"The 33"-Road Bike Racing - Race Report - June 24

I raced today.
Good friend crashed hard.
I stopped to help.
Medics took forever to arrive, I took off to finish the race.
Referees and I petitioned to no avail.
DNF.

Sorry to hear about the crash, BD... I take it this was Reston?

Any news on your friend?

Sorry to hear about the crash, BD... I take it this was Reston?

Any news on your friend?

Broken collarbone, broken wrist. He hit one of the orange barrels used to mark road obstacles and went over his handlebars. His rear wheel came within 6 inches of me. I had to stop and make sure he was OK - he needed fluid and someone to tell him not to move. He needed someone to wave off oncoming riders. Course marshals arrived on-scene minutes after the crash.

Broken collarbone, broken wrist. He hit one of the orange barrels used to mark road obstacles and went over his handlebars. His rear wheel came within 6 inches of me. I had to stop and make sure he was OK - he needed fluid and someone to tell him not to move. He needed someone to wave off oncoming riders. Course marshals arrived on-scene minutes after the crash.

You did the right thing. At that point the race just isn't that important. I wouldn't feel bad for a minute about what you did, or even consider it a loss/failure.

You did the right thing. At that point the race just isn't that important. I wouldn't feel bad for a minute about what you did, or even consider it a loss/failure.
I know, but it just sucks. Throwing salt in the wound is the race organizers who, following my plea and that of the ref, said "That's tough luck, but you chose to stop and help him. Next time, if you want to finish the race, finish the race; don't stop"

I understand their reasoning, but it's ****ty. The least they could have done was give me DFL

Sucks to be them (the officials), BD. Pessimistic SOB's.

Way to go, by the way. Stand-up-thing you did; you and your buddy will both remember it long after the mid-pack finish that you didn't get would've been forgotten.

Congrats, BD. You did the right thing.

I STILL feel bad about not stopping for the two crashes in the Cat5s at Quicksilver. It just feels wrong to keep going if I see someone flip over their handlebars. Race or no race.

Good job keeping things in perspective and stopping for your friend. I hope he recovers quickly.

yeah, i agree with all the others. this doesn't speak very highly of the race organizers' character. but the only person who matters - your friend - will remember what you did for him long after even you have forgotten. "do the right thing." you did that today. all my respect to you

Props to you.
My best to your bud.

What's with all the crashing lately?
'nuff already.

Maybe they should start a CRASH forum for cryin' out loud.

That sucks about your friend. Its just a cat 5 race so all that matters is that you started. The 3/4 race looked to be a crash fest too.

That sucks about your friend. Its just a cat 5 race so all that matters is that you started. The 3/4 race looked to be a crash fest too.

+1. Surprisingly, I don't think there were any crashes in the 4's race!

There was a crash in turn 8 on the last lap of the P/1/2 race too... Definitely a challenging course not to be taken lightly.

As for me, well I hung on for a while but the 4's race was just crazy fast and between my recent crash and bad pre-race prep, I was OTB and pulled by about the halfway point.

Now that I've been on the course and seen the barrel in question, I have to ask--what was he thinking? I mean, what led to him hitting the barrel?

Now that I've been on the course and seen the barrel in question, I have to ask--what was he thinking? I mean, what led to him hitting the barrel?

He was on another rider's wheel who swung out at the last second. Honestly though I have no idea what he was thinking - we'd passed that barrel at least 10 times when he decided to make its acquaintance.

He was on another rider's wheel who swung out at the last second. Honestly though I have no idea what he was thinking - we'd passed that barrel at least 10 times when he decided to make its acquaintance.

That was in a fast part of the course too... yeesh.

Well, I guess nobody ever runs into a large bright orange inanimate object on purpose... Hope he's feeling better soon.

I know, but it just sucks. Throwing salt in the wound is the race organizers who, following my plea and that of the ref, said "That's tough luck, but you chose to stop and help him. Next time, if you want to finish the race, finish the race; don't stop"

I understand their reasoning, but it's ****ty. The least they could have done was give me DFL

Did you tell them to go **** themselves?

Did you tell them to go **** themselves?

I don't know that the officials were really in the wrong. I mean, if you didn't finish in the pack it doesn't matter because it's a cat 5 race, but even if it DID matter I don't think that it should be up to the officials to grant finishes to people who were OTB for noble reasons.

I still think you did the right thing, and in this case it meant getting a DNF in a cat 5 bike race. Seems like a no-brainer to me.

I don't know that the officials were really in the wrong. I mean, if you didn't finish in the pack it doesn't matter because it's a cat 5 race, but even if it DID matter I don't think that it should be up to the officials to grant finishes to people who were OTB for noble reasons.

I still think you did the right thing, and in this case it meant getting a DNF in a cat 5 bike race. Seems like a no-brainer to me.

Yeah, again I don't disagree with their decision, but I thought that their delivery (i.e. "customer service") was far from tactful. An alternative phrasing of their decision could have been "We really thank you for stopping to assist the rider but, unfortunately, we cannot make an exception for this case."

I saw two single rider crashes in the 4 race. One guy touched wheels and went down and later another guy went down when his pedal hit the curb. Both guys were alright though.

i took a bunch of crappy pics of the 3/4 and 4 race that I will post later

I can't tell you how many times I thought my head was going to hit those haybails on the turn right before the hill. My line through that was so tight, I was hugging the cones. Felt good though :)

Yeah, again I don't disagree with their decision, but I thought that their delivery (i.e. "customer service") was far from tactful. An alternative phrasing of their decision could have been "We really thank you for stopping to assist the rider but, unfortunately, we cannot make an exception for this case."

That was kinda my point with telling them what to go do with themselves, as their delivery wasn't exactly the greatest from the way you stated it. Two wrongs don't make a right, but sometimes it's more fun that way.

bdcheung, thanks for helping out your team mate. He's also my team mate. Bad show though :(

Sometimes you get a little tired on a wheel, forget where you are on the course... I guess that's part of why we're not pros.

I'm glad you stopped too. f the race at that point

DNF because you were awaiting the medivac chopper for your pal beats DFL any day. The organizers know this, they are always wiser than the bike weenies they blow off. Some day you'll understand this.

DNF because you were awaiting the medivac chopper for your pal beats DFL any day. The organizers know this, they are always wiser than the bike weenies they blow off. Some day you'll understand this.

correct.

yeah, i agree with all the others. this doesn't speak very highly of the race organizers' character. but the only person who matters - your friend - will remember what you did for him long after even you have forgotten. "do the right thing." you did that today. all my respect to you


Smoke, the race organizer has no authority to allow someone to re-enter a race, it's an officials decision. I know many of the members of the race organizer cycling team, I dont know if you do or not, but questioning their character because a crash happened at a race they promote, and officials enforced rules about re-entering after someone voluntarily decided to stop racing and attend to an injured person is complete BS.

Crashes happen at races, period. It's unfortunate and nobody likes it, but it happens.

BDCheung - you stopped for your friend, that's very cool. The officials get all kinds of BS excuses from racers about getting back into a race, so they are really forced to be kind of curt with requests that are brought to them mid-race. As I see it, it's admirable that you stopped, and the officials were correct also. Hope your friend heals well.

^^ I agree and Reston is a very well organized event imo. I'd stop to help a friend too so good on ya.

A crash in the 3/4 race happened right beside me in the infamous crash corner w/ the cones right before the new turns. I have no idea what could have happened but I am sure it was just some stupid oversight which happens every race to some one. I believe another one happened later in the race in the same corner. I am not sure what barrel the OP is talking about but I almost hit the one right after turn two just because I was brain dead at the time and the field was squeezing me over.

The 3/4 race was fast. I'd been off the bike for 10 days and I had a hard time just staying on. The 4 race looked real fast too.

infamous crash corner w/ the cones right before the new turns.

Turn 5 at Reston - I fell down there last year, and many others have over the years. It seemed easier this year with the new turns or something, and it was dry. I was admittedly nervous going through this one the first few laps considering that I slid through it on my backside last year, but once I got the rythm of the race, was OK.


The 3/4 race was fast. I'd been off the bike for 10 days and I had a hard time just staying on. The 4 race looked real fast too.

Sure was. Fun though.

I am not sure what barrel the OP is talking about but I almost hit the one right after turn two just because I was brain dead at the time and the field was squeezing me over.
It's the one after turn 2, coming downhill, before you hit the brick crosswalks. I thought Turn5 was awesome with the cones and haybails.

The 4 race looked real fast too.

Yes, yes it was... too fast for my recently-crashed body.

When you look at two similar races on two similar courses, i.e. Wilmington and Reston, the Reston race was SO well-organized and run that there's just no comparison. Props to Evolution Cycling for really putting on a great event. :beer:

I didn't make it up to the race but did see pics - was the guy in the Hokie kit that went down? In the pics I saw (off of a link on gamjams.net), I saw you in your GW kit in the pack with the Hokie kit and a guy in red Felt. Hope he gets well soon.
Good choice in helping out your buddy. DNF still count towards an upgrade to a 4.

I was between the WV race (too far to drive), Reston (waited too long and was filled), suffering for 12 hours at the Cranky Monkey at Quantico or sipping some toastie ones in Nags Head. I opted to even out the bike tan on the beach.

No, it was a UVA guy who went down.