Creakyknees

See the poll.

hipcheck5

Why would you not cheer or try to encourage a dropped rider?

EKO

I usually don't bring my stockpile of rotting fruit to races, so...

agoodale

Teammate: Jeer, throw fruit, yell "Move Up!" while laughing

Non Teammate: Cheer / Encourage

bdcheung

This, for the most part.

Creakyknees

this is a good question and it deserves an answer.

actually there are several possible reasons:

1 - you are just a mean person
2 - having been dropped a few times yourself, you know that it sucks and no amount of cheering is going to make you feel better or ride faster, so why waste the effort
3 - seriously, some people don't like being cheered - I have heard this face to face from a numerous riders
4 - you found a nice stash of rotting fruit, it would be a shame to waste it.

Allegheny Jet

Another reason to race cross, they offer lapped riders beer.

Voodoo76

I've heard this, and "get on a wheel" before when OTB. If nothing else it gave me reason for a bit of a laugh in an otherwise crappy situation.

edit: Beer is probably one of the reasons for me being lapped in the first place.

waterrockets 

I got blown off the back of a P12 crit after about 25 minutes, and was working with another dropped rider (some Cinelli Down Under guy) to try to stay far enough up to keep from getting pulled. We were getting time splits from one group of people every lap, which was pretty funny.

"7 seconds!"
"19 seconds!"
"28 seconds!"
<silence>
<silence>
--pulled--

Overall, I think cheering is better than not. It's awkward to ride through a silent crowd while you're bleeding through your eyes.

esammuli

Interesting observation-
Go watch a p/1/2 crit sometime. The field might be 100 riders at the start and 70 at the finish, but you'll almost never see dropped riders on the course. They prefer to pull off immediately, usually on the back side of the course away from the crowds. I guess it's a pride thing and they realize how pointless it is to kill yourself for a few laps before getting pulled.

edit: didn't see WR's post. LOL

ZeCanon

Plus they know that pack ain't slowing down for them anytime soon. Low cat packs slow down all the time.

Looks like I'm the only one so far who brings fruit to races.

Voodoo76

They always slow down, right after you pull out. This is one of the laws of criterium racing.

El Diablo Rojo

I'll cheer..what I hate are people with cowbells standing next to start finish....you can't tell if it's a prime lap the final lap or some one getting their bell on.

Voodoo76

This happens in Crits too! "The Brick" in Athens OH. A frat house had pulled a couch out by the hill on the back side of the course. OTB parked it, sat down on the couch cracked one, and watched the finish.

Creakyknees

I have actually been dropped, solo, and got back onto the back of a 1-2-3 pack. So, I like to keep riding until pulled.

(of course, I got dropped again a few laps later, this time for good)

Besides, I paid the money, the course is open, I'm going to complete my workout.

botto 

i say nothing.

i don't like to be cheered when i'm otb. it's already embarrassing. i don't want the pity.

granted, i'd take it over the drunken asswipes who kept shouting the dutch equivalent of 'loser' every time i cornered passed them at a crit last year.

Ware

If any P/1/2/3's from Lincoln, Ne and surrounding area are going to attend the Flatwater Spring Training Crits on the 20th and 27th, please DO cheer me on at my first race when I get dropped from the 4/5's .

I remember once anchoring for the 4x100 in track, in HS.. I was about 50 meters into my leg of the race as second to last was crossing the line 0_0. Dead. Silence. Humiliating... Then again, I don't know that cheering really would have helped.

saratoga

Got dropped in a crit last season and the announcer says "Prime on the next lap!" as I rode by with the field no where in sight.

DrWJODonnell

Reprimand teammates (Get that ****ing wheel!), give time splits to those that have a chance, cheer those who look like they are trying, silence for those who don't.

Allegheny Jet

Both my sons graduated from Ohio U, I can see that happening.

caloso

I discreetly avoid eye contact. No sense in us all feeling awkward.

Racer Ex 

I go have the sound system guy play:

substructure

I haven't (yet) been dropped in a crit. When I was dropped on a road race I don't remember too many people out there to cheer.
The last hill climb timed event I did I dropped from the top 5 or so guys on the last mountain. People were all up and down the road and cheering like mad for everyone. I liked it. At the time it really kept me going.

challaday

I'm just naturally a cheerleader type. I always have been. If we're honest at all, we've all been dropped at some point, and we all know how bad it feels. I yell out stuff like "keep going, we know how tough it is, but keep going" and riders generally get a bit of a lift.

fordfasterr

hahahaaaa