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hell on wheels
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| Posted: 25 October 2005 at 04:58 | IP Logged
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The rules say "No sandbagging will be tolerated!" What does that mean? Why not provide some guidelines?
I figure anyone in the top 5 (or even 10) of the previous year's Cross Crusade overall results should be an automatic upgrade. Same goes for the 2004 cyclocross BAR and the district champs.
When a racer who is the 2004 winner of the BAR, 2nd place in the series
and 3rd at district championsips is still racing as a B, it appears to
me that the sandbagging IS being tolerated.
All Hail Satan,
Hell-mut
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runner
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| Posted: 25 October 2005 at 18:25 | IP Logged
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Doesn't everyone want to race in the best category they can race in? It seems
insane to want to "win" a B race that when the real action is in the A race. I
can understand only four distinctions: Juniors, Open Men, 40+ Masters and
single speed. After that you are just splitting hairs by switching to the
masters +35B singlespeed in a quest for a higher placing. Just get out and
race! In running it was always sad to watch people become hooked on
winning their age-group because they were broken down every five years...
Would you rather know your were first in the men's 35-39 or 6th overall in
the whole dang race?! I know what I'd take...
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dpilz
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| Posted: 25 October 2005 at 19:44 | IP Logged
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runner
I think maybe you're missing the point of dividing people into
categories. For one, it allows people to compare their progress
with others who are at the same or a similar experience and fitness
level. What good does it do a C racer to get lapped 3 times in
the A race? It makes the A race more congested and isn't a good
indication of the C racer's level compared to similarly situated
riders. Cyclocross racing is first and foremost about
having fun. The category system embodies this goal by allowing
riders who lack experience, time to train, or riders who don't train at
all but just love cyclocross racing, to truly compete against their
peers. And...thanks to the new chip timing system, the Beginners
can compare their split times with the A's and with every other
category--this is the best of both worlds.
As for whether it's insane to want to win a B race, I would suggest you
ask anyone whose ever won their category what it felt like. Most
(if not all) would say it felt like an awesome achievement whether it
was in the Beginners or the Elites at a UCI event. Many people
work their way up through the standings slowly. There is no need
to belittle the winners of the lower categories to prove your
point. While some winners may be sandbagging, you are unfairly
grouping these people with the majority of category winners who are
just psyched that they worked hard and it finally paid off.
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runner
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| Posted: 25 October 2005 at 20:38 | IP Logged
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Dpilz, I don't disagree with you. If you are a legit B and winning it is
possible, great. The problem is coming back week after week as a B...
Why wouldn't you move up. That is the thing I don't understnd. I get it
that all the Bs are trying to win the B race. Just like a slower runner tries
to win the JV race in H.S. but when you do win and post lap times that
allow you to race the next level up, why wouldn't you? That is what I don't
get. It would be like a kid prefering to win JV than move up and gain
experience on varisty. It just runs counter to the "always trying to
improve" attitude so common in running (and I think in cycling). Just my
two cents...
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runner
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| Posted: 25 October 2005 at 20:42 | IP Logged
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P.S. I think that what you did by moving from C to B is the right idea.
Aren't you just amped to race the A's and see what might happen?
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dpilz
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| Posted: 25 October 2005 at 23:30 | IP Logged
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runner:
Scouter's mountain was my last race in the B's. Now I get to move
up and get thrashed in the A's-- which I'm looking forward to because I
think I can only improve by racing with better riders.
That said... the jump to A's is daunting and I can see why people stay
in the B's. I have to live with the reality now that I will
probably never win another cyclocross race unless I wake up tommorow,
drop everything else, hire a coach, and devote all my income and effort
to becoming a pro.
Winning is fun. Getting better is fun. Pushing yourself is
fun. All of these are valid motivations and any combination of
them can push an individual to make one choice or the other-- stay in a
category they can win or upgrade to a higher category. We just
have to account for some reasonable personal choice.
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runner
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| Posted: 25 October 2005 at 23:42 | IP Logged
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"Winning is fun. Getting better is fun. Pushing yourself is fun." Couldn't
agree more. I hope you do well in the A's! Good luck.
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c brandt
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| Posted: 28 October 2005 at 18:06 | IP Logged
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The jump to the A's isn't as bad as you might think. A strong "B" rider can usually do a decent mid pack finish in the A's. That's where you need to learn the skills to ride faster than that anyways. Not by being off the front in the B's. Good luck, you'll do great! Eventually, either you'll get faster, or more of the faster guys (due to experience) will retire and move on to other things. The guys who are simply faster due to good genetics or athletic background, (w/ little experience), you cannot do anything about anyways. That's the beauty of our sport. So many variables and so many ways to have fun.
cb
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1 gear snear
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| Posted: 29 October 2005 at 00:23 | IP Logged
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c brandt,
Absolutely the best post yet. says it how it should be!!!!!
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BigJuan
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| Posted: 29 October 2005 at 01:27 | IP Logged
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Chris, your use of the word "anyways" is downright appalling.
Please apologize to the forum.
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1 gear snear
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| Posted: 29 October 2005 at 01:43 | IP Logged
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Now we are questioning grammar? c brandt still has the best post ,
best advice.
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Kluge
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| Posted: 29 October 2005 at 15:13 | IP Logged
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C'mon, 1 gear snear! What are you, a pansy? With a name like that, you ought to be ready for some needling and bashing. Are you going soft? Do you even ride 1x1?
Admit it: you ride a Trek, love to shift, live in Beavertron, and wear a yellow Livestrong band. One gear my arse.
Tchus!
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Sarigar
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| Posted: 09 November 2005 at 18:15 | IP Logged
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What a ridiculous topic! TOLERATE SANDBAGGERS!!! I can't
believe those two words are even associated with one another.
Sandbaggers are the deplorable scum of our sport. The wretched
filth known as "sandbaggers" should be sent to the center of the
Sun. If I ever possessed the affliction of sandbagging, I would
immediately take my own life.
This is cyclocross, not daisy gardening!
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1 gear snear
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| Posted: 09 November 2005 at 18:52 | IP Logged
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Kluge,
Apparently you do not understand my name correctly.
1 gear snear does NOT ride a 1x1. I snear and bash
them every chance that is given. Especially those
Russian Roullette jackasses that choose to use no
brakes. Except for a real track bike on the track, all
versions are a just plain dorky.
I bet you live in NO PO, wear a stupid trucker hat,
wallet with a chain, and probably think your tats are
artful.
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Sarigar
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| Posted: 09 November 2005 at 18:55 | IP Logged
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Good work 1 gear snear.
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tewills
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| Posted: 09 November 2005 at 19:54 | IP Logged
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IMHO, I believe the sport would grow in popularity if there was a TRUE Beginner class. As a beginner myself, I will eat dirt to get better and compete some day. But I have heard from other beginners that it is no fun getting lapped 3 times....and barely being able to finish...if at all.
I think it would be great to have something like a 20Min beginner class and move the beginner class up to be a "Novice" class. Let the new people have some fun with it. Have any of you done a Try-Tri for example? It is a scaled down Triathlon. There is a scaled down triathlon called a Sprint...this would be scaled down even more.
Just a thought. I would hate to see this sport go away due to lack of interest. Don't think it can't.... Without Lance, cycling in general is bount to go the way of soccer as it is. Sorry soccer fans...but you have to admit...it just hasn't caught on.
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Sarigar
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| Posted: 09 November 2005 at 20:01 | IP Logged
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This is a cyclocross forum, not
a tri forum. Lance is not a cyclist, he is a drug consuming
cyborg, created by the US government to crush the will of the French.
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chainbreaker
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| Posted: 09 November 2005 at 20:41 | IP Logged
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hey snear, you sure had us all fooled, I thought you were on our side. turns out you just couldnt spell SNEER, now who lives in NO PO ? maybe it comes out snear when it whistles out your two missing front teeth............
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dacrizzow
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| Posted: 10 November 2005 at 02:11 | IP Logged
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i was a messenger in atlanta for several years. when i started racing mountain bikes i figured i would race in beginner class until i got the hang of it. to my surprise most of my races were and still are spent fighting to stay out of last place. apparently i never seem to get faster but it seems like no one else is willing to move up a class. and what's up with the guys lapping the slower riders and complainingthey're going to slow. i thought this was supposed to be fun.if i wanted to get a hard time for going slow i would work over the weekend. whatever, i'll be in barton next week not coming in last.maybe.
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chainbreaker
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| Posted: 10 November 2005 at 07:57 | IP Logged
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the point is that you are still racing ! you know how many of those whiny pissants wish they could buy that moxie . sounds like you are slow burn, try racing two cats. this week, ill bet your splits are better in your second race. remember the second race is half price ! see you out there.
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Cross Crusade Forums : Smack Talk Central
Topic: Tolerating Sandbaggers
