Saturday, October 20, 2012

Broken Spoke foils Hall's attempt at 30-34 championship

Unfortunately for Joe Hall today, an untimely mechanical ended his quest for the Men's 30-34 Masters State Championship medal. Out of the gate and into the first turn, he led but broke a spoke and sadly put him out of contention.

Joe was aiming to win the 30-34 race today and the Men's Category 3 open race tomorrow. Tomorrow will give him another chance to redeem himself.




Wednesday, October 17, 2012

Parking lot Justice!


Remember that video of the start line crash I posted a few days ago? Well if you don't, here it is again


Well apparently, according to the gospel of Don Walker, it is ok to take matters into your own hands and hand out parking lot justice.

REALLY!?

Crashing sucks and sucks even worse when it is deliberate but don't you think you should just let the officials handle this?

I guess you speak the truth DW (his own words), but is the truth you need violence to take care of matters? Shit happens, crashing happens, bike racing is dangerous. If I took it to the parking lot every time I was involved in a crash, there would be a lot of bloody people out there. And also jail is a very cold dark place that no sane man would ever want to be in. I thought of you as a respectable man in the cycling industry but now not so much.

Watch the video a few times and make your own judgement. IMO, I think the guy just doesn't know how to ride a bike and was over geared.

Pulled from DW facebook page. I didn't bother removing names because A: This information is public, I'm not friends with DW on Fb and anyone can see this, and B: I'm too lazy to remove all the names

As of 9:30 10/17
Folks, you know how I am by now. I speak the truth, or at least my version thereof. I can't stand for people to be wronged. I stick up for the little guy. This youtube clip was from the Cat 4 Masters race yesterday at Gun Club. There is one guy in it who causes a huge pile up and unfortunately, one of my friends ( Jeremy Brown )had to be carted away to the hospital. The sad thing is, the guy who caused the carnage was leading the points in the OVCX series and the two Rogue Racing riders he takes out are within striking distance in points. Coincidental? Watch the video and you be the judge. IMHO, the offender needs a suspension and also be dealt with in the parking lot by all those affected. Lets face it, we're Masters. We have jobs to go to on Monday and families that rely on us. Being taken out because of some ass hat trying to protect his point lead is unacceptable. if you need to, watch it a few times...

Diego Delgado damn
Monday at 10:14pm · Like

Mike Griffus Idk bro', it looks like he actually had trouble balancing, but then again, you've seen these things more than I have, either way, I would still be p.o.ed, cause this guys supposed to be experienced, and that looked like a rookie move.
Monday at 10:19pm · Like

Daniel McAfee I don't even ride in things like this, but my natural reaction if I was losing my balance would be to clip out not drop a people's elbow on the guys next to me.
Monday at 10:21pm · Like · 1

Stefan Rothe very slight chance he hit a "air hole" but he's leaning heavily before he's falling...so yeah, make up your mind.
Monday at 10:22pm · Like

Crashtopher Jones How hard is it to do a start. Especially if you are at the front. I would like his name. I don't want him coming to the velodrome and doing a standing start next to me in the chariot race.
Monday at 10:22pm · Like · 1

Don Smith No way, that was a controlled lean and pile-up or I went to a hockey game and a CX race broke out. Sorry, I would have that dude but on the done for the season list. You don't need to win that bad.
Monday at 10:22pm · Like · 1

Scott Bond If he was planning on taking out the rogue boys - he took himself out too...... looks more like he lost control because he was overgeared for the start....it's master's 4s -- they're not exactly known for their handling skills..... If your privy to a confession ---- share it here - otherwise chalk it up to inexperience and move on......
Monday at 10:23pm · Edited · Like · 2

Don Walker Scott, he finished 7th in the race even after that start. Judge for yourself with that info.
Monday at 10:25pm via mobile · Like · 1

Harold William Holdren yea...I mean...I have seen all kinds of craziness at starts. It sucks, but racing happens.
Monday at 10:26pm · Like

Ray Napoles That's not racing. That's pathetic.
Monday at 10:27pm · Like

John Molnar what an ass clown. total take down. he just lays down on them. weak.
Monday at 10:28pm · Like · 1

Scott Bond Franky T will put the hit out on him next week ---- I'm not party to the Masters 4 drama -- but if there is foul play afoot - Karma (Butch Farrell) has a way of getting even ----- I hear Karma is downgrading to cat 4s just for BloomingCX.....
Monday at 10:28pm · Like · 2

Crashtopher Jones Over-gearing makes sense as an issue. Him being up in points and their standings as well make it seem more intentional than if that happened to me in the back of the race.
Monday at 10:31pm · Like · 1

Don Walker Bingo.
Monday at 10:33pm via mobile · Like

Butch Farrell Oh lord......
Monday at 10:33pm via mobile · Like

Larry Pethick I'm with Scott. Too big of a gear, slight brush, overcompensate, kersplat. It's the CAT 5's of cyclocross. The gear selection is indication of experience. We all know guys with legs and no real skills.
Monday at 10:34pm · Like · 2

Myles Romanow Hmmm.....first if you said it happened that way im inclined to believe you.

That being said...as a cx promoter....bad start line, looks like maybe too many people, a turn shortly after the line and grass (?). Accident waiting to happen.

Im inclined to believe no one is that dumb on purpose. If you are going to try to take out your competition the start line is probably not the place to do it.
Monday at 10:35pm via mobile · Like · 3

Adam Rodkey Guy in orange? I wouldn't say intentional take out. But very aggressive/sketchy move. HE got sketchy, then stuck HIS elbow into the guy(s). Very bad move. We have an overly aggressive sketchball in the elites too. Not fun to be around.
Monday at 10:37pm · Like

Scott Bond Starting grid was skewed --- you had a pinch on the left 100 feet into the start - when the course turned left -- and a full on funnel....
Monday at 10:37pm · Like

Doug Hamilton Looks like bad bike riding to me....to big a gear, nervous, all those guys piling in from the left......he suddenly found out his line wasn't where he thought it was and boom!
Monday at 10:39pm · Like

Matt Kraus all I see is a bunch of guys who dont look very good and one poorly balanced clip in
Monday at 10:40pm · Like · 4

Merlyn Townley That looked pretty intentional to me.
Monday at 10:50pm · Like · 1

Richard Sachs .
Yeah what Matt says atmo. Couple this with that it's 1) a Cat 4 event and, 2) it starts on grass (not pavement...) and you should expect anything. PS crashing is part of CX and no one there looks like they had a hint of malice. Being Cat 4 Masters I think it's a case of inability meeting inexperience with a dose of way-too-many-fucking-people-in-such-a-tight-space.
Monday at 10:51pm · Like · 7

Richard Sachs .
PS You look skinny DW atmo.
Monday at 10:54pm · Like · 1

Myles Romanow if you really want to take someone out of a cross race you can do it in a turn or run them into the tape. You don't fall on them on the start line risking yourself getting run over and your bike smashed. did you intend to stick his elbow out ? Absolutely. but it wasn't because he wanted to take someone out, it was because he is a total jack tard on a bike
Monday at 10:54pm via mobile · Like · 1

Don Walker One last reminder; the guy that caused it is leading in points. He knows a bit more about starting than you 're giving him credit for.
Monday at 10:56pm via mobile · Like · 1

Richard Sachs .
DW - the cat is leading for points in a CAT 4 Master CX event. What he knows about starts and 'cross almost runs counter to this. If he "knew", he'd more likely be racing in an experienced group atmo. We all have to begin somewhere, and it looks/reads as if he is still beginning.

xxoo -
Monday at 10:59pm · Like · 3

Mike Otte Don , I don't even race bikes and it looks pretty sketchy to me. I think you should send him some training wheels.
Monday at 11:00pm via mobile · Like

Merlyn Townley And while they are cat 4's they could also be "expert" in MTB racing....
Monday at 11:02pm · Like · 4

Rich Weinstock Watched it frame by frame on a large display. Doesn't look intentional... Just a total spaz move.... And I've seen worse starts. eRichie calls it right. this post is just way too emotional. Dealing with it in the parking lot? really? Thats the kind of behavior that deserves suspensions.
Monday at 11:15pm · Edited · Like · 2

Myles Romanow Just did the same. It looks like he hit a tire track and went a bit sideways. The guy in the black and green actually was ahead of him for a bit, and he took him out amidships...

Although, I've got to give a huge shout out to the ground crews on this one. Nice fly over bridge. Thats way cooler than a straight asphalt start line that doesn't have parked cars in the middle of a turn 15 feet from the grid.

@coursesetupfail.
Monday at 11:10pm · Like · 1

Shamrock Cycles Falling happens. Roll with it and race your race. John and Fred were both on my bikes and in my jersey that race. They were two of the last people to get going because they were right behind the pile up. They battled through 30 to 35 plus guys and finished strong and happy. That's how it is done.
Monday at 11:11pm · Like

Don Catlin Love the guy with one arm! My hero
Monday at 11:14pm via mobile · Like · 3

Eugene Olson WTH was that must of came from a bmx background.
Monday at 11:15pm · Like · 1

Brian Hitchman That's cat 4 racing for you and s narrow start. Sprint a little harder for the hole shot.
Monday at 11:18pm via mobile · Like

Shamrock Cycles His name is Charles Scott McDonald and he is 100% bad ass.
Monday at 11:19pm · Like · 1

Wes Oishi That's bike racing.
Monday at 11:22pm · Like

Matt Falwell Beat the crowds and have plenty of room on the start line at the barkley bootlegger Nov 3rd. No sandbagging and plenty of beer and moonshine!
Monday at 11:26pm · Like

W Whitney Bazemore DW - I am with you. That move deserves a post race parking lot meeting for sure...
Monday at 11:30pm · Like · 1

Michael Williams Ok, it was cat 4 but still the guy is an ass hat. Not acceptible.
Monday at 11:36pm via mobile · Like

Dean Frieders I did the full screen/hi-res thing too. I don't see his tire hit a rut. I see him steer into the guy next to him, as soon as the guy next to him starts to pull ahead. Looks pretty damn iffy.
Monday at 11:38pm · Like · 1

Ato Thej I was all prepared to disagree DW, if only for argument's sake, but nope he's a dick. And as I would have been in a parking lot meeting for sure
Monday at 11:38pm · Like · 1

Scott Kalkman Racing Incident. Get over it!
Monday at 11:39pm via mobile · Like · 1

Shamrock Cycles It ain't Professor Plum in the Library with the candlestick and it ain't the grassy knoll. It is crash in a bike race. I was there and I am fairly confident there was zero ill will intended. Circus move? Perhaps. Intentional? I seriously doubt it.
Monday at 11:44pm · Like

Rich Weinstock Again with this cat 4 post race parking lot crap... This post is really effin irritating. Rubbin is racing. Go race your effin bikes and HTFU. Train like gladiators and ride to win. And most importantly, have fun... Off the field, Be nice. Be nice to your fellow racers... Socialize... Help others.
Monday at 11:46pm · Like · 1

Ato Thej Of course this is facebook and no one is forcing you to read.
Monday at 11:50pm · Like · 1

Rich Weinstock Deb Schiff - Thoughts?
Monday at 11:58pm · Like

Steve Stewart That's an asshole with an elbow. 100% intentional. Video does not lie.
Yesterday at 12:12am · Like · 1

Sean Coffey Ride with some honor. if you're so desperate that you need to throw elbows at the start of a 40min race, you're weak.
Yesterday at 12:48am · Edited · Like · 2

Craig Thomasian Not a racing incident. Avoidable contact. Needs to be penalized. Other methods of penalty can be employed.
Yesterday at 1:13am via mobile · Like · 1

Jim Glose That's pretty damn blatant contact. I'm with you on the punishment side.
Yesterday at 1:17am · Like · 2

Adam Laurent Going against him: One usually does not lean that hard left when touched on the left. Going for him: It is a Cat 4 race.
Yesterday at 1:21am · Like · 1

Bill Richardson blatant, straight disqualification required.
Yesterday at 2:21am · Like · 1

Paul Adamson That's the kind of BS that young, beginner racers do. Shameful. The best you can do is make a spectacle of him on youtube so the world can see what a douche bag he is.
Yesterday at 3:06am · Like · 1

John Young He went in aggressively with an elbow. Douche move. I suppose "that's racing" but there's a few assholes in racing. Future career cAT4 sandbagger man-bitch right there. Still not sure about the crash...poor bike handling skills? Looks like a guys front wheel washed out on him when he got hit?
Yesterday at 5:05am via mobile · Like · 1

Don Walker Folks, I appreciate all your comments and insight. I don't want to get into the whole entire "well, thats racing" debate on this. Yes, accidents happen in races, for sure. If we've raced, chances are we've been accidentally taken out, and yeah, it sucks. I've done the frame by frame analysis and imho, this is clearly a hook, imho. I see an elbow, and a continued left heading even after contact. If I bumped someone doing 35 on the drome, I don't keep bumping them all the way to the rail or to the apron, I back off and hold my line, because again, crashing hurts and I have to go to work tomorrow... I still say this was absolutely intentional and this ass hat needs a suspension. As for the parking lot "discussion", I bet he understands everyone's point after its over. just sayin.
Yesterday at 7:42am · Like

Jeremy Brown I believe I got the worst end of that deal. I understand the whole "cat4 noob" issue, but I'm racing cat 4 and I'm not a bicycle/racing noob. I can handle a bike fine, just like some of the other "cat4 noobs". I don't take offense to being called a noob, mind you, I'm simply reminding you that it's a mixed bag of athletes. Some are VERY strong cyclist who are starting out in CX and required to race cat4. As far as the offender is concerned, I don't know his experience level but losing balance in that situation is highly improbable unless you are 5 years old and learning to ride a bike. Do some of you folks really thinks it takes a lot of skill get your bike rolling from a dead stop without falling over? I'm not advocating pitch forks and torches but something needs to be done about that guy whether it was intentional or not. If it wasn't, then his ass needs to be on the back row, not the front. Because of him, I'm out of training/racing for a few weeks, out of a brand new rear wheel, and god knows how much money for my ER visit.
Yesterday at 7:47am · Like · 1

Don Walker Great point Jeremy. However, during the reply, he doe's look like he throws an elbow long before he "loses his balance", imho. One last, last comment; His remount and acceleration away from the incident tells me that it wasn't too big of a gear.
Yesterday at 7:53am · Edited · Like

Dean Frieders I'm with Sean Coffey...with one edit.

Ride with some honor. If you're so desperate that you need to throw elbow at the start of a 40 min CAT 4 RACE, you're weak.

My edits are in caps. I say this as a Cat 4 rider.
Yesterday at 8:13am · Like · 1

John Young I don't get some people. If I were fast enough to be winning a cat4 series I'm fast enough to upgrade and that is what I would do. I just started getting to the front 25% of cat4 races. Looking forwsrd to the back half of CAT3 soon.
Yesterday at 8:30am via mobile · Like · 2

Myles Romanow @dean frieders...Let's really look at it. See those two deep tires tracks in the grass? Those are the two yellow trails that go perpendicular to the start line...As he runs over one, he gets all sideways and cockamammy and then goes nuts. Next analyze the rest of the clusterfuck. I can count 9 guys on the front row, with maybe a few more. (Tough to tell). I can see three cars parked into the course, separated by snow fencing. How someone didn't fall on the car and loose teeth I'll never know. Then I see a turn and a funnel 20 yards into the course, and another turn 20 yards further out.

And a really nice flyover in the back ground.

The promoter should get a parking lot meeting.. Seriously. Great flyover, try making a safe/UCI compliant start. (while I know it's not a uci race.. the regs are there for a reason.. check em out at uci.ch)

And finally. Seriously guys? It's a cat 4 race. That means beginners. No cat 5 cx. Why the promoter is keeping series points for cat 4 I will never know. And beyond that... would we be having this conversation @Don walker if your buddy got the center row call up and not the extreme left hand side? If the rolls were reversed would we be saying to your friend that got hurt, "hey we should beat you up in the parking lot?" Thats just pathetic, you should all be ashamed of yourselves.

While I Agree that we all have jobs, and no one likes to get hurt, I think the insinuation that this was all some sort of bag job is ridiculous. The guy that was seriously hurt was 4 bodies in, so you think the guy in teh center took him out deliberately from 4 guys away? I've seen a lot of shit in my years racing, but the crap flying around this post takes the cake.
Yesterday at 8:51am · Like · 2

Jeremy Brown @Myles, evidently you didn't read my post. I agree that the design of the course start was poor. I even heard some race officials acknowledging that fact before the race. One official asked if they should move the line up and another told us to be careful of the rider to our left because they had nowhere to go.
Yesterday at 9:02am · Like · 1

Jeremy Brown Those tire tracks you spoke of weren't deep at all. Certainly not enough to get all out of balance like that. I don't think he was trying to take me out so much as he was taking out the Rogue guys right next to him. I was just the last domino.
Yesterday at 9:03am · Like

Myles Romanow But sweet flyover huh.
Yesterday at 9:04am · Like

Jeremy Brown i only rode it twice in practice but, yes, it was a lot of fun.
Yesterday at 9:05am · Like

Myles Romanow Look, if you really think the move was intentional then you take it up to the officials and suspend the guy. Easy. If the officials think the course design was poor and/or dangerous, then it was their duty to change it and or make is asafe, and or prevent the start. Thats their job. PRoblem? Sue for medical damages.
Yesterday at 9:06am · Like

Myles Romanow (you missed the point on the flyover)
Yesterday at 9:06am · Like

Jeremy Brown i have already done so. Thank you for the advice.
Yesterday at 9:25am via mobile · Like

Christopher Neil Morgan Looks pretty straight forward to me. SAD! Sorry you got hurt Jeremy, heard about it. Only think that kept me out of it was missing my callup which made me end up on the right side.
Yesterday at 9:31am · Like

John Young PS @Jeremy sorry you got hurt. It supposed to be for fun and blow off some steam.
Yesterday at 9:36am via mobile · Like

Myles Romanow Exactly... it sucks that someone got really hurt at this, and I'm sorry you have to miss work, etc etc. No bueno.
Yesterday at 9:37am · Like

Jeremy Brown thanks guys. Im glad no one got any worse than me.
Yesterday at 9:44am via mobile · Like

Don Walker Myles, its not pathetic if you take into consideration that the guy who CAUSES the incident is leading the points series and that the two guys he takes out are in striking distance from him. I find that its just too much of a coincidence to be a random accident. The parking lot discussion has always been an option in bicycle racing, and I've seen it happen a few times in my lifetime, too.
Yesterday at 10:00am · Like

Myles Romanow But youre calling for what amounts to vigilante justice over what may have been a total accident.

In a cat 4 masters race
Yesterday at 10:07am via mobile · Like

Christopher Neil Morgan I think you are reading into what Don is saying. I think what he is saying is we need to discuss the idea of sportsmanship and the purpose of CAT4 masters racing with this guy. We all have families and jobs. We are racing because we love bikes... Not for the saddle or crankset you get of you win!
Yesterday at 10:18am via mobile · Like · 1

Myles Romanow "Imho the offender needs a suspension, and also to be dealt with in the parking lot by all those affected.".

Sooooo.....exactly how should I take that? We're going to have a nice chit chat by the minivan and share some milk and cookies?
Yesterday at 10:28am via mobile · Like

Don Walker dealt with = discussion. sometimes they get solved without a single blow being thrown. Again, we all have jobs to go to on Monday and no one likes showing up with their eye dotted or a broken nose. If 5 or 6 guys show up and let him know what he did was stupid, he should get their point.
Yesterday at 10:33am · Edited · Like · 1

Christopher Neil Morgan Nope. Thought he was gonna hire a hitman. Ha
Yesterday at 10:31am via mobile · Like

Scott Hirshorn looks like a pretty standard CAT4 Masters race to me... LOL
Yesterday at 10:32am · Like

Myles Romanow Confronted by a gang is always the best way to solve a problem
Yesterday at 10:53am via mobile · Like

Don Walker Myles, its not a gang. I think you are reading ay too far into it. Solving issues like this in a parking lot rarely comes to blows. If you look at how many people this sh*theads maneuver had effected, that's the number of folks that need to remind him of his mistake. Its not about a gang beating. Its about making sure the ass hat doesn't do the same thing ever again and he understands that the folks he's wronged have a name and a face and a voice. plain and simple.
Yesterday at 11:15am · Like

Christopher Neil Morgan But if were a gang it would be a cool gang!
Yesterday at 11:17am via mobile · Like · 1

Don Walker Cat 4 Masters Gang Fights. "When you're a Jet, you're a Jet all the way...."
Yesterday at 11:18am · Like · 3

Scott Hirshorn yes!!!!! more stuff for cyclists to argue about all day long!
Yesterday at 11:19am · Like

Scott Kalkman So....."dealt with in the parking lot" means a respectful conversation. Oh! I see my understanding of the language is lacking. I mistakenly assumed there was hostility in that statement.
Yesterday at 11:33am via mobile · Like

Don Walker You take it away from families and children and anyone who might be offended by language and/or fisticuffs, should they break out. Hey, this isn't Rec League Ice Hockey where we just deal with it on the ice....
Yesterday at 11:35am · Like

Jason Garneret More visuals to let you decide. Jeffrey Jakucyk caught it in hi-res, hi-speed still shots. http://jjakucyk.exposuremanager.com/g/highlights_misc_53#l_dsc_8457_1_1_20_3_1

Highlights & Misc.
jjakucyk.exposuremanager.com
Click to visit gallery
Yesterday at 2:38pm · Like

Matt Kraus the guy become unbalanced and instead of looking forward to avoid he looked next and thats the way his bike went. Elbows are a normal reaction when your gonna bargy someone.
Yesterday at 2:53pm · Like

Jimmy Flaherty shit's totally intentional. I've got a BMX career littered with taking people out and that shit was obvious. typical cat 4 take down though as he couldn't stay clear of his own mess. unfortunately it's a standard OVCX situation of some shithead sandbagger that has to be a winner at something in his life. congratulations boss, you're the best beginner.
23 hours ago via mobile · Like · 2

Monday, October 15, 2012

Joe Hall Again!

How many times do I have to mention Joe Hall. He is the ultimate sandbagger. He was recently upgraded to Cat2 road (EDIT: AUTO Upgraded), but he continues to dominate and race Cat 3/4 cross. When will his tirade end?


On another note, here is an awesome startline crash.