Well... my first crash in a race anyway.
Only about 5 minutes into a 40+5 crit - I was taking the outside line on a high speed turn launching into a long climb. I was in the front 15 or so and feeling good. Suddenly this kid 2 bikes up freaks and cuts wide, taking out the rider in front of me... and me! We were doing about 25 mph - I flipped completely over the guy in front of me, landed on my back and head, and slid off the road. Despite all that, I'm fine - just a few scrapes. I hopped back on the bike, but my front shifter was bent in so I couldn't get the chain on the big chainring. One of my seat rails was also bent so my saddle was all lopsided. I got up the hill and went to the officials and asked for a free lap - they said go to the wheel pit. Right when I got there, the field was coming around again and the official there said get back in now or your out. I tried but without my big chainring I just couldn't catch them.
I found the kid afterwards and gave him $hit. He said somebody else took him out, but I told him from where I sat it looked like his fault. He muttered something as I rode away so I went back and asked him what he said. He just clammed up, so I figured I made my point. I was actually quite restrained, although I'm sure the kid still thinks I'm an @$$hole.
I started racing road races last year but avoided crits because of the reputation they have for crashes. People told me don't worry about it, so I started doing crits this year. Every crit I've done I've had a crash happen right in front of me but was somehow able to keep from going down. They finally got me in my 7th crit. The funny thing is that where it happened was like the last place I would've expected any problem - then boom it just happened so fast it was over before I even knew what was going on.
Have I officially been initiated now?
Was I an @SShole to the kid?
Am I a dork for caring?
Man, now I need a new saddle!
Only about 5 minutes into a 40+5 crit - I was taking the outside line on a high speed turn launching into a long climb. I was in the front 15 or so and feeling good. Suddenly this kid 2 bikes up freaks and cuts wide, taking out the rider in front of me... and me! We were doing about 25 mph - I flipped completely over the guy in front of me, landed on my back and head, and slid off the road. Despite all that, I'm fine - just a few scrapes. I hopped back on the bike, but my front shifter was bent in so I couldn't get the chain on the big chainring. One of my seat rails was also bent so my saddle was all lopsided. I got up the hill and went to the officials and asked for a free lap - they said go to the wheel pit. Right when I got there, the field was coming around again and the official there said get back in now or your out. I tried but without my big chainring I just couldn't catch them.
I found the kid afterwards and gave him $hit. He said somebody else took him out, but I told him from where I sat it looked like his fault. He muttered something as I rode away so I went back and asked him what he said. He just clammed up, so I figured I made my point. I was actually quite restrained, although I'm sure the kid still thinks I'm an @$$hole.
I started racing road races last year but avoided crits because of the reputation they have for crashes. People told me don't worry about it, so I started doing crits this year. Every crit I've done I've had a crash happen right in front of me but was somehow able to keep from going down. They finally got me in my 7th crit. The funny thing is that where it happened was like the last place I would've expected any problem - then boom it just happened so fast it was over before I even knew what was going on.
Have I officially been initiated now?
Was I an @SShole to the kid?
Am I a dork for caring?
Man, now I need a new saddle!