Iowa Bicycle Racing Association Wish List

I guess this weekend is when the race directors and Iowa racing enthusiasts get together and try and map out next year's racing calendar. Here are some quick ideas from my perspective...

1) State Road and Time Trial races rocked, hopefully they stay the same. For the 108 mile Road Race, though, only 8 Cat 3's out of 21 finished last year. Maybe it should be three laps for Cat 3's instead of 4?

2) I hope an Iowa City and Quad City team opts to put on a Roller Race this year. Otherwise, they seem to cluster around the Des Moines area. It would be cool to have an 'east' and 'west' conference for these, and then the two meet at the end of the season for a play-off where each conference sends their top ten to battle for the best cumulative times.

3) I hope the B2U team puts on a road race and/or a crit. I think last year they just put on a roller race. There seems to be some available dates in the summer. A strong team like that would have a great race, and this would be good promotion for the sponsor.

4) Speaking of summer, the racing season around here seems to peak in the spring. I wish there were a few more races in July and September (august is stacked).

5) State Crit? Where/when will it be? I liked having it in August, because all of the state champs then were in the same month. Where? I am not a fan of those flat, 8 corner plus courses, but I suppose that would be the most obvious. Maybe somewhere that had a 'cool factor' with spectators, perhaps restaurants right on the course like at the IC crit. I enjoyed when intoxicated patrons begin to cheer for us.

6) Two Bee Races.... Are these really over? Say it isn't so. I raced almost 15 of those last year. Obviously my results in other races were aided by attending these. I guess Conn is still putting on the famous 'kent park' race, that serves as a sort of spring opener for the new season...cool. But, guys, please consider maybe still putting on one or two more this year! Maybe instead of hosting 40 + races each year, maybe just do a handful. Maybe a spring classic, a summer classic and a fall classic, with a Time Trial or two mixed in? Please reconsider pulling the plug on all of them. Either way, thanks for the great races over the years.

7) DICE cycling... I really missed the Scott Co. Park races and Hummer Hammer. Hopefully they can bring those back. Again, if not the entire 3 part series of races, then just do one, but thanks for the past races.

8) Single Speed Championships? What the hell is a single speed? I oppose the whole concept, and handing out a huge pile of state medals to the select few who race this discipline. Having said that, if there were more single speed races prior to the championships, and everybody rode a 53/17... ok, I'm in. Sort of like that Little Indy 500, 'cutters' deal where everyone races the exact same bike, elimating equipment as a variable.

9) Iowa Racing Tour... We all watch the pros race on these multi-stage events and have their times calculated over the course of the events. It would be awesome to have an opportunity to race like that here in Iowa. I guess they did try that with the Memorial day weekend races once.