2012 - Boulder Roubaix


Want more Boulder Roubaix Highlights

Photo: michaelrobson.com Frank Pipp 2012 Boulder Roubaix winner!

2012 Boulder Roubaix completed under perfect Colorado Spring weather with sunshine and a mild breezy out of the east. Reports have come in saying that the key sections of the course was the fast, dirt sections filled with corners that was before Crane Hollow and of course Crane Hollow itself. But for many completion was the goal as this is one of the hardest road events to complete due to it's length, hills and challenges that come with racing on dirt. More on what Boulder Roubaix is all about.

Results

- ACA Results

Photographers

- 303Photo
- Mountain Moon Photography
- Oxocube
- Sportif Images
- Peter Wayne Photography
- Excel Sports
- Ghisallo Images

Other Media

- Daily Camera -pre-race coverage
- Mountain Flyer

Racing: 

88 Comments

Really wish there was a

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on

Really wish there was a little more separation between all the groups leaving between 11:00 and 11:15. I predict a lot of mix up.

What are the rules about working with other categories again?

agree 100%. I will just be

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on

agree 100%. I will just be ready to attack this time as we pass as opposed to all the times when we've been told to stay neutral while passing only to have people attack while passing.

unlike the crash they had

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on

unlike the crash they had last weekend? that wasn't a cluster. that's what happens when everyone sits in the whole race and thinks they can win the sprint. sure. no cluster there...

Why? If you are a masters

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on

Why? If you are a masters racer, you will upgrade from masters 3 and race masters 1,2. If you are a young gun hotshot sm3, you will upgrade to P12.

If you are pack fodder, no one cares.

b/c I'm a 35+ year old sm3

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on

b/c I'm a 35+ year old sm3 who knows that the 35+3 category is useful for years that I don't feel like training and still want to be competitive.

i'd rather have the one category that keeps me in check.

Well if you are spending

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on

Well if you are spending years and years in SM3, then you obviously have enough competition. Why worry about who is racing in other categories? It negatively affects your racing experience?

Exactly

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on

I don't know about faster, but certainly as fast.

Safer, absolutely. I would say the events at Louisville last Saturday were the exception. In any of the masters groups, you've got experienced bike handlers that have to go to work on Monday and don't take unnecessary risks to move up to win a gift certificate for a burrito.

In my case, I'm lucky enough that on some race days, I have the choice of multiple categories. With my 30 bucks, I can get shelled by 35 open racers, get wrecked by an 18 year old trying to win a burrito prime, or jump in with a bunch of guys just like me that realize that our hobby is a fun way to get a work out in.

Cat 35/3s is simply good marketing by a promoter. The numbers bear this out.

Truth comes out

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on

So, you don't want to train, but you want to be competitive... so, make an easy class for you and folks like you.

I liked it better when your type was satisfied to brag about top finishes in Elephant Rock and left the racing to those who would rather get crushed by the better riders than to win against lesser riders.

Most racing is done by age

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on

Most racing is done by age categories. It wouldn't be an issue if SENIOR MEN was 19-34 and MASTERS MEN was 35+. Go to nationals and you will race your age category right? There shouldn't be a choice.

If you are fast enough to upgrade and be competitive in P12, no one cares how old you are.

you should read what I wrote.

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on

you should read what I wrote. I am agreeing with you. I don't think the category should exist. I do agree that it is for old guys that don't feel like training. I've raced it a couple of times and was amazed that I would be barely hanging on in the sm3s and could easily sit in in the 35+3.

63

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on

Registered riders in that "Useless" category, total of 222 in the 35+ categories,(math done in my head, might be off), seems like a solid category, you thinking those 63 racers are fools?

We get it, you think you are

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on

We get it, you think you are cool because you are over 35 and can beat a few cat3 20 somethings. I'm still faster than you, so why don't you worry about getting out of the cat3s and stop whining about what other people are racing.

Wow, who thinks they're cool?

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on

Wow, who thinks they're cool?

Is your attack some sort of attempt at silencing folks who don't share your view? FYI, I don't really have a dog in this fight, except that I think too many categories dilutes the quality of the various fields and forces too many of the fields to get short changed on time or being left out of the racing altogether.

Having said that, I must admit that, for the life of me, I don't understand the idea of a 35 year old cat 3 who would rather race against a lesser field than race the tougher fields and get better in the long run.

in no way do I think I'm

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on

in no way do I think I'm "cool". what I do is race the category that is best in line with my abilities. If it makes you feel better that you're faster than me AND race in a lesser category, there is a definition for that; sandbagger.

i do greatly miss the opportunity to race with those that as a group are much better than me in the 35+ open.

Thank ACA and Mr. McGee

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on

In their infinite wisdom, someone within ACA leadership decided to restrict what was formerly 35+ open to cat 1/2 only. Now even those cat 3s that chose to race in the open field are prevented from doing so. ACA has chosen to completely ignore the concern voiced by numerous individuals and teams that would be affected. An even smaller 35+ 1/2 field is not a surprise outcome. Perhaps ACA is looking to kill off that category.

Just wait for the choas that is going to unfold at Coal Miners when they start the 35+/3s one minute behind the 35+ 1/2 field. It will be unfortunate for both fields when they start mixing. And all because of some perceived order that master's needs to be divided up just like the sr categories.

Thank USAC and their

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on

Thank USAC and their requirements, not the ACA. However, it didn't seem to be a problem at Louisville, 35+1-2 had 41 and 35+3 had 51, we had far better racing than another 100 rider field out there. This is a good move for the larger races and will only hurt the smaller ones.

Actually they do. USAC

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on

Actually they do. USAC requires that all age based categories have the category 1-4 assoc with them. So either you have SM35+1-4, 35+1-3, or what we have SM35+1-2 and SM35+3. Based on the large fields we've had this has proved necesarry so stop complaining about the ACA and learn the rules.

There's rules, and there's interpretations...

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on

It's a choice, not a requirement. Some states require cat 5 masters to race with the SR cat 5s by listing all masters groups as 1-4 only, and even then they'll let the older (typically 55 and over) groups race all together, 1-5.

The 35+1-2, 35+3, and 35+4 is an ACA convention that can easily be dropped if the powers that be wish it so.

The rule that drives this is

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on

The rule that drives this is that any race with cat5s included is limited to 75 riders. Thus, listing the masters classes with categories allows larger field sizes. However, USAC doesn't require any specific break down; that is purely an ACA decision. It was ACA leadership, without input from members, that decided to limit the 35+ to 1/2s vs. 1-4s or 1/2/3 as had been discussed. The ACA could just as well have created a 35+ 1/2/3 and a 35+/3 and essentially maintained what has been in place for several years.

At B-R, one of the largest races of the season, our 35+ 1/2 field only had 35 riders. In 2010, there were 65.

As a 35+ cat 2 you sound like

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on

As a 35+ cat 2 you sound like one of the many complainers on this forum who will just whine and whine. If you want change then run for the board. The ACA is not a democracy, we're represented by an elected board. If you want change then vote or run yourself. Having a 35+1-3 and another 35+3 is pointless. Let the true 35+3's all race together and compete for the the 35+3 awards, then when they get good enough they join our race. You're just pissed because their field size has grown and ours has shrunk (51 riders at Louisville and way more at Roubaix, the aca website is not full updated on results yet).

More elites

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on

Since many elite/pro teams pay entry fees, I would not be surprised to see a lot of P/1/2 riders register day of, more than the other categories anyways. This race is not online-only so I wouldn't call 50 the official number.

Master's cats

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on

Interesting info on the course today. Sounds like they are going to start enforcing master's age categories. Guess there are too many 45ers racing 35+/3 when they are supposed to be racing in their own age group. Is that being driven by USAC or ACA?

Lost watch

Submitted by Peter Schaub (not verified) on

Lost @ Boulder Roubaix before start on Nimbus Rd:
Garmin 310xt w/ Salomon Velcro watchband.
303-478-6319. Reward thanks!

still missing Garmin Forerunner 310XT

Submitted by Peter Schaub (not verified) on

The Garmin unit that was announced as found was a 500 and was returned. Still missing the Garmin Forerunner 310XT - please spread the word. Battery is probably dead by now and unless you have a specific charger, the thing is useless to you. Reward still offered! 303-478-6319 call or text with any info. Thanks!

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