on the bike. Reading a race report in Triathlete about Ficker at IM Austria. The article said she got “caught up” in a group of four guys that would not let her make a clean pass, and subsequently got a draft penalty. I’m wondering how common this is, as my girlfriend has mentioned guys picking up the pace when they notice that she is a (really short) chick, and is trying to pass them. Is this any greater a problem for women than men? I mean there is a natural tendancy to pick up the pace when anybody passes. Thoughts…experiences?
I think it’s pretty common. No guy wants to get passed by a girl… it’s pretty funny to watch a guy kill himself to pass you and then get passed shortly thereafter since he’s totally spent.
I often find that some guys will pass me back a few times when I am going a steady pace. It seems like they gun it to get in front of me after I pass and then die and I have to pass them again while maintaining the same speed. However, I have never had a problem with drafting - I just let them pass me so I am 3 lengths back and pass them again if needed. I don’'t know if they do it b/c I am a girl and they don’t want to be passed by a girl, or if they do it to everyone… I was drafted off of by a guy (who knows better) for a solid three minutes at a sprint race yesterday, until I yelled at him and he finally passed me, ended up passing him back eventually. I wonder if he would have pulled that move on another guy? I don’t know. I don’t like it when people do this (draft or kill themselves to get in front and then die). I just try to race my own race, I am only interested in how I am doing compared to other women. By the way, it seems to me this happens much more at local sprint/oly races than at national or HIM/IM distance races.
most guys are total losers. i believe this is a problem.
Sometimes female pros get caught up in groups that include their husbands, boyfriends or male pros that were paid to ride with them. It is most unfortunate.
Sometimes female pros get caught up in groups that include their husbands, boyfriends or male pros that were paid to ride with them. It is most unfortunate.
Bwaha, I like that so I'll throw you a bone (I know how important it is for your self esteem). Rosa Mota is a goddess!
ps. okay, I’m old.
Baloney. I routinely get passed by women and don’t mind watching them ride away from me one bit. Watch the generalizations please.
This happens to me a lot. Many of the guys I pass will stay on my wheel for a bit, pass me and then slow down. It’s frustrating to then slow down enough to get out of the draft zone (knowing they did not bother to do that) only to pass them a few minutes later. It can be very bad in larger races. On the flip side, I’ve also passed guys who yell something like “you go, girl.” Takes all kinds.
T-Racer has this problem. She was telling me about this guy that wouldn’t let her go at 5430 LC. She went by him at her pace. He immediately sprinted to go around her, while she maintained her even (fast) pace. Eventually he slowed down and she went by him again Repeat. After she went by him the third time, he blew up. The guy was totally in his red zone every time he made the pass. This happens at almost every race she does.
It’s hard for guys to accept that they’re getting whooped on by a 5’2" 105lb woman. They’ll get used to it…I did ; )
This is a big problem for me. In most races this happens to me with at least 2-3 guys for a sprint and more for and Olympic. I ride a steady pace, I pass, they go sprinting by a few seconds later (sometimes on the right) and then slow down. I then have to pass them back if they sprinted far enough ahead to get out of the 3 bike length draft zone, or I have to slow down and drop back out of thezone to repass if they sprinted just enough to pass me. It is quite annoying. I have never received a penalty for it because I am always very careful to do what I can to follow the rules even though sometimes it slows me down.
I think many guys do not like getting passed by women. In my case it probably doesn’t help that I am wearing pigtail braids, have a small runner’s build, and am often thought to be in the 15-19 AG even though I am 29-29.
Then there are the guys who won’t drop back at all and will sprint to get back up to you (from the right side) after your front wheel gets in front of theirs. They just can’t handle a girl going by so they break the rules by not dropping back (though usually a strong enough pass just gets you by).
(Some) men and their egos. LOL
I got beat by a girl once my freshman year of high school in the 2 mile. Then, I never lost to another woman in a race (OK, a few placed before me at Boston and Chicago) for 12 years. It as incredibly frustrating getting passed by a woman in a race for the first time in such a long span, but it was easy to get over (she was an NCAA DI All-American in cross). I know a lot of guys who used to be good runners and just realize that time catches up on you. I don’t know if it’s more of a male runner mentality (and when I mean male runner I’m talking the guys who have been running competitively for years), but I can see guys who did other sports having a hard time with women beating them. We’ve grown up in a world where men are supposedly better at sports. Thank goodness for Title IX. I’m really excited to see so many girls playing soccer now, running, etc. I actually wish there were more women bike racers, though I’m glad to see so many women doing tris. So, guys, the next time a women passes you, just admire the rear view for as long as your can!
-Pete
P.S. My girlfriend still says I’ll surge in front of her when we run together and she takes the lead. She felt better when she heard from my male friends that I do this to them too…
yeah, there’s nothing like empowerment of women… and enjoying the view of their ass as they pass you… i can tell you’re a feminist.
I’m I guy and have guys do this…most guys just don’t like to get passed by anybody…
I got passed by Emma Snowsill on the run at the L.A. Triathlon today…all I have to say is…THANK YOU GOD! It was great.
ditto. happens all the time. get over yourselves girls.
Wouldn’t it be more common for the female pros to draft off the guys?
I know exactly how you feel, except in my case the woman is a little taller than that. 
It’s hard for guys to accept that they’re getting whooped on by a 5’2" 105lb women. They’ll get used to it…I did ; )
IMH 07 was horrible of AG women getting sucked along in the back of men! it was out of control.
its called TOO many racers and not enough marshalls with balls to call drafting.
very sad for the sport. greedy WTC/NSA
shame
IMH 07 was horrible of AG women getting sucked along in the back of men! it was out of control.
its called TOO many racers and not enough marshalls with balls to call drafting.
No, it’s called “cheating”. “Sucked along”: like someone held a gun to their heads.