, this is madness. Who would want to ride races like that?

Madness? This is America! lol. Riders here are nuts. My friend crashed terribly on a solo ride and broke his neck in two places and collarbone. And he wants to go out again. I personally would have second thoughts from something that traumatic, even though I love cycling

[shakes133]

I think closest euro equivalent is belgian kermesse, but yea they crazy here in US. Especially Cali, and South florida to a lesser degree

I don't think Kermesse and US Crits come close to eachother

https://thechainstay.com/bicycle-racing ... n-belgium/

Kermesse is how we race en europe. We usually ride laps, because it's too difficut for organizers to close too many streets. But the laps are bigger than crit laps. I've seen laps as small as 10 km and up to 30 km. But usually they are around 15 km.

This isn't something you should be confused about. Many riders enjoy fast crits with huge fields.

When there are safety issues like terrible course design, shitty fences, not enough hay bales, etc. complaints are filed.

Regular road races exist, but crits are more popular and the big ones draw spectators. 30 riders in a road race is borderline too small, especially if a couple teams show up with 5-6 riders each. I mean, I love them because it becomes far less technical and more of battle of fitness, but it's not for everyone.

You are probably right. I was just concerned about safety in those races. During the years we had some fataleties in races, usually because of motorists forcing their way into the closed laps we race on. So safety both towards outside traffic but also between riders is highly prioritized.

This year I've done 7 races and had no crashes. There was only two races with crasches in my category. So seeing those big crashes with a lot of riders looks like a nightmare to me.

We also don't have teams. There are only tradeteams en cat 1. We do ride for our club, but I wouldn't call it a team. We never work against eachother, but we don't ride like a tradeteam with teamleader etc.

We also have crit's, but they are not that popular. Riders here want to ride 2-3+ hours instead of 1 hour.

Belgian Kermesse are a lot harder and a lot safer than a US Crit, 100%. The loops are very technical and the length/style of riding keeps them strung out, there's no real way to sit in like in many of the crits we have. I also hate to say it, but I never saw people diving into the corners there and chopping wheels like what happens in the US. The old NRC crit race series had the intensity but none went 3+ hours like the avg Elite Zonder Contract does.

[killerrabbit]

Ya, the kermesses are different but just my opinion on equivalent. I know they're still a world apart.

[micky]

We're way off topic and I had never the luck (unluck?) to try belgian kermesse, but here in Italy the guys who ride local crits are 80% people who have done the whole junior/U23 experience.
Only a real minor part doesn't have any "background".

[justkeepedaling]

https://www.globalcyclingnetwork.com/ra ... ous-riding

This joke of a team continues to provide the entertainment. "Know to not interfere with leadout train". Oh yeah, just don't contest the sprint

[micky]

What started as an interesting project even from sponsorship prospective, is becoming a joke of itself with all these arguments etc.

[robbosmans]

Again it’s too hard for him to say sorry

[LOWIEV]

I think closest euro equivalent is belgian kermesse, but yea they crazy here in US. Especially Cali, and South florida to a lesser degree

I don't think Kermesse and US Crits come close to eachother

https://thechainstay.com/bicycle-racing ... n-belgium/

Kermesse is how we race en europe. We usually ride laps, because it's too difficut for organizers to close too many streets. But the laps are bigger than crit laps. I've seen laps as small as 10 km and up to 30 km. But usually they are around 15 km.

This isn't something you should be confused about. Many riders enjoy fast crits with huge fields.

When there are safety issues like terrible course design, shitty fences, not enough hay bales, etc. complaints are filed.

Regular road races exist, but crits are more popular and the big ones draw spectators. 30 riders in a road race is borderline too small, especially if a couple teams show up with 5-6 riders each. I mean, I love them because it becomes far less technical and more of battle of fitness, but it's not for everyone.

You are probably right. I was just concerned about safety in those races. During the years we had some fataleties in races, usually because of motorists forcing their way into the closed laps we race on. So safety both towards outside traffic but also between riders is highly prioritized.

This year I've done 7 races and had no crashes. There was only two races with crasches in my category. So seeing those big crashes with a lot of riders looks like a nightmare to me.

We also don't have teams. There are only tradeteams en cat 1. We do ride for our club, but I wouldn't call it a team. We never work against eachother, but we don't ride like a tradeteam with teamleader etc.

We also have crit's, but they are not that popular. Riders here want to ride 2-3+ hours instead of 1 hour.

Belgian Kermesse are a lot harder and a lot safer than a US Crit, 100%. The loops are very technical and the length/style of riding keeps them strung out, there's no real way to sit in like in many of the crits we have. I also hate to say it, but I never saw people diving into the corners there and chopping wheels like what happens in the US. The old NRC crit race series had the intensity but none went 3+ hours like the avg Elite Zonder Contract does.

i never rode in the US, but i DO ride kermesses here in Belgium as an "elite zonder contract". they are very hard - trust me
the contenders are all very experienced riders (sometimes ex-pro's) and U23 riders.
Level is very high because of the ex-pro's and the U23 who aim to become pro.
Parcours are often very technical, and fast.
There are also lots of foreign riders joining (americans, australians, brits, japanese..) some of them are really good, and are even winning, but others are out of the race after 3 laps.

we also have Criteriums for the "elite zonder contract" and U23, and those races are +-70 km in laps of max 2km. also very very fast

[shakes133]

Tell Mario Williems I say Godverdomme.

[LOWIEV]

Tell Mario Williems I say Godverdomme.

Haha Mario. The legend of the kermesse. Last year he won some races.
I think he quit this year though. I havent seen him this year

[jesper2913]

I'd really like to see Legion riders ride a Belgian kermesse. Would they be up there among the best? Or would they quickly be spat out the back?

[Berzin1]

Cycling used to be a European folk sport but they had to mess with it and pollute the sport with their American identity politics.

Legion is the only pro team of their caliber in the US. They have more sponsors so they can control crits and be the big fish in a small pond. My only problem with them is their bully tactics and inability to accept any criticism without some ballistic response on Instagram.

Gee, and who was the last asshole in cycling that got away with bully tactics who also shared an egregious inability to accept any criticism without some ballistic response? Hmmm...let me think...one hint-he wasn't black. Does that narrow it down for everyone?

[Butcher]

And what happened to him. Cancelled is the current term used.

[AJS914]

But still rich and sponsored, selling crap on his podcast.