Originally Posted by
Doge
You are correct, and they closed the Ethics thread which is where this belongs. This is a huge problem IMO. Junior has a 13# RR setup. He has a completely UCI compliant TT rig while some riding in National's for a berth on USA worlds team may not. Bikes are not weighed, drug tests are not taken. These are minors and I believe they think its goods to look the other way, but have your roll out 1mm over 26ft - and you are DQ'd.
Last year some USA referee AFTER the TT bikes passed told a kid their seat was not flat and had it adjusted it before the TT. The refs who do not enforce things all year get religion at nationals. If a non compliant rider takes my kid's worlds spot do we turn him in? I think not, but I'd like the officials to be on the ball and not make up rules about seat tilt and number pinning. They should have the rules memorized and enforce completely the rules that are published. This thing in the Giro where the TT rider received a wheel from a non teammate and both received a 2 min penalty amongst the uproar of the media was right on. Know the rules and use the rules. Still - we won't be turning a USA rider in.
i'm subject to the rules for at least one race per year, and i see inconsistent enforcement all the time. some years it is "we're just checking the extensions", others it is "we're only checking something else." occasionally 3:1 is enforced for bottles; other times not. the officials who check the day before are not the ones who check 5' before your start. my personal view is that i'd love to see either ALL rules strictly enforced or NONE of them. in fact, i go with the latter for any amateur (my definition is anyone below the world tour level which is the first level where we can guarantee there is a team mechanic paid to worry about this stuff).
just my $0.02.