Road Bike Racing - DFL question

Clarrification on DFL?

So today I ride the Sonny Hutchinson Crit.. Women 1/2/3/4...

applied lessons learned from last race...
Start with the pack.. found a wheel.. in the front.. held on...first few laps...:)
First surge.. held on... driffed back a little...
Second Surge... held on...
Third Surge.. get dropped off the back... there are two of us there.... continue race.. trying to get her to work with me.. .so we can get back up with the pack.. she's more interested in sucking my wheel...
I finally say... HEY take a pull..... she doesn't we get lapped... OK.. just keep racing... as the pack comes through the finish... she quits with the pack...
ME I keep racing and finish the LAP...
I didn't ask the official...about it at the finish... but when the results were posted... I was DFL...
I wanted to say... HEY I finished all 40 laps.. what about the gal that only did 39.....

I was I DFL.... or not?

You were not. But it really only matters to you and the fact that you kept going. It's odd that the two of you didn't get pulled, most crits lapped riders get pulled.

If you're dropped, and going to be lapped in a crit the responsible thing to do is to pull off the race course.

You're DFL if the results say you are. Which is why there is less humiliation in DNF. Which makes the Self Loathing inherent in bicycle racing all the more compelling. The incentive is to QUIT THE RACE TO AVOID THE EMBARRASSMENT. DNF's generally do not get their names published. Pcad knows about this better than anybody.

You have to love a sport this F'd up.

Was there a five-lap rule for this crit? Even if you're a lap down when you do that final lap the race is over. You might have done an extra lap for no reason.

she doesn't we get lapped... OK.. just keep racing... as the pack comes through the finish... she quits with the pack...

Because the race was over (for both of you). Read rule 3D3(b).

You generally finish on the same lap as the pack, whether lapped or not.

If you're dropped, and going to be lapped in a crit the responsible thing to do is to pull off the race course.

That's up to the officials to decide. If they let riders continue, there's absolutely no reason not to (and do everything you can to help team mates).

That's up to the officials to decide. If they let riders continue, there's absolutely no reason not to (and do everything you can to help team mates).

It's selfish and irresponsible. Your race is over, and you're doing 21-23mph trying to "finish", and the pack is doing 27-30+

A dropped rider presents a course hazard in a criterium or technical circuit race, that some officials will overlook, and some won't.

To note...that isn't directed so much to the OP, who by virtue of her post seems not to know the nuances of racing. It's a general statement.

It's selfish and irresponsible. Your race is over, and you're doing 21-23mph trying to "finish", and the pack is doing 27-30+

Assuming facts not in evidence. Who's to say the lapped rider can't rejoin and stay in the pack; not that it really matters. The point of having rules is to take the decision of what's proper out of the hands of each individual rider and create a uniform code applying to all competitors.

Please note: the only time DFL means anything is when it's your first race. After that, it means jack squat.

i thought the sonny hutchinson crit was on some kind of speedway, so in that case it's not hazardous to ride around the outside if you have been lapped. correct me if i'm wrong.

Assuming facts not in evidence. Who's to say the lapped rider can't rejoin and stay in the pack; not that it really matters. The point of having rules is to take the decision of what's proper out of the hands of each individual rider and create a uniform code applying to all competitors.

The facts are in evidence. In the situation described initially there was no latching back on to the pack, only getting lapped.

A few posts ago you stated that there was no uniform code, and that the decision to pull lapped riders is based upon subjective, individual, judgment.

A few posts ago you stated that there was no uniform code, and that the decision to pull lapped riders is based upon subjective, individual, judgment.

The official are the ones standing around in blue shirts and khaki pants. The riders have helmets on. That should help you tell the difference.

(not that I wrote anything about how the decision to pull riders is made.)

Please note: the only time DFL means anything is when it's your first race. After that, it means jack squat.

Incorrect. It's actually a great baseline, i.e., DFL +5, DFL + 10, etc. You would understand this if you sucked a little harder @ racing botto. There may not be much speed in the back of the peloton, but that's where the Cycling Zen is hiding. It was interesting, I was in a spot of bother on that last run up the Harlem hill, but I wasn't nearly as winded sounding as the guy next to me. My legs were participating in their own North American Lactic Acid Festival however.

Incorrect. It's actually a great baseline, i.e., DFL +5, DFL + 10, etc. You would understand this if you sucked a little harder @ racing botto. There may not be much speed in the back of the peloton, but that's where the Cycling Zen is hiding. It was interesting, I was in a spot of bother on that last run up the Harlem hill, but I wasn't nearly as winded sounding as the guy next to me. My legs were participating in their own North American Lactic Acid Festival however.

it's called 110th street hill. ask ken for confirmation.

it's called 110th street hill. ask ken for confirmation.

Let's call it the Central Park hill since it's the only one.

Let's call it the Central Park hill since it's the only one.

you forget cat's paw hill, which is a virtual mountain compared to what i have to deal with in mokum.

Unless you are pulled from a race, you should try to finish in as safe a manner as possible. It is possible there may be fewer riders in your race than places for points and your dfl may get you points that accrue towards your national and state ranking. So, finish if you can, and then make sure with the officials you know your placing and let them know it means something to you to get assigned that place.

i thought the sonny hutchinson crit was on some kind of speedway, so in that case it's not hazardous to ride around the outside if you have been lapped. correct me if i'm wrong.

Yes the Sonny Hutchinson is on a "speed way" WIDE track... and when I was lapped... I moved HIGH and right..., we were racing counter clockwise.... there were a total of 16 racers... and because the women's races are so small we usually race all CATs combined.. though I am a CAT 4. I have no idea what CAT the other ladies are...

This is only my SECOND race after over a 20 year break and then I road mainly road races....

For me it is a "personnal pride issue" NO I am not completely familiar with the rules of racing.. I have read the rules... BUT my lack of experience I want to 1) be safe, BUT finish what I start... but not happer any one else...

The rules of the day from what I can tell were the race is over on the lead riders' lap. The P123 had 4 guys lap the pack. The pack did 49 laps. The lead 4 did 50. That's how it played out in Japan racing as well, not that it really means anything. The P123 race also had two guys get pulled too from what I can tell (they may have pulled off voluntarily but they did so right next to the far side referee... soo..... )

As a side note, the women's race was pretty bizarre pace wise. It looked astonishingly slow for a few sections and pretty blistering fast at other times. I got a snap shot of you ColonelMom on the first 3 or 4 laps. I'll dig it out and PM it to you.

VW

As a side note, the women's race was pretty bizarre pace wise. It looked astonishingly slow for a few sections and pretty blistering fast at other times. I got a snap shot of you ColonelMom on the first 3 or 4 laps. I'll dig it out and PM it to you.

VW

Thanks...
My thoughts exactly... when we started.... I was.. OK.. I can do this.... then the attacks started...
I guess that is to be expected when its a combined CAT race....

BUT I was faster than my last race... and this time.. the pack only got ONE lap on me... each race better than the last...:)

I had my analog camera and my digital video... it may take a couple of days.. but I'll send a PM to you when ready..

you forget cat's paw hill, which is a virtual mountain compared to what i have to deal with in mokum.

It does feel like a hill at the end of those CP races, I'll grant you that.