Shortrider06

Has there been any instances where a bystander cyclist watching a race decides to join the peloton? What would happen to such person?

Snicklefritz

I saw this happen at a crit in northern california this past season. I'm pretty sure it was at the Landpark crit in Sacramento where someone riding near the golf course just decided to jump in and ride around. He actually looked somewhat strong (ie not some bum on a bike). Since he wasn't near the main pack, the other riders didn't push him out. I don't recall what happened to the guy. Any other northern cali people recall seeing this?

urbanknight

Had an old Chinese man commuting on his hybrid with groceries riding down a course once. He wasn't trying to join in, just didn't realize his normal commute was roped off for a bunch of lycra clad athletes. Never seen anyone actually try to join in before, although people have tried to just ride onto the velodrome during training sessions before!

MarkWW

There's a story about something like that happening in Paul Fournel's book, Need for the Bike. I think he joined in a bike race during a climbing stage. I think he was just told to get out of the race when officials saw he didn't have a race number.

botto 

there was a dude that we knew, that raced with us, who was squirrely as hell. iirc his name was paulie. anyway, at one of the prospect park spring series races he showed up just as we were starting. he forgot that DST had kicked in. he promptly jumped in, w/o signing up, and continued his fine form a few laps later by crashing out.

not really what you're asking for, but ...

classic1

Happened in the 87 Tour during the first road stage in Berlin. Young German guy who was apparently a decent amateur racer jumped in fairly early in the stage with an official looking race number and finished with the main peleton.

A couple of morons did it during a Tour de France on a mountain stage a few years back (can't remember year - 1998? 99?). They jumped on about 1km to go, just before the leaders came in.

botto 

you're probably thinking of the Basque guy who rode alongside, or just ahead of Pantani in Courchevel, back in 2000.

He wore a yellow jersey with a graphic/slogan to raise awareness to the fact that Basque political prisoners are kept in prisons in other regions, which is technically against the law in Spain. A very clever, and amusing, protest.

classic1

Thats the one. Thanks.

IIRC there were two of them, with the other one in the KOM jersey but the cops nabbed him?

botto 

yep, that sounds right.

Smoothie104

A friend of mine road part of a stage in the Tour De Georgia a couple of years ago.. went up the some climbs with the backmarkers, all the while taking pictures of himself. He was spotted by another guy we ride with who was volunteering and was in a support vehicle. He recognized Steve's kit, drove past, shaking his head, and we all had a laugh about it later. The Jittery Joe's guys he was riding with got tired of his constant chatter and photos after a few miles, one said to the other in a very loud voice "Hey, is that A hole still with us?" he got the message.

botto 

smoothi just reminder me. there's some fred who was doing something similiar at the tour of britain, and a BF poster caught him on digital film.

merlinextraligh

A number of years ago, a teamate and I were out for a saturday moring training ride the day that the West Virginia Classic came to town (actually a pretty big race back in the day). That day's stage was a circuit race, and we needed to ride about half mile of the course to get home.

We jumped on the course, well before the peleton was coming through. Clueless spectators cheered us, and when we went to turn off the course, the course marshalls franticly waved at us trying to keep us from missing the way the race turned. Kinda funny at the time.

Shortrider06

Hmm so joining a race would not constitute a harsh penalty?

botto 

let's put it this way - if you jumped into a race i was in, w/o a number, and i had no clue who you were, then i'd do everything i could to get you off the road. by any means necessary.

Shortrider06

Oh ok then no harsh penalties just extreme pain? thats cool

timmhaan

i can't stand when people enter races their not supposed to be in. it's happened a couple of times in the Prospect Park races.

there was also a guy last year who would always have the same number on. obviously he wasn't paying the entrance fee for each race.

botto 

it was probably Paulie, the guy i referred to in my initial post.

peterm5365

If you have a license and the officials know who you are they can fine you or get your license suspended, but that really depends on the individual. If you are connected to one of the racers they may take action against them. If you're just an random yahoo they will probably ask you to leave and if you don't they will probably ask the police to "assist" you. Again, all up to the inclination of the officials present.

Cypress

I caught the peloton of a local race once. I rode as far to the right as I could (within double yellow) and slowly passed them. They all got behind me even after explaining to them that I was not in the race. This didn't sit well with my ego, so on the first "climb" I took off with all of my gusto and didn't stop until I was having problems pedaling.

The next week when I actually showed up to race I was given a stern talking to about what I did. My reply: "I told you who I was, you didn't have to follow"

botto 

ryanspeer

I can't WAIT until my 3.5 yr old daughter and/or 1 yr old son are old enough to do that!

urbanknight

In most cases, there are no laws restricting you from coming on course save for maybe a traffic violation for ignoring pylons and road closures, and since you're not a member of the racing organization, they have no sanction against you (like fines and suspensions) other than telling you the course is closed and to get off. But as botto pointed out, one should expect to be mowed over without mercy if pulling a stunt like that, especially if the course closure is clearly marked.

caloso

Hey! I signed up for that race fair and square!

Just kidding. I was in that race but don't recall that happening. Although, Land Park would be a pretty likely candidate for just such a thing to happen.

Cypress

They weren't happy until I offered them candy and a ride in my "van".

ovoleg

LOL, hahahah