SF SuperPrestige (Pilarcitos #4) reports & photos
What a great event, perfect Grade 2 mud index, fine weather, boisterous crowd (though no orange jumpsuits, what up). Results are here, post your reports and photos below. --Dave
posted by Dave Carr at 9:22 AM
26 Comments:
Pilarcitos #4 not-Missed Connection
Me: number 242, Cat C Men, racing in the skeleton skinsuit.
You: guy wearing yellow Catlike helmet on bike with flat bars.
I show up to the line awaiting my callup. As I advance to the line, you yell from the second row, "You clown, you didn't get any callup. You don't belong up there."
Well friend, even though you crashed into me soon after yelling at me, and I finished a modest 26th, I'll be getting another callup for the last race. If you could please keep your insults to yourself, I'd appreciate it. If you are friends with this fellow, please pass on the word.
Thanks.
Now that is the type of competition I like to see in the C Race. Fight Hard and live Long! One more to leave it all out there for the season! Oh ya and I was not that guy I race the Cat B a little bit later in the day. Good luck to both of you.
some photos (courtesy Lauren Haughey) - here
Hey Skeletor:
Yeah, I was a little surprised to see you in the front row at GGP. At BASP#3 you smashed yourself between me and another rider after we had already taken our places in the third row, after the callups for top ten had been completed and me and the other 60 or so riders had all taken the start. And since you finished behind me then, and seemingly were not called up then, I assumed you were not in the top ten. Sorry man. My mistake.
I apologize for calling you a clown (I was actually a little more explicit) but will most likely not be able to oblige your request to keep my insults to myself, as it is not in my nature.
And just to be clear, you attempting to pass me on the inside in a high speed corner resulting in a 2 rider pileup should not rightfully be described as me crashing into you.
So let's bury the proverbial hatchet, and may the power of grayskull carry you to many more 26th place finishes.
About the last two comments, I agree a little pre-race verbal "argy bargy" is fine as long as it's "friendly" and doesn't escalate into a physical altercation like the one I witnessed in (of all places) the Men's 45+ A's race. In the first lap, two gentlemen got pretty feisty on their bikes and ended up taking each other out right in front of me. I don't know what caused the "bike brawl", but I was a bit surprised given who these two (un-named) veterans of the sport were.
Come on guy's let's keep it fun, huh?
as long as we're airing our muddy, cat c laundry...
to the guy who on the first lap drifted right on the rooty downhill, pushing me (yelling at you to stop) off the course and head-first into a tree...
thanks. it hurt, a lot. i understand getting sketchy on bumpy downhills, but your complete lack of concern for my well-being afterwards ("are you gonna get off my bike, now?") frankly pissed me off. you'll be happy to know i was ok (bruised on the shoulder, scraped on the face) and able to finish the race (31st after letting the field go by after that unhappy incident).
it did ruin the rest of my day, however. instead of hanging out with beers and friends watching bike racing, i went home to try to get my head to stop hurting and to have my girlfriend make sure i stayed coherent.
please next time hold your line, and show a little love.
Ya that was not cool, who ever heard of being able to pass someone in a cross race safely on a decent, a rooty one at that. Come on guys get a little stronger and pass when things are tough or tech (turns at speed while in the front)Sometimes I think people are taking it a little too serious and are willing to cause harm to others for the sake of a little cyclocross fun, come on this is not High School Football, or is it?
Guys, this is cross, with all the fun and hard knockin' that goes with it. Lets not take this the the whine country.
Yeah, I suppose I was trying to pass on the inside before that crash. No hard feelings.
Group hug time.
After reading this and all the stuff on the email group I can only say I'm flabberghasted at the degree of conflict in yesterday's races.
And Wade, the fact that you 'fessed up to talking sh*t at start line doesn't make it right. That wasn't smack talk, that sounded more like verbal abuse.
BTW my race report here
Funke-That's cause your off the front and miss all the action back in the group!
Nice ride Sunday!
i think you guys should just get together and go for a big SLAP and SCRATCH fight.....
i think you guys should just get together and go for a big SLAP and SCRATCH fight.....
Ms. Haughey and Mr. Carr, thanks for sharing the photos! Was a great day.
Unacceptable behavior.
I am re-posting this letter I received via e-mail with the hope that whoever was responsible for this incident will read it and realize that they have a long way to go in knowing how to represent our sport.
J.Suzuki
Missing Link Racing
From, Brian Bruckner
USA Cycling Certified Coach
Big Swingin' Cycles
My 10 year old son, a budding, avid and enthusiastic cyclist, suffered a rough fall in this past Sunday’s Pilarcitos cyclo-cross race in Golden Gate Park. He shattered his elbow AND dislocated it as well - it was excruciatingly painful injury to have to endure. He handled the injury, and subsequent surgery, in a stoic manner and I’ve never been prouder to be his father.
I'm not sure exactly what caused the crash. According to my son, he
was impacted by one of the riders in the Master B race and told to "get out of the way." My wife was spectating at the spot where the incident occurred and does not recall everything that happened - but is certain one of the riders, while passing my son, yelled at him to "get out of the way" and then proceeded up the course about another 50 meters and yelled at another junior to "get out of the way."
I discount my son's account that he was impacted (but can not prove
otherwise). I think he probably lost control of his bike for a brief moment (that's all it takes!). However, I don't doubt my son or wife's account that a rider screamed at him to "get out of the way" while negligently passing him, which contributed / caused the crash. This genuinely saddens me.
It disgusts me that there are 35+ b riders whose egos are so insatiable, they're willing to do damn near anything to move up a
place. I must ask that most important of rhetorical questions: "what in the $#@% is wrong with people!" At the end of the day, no 35+b rider is of any importance - any hack elite level rider races circles around even the fastest 35+b rider. I can understand (but not condone)
this mind set if your racing for a living, or at some type of elite
level. But for god's sake, we're talking about master 35-45 b level
racers: not elite, not even master A. There's no excuse for hounding
any fellow racer, let alone a junior, in the manner my son experienced today. It's inexcusable and intolerable, and in this instance,
contributed to another racer suffering a serious injury.
Some folks I've spoke to about the incident questioned the wisdom of
running the juniors on the course with the master 35 b's - I don't, in fact, I think it makes perfect sense. Presumably, the master 35+ b's are experienced, more skilled, more mature riders. As a master 35+ b, when I see a junior on the course, I go out of my way to encourage them, and have never found it difficult to " let off the gas" for a moment to pass after calling "on your left" or "on your right."
Ultimately, it doesn’t matter where you stand on running the juniors with the master b riders. Bottom line - juniors were on the course with the 35+ b’s. Given this situation, masters riders have a duty to race in a mature and responsible manner.
Brian Bruckner
Owner
USA Cycling Certified Coach
Big Swingin' Cycles
2260 Van Ness Ave.
SF, CA 94109
415-441-6294
brian@bigswingincycles.com
www.bigswingincycles.com
Well Said, I happened upon quite a few juniors on the course, I went out of my way to offer words of encouragement, we were all in a learning stage at one time and it is unfortunate that some are still stuck in one. We need to nuture the next generation of racers as much as we can. I hope the lad is making a smooth recovery and hope to see him back on the rig.
I posted some pictures from the November 19th race. Most, but not all, are from the Masters 45 B race.
Go to http://rezphotos.com/Pilarcitos/
Brian Bruckner,
So sorry to hear about your son's injury. I've been reading all this back and forth on racing etiquette and wasn't going to comment until I read what happened to your son. This whole time I've been thinking about the two things that make me so stoked on cross: racing the Master's A where everyone is absolutely courteous from the best riders Reaney, Coats, Howie, etc., to the those of us hanging on. The camaraderie is really pronounced. The other thing that's great are the kids. Specifically all those little guys from your team and Ray Mendoza's Bike Trip squad. Your little guys rip! I road around warming up and watched one solider through. (And kept my distance saying nothing other than "You're doing great".) It gives me something to look forward to with my own little ones. In fact, I get annoyed at even the well-meaning riders telling the youngsters to keep pedaling and such--I say just let them ride with minimal distractions. After the race I had tell some of your riders what a great job they did (imagine the barriers at their height) and they seemed both worked and satisfied. Hearing that one was crashed really saddens me. Hopefully the juniors can be run in a safer mix of "heats" and the other racers can come to their senses with a little sense of perspective.
In any case I hope he has a quick recovery and isn't soured by the experience. Your team of juniors is a model and an inspiration.
With regrets,
Brij Lunine
Santa Cruz County Cycling Club
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Anonymous said...
About the juniors.
That totally sucks for your son. And what the ---- is wrong with some dumb === 35 + B rider screwing up a kids race. these kids could be our future Nor cal stand outs. You, if you read this, you know who you are and you dumb ass yelling at a kid for what place 26th?
Now my story. My daughter, the only one out there in the junior class got chopped and taken out by some dumb ass b" rider, for what place 22nd? this guy didnt even say on the right or left, just took her out ran his bars into her. She had that was on the hoods. This happened about 30 feet from me and I missed it, if I had seen this happen I would have thumped your ass and thrown your bike over the hill. We are talking about kids.
The B class in any age group is a a great group, very competitive, fun too watch and about the largest group. 1 or 2 dumb ass "B" riders should find there victims and apologize. Hay funky, what would you have done if some nuckelhead took your son out?
My daughter got a good look at you, idiot, and we will be at the line pointing you out to the promoter and the other " B " riders. who will be affected by your stupid lack of integrity moves and comments.
I hope as well the mom of the broken winged boy saw a # so we can thump that guy as well.
buckwheat
3:13 PM
You cant handle the truth!
Your all slow!
I have been hung up so many times by guys who are too clumsy and will fight you for 14th place!
They will crash you out and then expect you to forget about it!
Thats just racing they say!
Some guys get in the way all the time!
I know one guy who will cut in front of you when you try and pass! He does it again and again, not holding his line and actually trying to block you by cutting you off and using his bike and body to block you, instead of being a good racer and letting a pass go by, and then passing back later!
Your all slow!
Even our fastest guy is slow!
So dont be a poor sport, and if your going to get passed, let the pass happen and then pass back, but dont cut off the dude or suddenly accelerate just to block the guy who is going around you.
There is one tall dude who has taken many rider out with his block style instead of letting a pass happen like a gentleman!
They know who they are!
Mean People Suck. Whether you're not one of them or think you're not one of them, we all appear to be in agreement.
Folks, let's not let any of these experiences affect our future races, and let's try to keep our sport fun and laid-back. I can only hope that this isn't the beginning of a trend.
Perhaps it's time to move on and stop revisiting these incidents...
Excellent idea!
Now, on to the subject of podium girls/ladies.
Are we classy enough to have them?
Could we find enough
volunteers?
Will there be a theme to their own style of clothes?
I think we're ready for this.
I'd like poduim gilrs, but Should(n't) the women get podium guy's?
Absolutely the women ought to have podium guys! Why hasn't that happened yet in cycling???
Are we sheep?
sandra
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