gschreckchat@comcast.net
I do not suggest that anyone be pulled. In fact, I view it as a positive that those women were still racing hard despite the fact that they were off the back. It is an attitidue that should be encouraged, as too many people give up in those situations, and pulling them sends the wrong message.
I merely am saying that they should stay along the side of the road on the last lap to allow a large pack that is faster to pass safely, and on the downhill and flat section slow down for a few seconds (it should not take more than that) to let the pack pass (on the uphill slowing down is not necessary), and then continue racing as the pack usually will be fast enough compared to a single racer, to continue to pull away. That way, everyone races their full allotment and no one gets injured or impeded. There is no reason to make it any more complicated or restrictive.
This applies to all categories and not just the women, as there are people dropped in every category.
My 2 cents…I don’t race Tabor a lot, but I guess I don’t see why riders off the back of the main field (on the last lap or two) aren’t just pulled by the finish line official. Kind of like a Criterium, right? It wouldn’t need to be a DNF, they would/could be placed in the results just denied the finishing lap or two.
This way all the fields can get all their laps and you can start the next group before the previous race finishes like you do now. Also this would make the course safer for pedestrians and spectators when they can better expect the racing cyclists to be in compact groups instead of spread over the course on the finishing laps.
-Tim Schauer
and yes, that means I would have been put out of my misery last night and pulled with one lap to go….which would not have been the worst thing for me at that time J
From: obra-bounces@list.obra.org [mailto:obra-bounces@list.obra.org] On Behalf Of David Hart
Sent: Thursday, June 25, 2009 2:31 PM
To:
Subject: Re: [OBRA Chat] Women at Tabor failing to Neutralize
It was the last lap of their. I announced at the start that the women were on the last lap. They should move but keep racing. Your field should give them their space to do their finish & then continue on.
I guess I could cut another lap off and let them finish then send the masters off. Both fields would be happy about having the road to themselves but you would be doing one less lap.
David
Tabor Official
On Thu, Jun 25, 2009 at 2:26 PM, Candi Murray < cmurray@obra.org > wrote:
I think it needs to be made clear to any rider that is being overtaken that they should move to the outside. It is unfortunate because the final lap of the race should take precedent over the 1st one.
Candi
From: gschreckchat@comcast.net [mailto: gschreckchat@comcast.net ]
Sent: Thursday, June 25, 2009 2:08 PM
To: David Hart; Candi Murray
Subject: Women at Tabor failing to Neutralize
The last two weeks we had somewhat dangerous situations on our forst Masters lap at Tabor, which was the last lap for some of the women.
Both weeks, on the corner at the bottom of the down hill, some women kept riding as fast as they could while we were trying to pass them and failed to neutralize. In both cases, they kept riding next to us and then swung wide on the corner and ended up swinging into our pack, forcing a number of us to brake, this all occuring while we were going 35 mph.
We told them they needed to neutralize, and they said that they were not in our race. I said, that is the entire point. At that point of their, they are far off the back, and for safety reasons, they need to be told to neutralize and let us pass.
Also, both weeks on the uphill, there were individual women in the middle of the road and we all had to try to ride around them as they were going much slower then our pack. A few of the masters rides almost ran into them becuase they were going so much slower than the pack. Again, they need to be told to stay on the inside of the road.
I suspect most of them are fairly new and have no clue, as was evidenced by their verbal responses. In any event, it was dangerous, partularly since some of them do not have the riding skills to ride along side a large pack, as was evidenced by those who swung into our pack because they could not handle the speed on the corner at the bottom of the downhilll.
--
david hart
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