Nice crash + mini report

email hidden said:

HI All,

Here is a good picture from the ride/race I did on Sunday:

http://tinyurl.com/2sw65p

How the hell that happened, I don't know.

They didn't get hurt. But another guy who was a victim of a hit and
run was injured. I always ride on the right no matter what. A ditch or
tree is always a better option than a car.

My riding buddy in the red jersey lucked out. Later in the day there
was a 8-10 person crash going uphill right in front of me where I
actually got to use my track-stand skills (really!) while I looked for
an out.

Highlights of the ride for me were allowing Anita Valen to go in front
of me at the starting gate so she wouldn't get caught in too much
traffic, and pulling a group of about 50 riders up a 3km 6% hill (All
the good climbers had been dropped long ago on a steeper hill) with
spectators lining the road cheering. It was like some sort of
alternate reality. Low point was getting stuck in a group that was
going too slow, but wouldn't let me just ride away. I would just ease
my way past the 10 guy rotation they had going at the front, and they
would jump to catch me, then they would jump up the small hills, I'd
get stuck in traffic as they all sat up from winding themselves
uneccesarily, only for the whole show to repeat itself. So I opted to
just sit back and wait for the final km's to make my move after the
final hill into a headwind. I didn't participate in the rotation
because there was a guy wearing Phonak shorts and a Yellow Jersey that
pedaled like he had a rash who was about the most dangerous rider I've
ever seen up there.

The ride is 170km with a major steep hill at 5km, and a second longer
hill at 25km. This always ensures that the 600+ riders who start in
one big group end up in smaller groups of more or less comperable
levels. I almost managed to hang with the 2nd group over the first
hill, but it didn't happen, and I was "only" 6 minutes off the pace at
the 38km split after 500m of climbing. But as always, others who climb
at my speed can't match my speed on the flats so at the end of the
ride I was 30 minutes back. If I had managed to get up the hills 2
minutes quicker I would have managed to stay with a group that
finished only 10 minutes off the pace. Maybe next year!

Joseph

I see cars, so it wasn't closed for normal trafic? "shudders"

email hidden said:

HI All,

Here is a good picture from the ride/race I did on Sunday:

http://tinyurl.com/2sw65p

How the hell that happened, I don't know.

From this angle it looks like a gay tandem incident gone terribly wrong.

Noth that there's anything wrong with that.

Ron

Quoted message said:

They didn't get hurt. But another guy who was a victim of a hit and
run was injured. I always ride on the right no matter what. A ditch or
tree is always a better option than a car.

My riding buddy in the red jersey lucked out. Later in the day there
was a 8-10 person crash going uphill right in front of me where I
actually got to use my track-stand skills (really!) while I looked for
an out.

Highlights of the ride for me were allowing Anita Valen to go in front
of me at the starting gate so she wouldn't get caught in too much
traffic, and pulling a group of about 50 riders up a 3km 6% hill (All
the good climbers had been dropped long ago on a steeper hill) with
spectators lining the road cheering. It was like some sort of
alternate reality. Low point was getting stuck in a group that was
going too slow, but wouldn't let me just ride away. I would just ease
my way past the 10 guy rotation they had going at the front, and they
would jump to catch me, then they would jump up the small hills, I'd
get stuck in traffic as they all sat up from winding themselves
uneccesarily, only for the whole show to repeat itself. So I opted to
just sit back and wait for the final km's to make my move after the
final hill into a headwind. I didn't participate in the rotation
because there was a guy wearing Phonak shorts and a Yellow Jersey that
pedaled like he had a rash who was about the most dangerous rider I've
ever seen up there.

The ride is 170km with a major steep hill at 5km, and a second longer
hill at 25km. This always ensures that the 600+ riders who start in
one big group end up in smaller groups of more or less comperable
levels. I almost managed to hang with the 2nd group over the first
hill, but it didn't happen, and I was "only" 6 minutes off the pace at
the 38km split after 500m of climbing. But as always, others who climb
at my speed can't match my speed on the flats so at the end of the
ride I was 30 minutes back. If I had managed to get up the hills 2
minutes quicker I would have managed to stay with a group that
finished only 10 minutes off the pace. Maybe next year!

Joseph

RonSonic said:

On 29 May 2007 03:40:33 -0700, "[email hidden]"

Quoted message said:

HI All,

Quoted message said:

Here is a good picture from the ride/race I did on Sunday:

Quoted message said:

http://tinyurl.com/2sw65p

Quoted message said:

How the hell that happened, I don't know.

From this angle it looks like a gay tandem incident gone terribly wrong.

Noth that there's anything wrong with that.

Ron

Quoted message said:

They didn't get hurt. But another guy who was a victim of a hit and
run was injured. I always ride on the right no matter what. A ditch or
tree is always a better option than a car.

Quoted message said:

My riding buddy in the red jersey lucked out. Later in the day there
was a 8-10 person crash going uphill right in front of me where I
actually got to use my track-stand skills (really!) while I looked for
an out.

Quoted message said:

Highlights of the ride for me were allowing Anita Valen to go in front
of me at the starting gate so she wouldn't get caught in too much
traffic, and pulling a group of about 50 riders up a 3km 6% hill (All
the good climbers had been dropped long ago on a steeper hill) with
spectators lining the road cheering. It was like some sort of
alternate reality. Low point was getting stuck in a group that was
going too slow, but wouldn't let me just ride away. I would just ease
my way past the 10 guy rotation they had going at the front, and they
would jump to catch me, then they would jump up the small hills, I'd
get stuck in traffic as they all sat up from winding themselves
uneccesarily, only for the whole show to repeat itself. So I opted to
just sit back and wait for the final km's to make my move after the
final hill into a headwind. I didn't participate in the rotation
because there was a guy wearing Phonak shorts and a Yellow Jersey that
pedaled like he had a rash who was about the most dangerous rider I've
ever seen up there.

Quoted message said:

The ride is 170km with a major steep hill at 5km, and a second longer
hill at 25km. This always ensures that the 600+ riders who start in
one big group end up in smaller groups of more or less comperable
levels. I almost managed to hang with the 2nd group over the first
hill, but it didn't happen, and I was "only" 6 minutes off the pace at
the 38km split after 500m of climbing. But as always, others who climb
at my speed can't match my speed on the flats so at the end of the
ride I was 30 minutes back. If I had managed to get up the hills 2
minutes quicker I would have managed to stay with a group that
finished only 10 minutes off the pace. Maybe next year!

Quoted message said:

Joseph

i find myself really wanting to photoshop that pic into one of those
"invisible bicycle" LOLcats pics ...

http://www.flickr.com/photos/sung/463570911/

in message <[email hidden]>,

(') said:

Here is a good picture from the ride/race I did on Sunday:

http://tinyurl.com/2sw65p

How the hell that happened, I don't know.

That's one hell of a photo!

--
[email hidden] (Simon Brooke) http://www.jasmine.org.uk/~simon/
Ring of great evil
Small one casts it into flame
Bringing rise of Men ;; gonzoron

in message <[email hidden]>,

Tuschinski (') said:

I see cars, so it wasn't closed for normal trafic? "shudders"

Only very big races get road closures over here. The Girvan
(http://www.girvanrace.info/) has no road closures except the criterium
course and the finish straight. Even the Tour of Britain only gets
a 'rolling' closure, which is to say police motorcycles go out about ten
minutes in front and stop all junctions onto the course, and instruct
drivers on the course to pull over. This doesn't always work well - in
last year's race, Tom Boonen led a riders protest about cars on the
course.

--
[email hidden] (Simon Brooke) http://www.jasmine.org.uk/~simon/

'graveyards are full of indispensable people'

In article
<[email hidden]>,
"[email hidden]"

Quoted message said:

HI All,

Here is a good picture from the ride/race I did on Sunday:

http://tinyurl.com/2sw65p

How the hell that happened, I don't know.

Looks very much like a T-bone incident.

--
Michael Press

Michael Press said:

In article
<[email hidden]>,
"[email hidden]"

Quoted message said:

HI All,

Quoted message said:

Here is a good picture from the ride/race I did on Sunday:

Quoted message said:

http://tinyurl.com/2sw65p

Quoted message said:

How the hell that happened, I don't know.

Looks very much like a T-bone incident.

--
Michael Press

Turns out I know the guy in the silver helmet. The guy he hit had just
stopped suddenly when one of the cars in the background leaned on the
horn. This made the guy think he'd taken a wrong turn, so he braked
without thinking. He went on record as admitting it was one of the
dumbest things he's ever done.

Joseph

In article
<[email hidden]>
,
"[email hidden]"

Quoted message said:

Michael Press said:

In article
<[email hidden]>,
"[email hidden]"

Quoted message said:

HI All,

Quoted message said:

Here is a good picture from the ride/race I did on Sunday:

Quoted message said:

http://tinyurl.com/2sw65p

Quoted message said:

How the hell that happened, I don't know.

Looks very much like a T-bone incident.

Turns out I know the guy in the silver helmet. The guy he hit had just
stopped suddenly when one of the cars in the background leaned on the
horn. This made the guy think he'd taken a wrong turn, so he braked
without thinking. He went on record as admitting it was one of the
dumbest things he's ever done.

He was there. I still imagine he must have turned a bit.
Difficult to think without O2.

--
Michael Press

Simon Brooke said:

in message <[email hidden]>,

Tuschinski (') said:

I see cars, so it wasn't closed for normal trafic? "shudders"

Only very big races get road closures over here.

I am very happy that in the Netherlands it is illegal to organize a
race without trafic closure. Even during training I now and then get a
close encounter with a car.

Worst scare I had recently was on a narrow road. A 4x4 passed me
(sloly) and after he passed I steered back to the center (it was
rather narrow and coblestones, so I didn't want to linger in the
side)... but he was towing a huge caravan, even broader than the car
itself, wich missed me on a few inches. Now I am sure the scare made
me overexaggerate the danger, but I had to stop and gulp for breath a
few times.

Rambling on: In mass-sprints I dont get scared... but when my Gf or
her brother (we all race competition) have a mass-sprint I have
visions of massive pile-ups. It's easy to get scared if you aren't in
control 🙂