News & Features

Following on from the report in the last Cycling Time Trials Newsletter, as promised, please find an update on the development of the national ranking system:

A review has been undertaken of the feedback received to date, with consideration being given to all aspects of the comments made.  This was presented to the April board meeting, together with recommendations as to the future development of system.

The main comments, a number of which were made in a number of the feedback emails, were:

1. A 12 month rolling programme for the rankings:  This was considered and agreed that it should be revisited at the end of the year, when a full year’s real time data will be available, with a view to include for the 2019 season.
    
2. A reduction in the maximum number of qualifying events from 12: Some suggested 6, 8 or 10 events as a maximum number of events to be counted.  To examine what impact this would have on the final rankings, analysis was undertaken using the season 2017 data.  The result was that in all instances there were a number of joint winners, all with the same points, albeit reducing as the number of qualifying events increased. In the case of using the current 12 as the maximum scoring events, there was only one winner.  It was therefore agreed to continue with the 12 event format for the 2018 season, with a review to take place when the final ranking for the 2018 season have been collated and published.
    
3. A number of events have not been included in the ranking system:  Early in the discussion process, it was agreed by the working party that events that have a “preference to” would be excluded form the ranking system.  This was determined in light of trying to establish fair competition, so that only events available to all to enter, would be included.  This has caused some queries, especially with VTTA events.  A number of VTTA events are open to “all Ages”, whilst others are available for VTTA members to enter only.  In some instances, this is not clearly identified in either the CTT handbook or on the website.  Where an event has been excluded from the ranking system incorrectly, this can be rectified by notifying by email CTT support.  To date, this has been corrected twice, both VTTA events.  For the 2019 event programme, some further consideration to identify events which are open to all.
    
4. Incorrect points allocated:  On an occasion, incorrect points have been allocated due to the organiser’s oversight of two riders finishing with the same time and not being accredited with an ‘=’ position.  This was corrected by support when notified.  In future, all results sheets will be, as part of the review, prior to publication, be checked for this anomaly.   
    
5. Alternative systems of ranking riders:  During the period the working party met, a number of alternative systems were considered, including some of those proposed in feedback emails.  It was agreed that as the brief was to develop a simple system with minimum of manual intervention, that the one adopted was suitable and would meet the needs of the organisation.
    
6. Additional filtering of ranking results:  A number of alternatives have been submitted through feedback.  Whilst all are achievable, some of which will be incorporated within the development of the system over the remainder of the season.
    
7. Allocation of ranking points:  Every event’s details, (approx. 1600+ events) as published on the website, are currently being visited to ensure that only those events included in the ranking system are allocated points and that the National Championships and Knight Composite series have the enhanced multiplier. The enhancement used in the system will be revisited at the end of the season to identify whether additional events should be included and/or existing enhanced events be returned to standard.  Also included in the review, will be whether the enhancement should be increased/decreased.   

Please continue to engage with the new ranking system by providing any additional feedback to rankings@cyclingtimetrials.org.uk  All received emails will be acknowledged and their content considered in the future development of the ranking system.

Gavin Russell

01 May 2018

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