10 Questions With... Larry Byvik, on the 540Cycling Development Series

[In July and August of this year, Larry Byvik and his squad introduce the 540Cycling Development Series. GamJams Features Editor David Kirkpatrick gently grills Larry about the series, his team, and how to get Cat 4s to work as a team.]

10 Questions With... Larry Byvik, on the 540Cycling Development Series

(GamJams) 1. I love your team name. Tell me about the origins of 540Cycling and what other names you tossed around before picking the right one?
(Larry Byvik) 540 Cycling is a small group of bike racers located along the fringes of Northern Virginia. At the core, we love to ride and race bicycles and our goal with 540 Cycling is to build a strong, structured club that outlasts the direct participation of its founders – like an NCVC or Artemis.

Although we've heard lots of guesses, the name 540Cycling actually comes from our 540 area code. We've all been involved with teams in the past and were looking to create something that focused more on developing local racing opportunities that matches the makeup of our riders. We love the local racing scene and want to see it grow – both in events and racers.

Our goal with the 540Cycling Development Series is to have fun and bring new folks to cycling. Several of us have been racing and training for 20+ years and are a bit  dismayed by what seems to be a lack of stewardship toward new and younger riders.  When I was young, we trained and raced with the old guys who weren't shy about teaching you how to ride – the little details like bending your elbows, pedaling round, being smooth on the bike –  we want to teach what we know about the art of riding and racing.

(GJ) 2. What made you decide to put on a race series?

(LB) When we sat down to think about what type of event to host, one of our members mentioned the possibility of creating a race series. At the time, there were a lot of discussions on the MABRA list about the lack of racing for Cat 4's and 5's. We thought a development series offering races for new and local racers would be a unique format that might attract newer racers and create plenty of opportunities for riders to get upgrade points or the mass starts in a series of events catered just to them.

(GJ) 3. What were the most difficult things to overcome in getting the series started?

(LB) The biggest challenge so far has probably been convincing ourselves that we aren't crazy for trying to run three races in three weeks! Seriously, though, everything is coming together quite smoothly. Our venue authorities at Vint Hill just outside Warrenton, Virginia have been cooperative and enthusiastic, volunteers are available and ready and the businesses around the course appears to be excited for the series.

(GJ) 4. What do you see as the biggest obstacles to people getting involved in competitive bike racing?

(LB) The bulk of racing in the area seems to cater to and focus on the upper categories. There simply aren't enough events for Cat 4's and 5's. With smaller field limits for most lower category races, events fill fast. When you've got 50 Cat 5 spots at an event where there might be another 400 participants, you're presenting new riders with a big barrier to participation. To increase participation, you have to offer more spots for newer riders. Each race in the 540Cycling Development Series offers 100 slots for Cat 5's and 150 slots for Cat 4's. That adds up to a lot of opportunities for new racers!

(GJ) 5. Putting on a race series can be expensive. How are you underwriting this affair?

(LB) We've been pounding the pavement to drum up sponsor support to help keep costs down. We've gotten fantastic support from companies like ROAD ID, which is providing race numbers, discount coupons for all participants, and prizes. Hammer Nutrition and TriFlow have been generous with sample product and local businesses are stepping up to help make sure the series is a success.

(GJ) 6. What's your favorite race, past or present?

(LB) My personal favorite races are, in no particular order, Clarendon, Reston, Jefferson Cup, the old Waterside classic in Norfolk, Tour De Moore of old, and many of the SuperWeek criteriums from WAY back in the late 80's and early 90's. I personally love the hard, technical criteriums.

The course that we've got at Vint Hill is probably the opposite of those courses, though. We've got a fun 1.2 mile loop with three turns and smooth pavement that should be the perfect venue for newer racers. And with a short hill about halfway through the lap, the course is ready to be raced.

Vint Hill is also a great place to bring your family. There's a beautiful pool that's open to the public, ball fields, walking paths, and plenty of great places to sit and watch the racers go by. We're looking forward to hosting three fun days of bike racing!

(GJ) 7. When did you personally start racing and what teams have you raced with?

(LB) I started racing in 1983 with James River Velo Sport, then on to HDK Schwinn, sort of a journey man with some of the regional Schwinn teams in the late 80's and early 90's, and finally with the early renditions of what has become 540Cycling. I've been at this for a while.

(GJ) 8. Best memory of a cycling race?

(LB) Winning one of the Nabisco Wheat Thins events because my sprinter teammate got crashed of my leadout wheel leaving me to solo in Jens Voight style!

(GJ) 9. If cycling is best done as a team sport, and all Cat 4s want to move up, and therefore all Cat 4s are competing against their team mates for upgrade points, how do you encourage better teamwork among Cat 4s?

(LB) In my opinion, you've got to teach new riders how to work as a team and why it benefits them. Give them more chances to race. Assign events for each member to focus on and encourage other team mates to work to allow their team to place as high as possible. At the end of the day, though, being a successful bike racer at the local level is probably more about the strength of the individual than the strength of a team.

(GJ) 10. A lot of races make brand new women racers line up against pros. You announce at Cat 5 race and 100 want to sign up. You announce a women's Cat 4 race and you don't get 100.  How do you balance the need to have women get a chance to race against women of similar experience and ability with the need for promoters to have full fields to cover expenses?

(LB) That's easy. You've got to create more events that focus on these newer riders so it doesn't matter if a field or two doesn't fill up. Maybe these need to be standalone events like what we're creating with the 540Cycling Development Series. Now, we need local racers to help us prove that there's interest in, and demand for, beginner-friendly road events. If we can prove there's demand, more promoters are going to create their own beginner-friendly events, which, in turn, will create more opportunities to support those smaller-field races.

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Register for the 540Cycling Development Series here.

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David Kirkpatrick is a Feature Editor with GamJams who races for NCVC. He is enjoying growing fame through his blog Flamenco Chuckwagon, and as promoter of the highly anticipated Lost River Classic.

Comments

[female racer]

that picture alone makes me want to sign up!

[JB]

First 540 crit today was great. An excellent race. Well run and a fun fast course. I'm hoping for bigger fields the next few times out this year. Congrats to Larry and his entire crew for launching a great series that will be a launching pad for all things good for 540. Seriously well done!

[Alexandra]

I would love some photos of Sunday's race, esp Wmn's 4s. Can someone post a link when photos are up?

[Drew]

Although I havent seen Larry for a few years, I've known him for over 20 years and he was one of the guys that got me into bike racing in the 80s. Off and on we have ridden together and I can say this article is typical of the old-school style mentor he is.

He really does care about the sport and wants to see it succeed. Glad to see he is still doing the things he really loves.

Hats off to one of my best friends ever.