Road Bike Racing - Flying dismount race report

Chuck Pontius Crit (Cat 4) in Santa Clarita, CA. Half way through, a few riders went down and the pack split just in time for me to hit the brakes and prepare for impact. While I grazed off someone's rear wheel, I clipped out and skated on my cleats for a few feet. Meanwhile, the downed rider is shouting "That's it! I'm not racing anymore!" (I'm sure he'll be back in a week or two). I went back to my bike and checked it out. The rear wheel had shifted in the dropouts. Fixed it, got my free lap, and was back in the race. I'm pretty proud of myself for handling that as well as I did. I'm not proud of myself for going off the back just before 5 to go. I need to get stronger if I'm going to hang.

Anybody know what exactly caused that crash?

Good reactions! Glad you skated out of it :)

"Anybody know what exactly caused that crash?"

yes, it was either:

a moment of inattention
or
an error in judgement

same as always.

"Anybody know what exactly caused that crash?"

yes, it was either:

a moment of inattention
or
an error in judgement

same as always.
Thank you captain obvious. :p

The course had a center divider coming out of turn 1, so I guessed if there was trouble, it would be there. The crash happened shortly after that, seemingly after we were clear of the turn, which makes me wonder what happened (specifically). Crashes on straights aren't that common. I'm sure it was a lack of inattention, but most likely someone did something to set it off.

Sorry to derail your thread. Happen to know when they're posting the results?

Hi urbanknight,

Sounds like a very nice save. What was the temp up there -- 110 degrees. :p :eek:

It hit 98 in Long Beach. :eek:

It was right about 90 that afternoon in Santa Clarita. A gentle breeze helped a little, too.

Awesome. I skated out of part of a ~40 mile crash in a crit earlier this year. It was pretty cool. It was actually a prime lap and according to a photog I was in front of everyone for a moment while skidding, wish he had a picture of it.

^ Yeah I was secretly hoping my teammate's son had gotten a picture.

Chuck Pontius Crit (Cat 4) in Santa Clarita, CA. Half way through, a few riders went down and the pack split just in time for me to hit the brakes and prepare for impact. While I grazed off someone's rear wheel, I clipped out and skated on my cleats for a few feet. Meanwhile, the downed rider is shouting "That's it! I'm not racing anymore!" (I'm sure he'll be back in a week or two). I went back to my bike and checked it out. The rear wheel had shifted in the dropouts. Fixed it, got my free lap, and was back in the race. I'm pretty proud of myself for handling that as well as I did. I'm not proud of myself for going off the back just before 5 to go. I need to get stronger if I'm going to hang.

Anybody know what exactly caused that crash?

Not sure exactly what caused it. Someone later said that someone didn't hold their line and came out wide into someone else. I ended up running into the [Helen's] guy that was on the ground after I nearly managed to avoid him, and flopped on top of him at about 1mph. Apparently he went down in the Torrance crit last week, so I can understand why he would be upset. I rode around with 3 other guys and we used a free lap and got back in. I think I've asked you before, but what is your bike & kit? I'll look for you in my wife's pictures.

The course had a center divider coming out of turn 1, so I guessed if there was trouble, it would be there. The crash happened shortly after that, seemingly after we were clear of the turn, which makes me wonder what happened (specifically). Crashes on straights aren't that common. I'm sure it was a lack of inattention, but most likely someone did something to set it off.

I saw someone pushed to the curb on that turn on the prior lap--there were words exchanged but they appeared to have kissed and made up during the remainder of the lap (I could hear them yapping). I had a bad feeling coming into that turn again and then bam, riders parting, guy on the ground. As far as crashes on straights not being common, I dunno, almost all the crashes I've been near have been on straights.

Anyway, I found a pic of your bike in the socal bike gallery, and was able to match it up with the rider looking through our pics. Here you go :)

http://www.photoscene.com/kimandsteve/images/2832.jpg

http://www.photoscene.com/kimandsteve/images/2831.jpg

More pics (http://www.photoscene.com/kimandsteve/309/chuck-pontius-cat-4-pictures)

"Anybody know what exactly caused that crash?"

yes, it was either:

a moment of inattention
or
an error in judgement

same as always.

you forgot:
mechanical failure
act of nature
cat ate my homework

Warming up

http://www.photoscene.com/kimandsteve/images/2780.jpg

Big field
http://www.photoscene.com/kimandsteve/images/2782.jpg

Broken bike
http://www.photoscene.com/kimandsteve/images/2799.jpg

Love the expression on his face
http://www.photoscene.com/kimandsteve/images/2810.jpg

Me again
http://www.photoscene.com/kimandsteve/images/2818.jpg

And again
http://www.photoscene.com/kimandsteve/images/2821.jpg

My teammate got second at punchbowl yesterday
http://www.photoscene.com/kimandsteve/images/2825.jpg

Sprint
http://www.photoscene.com/kimandsteve/images/2826.jpg

Working for it
http://www.photoscene.com/kimandsteve/images/2828.jpg

But not enough
http://www.photoscene.com/kimandsteve/images/2829.jpg

Great pics.

Not sure exactly what caused it. Someone later said that someone didn't hold their line and came out wide into someone else. I ended up running into the [Helen's] guy that was on the ground after I nearly managed to avoid him, and flopped on top of him at about 1mph. Apparently he went down in the Torrance crit last week, so I can understand why he would be upset. I rode around with 3 other guys and we used a free lap and got back in. I think I've asked you before, but what is your bike & kit? I'll look for you in my wife's pictures.
Yeah that makes it understandable. If it makes him feel any better, my teammate went down at Torrance bad enough to be out for at least a couple of months. Glad you came out of it ok as well.



Anyway, I found a pic of your bike in the socal bike gallery, and was able to match it up with the rider looking through our pics. Here you go :)

http://www.photoscene.com/kimandsteve/images/2832.jpg

Finally, a "you suffering in a race" pic of me. Thanks!

Sequence starts here (http://gdbel.smugmug.com/gallery/4816807_tD8XQ#286435107)

This looks like the start of the crash. Watch the guy in black/white/light blue
http://www.smugmug.com/photos/286435107_XoH6F-L-2.jpg

This appears to be shortly after. You can see a leg and wheel starting to go sideways near the middle of the picture.
http://www.smugmug.com/photos/286435238_fJ5XL-L-2.jpg

And he hits the ground
http://www.smugmug.com/photos/286435312_9b44u-L-2.jpg

Ouch
http://www.smugmug.com/photos/286435389_5jJer-L-2.jpg

Enter me from picture left (white & black Platinum kit)
http://www.smugmug.com/photos/286435468_anbKa-L-2.jpg

Nowhere to go
http://www.smugmug.com/photos/286435549_XjCnE-L-2.jpg

And there's UrbanKnight right behind me
http://www.smugmug.com/photos/286435750_ULTR9-L-2.jpg

Sorry, you're in my way
http://www.smugmug.com/photos/286435976_DdJNu-L-2.jpg

Group hug... nice dismount Urb
http://www.smugmug.com/photos/286436032_MXSKX-L-2.jpg

Sorry, you're in my way
http://www.smugmug.com/photos/286435976_DdJNu-L-2.jpg

Group hug... nice dismount Urb
http://www.smugmug.com/photos/286436032_MXSKX-L-2.jpg

Fling dismount is right! It took me awhile to get it.

Heh, thanks. Maybe I should try gymnastics. But wow, so it was you who I crashed into. I just remember a white jersey getting closer and closer, and locking my brakes up as I didn't see an escape. I hope I wasn't the reason you fell over onto him.

Oh, and was I the only one marveling at all the skinny skid marks the next lap around?