rondot@spiritone.com
Ed,
So true!!!
Some amazing skill by riders...and generally the more you race and improve your riding skill, the better passer you become.
I also experience neat feeling when I communicate either by voice or body to help a faster rider(s) come flying past me. It is always super neat when it is maybe the top two or three riders in a close race and you know your presence will have little to no impact on how they finish...it will just be their race to work out.
Thanks for pointing this out to us in the context of this conversation. It is probably much more the norm with regard to passing than people being cut off etc.
ron
From: EAL
Sent: Monday, October 29, 2012 8:30 PM
To: rondot@spiritone.com ; Gabi Miller ; obra@list.obra.org
Subject: Re: [OBRA Chat] CCX Passing - congratulations. . .
While the call for caution in passing is warranted, I've got to say congratulations to my fellow CCX riders for the level of skill and communication that occurs in the vast majority of passes. Sadly, I'm a bit of an expert about being passed. But I'm working on it. I've got to say that in virtually every case passing is done with an eye towards balancing safety and competition. It's not unusual for me and the "passor" to fully communicate during a pass; they'll indicate what side they're passing on, I'll try to move over when safe and within the context of competition and yell "go" or something like that and there's usually a "thank you" or something to that effect. Sometimes there is some bumping, but that's bike racing and it's incumbent on all racers to learn how to take a bump or a lean without causing a crash. In fact, I got bumped hard on a tight turn this weekend and the rider yelled "sorry" and I let him know that he actually pushed me into the perfect line around the curve. I wasn't being snarky, he really did bump me into a faster line.
So when I say congratulations to my fellow racers, I really mean it. I am truly impressed by the care and skill typically shown during a competitive race under difficult conditions.
Ed
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: "rondot@spiritone.com"
To: Gabi Miller ; obra@list.obra.org
Sent: Monday, October 29, 2012 6:59 PM
Subject: Re: [OBRA Chat] CCX Passing
Sometime this stuff happens without intent, but from ignorance regarding competing in a respectful manner. Human nature makes one think about him / herself first and next thing you know someone is on the ground. Same as hipster on fixie creating some chaos... in race mentioned. People often think they can do way more than they actually have skill to accomplish. You may be able to do a track stand at light, but still be so inept as to take a person out by cutting him or her off.
I personally do not want to beat anyone by doing something negative to their advancement on the course. I will not block them, cut them off or do anything to impede them. If I do it is an accident or as I say....myself thinking I can do something when I probably do not have the ability to make it happen. For anyone I have ever made crash, I am way beyond sorry. I know others might think otherwise (and my attitude may not be the norm for high level competition), but riding my best is more important than where I finish. Far and away more important.
Stay positive out there even when stuff happens.
ron
-----Original Message----- From: Gabi Miller
Sent: Monday, October 29, 2012 4:54 PM
To: obra@list.obra.org
Subject: Re: [OBRA Chat] CCX Passing
I couldnt agree with you more Kenji. I was involved in an incident in Bend on Saturday at the start of the Women's B race, someone cut in front of me too soon at the very start of the race causing me and 2 or 3 other riders to go down hard on the pavement. I realize this is a competition and we all want to get the hole shot or get as far ahead at the beginning as we can but the weaving action this person engaged in was fairly wreckless. Luckily nothing on my bike or body was broken and since everyone else that went down got up and kept going quicker than me I assume they were ok as well but it ruined my racing for the weekend and it could have been worse.
Subject
CCX Passing
Date
10/29/2012 01:31 PM
From
T. Kenji Sugahara
Just as a reminder to all- please execute passes with care. Most of
us do a great job of watching out for each other- but please be
respectful of others.
While it is racing, we can do more to ensure the safety of everyone.
In one incident yesterday, a person was shouldered, physically pushed
down and out of the way- and it ended up ruining their race.
-- Kenji Sugahara
Executive Director
Oregon Bicycle Racing Association
Phone: 503-278-5550
http://www.obra.org
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