6-12-24 WTTC Borrego Springs 2019

[ccf]

I've entered the 6-hour sprint, and it appears that @Jeffrey Ritter and Marcel Graber have entered the 12-hour race. Anyone else going?

For those who have entered this race in the past or have attended, how is the road surface? I'm thinking of running 25c Schwalbe Pro One tubeless tires. Good idea?

And although the course is flat as a pancake compared to the ride I did on Sunday, I'm wondering if the slope change is noticeable enough that I should plan on applying more power uphill and less downhill, or just try to keep power output constant.

Finally, does the course encounter traffic lights that might force racers to come to a complete stop, or will we be able to ride continuously around each of the loops?

 

[RojoRacing]

Road surface is crap in some long sections and just ok in the others, 25c tires are a minimum IMO. I'd say I increase my power for the climb at the bottom of the course and ease up a bit heading back toward the end of the lap but it's not much of a difference and not a conscious effort like how I hammer up steep kickers during a short TT to maximize speed.

No lights but the one stop sign has become more of a PITA each year with ether more volunteers without common sense or more strict rules requiring a full stop. The last year I did it the local sheriff went out of his way to state to the event that he'd ticket any riders he found not stopping. I only put a foot down a few times but most the time I'd just come to a near stop 1-2mph before proceeding through. I don't mind stopping at a stop sign when necessary but I can't deal with being forced to stop at a stop sign 25 times when I only encountered a car only a couple times in the 24hrs. I think what really pissed me off was the volunteers not having enough common sense to realize the divers lack common sense so they'd just stand in the road blocking me from going without waving the car through so the car would just sit there spectating while I'm just standing there waiting for the light bulb to come on in everyone's head.

 

[RojoRacing]

I won't be returning till they both fix the asphalt and sort out the stop sign issues.

 

[ed72]

I wouldn't call it flat as a pancake. I think Marko told me he logged over 10,000 feet over the 24 hours. From the low point of the course when making a right at the hotel, it is 2-4% gradient for about 2 Km. If you look at most racers power files on Strava for instance, they charge up this hill at 300-500 watts for the first several laps and then their speeds diminish significantly. Road surface for long stretches is actually horrible. I had to stop and ice my screwed up neck more than once last year. My opinion of the roads is skewed for sure. When I did it on an upright, the surface did not seem so bad. The stop sign volunteers varied last year, but overall I thought they were fine (except on the short course right turn). YMMV.

I wanted to enter but could not pull the trigger for reasons above.

 

[RojoRacing]

I'd call the climb 2% at the very most and only at its steepest part if you can even call 2% steepest, it only comes out to 1.4% average of the meat of the climb. I think the loss of speed just seems like a lot because ride just came off a slight DH with a minor tail wind each lap and then go into a slight head or side wind in that section. Also 10,000 ain't much at all when you consider it's over 500 miles and not 200 or 300 miles, hell that's equal to a 2000' century which is pretty damn flat outside of flordia.

Never had any problems with the right turns on the short course but the last year I did it they were getting extra bitchy at rider not holding a tight line through the final right heading back to the finish and drifting into the vehicle traffic lane. They'd kind of freak out each time I'd go through because I corner so fast but I never once drifted wide.

 

[ccf]

Thanks for the feedback. It will be helpful for race prep and tactics.

One additional question: did you wear ice socks or anything like that to keep cool while racing?

 

[RojoRacing]

Ice socks? Didn’t know that was a thing but if you get hot on a bent a cup of ice inside your jersey over your chest will help for an hour.

Some years it’s crazy hot some it’s below freezing so bring a little of everything

 

[ed72]

Thanks for the feedback. It will be helpful for race prep and tactics.

One additional question: did you wear ice socks or anything like that to keep cool while racing?

I just pissed myself every 5 minutes

 

[ccf]

Ice socks:

. A former colleague who does a lot of endurance racing told me about them. She said wrapping it around the neck so that it cools the carotid artery is most effective. But shoving them inside my jersey is probably easier.

I entered the six-hour race, so I don't think freezing is likely.

 

[ed72]

Panty hose stuffed with ice works well.

 

[Jeffrey Ritter]

All great info. Thanks to all. As to the ice socks, we figured out that, esp. on a recumbent, direct exposure to the sun can really melt the ice fairly quickly. Plus, using regular panty hose the ice was actually painfully cold directly on the skin. So we adjusted to an old pair of women's winter stockings and place the ice around the neck, and inside the jersey between the jersey and the base layer. Works amazingly well in 88+ temps at Mid-Atlantic, with a sock lasting a full 25 mile lap.

 

[RojoRacing]

The Parker’s weren’t so kind to me in Texas , they Just shoveled into the Jersey onto bare skin. Took your breath away for 30 seconds and was painfully cold for a minute but after that it was fine.

 

[ed72]

I've put a full 5 pound bag of ice under my jersey directly onto my skin but then I do ice baths, too.

 

[ccf]

Road surface is crap in some long sections and just ok in the others

How would you say the crappy pavement at Borrego Springs compares with the crappy pavement of Morgan Territory north of the summit?

 

[RojoRacing]

Morgan is a different type of crap, it's bumpy and lumpy with potholes but the actual asphalt surface is smooth between all that nonsense, I avoid descending that side because it's just not fun dodging all that stuff. What makes Borrego crap is that the asphalt is not smooth so it feels like micro washboard trying to vibrate you nuts and bolts loose.

 

[RojoRacing]

I'm very surprised that loop hasn't been used as a testbed for testing tire size and PSI speed gains over rough asphalt. It's one of those courses that recent cycling logic would tell you 28mm tires as some lower than normal pressure would be fast but it's hard to feel fast on big 28s at low pressures so the placebo effect is strong.

 

[Jim Parker]

Congratulations to Cliff Federspiel (ccf) for SMASHING my 6-hour recumbent record at the World TT Championship in Borrego Springs! 145.2 miles! 24.6 mph!

Second overall to this Canadian, James McNaughton.
.

And congrats to Jeffrey Ritter for putting up 181.2 miles in the 12-hour event. Nice job! First recumbent finisher in the 12-hour.

Jim

 

[RojoRacing]

Congratulations to Cliff Federspiel (ccf) for SMASHING my 6-hour recumbent record at the World TT Championship in Borrego Springs! 145.2 miles! 24.6 mph!

Second overall to this Canadian, James McNaughton.
View attachment 8571.

And congrats to Jeffrey Ritter for putting up 181.2 miles in the 12-hour event. Nice job! First recumbent finisher in the 12-hour.

Jim

You're late to the party, if you come join us on zwift for the team time trials you'd see first hand how Cliff has been getting faster each week.

 

[trplay]

Congratulations to Cliff Federspiel (ccf) for SMASHING my 6-hour recumbent record at the World TT Championship in Borrego Springs! 145.2 miles! 24.6 mph!
Second overall to this Canadian, James McNaughton.
View attachment 8571.
And congrats to Jeffrey Ritter for putting up 181.2 miles in the 12-hour event. Nice job! First recumbent finisher in the 12-hour.
Jim

You're late to the party, if you come join us on zwift for the team time trials you'd see first hand how Cliff has been getting faster each week.

Congratulations to Jeffrey, it's great to see he did so well! Jim, I gotta agree with Jason on the TTT, Props again Cliff!

 

[ccf]

Congratulations to Cliff Federspiel (ccf) for SMASHING my 6-hour recumbent record at the World TT Championship in Borrego Springs! 145.2 miles! 24.6 mph!

Second overall to this Canadian, James McNaughton.
View attachment 8571.

And congrats to Jeffrey Ritter for putting up 181.2 miles in the 12-hour event. Nice job! First recumbent finisher in the 12-hour.

Jim

Thanks @Jim Parker . McNaughton is about 6’-4” and super powerful.

And special thanks to @Jeffrey Ritter for his racing advice and hospitality. He and his wife invited us to dinner and brunch and shared their canopy in the pit area with us.