jfmckenna

Anyone do this race? I hate to complain about anything, I really do. And I know how hard it is to put on a bike race and I greatly appreciate any one who does. But this race was ridiculous. It was actually one if not the best and most challenging race courses I'd ever done, fantastic really. And the weather was perfect so it's hard to complain. But they knew there was going to be a lot of flats and they knew there was going to be a lot of dropped riders yet they provided no course marshals at intersections or even a sign. How hard is it to grab a piece of cardboard and a Sharpie and make a quick sign. I mean it was ridiculous.

I flatted as soon as we reached the first gravel section along with about 4 others. I got the wheel change so fast that there was a definite possibility that I was going to catch on. So I TT'd off passing dropped riders and eventually forming a chase group that included one really really strong rider. Between the two of us with a few others we could certainly bridge. On the climbs we could see the lead bunch with the cars and moto's not to far away but then on the back side descents the group gets spread out and you lose sight of them in the corners.

So I'm cruising along and all of a sudden there is a right hand turn, ok I guess I'll go straight, no riders in sight, Damn! Ask some nice old lady, " have you seen a bike race go this way?" "Yes sure did they went that a way." "Ok thank you!" and on and on it went till we finally asked one guy who said, "Bike race? No I been out here working all day and I didn't see any bike race.'

Great now what, well my chase group was 10 miles of the freakin course because it wasn't marked.

EventServices

There will be those who say it's YOUR responsibility to know the course, but I side with you on this one. Some sort of routing sign to help you out.

I'm amazed that you got a timely wheel change and had a shot at catching. That's unheard of in road races, let alone those that have dirt sections.

Grumpy McTrumpy

I got yelled at for yelling....

Last year I was doing a 50 mile road race where one of the marshals was sort of sleeping on the job as we came to a T-intersection.

Eventually we had to ask him "which way? right or left?" while moving at race pace

I yelled "you have to point the way"

Then I got yelled at by another rider for yelling.

I suppose the fact that the marshal was far enough away that the only way to communicate was via yelling was lost on the guy. Maybe next time I'll whisper it or send a thought message.

stackout

I am sorry and embarrassed by the lack of clarity regarding the course. I was so focused looking outward: keeping the neighbors, police, fire departments, and NCDOT happy, and ensuring the safety of the racers and the provision of a venue with a lot of amenities, that I lost sight of the simple matter of how the course was going to cause fields to burst, lose the motos, and then not know where to go. There were marshals at every intersection except the two safe right turns, but I should have done a much better job marking those turns, as well as the one non-turn that seemed to have caused a lot of confusion. I was hampered by the police arriving an hour late and the officials deciding, on the line, to change the routes for the P123 and College A and B fields, without me being able to communicate that back out to my volunteers or the firefighters. However, I understand and share your frustrations, and will have the resources in place at our future events to guarantee that we provide the sort of professional experience that our racers deserve. I have already sent an email to all the preregistered USCF racers and will be following up with remaining USCF racers who signed up day-of offering a $10 discount on a future event as a small way of helping to make up for our errors.

Sincerely,

Andrew Stackhouse

Yaniel

awesome! that seems like good service and a promotor that wants to do it right.

mollusk

Last Saturday a Cat 2 teammate of mine flatted 20 km into a 180 km P/1/2 road race with 50 km of unpaved road and got a slow wheel change. After 80 km of chasing (almost all of it by himself and he had no teammates in the field) he caught the main group. He got no help at all from the wheel truck because it was also carrying an official.

When he caught back on there were 12 riders were up the road in a break that stuck. He took 2nd in the field sprint for 14th overall. Epic ride.

wanders

He/they (Andy/Pirate race productions) have done a great job promoting CX down here.

I wish I could have been there this weekend but egg hunts and such took precedence.
I'm planning on a couple trips to N. Wilkesboro.

https://www.pirateraceproductions.com...tion/nwscrits/

jfmckenna

Yeah the wheel truck was following closely as I think they knew for sure that it was coming, It really was quite impressive.

Stack,

Thanks for the reply. I got to tell ya, the race course was absolutely awesome! And the venue was equally as awesome, the little town of Todd and all that. I'll definitely come out for this race again in the future and I'll pass out a good word for it. I think maybe more people would come if it wasn't on Easter weekend but I know how hard it is to find spots in the collegiate calendar.

botto 

i'm thinking the more important question is when will race organizers stop naming their races after a post industrial dump in the north of france?

badhat

no thats not a very important question at all

Grumpy McTrumpy

for some reason everything with a dirt road on it is called Roubaix.

I rode on some old pave when I was in Germany. It wasn't like a dirt road.

wanders

I hereby grant all European Union countries permission to use "Dixie Classic " in conjuction with any race in which they want to incorporate gravel and metal plates into the course.

I'll fly over to the Netherlands to act as technical consultant for the first annual Sloten-Dixie Classic.