Jasper Storm

I received my first DNF yesterday as a result of a (small) pack finish where I crossed the line on the far side opposite the camera, and had both bib and frame numbers obstructed.

I normally don't head home after a race until I see the posted results. Yesterday, I kept walking back and forth between my car and the registration for around an hour after my race was finished. Normally, results in races of that size haven't taken that long to post. Most of the other racers took off, as traffic is pretty bad on nice Sunday afternoons in this area of BFE. This race was the first of the season, and the officials were pretty busy preparing for the afternoon (higher category) races after a morning of various clusterFs so I didn't want to keep hassling them like some child asking "are we there yet?" Since I drove almost 2 hours in the quiet of the morning to get to the race, I gave up and headed home, knowing results would be online by the evening.

While I am prepared to write this off as "a lesson learned" I got to wondering if there is an official rule/standard for what might be considered a "reasonable" amount of time for the race officials to post results so riders can protest, if necessary?

I am currently filling out legal documents to get my name officially changed to "Scott Bicycle."

gsteinb

it really wasn't CDR's fault

topflightpro

Yes, IIRC, USAC rules stipulate that there is a 15-minute protest period - i.e. you have 15 minutes after official results are posted to contest the results.

If this was a Cat 5 race and you didn't win any money but just want to make sure you get your finish, email the race promoter to see if he can change the results from DNF to DFL. I am sure that would not be ideal, but at least last place gets you a finish toward your Cat 4 upgrade.

ericm979

He means a time limit for the officials to post the results. As far as I am aware there is none. What good would it do? If they're not done they're not done. When they covered this in officials school it was get them done ASAP.
I do sympathize with you however having been in the same situation myself. All you can do is email the organizer and explain what happened. I have gotten results fixed by email. There may be an official's scoring sheet that shows you but somehow you got left off when it was reconciled.

Creakyknees

Everybody who's raced for long has experienced the too-long wait for results. I won a road race a few years ago, ours was the first group to finish but it was all strung out with the other groups behind us, we came in ahead of the juniors who started ahead of us, there were crashes ... it was undoubtedly a mess to sort out... so, I stood there with my teammie for the next two hours, yes, two hours, as every other group finished and had their results posted... finally it took the few of us who had checks coming to bug the officials, who seemed surprised they hadn't posted yet. Sure enough, there was a miscommunication somewhere and the results had been done for a while but never got posted.

So, always ask. Politely.

carpediemracing 

rkwaki

Agreed. Been there and waited quite some time at a race. Got fed up and left. Called the organizer later in the week as results were posted and I explained that I had not received prize money or primes. HE asked if I thought I had won any primes, I told him I won them all (this is true) and was 4th. He said he could not find any information on the primes. Long story short, never got the prime money OR the prize money.

jtwilson

Definitely email the promoter. I was in the same race and group. My buddy ended up listed DNF on the results, but actually his new name is "Specialized, Cannondale"

merlinextraligh

Unless you need the finish for the Cat 5 upgrade, it just doesn't matter. If you do, email the promoter and see if he'll put you down as finishing.

Even if he doesn't, I'd put it down as a pack finish on my race resume. I think it's still up in the air, how much effort upgrade officials are going to go through to verify whether Cat 5's finished races.

island rider

I think CDR's going to have a brush with that question soon...

carpediemracing 

Yeah, what a nightmare. I usually get emails for race verification so it's not a big deal, but to have 40 or so virtually guaranteed... yeah.

crapweasel

Back when it was just 10 starts, I had to send the upgrade official a link to my Garmin file and a picture of me in the race for one of my 10. I finished the race, but somehow didn't get counted. I didn't notice it until that night.

Colonelmom

ok... short answer.. yes USAC has changed the rule for this year...I'm a "C" official, but a racer also.

You have 15 minutes to protest the results once they are posted, you now have the ability to "protest" you results up to 30 days after the event directly to USAC.
That's not a direct quote, but the intent is to get the results up quickly, prize money award, but still allow for exactly your instance where you want to at least be placed... show a finishing the race, and your results won't affect the "prize distribution"
I would contact the promoter, tell them your number and which event you entered. The finishing tape is probably long gone, but officials score every lap and I hang on to my score sheets, so they should be able to find your number somewhere in the earlier laps.. and then place you in the race where you where based on wher the guys around you finished...

and to everyone out there you can down load the rule book, so you only have to download the type of racing you do.. upgrades ect are in chapter one, road racing is chapter 3, CX chapter 4... and actually short chapters...
Once final note, USAC has just started to mail out the rule books for officials, so depending on your offiicials they may or may not be up to speed on the latest changes.
cheers

Jasper Storm

Thanks for the advice.

I found a contact email, and pleaded my case. I described my bike, kit, helmet, etc so that anyone with finish line photos would know it was me.

He responded back within a couple minutes, thanked me, and said he'd fix it.

I just got in from a ride, went online, and sure enough everything was taken care of.

Cool guy.

shovelhd

If all you are looking for is a Cat5 finish, any good promoter will give it to you on your word. Lying about stuff like that will eventually catch up to you.

AMFJ

I'm listed as finishing a race---and not even in last place---that I didn't even start. Signed up for it, and couldn't make it. Came in 27th out of like 30 people.

nhluhr

question for OP, was this Mason #1? I still am not seeing the results posted online.

topflightpro

I've had that happen a couple times too. Mostly its been on days when I did multiple races. I somehow have found my name in the final results for fields in which I did not race. I assume it is because the official writes a number down wrong on the results.

Jasper Storm

www.gcracingllc.com/events/

ericm979

I got an 8th place that way last year. I was signed up but didn't go because I was sick.

Sort of makes up for the time I had a top 10 finish in a climby race and went back to the officials later to make sure they recorded me. They marked me down as having finished then, not when I really finished, losing me a bunch of places.

I have since worked the finish line at races with this particular official and have seen her do the same thing to other riders. When she's officiating I try to steer riders who have finished away from her so they won't have it happen to them. I suppose it's her way of telling riders to not bother her, but it's a little harsh.

Of course the phantom finish is not on my race resume.