Everything about that was a complete fail.

Motor starting with the riders just in front of the riders.

Narrow start chute.

Neutralized race start was like 30 feet long. Then everyone went full gas.

Then when he stalled he looked down and tried to start it instead of standing up and flailing like a maniac to get the guys to notice.

different angle

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4aITv6RWLPU

There was no neutral start. (Which is fine, most crits are full gas from the gun.)

And, in my opinion, chute wasn't excessively narrow.

Except it's not in the streets of Brooklyn, it's in a car park.

BTW, been to this race for the last few years and seen some big crashes but generally it's pretty amazing there aren't more considering they don't have brakes. I was only there for the qualifying races yesterday and most of the guys are on carbon frames and wheels, especially the fast ones, to counter what some other people have said. Also, these dudes are bigger (more muscular) than your average road cyclist (as well as all tatted up and bearded for the most part). Watching the qualifiers and listening to the chatter, loads from Italy, France, UK, etc, seemed to have made the trip over, and most are part of teams (they get split up into no more than 2 riders from a single team per heat in qualifying but in the final you can end up with a number of teams (e.g. 4+ riders). This race is no longer an underground event...it's part of a 4 city international series (with Barcelona, Milan and London), with big sponsors.

The course has 2 tight 180-degree bends and 2 wider 180 bends. The only 180 bend you can't hit full speed, or near to, is the first one after the start/finish line...saw 5+ crashes there in qualifying where guys went in too hot and hit the barriers on the exit. The next 180 is immediately after the 1st so the speed is lower.

The course is narrow in places but the riders have had plenty of practice on it.

The motorbike guy is normally 100m or so out in front clearing out the otherwise-would-be lapped guys. I guess n future they need to send the motorbike off before the gun to make sure he's good, because cyclists can close the gap down quickly...first guys could see him and all missed, but the rear of the field (85 qualify) had no chance.

BTW, if anyone lives in or near NYC, you should go to the event next year, make a day of it. Each qualifying race is 10 min warm-up then 15 min to get in your fastest single-lap time (reason why they are bigger than your average roadie probably). This is completely different viewing to the actual race, plus it's in daylight and less spectators so easier to move around and see more. Then they have a 5K running race, very fast, a couple years a go it was won in ~13'50" (by a guy that came top 10 in previous NYC marathon). Then you have the womens and mens finals. Loads of food trucks and good music, lots of people os great atmosphere.

A friend of mine was in the race and on Facebook said he was one of the last past the moto before the crash. Good thing he made it.