"The 33"-Road Bike Racing - Any racing stories or anecdotes?

In reading various posts over the last several months, it sounds like there are a lot of racers, active and "retired," out there. Has anybody out there got any good stories about race experiences or places?

I'd love to hear about 'em. (Spring's taking too long to get here, and I've read all the articles in the online biking mags...)

Bob

Funny you asked. I have too many stories. All true. Sometimes too many. I can't seem to shut up on rides.

Ba-Dg-Er (sometime you gotta explain that handle),
Sounds like an hysterical event, at least if you weren't the guy who slid into the cactus.

Xavier,
C'mon, man! Let's hear one or two of 'em!

Worst race: I had already sent my money and I wanted to race even though I was sick. I had never seen the area we were to race in, and it rained the night before.

I had done a few XC races before, but this course was all technical. Uggh! Mud, dismounts, logs, moguls, headache, falling off, chainsuck, headache...it goes on.

Still, I maintained my record of never coming in last. The guy behind me got that.

This race story is not from personal experience...but I read this story from Mountain Bike in which a former mountain biker named Bob Roll remarked when he was in the Tour De France a few years ago when Greg Lemond was of prominance in Le Tour. Here's the story: Bob Roll said that Greg Lemond had a nick-name given to him the the Tour racers...they called Greg: Jack Lemon (as in the actor, because Jack Lemon did whatever he wanted to do). Anyway, one day, Greg had contracted a stomach virus during the tour and he still road his bike anyway with his team. While being sick to his stomach and trying to make it through the day, he had bad diarhea and he deficated while riding his bike in the pelotan and the fecal matter ended up splashing onto his rear wheel and splashing onto everyone behind him.

Originally posted by asulkes
he deficated while riding his bike in the pelotan and the fecal matter ended up splashing onto his rear wheel and splashing onto everyone behind him.
That's one way to put some space between you and the competition.

As if drafting weren't dangerous enough!