1nterceptor

https://www.adventure-journal.com/201...rse-sabotaged/

"First there were the sharp objects — tacks, broken glass, and box cutters — tossed onto the course of the upcoming USA Pro Cycling Challenge race and discovered on Tuesday. And then there was the sabotage of the Breck Epic mountain bike stage race, where someone switched a course direction arrow, a la Wile E. Coyote, sending racers in the men’s elite division off course."

RaleighSport

wow... I really don't know what to say to that.

Chris516

While I only ride a road bike, it doesn't matter what kind of a bike a person rides. Sabotage of any bike race is despicable.

Looigi

Intentionally creating situations or traps where people can get hurt or injured is criminal, literally.

TheHen

It's not just happening to the racers. Near Oakridge, OR in the Willamette National Forest are several popular mountain bike areas. Several trails have had some recent unauthorized "modifications" (logs, ditches and such).

SweetLou

Is this some kind of "environmentalist" movement? Something like when they used to put metal spikes in trees that would damage the chainsaw and the lumberjack? I think I read where there are some thoughts that mountain biking is bad for the land. Maybe they are trying to influence people not to ride off road.

gcottay

It's just as unlikely as being the action of anti-environmentalist movement attempting to dissuade us from enjoying the natural world.

Booger1

Would'nt surprise me if it was some greenies.Greenies in California kept some people in the high desert from trimming the brush around their houses because of a rat.......16 of the houses burned to the ground......go kangeroo rat,go.

CB HI

That is the case with the nut job "environmentalist" in San Francisco that got arrested. Not sure what the result of the case was.

SweetLou

I'm a little confused, are you talking about the tree spikers or was there a case about people sabotaging mountain bike trails?

TheHen

I think CBHI is talking about this particular kook: https://www.baycitizen.org/crime/stor...re-lover-kook/

CB HI

He is the guy, plus there was a guy in Texas doing similar things on off road trails.

SweetLou

I can understand him being upset with bikers on hiker only trails, but he does sound like a kook.

Maybe there is something behind this being a militant environmentalist activity.

CB HI

In one of his papers I read many years ago, he even claimed that he should be the only person allowed to even hike on many trails (in other words, hikers should be banned except him) to protect a certain snake from being stepped on. He thinks he is the only person smart enough to not step on the snake. He may have pulled that paper down, because cyclist used it to show what a true kook he is.

Digital_Cowboy

I think that you might have posted the link, as I vaguely remember reading something about that.

While I think that the majority of us support using our available resources responsibly, I think that people like this at the very least need to undergo psychological examination, and if needed put on medication. If they refuse to take said medication then they need to be hospitalized for their and society's protection.

As to the race from the OP. I have a few questions.

a) why didn't someone from the race walk the course to make sure it was alright before the start of the race? as I presume that the tacks/glass/etc. were put in the course before the sign/ribbon change, so it's not like they didn't know that someone was messing with the course.
b) why not just re-run that section of the race again with the sign and ribbons restored to where they were suppose to be?
c) what kind of security did they race organizers have before the first sabotage, what kind security did the race organizers have after the first sabotage?
d) what kind of security is going to be provided for subsequent events?

It's not much of a leap to think that someone who is willing to put tacks, glass, etc. in the track and then to change signs and course ribbons will eventually "graduate" to more dangerous tactics such as stringing fishing line, or piano wire across the track.

jputnam

He's posted all his screeds enough times in different forums that it wouldn't really matter if he pulled it down from his own site. A Google search will easily show how far out of touch he is.

Before he became fixated on mountain bikes, he used to post attacks on road riders, too, ages ago, before usenet's rec.bicycles split into multiple groups. He posted an open letter to one of the last American mass-market bicycle manufacturers, can't remember which, slamming them for making fast road bikes instead of sit-up-and-beg roadsters. And he advocated intentionally swerving towards overtaking motorists in order to frighten them. I used to think he was really a shill for the asphalt paving association, since actually implementing his ideas would put everyone in cars instead of on bikes.

rydabent

The enviro-nazis seem to raise their ugly heads most everywhere. It would be fantastic if someone could catch one of those idiots throwing tacks on a race course, or changing signs.

skye

Well, that's pretty good. On the basis of no evidence and conjecture so primitive that even rydabent could follow it, we've already nailed the culprits. It's those damn environmentalists! You know, the same people who think it might be a good idea to actually pay attention to the science and apply some logical thinking to some fairly demanding and critical problems.

Jesus on a crutch. You guys are idiots.

Robert C

I remember him too. Back before I got tired of arguing with him, I used to call him, "pave the world Mikey." He seemed to believe that everything but bare feet should always be on paved roads.

I am not surprised that his brand of hate and nut-jobbery has taken a more violent streak.

I haven't given him much, if any, thought for 10 or 15 years. As odd as it sounds, it is good, in some ways, that he has maintained his passion; so many people loose all passion.

Of course, IMHO it would be better if his passion were for something I care more about, like reducing national petroleum dependence; but, in the end, he has to be about his own passion, not mine.