Ryan Francesconi

Here's my perception of the events:

Business as usual approaching the first corner after a few laps. Into
the corner, there is a flash of a red kit and I am already flying
headfirst over my handlebars breaking my helmet in the process.
Obviously, I don't feel so great now. I had no time whatsoever to
react.

I don't really care whose fault this was... I was the first rider to
slam into you, John. Sorry about it -- but at the same time it was by
no means my doing. What I'm seeing lately in the lower category races
is rather disturbing.

I also did the High Desert RR on Sunday despite this crash on
Saturday. All was fine until the run into the finish when the rider in
front of me simply lost control of his bike all on his own. His hands
slipped off his bars and he took me with him.

2 days in a row.

I observed really unobservant riding in that race all day with people
overlapping wheels and chatting to their friends and not paying enough
attention. If you were doing this and you're reading this... please
focus harder when you're racing. I'm not going to give a list of
riding tips in a lecturing tone, but just... focus and be present out
there. Without it, the results in a pack are clear. I had made a plea
for safety to the pack in that race about 10 minutes before I was
crashed out.

This was just after the first pile up which I avoided.

And a plea to the more beginner racers... please do more group riding
in a non competitive context before racing. Especially if you were
racing on Sunday in Bend.

Thanks, Ryan