[itc41]

These are my thoughts and may not represent the thoughts or opinion of others.


It truly takes a national caliber cyclist to block, bully and push her self through
a field of "beginners and Jr racers"


A few of us are in the beginners race (cat 3) because we are slow and not that skilled.
Most are their, because as implied, we are beginners. This is where the new guys and
gals are learning skills, and the Jr's are looking up to us for direction and encouragement.


In the past 16 months I have had the opportunity to share the trails with Adam Craig,
Jeremiah Bishop, Chris Eatough and other national riders. As slow as I am, compleat
professionals, and politely encouraging me to finish.


Never would I have thought that a sponsored national level cycle cross rider would
show up a local, club level race, enter a beginners race, and participate as if we all
had twenty year of experience.


I chose to mention this because I do not want see new riders quit because some
one is impolite. At [email protected], we are reminded at the start, that a beginner rider wont
come back because some like the above, was thoughtless. While I do not know
Plum Grove that well, I take this personally. I want to see cycling in Loudoun to grow.
I joined the local club Potomac pedalers, the local MTB club, MORE, and the local
racing club Evolution Cycling. I also think it is important to encourage women to
MTB as well. When I raced sports cars, I always welcomed and encouraged the
ladies to race. And at [email protected], the beginner women will tell you the same. When
we get to cat 2/sport, we can bump and rub and sprint to the rock garden, but lets
make the beginners feel welcome.


Bigmark

 

[Manicmtbr]

Why was someone with so much experience racing beginner anyway? Someone needs to talk to Tracey Lea about a beginner being a beginner, not an experienced rider that should be racing in Sport.

Did you throw the elbow back?

 

[itc41]

When it happen to me, I thought she was just another beginner,
being a little aggressive. After a while I could see that she was a CXer.
She had some elegant dismounts and such.

I would not elbow any one, but I could go wide and drift her towards an oak tree.

 

[LMN]

When it happen to me, I thought she was just another beginner,
being a little aggressive. After a while I could see that she was a CXer.
She had some elegant dismounts and such.

I would not elbow any one, but I could go wide and drift her towards an oak tree.

I hate to say it but to quote Harry "rubbing is racing". Soon or later every racer has to learn how to stand their ground. If someone "teaches" you how to do it beginner all the better for you.

My general rule though is if someone pisses me off on a race course I let them know, but what happens well racing stays on race course.

 

[blantonator]

i had no problem passing the old fuji guy, but again I won.

 

[gixer7]

I hate to say it but to quote Harry "rubbing is racing". Soon or later every racer has to learn how to stand their ground. If someone "teaches" you how to do it beginner all the better for you.

My general rule though is if someone pisses me off on a race course I let them know, but what happens well racing stays on race course.

For more experience racers sure a bit of rubbing is part of the experience but what the OP is getting at is that there is a good chance that some of those begginer riders never come back after being bullied by a far more experience rider racing out of their class. I agree with that and that is a bad result for the rider and our sport in general.

We want begginer riders to have a fun time and learn some skills, not get ridden off the course by a rider with an ego. It's not the time to be learning advanced racecraft.

Beginner is beginner for a reason. Anybody sandbagging in a beginner class deserves disdain.