Driveway Returns

Bike racing is back! In Austin, at least. After two practice sessions in which organizers worked out their socially distanced staging and start procedures, and riders got a chance to remember what it feels like to ride in a group, the Driveway Series held its first race since COVID19 shut things down in March. The lack of beers, burritos and socializing during the event is a bit of a downer, but a weekly group cycling activity is, nonetheless, far superior to having nothing at all.

The postponement of Driveway was the loss of the nucleus of road cycling in Austin. We have an unusually strong race-oriented cycling community for a city of this size, with amazing group rides and a plethora of outstanding bike shops, all of which serve to support the weekly running of one of the best criterium series in the nation. We’re fortunate to have Driveway at a time when road racing is seeing an overall decline in participation, and I think it provides a strong motivation to train for a large portion of the Austin road-cycling community.

Personally, the loss of the Driveway and group rides significantly reduced my motivation to train. Sure, there’s always Strava, but something about being dropped or struggling for breath while the person next to you continues their casual conversation seems to more thoroughly shame me into not skipping workouts.

I was present for one of the practice sessions as well as the first two races. It was so good to feel the community vibe we’ve been missing for over three months. A poorly timed meal led me to dropping out (excuses) of the first event and I was dropped this week, but I didn’t regret participating. Afterward, though, I couldn’t help but ruminate on the nagging question that’s probably on everyone’s mind: Should we be doing this?

Some googling reveals hints of upcoming USA Cycling sanctioned events, but Driveway Series seems to be one of the first to reopen. USA Cycling began accepting event permits starting on June 1st, however, organizers are still beholden to local regulations, which are limiting what’s possible in many states. Here in Texas, “adult sporting leagues” have permission to operate and, as long as it’s legal, that’s exactly what Driveway is doing.

Risk?

A scary image has made its rounds on the internet over the past few months that succinctly describes what we’re all picturing when it comes to riding in groups. Are we doing this to each other?:

The image is from a study conducted in Belgium that spread quickly through social media, probably because it’s alarming, and what better purpose does Facebook serve than to spread hysteria? The purpose of the study was to examine the possibility of COVID-19 contagion through exhaled aerosols. And though the study wasn’t as comprehensive as many were led to believe, it’s certainly worth considering in light of uncertainties about how the virus spreads.

Numerous other studies look into spread via exhaled droplets and aerosols, but none come close to simulating a peloton of heavy-breathing cyclists moving at 25+ mph in 95 degree heat and 70% humidity. How fast is the air around me dispersed? How quickly is my breath evaporating?

According to USA Cycling’s Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Michael Roshon, the risk of outdoor spread of the virus is quite low. This even holds true for well-ventilated enclosed spaces, such as on airplanes.

Should we listen to Dr. Roshon? I don’t know, but the fact that the race is taking place shouldn’t remove all suspicion about whether participation is safe.

The CDC, WHO and City of Austin’s guidance surrounding the virus is certainly worth heeding if we’re to assume that the virus is present in the peloton. But what if it isn’t? Should an estimate of the likelihood that we’re coming into contact with infected individuals be part of our personal assessment of whether it’s safe to race? I’m sure this is a calculation everyone made before the event. And what about age? From a personal risk standpoint, most participants are in low-risk age groups. Still, helping to slow the spread for the greater good should be the goal for low-risk populations.

Race organizers take temperatures at the gate, don’t allow spectators, require socially distanced staging and require participants to leave immediately after the race. The only real opportunity to spread the virus is while riding within the size-limited field. If someone in the group is infected, how much are the others being exposed? Is it enough to catch COVID19?

So little is understood about how the virus spreads and, in this particular setting, even less so. If we’re to follow the ethos of taking every possible precaution against the virus, then no, racing probably isn’t recommended. But when one considers the socioeconomic position of the participants — mostly professional class knowledge workers who are able to work from home or young people who aren’t currently in school — as well as the groups and overall numbers affected by COVID19 in Austin, viewable on the dashboard, I have to wonder how likely it is that another rider is a carrier. Though I’m wearing a mask as I write this, my inconsiderate, self-justifying estimation tells me that participation is generally safe due to the low chance of encountering an affected rider, along with the (perceived) small probability of spread during a crit race.

In looking ahead at upcoming events on BikeReg, it’s unclear what’s actually taking place and what simply hasn’t been updated. My out-of-town ‘A’ event for September was just canceled, and the TXBRA calendar looks bleak, with everything but a couple of gravel events and Driveway marked as ‘Suspended’. As a goal-oriented person without much to do, I’m personally willing to take the risk and race my bike. It’s something to look forward to while everything else in life is put on hold, and the risk to myself and others is small, especially when compared to all the other risks one might encounter by spending ten hours per week on a bicycle.

I support the decision to reopen the Driveway Series. It’s a shining star with big potential on a shrinking road racing schedule. If a tiny risk must be borne for Driveway to survive, then so be it.