Road Racing with Rugby Racing.
Rugby Racing Cycling Club is getting serious about road racing.
In a relatively short space of time, the club has gone from encouraging members to have a go at road racing to producing some of the most relentless podium takers in the region.
We want to build on that momentum and create a welcoming environment where riders of all abilities can get involved, develop their racing skills and, most importantly, enjoy racing for Rugby Racing.
Racing in the West Midlands
As a West Midlands-based British Cycling club, we encourage our racers to focus on the Wales & West Cup for Cat 3/4 riders and the West Midlands Championships for E/1/2/3 riders.
We appreciate that travelling to races can be one of the biggest barriers to getting involved. Where possible, we therefore try to arrange transport, equipment and a support crew through Sunday Riders Cult, helping our riders get to races and concentrate on the racing rather than the logistics.
New to Road Racing?
We know that road racing can be daunting when you’re starting out.
You don’t need to jump straight into an 80km road race. For many riders, circuit racing is a great way to learn the basics of racing, understand positioning and tactics, and get comfortable riding in a competitive bunch.
Circuit races are generally around 45 minutes on a dedicated cycling circuit or race track, making them an excellent introduction to competitive racing.
Two events particularly popular with our racers are:
MK Bowl Series – Milton Keynes
The MK Bowl series is a firm favourite with Rugby Racing members. Events usually take place on Saturday mornings at the start of the season before moving to Thursday evenings later in the year.
The short, fast circuit provides plenty of opportunity to learn about bunch positioning, attacking, following wheels and sprinting.
AIRC Course de Cinq – Mallory Park
The AIRC Course de Cinq at Mallory Park is another event we regularly encourage our riders to attend.
Held on Thursday evenings, it’s a little closer to home for our members and provides a fantastic evening of racing. With racing suitable for different levels of experience, it’s an excellent place to start your racing journey.
We particularly like these events because you can get some hard racing in without having to dedicate an entire weekend to travelling and competing.
Cat 4 Racing
For riders looking specifically for Cat 4 racing, Solihull CC also run a great stage race aimed at newer racers.
These events take place on Wednesday evenings. While they are a fantastic opportunity for developing riders, many Rugby Racing members choose to support our own Wednesday evening time trial series instead.
Want to Race for Rugby Racing?
If you’re interested in joining our road and circuit racing roster, get in touch with Tommy Walker.
Tommy is happy to talk you through the process, help you decide where to start and answer any questions you might have about getting your British Cycling licence, entering races or preparing for your first event.
You’ll also be added to our dedicated Road Racing WhatsApp group, where members can share race information, organise transport, discuss events and support each other throughout the season.
You don’t have to be an experienced racer to get involved, if you’re interested in giving it a go, we’ll help you get started.
Racing for Rugby Racing
Our aim isn’t just to support road racers.
We want to encourage and support Racing for Rugby Racing across all disciplines of cycling, whether that’s road racing, time trials, cyclocross, circuit racing or anything else on two wheels.
To help support our competitive riders, we work with a number of club sponsors who offer additional discounts and benefits to members racing competitively, including riders achieving points through British Cycling or Cycling Time Trials.
In return, all we ask is that competitive riders take part in a minimum of four events per year and help us showcase the club’s racing activities.
After each event, please provide Tommy with:
• The details of the event
• A short race report, just a few words about how you found the event and how you performed
• Any photographs
• Any videos or other useful content
This information helps us produce our regular race reports and allows us to celebrate the achievements of our members across the club’s website and social media.
Race for Rugby Racing
Whether you’re chasing your first finish, your first British Cycling points, a podium or simply looking to see what competitive cycling is all about, Rugby Racing wants to help you get there.
Ride. Race. Represent Rugby Racing.