rb07

Took part in a short dirt crit this weekend and did pretty good considering, but I did have a question. In a race, especially at the beginning when things are tight, do you call out passes?

The early part of the race had a couple of hairpins in a field and I was moved to the back third of the small field. Once I got to a place I felt like I could pass, started moving up the right, but was promptly cut off, hit wheels and went down. Between the fall and fixing the chain, I was in dead last. By the end of the race I moved back up to 7th (out of 13 finishers). Thinking back, I don't remember if I had time to let the rider know where I was once he started to move, but should I have said something as started moving up (to potentially stop him from coming over)?

When I did start passing guys on the singletrack sections I would call out the pass because it was the easiest way (some of the passing areas were not very long or were in areas with tight turns).

My next race is this weekend and is a solo 6 hour, so I think the passing will be a little less intense (accept when I'm getting passed by the fast lap riders on teams!)

(PS. I tried to search this forum ... but the search is failing for me).

kudude

i just did my first races this weekend also, but I've raced on the road for the last year.

I say don't call passes -- why? you ask -- because on single track if you tell me you're coming around there is almost no way i'm letting you by. It's up to you to pass when you have the chance, but don't expect anyone to do anything for you. Also, when you pass, ramp it up. You want the time between when you're behind one rider to in front of them to be as short as possible.

tollhousecookie

I bark, and if the rider in front of me is too slow I have no problem telling him "on your F...ing left", and yes, ramp up your speed as you pass and if you own the trail let the other guy know it. That's what racing is all about.

Allegro

To the OP, when I started doing Short track XC 2 years ago I had a few issues with guys trying to block me and me being stubborn and locking bars with them trying to pass in corners. What I have learned is that when someone is holding you up try to set up off a corner and mash on the straight past the slower rider, as everyone as has said, ramp it up past them and trying to pass in corners requires a little extra room.

racersready

Awesome. May there be a lot more to come.

Quijibo187

I also just did my first XC race.
I think I won my group, (I don't think I let anyone get away and they'll post the times tomorrow).
Hurt a lot,
had a blast,
met a few people,
will be back for more.

rb07

Many times you can stop at the timing table a little while after you finish to see your times or the final standing for your group. May be worth it if the top finishers in a group get schwag or a payout!

Quijibo187

I Think I'll do that tonight. Race #2 of the series.

Funny story from the last race. I asked one of the organisers how many laps my group was doing, he told me 2. During the pre-race rundown, there was alot of comotion and I didn't hear that my group was supposed to do 1 lap.
So, my 1 lap time was 46:12 where the rest of the people in my group were in the 25-27 minute range.
I sent an email and they edited the results to at least show that I did 2 laps.

1 lap is just too short of a race, but I wonder how fast I can do it.

Quijibo187

race report: did not start. wiped out on my warm up lap and did a number on my knee. dang.

benajah

dont say a thing, sneak past like the dark little ninja you are.

jdlmodelt

This is some great advice. However, at my amateur level, I think I will be the one being passed a lot this weekend. Or I'll be so far back in the starting lineup that it won't matter either way!

tollhousecookie

Funny seeing my post from March of 09... I hadn't raced since 1996. Did my first race since then last February and took 2nd cat. 2 in my age division...had a feakin blast. I started slow and passed people the whole way. I yell and talk to everyone when I race. Made a lot of new friends at beer keg at the finish. People will move if you have the correct inflection in your voice...still.