Two-Man TT at Master's Nationals?

Aaron,

I was not there, but having been a racer and a Chief Ref of the US Pro Natz a couple times, the
problem your describe: cyclists riding an individual TT as a TTT, is due to [censored] poor
officiating. At any given race, there are some racers looking for a way to "bend" the rules.
Officials have a job similar to police = be seen to prevent problems, but if something does
happen, resolve the problem fairly and quickly. I teach officials is "it is better to be seen
than heard".

John Bickmore www.BicycleCam.com www.Feed-Zone.com

"Crank Yanker" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
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Quoted message said:

Looks like a certain large-toothed, former DS mistakenly thought the TT at master's nats was not
meant to be a solo effort. I believe he was even on the podium.

Enjoy:

cyclingforum.comThread.cfmOpen ↗

I would not be so quick to criticize the officials on this issue. I have officiated for about 20
years, including many National calendar events. Catching cheaters in a TT is NOT easy. For one
thing, the fewer vehicles on the course, the safer. Our District TT is this coming Sunday. It is an
out and back 40K on one country road. Traffic is generally light, but the speed limit is 55mph. It
works OK, but not if you have official's vehicles out there going 35mph. I suppose we could hire 2
or 3 more officials, but that would cost about $100 per official (with travel money, since the race
is in the boonies).

A few years ago, I had reports that several junior racers were actually moving out into the path
of overtaking cars, so they could get a better draft! I heard it enough times, that it must have
been true AND one of the juniors ended up in the ditch when he couldn't handle the wash from a
passing truck.

Steve Scarich

I agree that officiating TTs difficult, probably more difficult than a crit or a road race, the
smallest things if not managed well can soon be a big problem - namely once the first racer starts,
the clock will only tick forward in time ( ex. what happens if ALL of the batteries in ALL of the
stopwatches die during the race = no more clocks? I was a ref at a TT were this happened, the
remainder of the TT was timed from the stopwatch in my wristwatch I had started when the first rider
left ). The one time I rode the Colorado District TT, I would say it was very well officiated.
People at the crossroads, people at the turnaround, and at least one ref on a motorcycle going up
and down the road being seen and looking for people drafting. Further, even every house along the
course had been notified in advance of what was happening that morning. The people officiating that
race were/are international "A"s, and the people promoting that race, both knew how to get it done.
I think the point we are making, from different perpectives, is proper resources and proper
management of those resources are critical success factors, and it is not easy to do at all, let
alone well.

John Bickmore www.BicycleCam.com www.Feed-Zone.com

"FlashSteve" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

I would not be so quick to criticize the officials on this issue. I have officiated for about 20
years, including many National calendar events. Catching cheaters in a TT is NOT easy. For one
thing, the fewer vehicles

on

Quoted message said:

the course, the safer. Our District TT is this coming Sunday. It is an

out

Quoted message said:

and back 40K on one country road. Traffic is generally light, but the

speed

Quoted message said:

limit is 55mph. It works OK, but not if you have official's vehicles out

there

Quoted message said:

going 35mph. I suppose we could hire 2 or 3 more officials, but that

would

Quoted message said:

cost about $100 per official (with travel money, since the race is in the boonies).

A few years ago, I had reports that several junior racers were actually

moving

Quoted message said:

out into the path of overtaking cars, so they could get a better draft! I heard it enough times,
that it must have been true AND one of the juniors

ended

Quoted message said:

up in the ditch when he couldn't handle the wash from a passing truck.

Steve Scarich