From the Team Car
It's amazing that the Groupetto that is utah cycling survived a double crit weekend only to be taken out by an innocent looking road race. The Gap isn't as kind as the name suggests, rather it was visited by its "special friend" and ran red with the blood of utah cyclist. All the usual signs were there, irritability, bloating, disillusion...it was that time of the year.
It started in the 1-2 field, on lap one Ali "skills" Goulet(ffkr-sbo) drew first blood, not with a vicious attack but with a crash. I though this guy was supposed to be a bike handler, instead he got handled. Sources say he took himself out "it was the strangest thing, he just rode off into the ditch". On the second time up the climb Sleevie(canyon development) tangled with Hageman(cole sport) and Harward(porcupine-specialized), resulting in Harward not making the front group and sidelining Hageman and himself.
Todd sustained a puncture that would require stitches and Sleeve-O will require some touch up work on his tatts. Harward was pissed, indicating he was feeling good "they weren't going that hard on the climbs".
Cat3 points leader Erik"red herring"Harrington canned himself, crashing on one of the stoney corners of the course. Eye witness accounts saw Harrington(cyclesmith) tumble into a field loosing his front wheel.
The ladies 1-2's were not without incident, on the final climb Laura Harward attacked Kris Walker's(ice) rear wheel resulting in close inspection of the road surface, ouch... Rachel Cieslewicz(monavie-cannondale) was caught in this mess and hit the deck as well, some how avoiding injury. Harward was not so lucky...
The irritability and disillusion set in as soon as the racing was over. Missy the official was getting it from all angles. You couldn't pay me enough to stand in the hot sun all day waiting for dorks in spandex to yell at you cause they're not listed in 15th place or cause they didn't know there were rules about gearing. Some people don't like the rules and some people don't know the rules but all people feel like they should be the exception...
Keegan Swenson(cole sport) managed an exception, narrowly avoiding being "Putt-ed" off the Cat5 podium for not using jr. gears. You'd think that every junior on the Cole Sport team would know about jr gearing by now, I guess as long as you're not trying to deceive the officials they'll cut you some slack. Were you missing from the results at The Gripe? maybe it was because you didn't have a chip? or maybe it was cause you had a chip!
News flash the Losing Time chips are not the end all. Losing Time sent a tech to get the bugs out of the system but people are still getting DN F-ed.
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One masters racer was quoted "timing chips are gay!". I don't think he meant gay like they find other timing chips attractive, more 80's style gay... like totally not cool.Here's another news flash, make sure you're on the results before you leave the race... there is a protest period for a reason.
If you're wondering about your state TT result, Do-Overs are Wednesday at the International Center, first rider off at 5:45am.. don't forget your chip!
Coaches Corner
Apparently the Cat4 break was in need of organization, at least according to Chris Mackay(cole sport)... Coach Chris went into action directing guys when and how to pull through, all Cat4's should bring $20 to the next clinic.
The 4's had intermingled with the Masters, and as John Mckone(cole sport) was laying waste to Bountiful Mazda he dragged some 4's to the finish...despite knowing how to pace line Chris is primarily a dirt merchant... he didn't expect the other 4's to follow the fastest wheel to the line, subsequently he ended up 3rd on the line... this led to a funny situation as Mckone confronted the some 4's saying "see the difference?" point to himself then Mackay, "ride the right race.. make sure you're on the right train"....it was like an episode of Sesame St... One of these guys is not like the other, one of these guys is not the same...
Turbo(canyon development) turned 39 the other day, Happy Birthday! Barret blogged that he resolved to do something Awesome everyday from here on out.. Like the time he took Eric Moore's(no ride) bike from him.. that was Awesome!
No-Man's Land
Ladies Cat4's continue to have controversy, I hear grumblings that the I.C.E. ladies are using strange tactics to control the race. Supposedly the ladies of I.C.E. would dart their front wheels at anyone trying to pass, or run you into a pothole... this all sounds pretty crazy to me... first off you can't take someone out with your front wheel, only yourself, secondly running someone into a pothole? that's not a tactic, its a mistake and really a rider is responsible for their own line. Sure it's nice if riders point things out but its not a rule.. either way ladies be careful or you might get slapped with a lawsuit for lack of handling skill... it is illegal to lack skills right?
SandBaggers
In more Cole Sport news, This picture was sent to me by a reader.
Not unlike a Big Foot sighting, Brad Gehrig was spotted dancing in nothing but a jock strap. I know public urination is a problem for the UCA.. I'm sure nudity is next on the list.
Cat5 Tattoo
Actual Cat5 tattoo on the winning Cat5 calf!
9 comments:
I'm pretty sure the rider sporting the Cat5 tatoo is wearing socks from the IM Cup MTB series. Cat5 + dirt-bag -> chain-ring mark.
I have suggested it before and I will suggest it again, the answer/solutuion to the result/timing chip/ etc issue is and always will be the Pull tag system used by the ICUP.
With enough volunteers, it would even work in a crit. A plus would be that spectators would love it, kind like waiting for a NASCAR wreck or Hokcey fight.
They should try it.
He's even sporting socks from the Draper ICUP MTB Race! way to represent the multi riding abilities.
USAC is light years ahead of any silly mtb series, could you imagine 20 nerds in spandex sprinting into a corral as someone's mom tries to pull their tag and place it on a dowel from home depot?
that sir is bush, bush league.
that kid is just lucky he's racing Cat5's. 5's are to stupid to know when a Dit Merchant is about to whoop their ass, the other categories would just let him drag them to the win.. even 4's aren't as dumb as moutain bikers.
Bush League, but fun, with timely and correct results, Bush League nonetheless.
And yes we Mtn Bikers are dumb, but at least we know where we finished in the last race.
timely and correct yes, to bad you have to wait another 2hrs for awards....road racers just go home and watch the UCA site for three days to see if they moved up the points ladder... No podium, no accolades and definitely not the respect of their peers.
Bush Series RULES! For sure two different worlds. There's the one where people crash on the climbs? and can never get back into it, and the other where people go down all the time, get covered in dirt and then pick it all up again for a respectable finish. It makes for an interesting pot of stew when the two worlds mingle.
I know this is a little late, but I that little Cole Sport rider must have gotten his gearing info from Clinger... Oh yes. I saw them tinkering with it before the start!! ;)
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