2023 Roadie Goals!

haven’t seen this thread yet, and while our cx sisters and brothers are deep in the throes of their main season, I’m thinking of 2023.

I’d love to hear what you are going after!

My big 3 have always been Amateur Road Nats, Masters Road Nats (now 40+) and Gravel Worlds, but thinking of shaking it up for 2023.

Green Mountain SR 40+ Overall (unsure if even possible and insane since i’m 82kg)
Master’s Road Nats 40+
And then not sure!

What are you targeting!?!?

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Bessie’s Creek 24hr TT and Silver State 508(I think I can do pretty good on this one, but placing will be dependent on who shows up)

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Cherry Roubaix 60 miles.

It’s basically the only road race I know of within reasonable driving distance (Chicago) that isn’t a crit.

Sadly, road racing seems to be dying. My 2 other big races next year are on gravel roads.

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My A race next year is the Tour of Cambridgeshire Chrono but I wouldn’t really call it a targeted event. My nephews wedding might clash with it and it would be impossible to be in two countries at once.

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508!!! mega!!! good luck!

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road racing is just changing IMO. Fondos are another good option as they’re super competitive now and no categories.

good luck on the gravel!

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i’m sure he’ll understand :smile::smile::smile::smile::smile:

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First and foremost be lean and clean…

Something different for me. I’ll target certain races as always but, I think I’m going to try for my cat 1. Long story short I started road late at 38 (now 54). Cat 5 to 2 by 40 but, destroyed my back and spend a couple seasons just being able to ride. When I came back I convinced myself 42 was really old and I raced almost exclusively masters. What elite races I did I usually raced for younger team mates.

It will be difficult as the frequency of races (road or crit) has really dropped off locally. I have 16 points now and with the new easier rules in place I think I can do it. IDK if it’s a good goal but, it keeps me motivated and I enjoy the younger crowd as much as the masters if not more.

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Did you do it this year? It was a pretty fun race, though a bit chaotic since they had all categories racing at the same time.

I’ll be a new Cat 2 so no more Cat 3/4 races where I feel confident fighting for the win. But I’ve held my own in the 123 races I’ve done so far so I’m excited to get better at that. Also moved to a new city/region (Philly) so I’ve got a whole new race calendar to figure out going into next year.

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Its very competitive in 55+ out here - some national or world champ plus guys that are genetically more gifted and have 20-30 years experience. My goals are pitting me against nature. Hoping to arrange my schedule and the big 3 in my mind are:

  • climb Mt Lemmon in Tucson
  • climb White Mountain, one of the big 4 in Owens Valley, the 3rd hardest and 2nd highest in California
  • climb Hicks Road to Mt Umunhum, the steepest 5 miles in California, in the SF Bay Area

Basically knock down some of the West Coast epic climbs on this list:

Because I’m not planning on visiting Hawaii next year.

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This reminded me! Going to the Big Island in February for Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa!

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I didn’t do it this past year because they changed the date from the first weekend of August to the first weekend of June pretty late in the game and I wasn’t able to swing it.

I’m targeting it next year. I wish they still had it up in Leelanau, though :slight_smile:

I was including Fondos in that assessment … just not a lot of competitive events that are road-based around me. Maybe the midwest is different than other areas that way

… or maybe I’m looking in the wrong places … ?

Regarding road races in the Midwest. I’m not much of a road racer but I did the Iowa and Wisconsin state road races this year.

Iowa was rolling, all the hills very short.

Here’s my youtube video of the Iowa road race.

WI has steep climbing at the end of the lap that makes it pretty tough for a heavier rider, plus a somewhat extended set of climbs midway through the lap.

I barely race on the road but I moved up to cat 3 after these races.

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Some great goals people have here!

I have said it for 4 years in a row, but I am going to do some open races this year! (Cat 5/4 races would be the equivalent).
I have done some club racing in the past, and I was not prepared for it, but really enjoyed it. So this year I am trying to get a really good base in. Then in the new year try pick a couple of races to aim for in order to structure some interval training around them.

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Gotta add this one although it may be my substitute for Mt Lemmon if logistics get in the way:

142 miles and 14,000+ ft / 4300+ m of climbing around the longest day of the year. Gotta do it next year because I sold the Tarmac SL7 stock alloy wheels to an ER doctor in LA that is building a cabin in South Lake Tahoe. Told him about it and now he periodically asks when we will do it. This guy is 20 years younger and just killing it… two days ago he did Nate Harrison Grade in San Diego county on 40c gravel tires (HC climb of 4202 feet / 1280m), and today he did GMR to Baldy (HC climb of 5484 ft / 1670m). :man_facepalming: His Strava has been my return to big climbs training inspiration!

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The early season 20k (ish) Merckx TT and maybe 1-2 of the spring road races (assuming they happen, anyhow, calendar hasn’t been released yet.

Planning on attempting to hike the continental divide trail which will wipe out the rest of the season.

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love this!!! GOOD LUCK!!!

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the races in Lancaster are suuuuuper fun, rolling country roads. SOOOO many good races in PA!

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