How to read the cycling race protocol
In the protocol, one participant can be the 40th in the absolute and the third in the category - there is no contradiction here. First, select the desired race and standings, then sort out the time, status and backlog.
Find the right release and distance
Open it catalog of results, choose a race and a year. On the page, check the date, distance and name of the check-in. One event can have separate tables for a long and short route, men and women, different bikes or stages.
Look for yourself by last name and starting number. If the names match, check the category, team, and other available fields. The namesake in the table does not mean an erroneous entry, and the coincidence of the full name does not always mean the same person.
Distinguish between absolute and category
The Absolute — the total score specified in the specific protocol. It can be separate for men and women or different distances. Place in the category it is considered within a certain group: for example, age.
The position of the row after sorting is not the new official location. If you sort the table by last name, the participant of the first row does not become the winner. Focus on the location column and the description of the test.
The age group is also read according to the regulations: the boundaries and the method of determining the age may differ. Do not compare place numbers from different tables as one rating.
Time, lag, and laps
Find out what time is taken into account: from the general start, a personal start in the time trial or crossing the starting line with a chip. If several times are published, the order of distribution of places is set by the regulations.
Recording "+1 lap" does not automatically translate into minutes. In a round-robin race, the number of laps completed can affect the classification ahead of time. In the stage race, the result of the stage and the overall standings are read separately.
What do DNS, DNF and DSQ mean
- DNS — Did Not Start
- Did not start.
- DNF — Did Not Finish
- Started, but did not complete the distance.
- DSQ — Disqualified
- Disqualified; the reason should be looked at in the judges' decision or clarified with the organizer.
Such decodings are used, for example, in The official results book of the Olympic Games, the legend of the triathlon protocol. Your race may have additional designations, so read its legend first.
Empty time or dash does not prove DNS. The result may not have been published yet, the record has not been matched, or there is no field in the source file. Do not turn the lack of data into a conclusion about the gathering.
What to do if the result is incorrect
- Check if this is a final protocol or a preliminary one.
- Check the result with the organizer's primary source.
- Find a deadline and a way to submit comments or protest.
- Provide the name of the check-in, number, full name, the essence of the discrepancy and available confirmations.
The bike computer file and photos can help you figure it out, but they don't replace the judge's decision. If the primary protocol has already been fixed, but the old version remains on FATRACING, send us a link to the updated document and a specific line.
How to use the result for yourself
Compare similar conditions: distance, route, weather and composition of participants. An improvement in place with fewer starters does not equal an improvement in time; a slower race on a new heavy route does not necessarily mean a loss of form.
Separately note whether it was possible to maintain the pace, avoid breakdowns and fulfill the plan. If you are preparing for the next start, start with choosing a suitable race, and not just with the search for an opponent in the table.