66 replies to this topic

[bocomobo]

Russ, you may have been far enough forward to not see it but easily 75% of the 40+ field was riding in the opposite lane on the road after the 2nd turn on the course (right turn off of Walshville Trail).

I think you were in 40+, if not, ignore me
[/quote]

25% of that field was disqualified........

[Trekguy5570]

The race was done really well and i was super impressed with how everything worked out...........but near the end of my first lap after the neutral zone but before i hit the hill that lead to the cobbles i was on a straight away by myself(fell off the back) and a group that i think was 3/4s was riding towards me and i honestly thought when htey were like 50 yards in front of me that i was going to get pushed off the road because they were using the entire thing.  it wasnt until they were almost to me that they squeezed over.

[phawley]

pirt3, on Mar 30 2008, 12:55 PM, said:

I was driving along with the 3/4's during the race and witnessed this. The guy was going to make sure he didn't slow down for any reason and it was on one of the narrowest parts of the course. I was praying that no one would get tied up and get thrown into his path.
The good thing is that he was definately the only person i saw all day that didn't stop or slow down drastically to let racers past.

I thank the 3/4's for not crossing the centerline enmass like last year and like Chris said, abiding the centerline very well. I didn't DQ any racers and was thankful for it. I'm sure there were a few centerline violations but if they happened they were out of my view.

I would reckon you were in the front vehicle and not the wheel truck. On lap 2, 75% of the 3/4 was to the left of the centerline on Miller Farm Road, but only the wheel truck was behind us at that point.

Otherwise, there was a lot of beeping of horns...I think DQs speak louder than honking horns, but what do I know. ;)

[logie89]

zootv, on Mar 30 2008, 01:19 PM, said:

yes nice race,,  i would say 80% was over the center line,  that long road going into the feed zone,   i was to the far right,    viewing from the back,  and could see everything,,            i had a ok race for being sick sick,,,  i think when a couple of 3/4 caught up to us, it would of been nice,,  really nice,    not having the master field, there too,,,,     i believe,  with me being sick, and the other people , we could of stay away,,,,     also next time something to think about,  if i'm in a race please, dont start master before us, thanks,,,,                  a big thanks go out to team xxx   for helping me some,,,  sorry about being sick,   ,,

Indeed, the 3/4's were using 76.8% of the road 60.35% of the time.

[Double D]

Geez, give it a rest guys.  From what I could see most people obeyed the center line when is was possible and prudent.  When it wasn't, then no harm no foul.  You can't possibly expect a field of 100 people to stay right of center on a 10 foot wide road.  Nor is it entirely necessary when there is clear visability up the road with no chance for danger.  On the major highways the officials called it a little closer as they should have and most people did their best to obey.  I was happy to see that the officials pretty much saw it the same way I did.  Chances are that if you didn't win your race it wasn't because someone else was riding left of center.

[Gupster]

I would calculate the majority of 1,2 riders crossed the center line. I don't see why there isn't a rolling enclosure, there's little traffic on the roads. Unless it’s an imperative hindrance preventing this from taking place, I can’t see why not.

I know in Europe one of the main reasons they have a rolling enclosure is due to the narrow roads; the same should go for Hillisboro. It would have a minor impact on the race, with a reduction of people getting disqualified. I’d also imagine it would make things safer for the racers as well.

Other than that, they put on a magnificent race.

[cleeland]

Gupster, on Mar 30 2008, 10:29 PM, said:

I don't see why there isn't a rolling enclosure, there's little traffic on the roads. Unless it’s an imperative hindrance preventing this from taking place, I can’t see why not.

I'm glad to know you'll be doing a rolling enclosure when you take over for next year!  I'll definitely be looking forward to it.

[lavosh]

Oh Gupster you have a lot to learn.  

1.  No suggestions.
2.  No questions.
3.  Absolutely NO COMPLAINTS.
4.  Smile and nod.
5.  Compliment often.

You'll get the hang of it.

[johnsmom]

Gupster, on Mar 30 2008, 10:29 PM, said:

I would calculate the majority of 1,2 riders crossed the center line. I don't see why there isn't a rolling enclosure, there's little traffic on the roads. Unless it’s an imperative hindrance preventing this from taking place, I can’t see why not.

I know in Europe one of the main reasons they have a rolling enclosure is due to the narrow roads; the same should go for Hillisboro. It would have a minor impact on the race, with a reduction of people getting disqualified. I’d also imagine it would make things safer for the racers as well.

Other than that, they put on a magnificent race.

Nolan, you are right that would be the best solution for Hillsboro but it boils down to available resources.  Europe is more cycling friendly in general.  There are resources available for cycling like, in America, they make tax dollars available to build baseball stadiums.  It also involves permission from the state/county/local police and sometimes that is not an option; I've seen races where the police were downright hostile to the event.  If it is available it is costly.

All of these things combined usually end up making it too difficult and/or expensive for the promoter to pull it off on what is often a shoe-string budget.

[acoggan]

oldfatguy, on Mar 30 2008, 04:07 PM, said:

the 40+ race caught the Pro,1,2 race after five or six miles.

So did the officials neutralize the P/1/2 field, or what?

[Mark EWERS]

acoggan, on Mar 31 2008, 07:52 AM, said:

oldfatguy, on Mar 30 2008, 04:07 PM, said:

the 40+ race caught the Pro,1,2 race after five or six miles.

So did the officials neutralize the P/1/2 field, or what?

I was wondering this myself, along with whether at least one in the 3-man break saw it coming and jumped before they neutralized the field.

[oldfatguy]

acoggan, on Mar 31 2008, 07:52 AM, said:

oldfatguy, on Mar 30 2008, 04:07 PM, said:

the 40+ race caught the Pro,1,2 race after five or six miles.

So did the officials neutralize the P/1/2 field, or what?

Very funny.   

[oldfatguy]

After reading too old to go slow's post, I see that maybe andy wasn't kidding.  No they didn't neutralize the 1,2's.  They just wouldn't let us by so we rode the majority of the 1st lap right behind them.  The gap opened  back up heading into town.

[Mark EWERS]

Maybe Andy was kidding and I just didn't realize it. I didn't stop to think that there are the rules, and then there are the real situations where officials must decide whether to apply those rules.

That answers my question about the 3-man break. Too bad the Masters' race was affected (neutralized).

[acoggan]

oldfatguy, on Mar 31 2008, 08:17 AM, said:

After reading too old to go slow's post, I see that maybe andy wasn't kidding.  No they didn't neutralize the 1,2's.  They just wouldn't let us by so we rode the majority of the 1st lap right behind them.  The gap opened  back up heading into town.

No, I wasn't kidding...I'm completely out-of-the-loop w/ respect to local racing, so didn't know how things played out. Indeed, even reading the posts right now I'm still unsure whether the 3 man break in question was off the front of the P/1/2 race, or off the front of the 40+ race.

Anyway, I'm a bit surprised that the officials didn't neutralize at least one of the fields, but I'm not the least bit surprised that the P/1/2 riders didn't neutralize themselves.