Well, I checked the results to today’s race and see where I got a 2:00 penalty. Nobody let me know why, I found out by seeing the online results, which I guess is how you normally find out these things. I assume it is for drafting, since the course was pretty crowded, I didnt litter, wear my number backwards or go left of center. How do you avoid drafting in a crowded situation, without just letting people drop you beyond reach?
Even before today, I have struggled with this question. With races getting more crowded, is it just inevitable that you will be in a situation where you could be accused of drafting?
In these situations do you ask questions, appeal or HTFU and take your penalty like a man? I go out of my way to follow the rules, so I’m pretty pissed off right now.
Hey, welcome to the club! I got hit with a 2 minute that dropped me from 2nd to 3rd in a race. No where to go to get through a wall of mountain bikes. I figure next time to just plow right through them, elbows out. Nah, I really wouldn’t do that, just think it. You gotta know certain races are going to be like that and then realize the possibilities. It’s a bit like have the ocean swim of your life, leading the pack, only to have it blown by a lucky group behind you catching the big wave and passing you up. It’s just life. There’s another race down the road. You (hopefully) did your best. Move on. Whatever. C’est La Vie. etc.
At IMLP and last years 70.3 Florida there was no way not to at times. Drafting has lost the “feel of punishment” as the fact is there are often to damn many folks on the course to do anything about it.
That’s something I struggle with as well. I was in a sprint race last weekend and it was crowded for the first few miles of the bike. There’s just no avoiding it. I’m not sure how they could penalize someone in this case. I was in the middle of a group of 30 bikes or so just trying to get thinned out enough…I wouldn’t have called it a violation…there was no place to go. I’d really like to get a USAT officials take on this.
I was doing a sprint 3 weeks ago and the draft marshalls on a motorcycle wouldn’t get out of the way and we ended up basically drafting off of them until they would move on. We were glad that they didn’t look over their shoulder on that one…can they penalize you for drafting off the draft marshall?
I personally have more of a problem with blocking rather than drafting. Why would anyone even want ot draft off of a mountain bike that is going so slow that you would lose a lot of time.
The big problem is how to safely weave your way around a thick phalanx of slow bikes. The most recent event I participated in had slow-moivng cyclists occupying the entire width of the road, and they would not get out of the way. That’s where roadie tactics may be useful.
To find out why you were given a penalty email the RD - the Head Referee is supposed to submit the list to the timer and then post them with the results at race site - the list will include the rule violation and the Head Referee is supposed to be avail to explain the rule.
What he said. Every race I’ve ever done (although I don’t think I’ve ever done a non-USAT race) has posted the penalties, including what they were for, before they do any awards presentations. It may not help this time, but in the future, you should stick around long enough post-race to see the penalties. I got a penalty a couple of years ago for being racked in the wrong location because someone bandited the race with the same number as me, so you can never tell what the actual penalty is for (for example, did you have unplugged bar ends?).