hairnet

It's not that big of a deal to sign up and head out to USAC races. You can even just show up to a race and pay for a day license.

hamfoh

Nagrom there's a lot of catching up to do on the event and the details involved with it before you come in huffin and puffin. That turn may have proved too much this year, but it was actually the pros causing these wrecks, not joes, and even the "joes" have to be pretty fast, seeing as you have to qualify for the actual race. And if they aren't fast enough... they're pulled. It's definitely a dicey situation, and infact USAC just denied our crit runners request at sanctioning a fixed road race (was only permitted time trial only... with a front brake or single speed) probably because of reasons like this, but it's barely more dangerous than full on road crits, you'll see equally crazy crashes from any of those, and probably more often because of brakes at times.

There are no 'unskilled' riders qualifying for this

Nagrom_

There is a huge difference between speed and skill.

Just because you have the speed to finish a qualifying lap doesn't mean you have the skill to ride in a pack at a high cat pace, brakeless nonetheless.
They need to separate categories, and I bet more than 5% of the field would finish.
It's not even a race, it's a derby.

YoEdgar

that was during the qualifiers and not the actual race.

fietsbob

US Navy put me on a Ship home-ported there in 1969, place was Empty then..

Mumonkan

its not like theyre in life threatening car crashes, not to mention a day license for a sanctioned race would basically be easier than signing up for RHC ahead of time but that doesnt make them any less of a "joe"

ohh right right, well all the teams havent really uploaded or written anything about it yet so im sure more info will surface

Nagrom_

Because people have never died in a bike crash right?

Answer me this: has there ever been a RHC without a crash?

Nagrom_

Another point, when you buy a day license, you don't race with pros and cat 1/2/3s...

hamfoh

we should probably eliminate cat5 road racing while we're at it

Nagrom_

There are many, many cat 5 races finished every day without crash, and that's exactly my point.

Has there ever been an RHC without a crash?

hamfoh

The problem with the crashes at this RHC was that turn, it was bad design, and the big gnarly one was caused by cat 1 and 2 racers, so it's not lack of skill or experience with riders, it's just something that happens sometimes, even from the pros. Crits and crashing go hand and hand, especially in a field that size. Maybe Dan saves himself in that big wreck from hitting the wall with brakes, but everyone else is ****ed due to the speed going into that turn. Once the field opened up, it kinda became a non issue even at that, but on lap 1 of a race, I don't know how you avoid pileups from a pedal strike (something that happens on road racing ALL the time too).

There should probably be some sort of seperation though, but I'm not sure how putting all 'non skilled' riders together, as you referred to them as, cuts down on any crashes, I just mean it more from a cherry picking point of view. Bezdek (former pro), Murphy (cat1), Kyle Murphy (cat2) and Dan (cat1) feel like they're on such a different level than almost anyone there. I heard if the race was 1-2 more laps that Murphy and Bezdek would've "lapped" places 3,4 & 5 too. It reminds me a little bit of the cat1-2 guys who occasionally show up to our LBS ride and then just try to drop everyone

Nagrom_

Has there ever been a RHC without a crash?

hamfoh

I have no idea, but even if they've all had a crash, it doesn't make anything I've said less true.

Nagrom_

It just makes everything I've said even more true.

Mumonkan

I just ate an elk burger and washed it down with 2 kinds of birchbeer, it was pretty great

plowmanjoe

all the crashes were caused by and involved the top guys. that's why only 5 guys ended up finishing. all the other "joes" got lapped and knocked out of the race.

it was the first year for this course layout and it was a bit tricky, just too narrow, i think.

it's a race that's supposed to be fun, you dont have to race if you don't want to.

TheRealFaux

I'm with hamfoh on this.

YoEdgar

+1.

A very well know cyclist in the LA area unfortunately recently passed away during a road crit involving cat 1-2 racers. That race had brakes and still accidents happen huge pile up in one of the turns. Nagrom makes it sound like brakes and pro's = no accidents.

Nagrom_

It has almost nothing to do with the lack of brakes, although that should be taken well into consideration when designing the course (which doesn't look the case),
it's the fact that they're mixing pros and high cats with fast and unskilled riders which is the issue.

plowmanjoe

another video of the crash. i can be seen at exactly 0:25 right behind the guy the pink jersey, if anyone cares.

Leukybear 

Hmmm the crosswalk paint seems to have caused the crash. At 00:16 of the vimeo vid above you can see a rider with a black bike slip but recover.
The paint significantly less grip than asphalt and when paired with a corner where riders enter with a aggressive angle, the rear wheel could slip.

plowmanjoe

here's a good one. the second crash in this video hasn't been posted yet, i don't think. i'm in frame at 2:27 dodging the pile up. white and blue vigorelli.

calv

glad to see one of our own didn't get injured.

YoEdgar

The guy in the video at 3:23 calls it saying by the end of the race only 5 racers will remain and thats exactly what happened.

Happy to see you didn't hit that pile up and made it safe man.

seau grateau

In any case, I'd never ride in that cluster****.