Paarl Leaque's kamakazi commisaire!

[pererace70]

 

...

I still don't know why the Elits struggle with it so much...

 

I know why I don't agree with it, I don't enjoy facing on coming traffic. But I also don't like the way the comm handled it, that was spiteful. There are other ways to do it, maybe like ride next to the group slowly closing the gap- force us to move, but that was pretty scary from my side. I managed to ride over the comm's rear view mirror, pretty hecitc!

 

Also hectic was a Daiken Gu rider who found it necessary to sprint into me, very uncalled for, and apparently some riders went down behind us too.

 

[Johan Brits]

Is only the Elites influenced by this? What about the results for the other racers?

[Willehond]

...........  I still don't know why the Elits struggle with it so much.  ...

 

do not take it personally or see it as a fight but I think the Elites has a bit more racing involved than SV. I think with the racing being faster and more unpredictible it is more difficult to control the race....personal opinion on that.

 

AL, I think you are confusing racing with bad riding.  Faster and more unpredictable does not create guttering.  Riding at the back when you are not strong enough to go to the front to avoid the gutter usually causes guys to cross the line.  It is a sign of weakness, not strength.

 

If the front guys are over the white line it is of course a different matter, but it does not sound like that was the case.

 

...and yes I take it VERY personally.   I love my racing and even though it'd not as fast as Elites, the racing is great and a big step up from the alphabet time trial racing.  I had a blast today with lots of attacks and tactics in sub-vets, what was your race like?!

[Jason]

You chaps must come race up here in the North... That white line rule is non-existent! It's crazy... We have trucks, cars, busses, motorbikes, other cyclist not participating sometimes helicopters and even ships coming from the opposite direction and whoevers throwing the gutter doesn't give two sh*ts!

 

Sometimes I feel like pulling out cause my balls start tingling and I fear the worst! I dunno, it's crazy. Riders should start getting race bans... You get caught you miss the next 2 or 3 or however many races and tough if it's SA's or whatever important race! It's either that or your life.

I'm guilty but I don't have an option, I think.

Jason2008-02-17 11:39:48

[Skye]

 what was your race like?!

Well said, What race

[AuctionLamb]

...........  I still don't know why the Elits struggle with it so much.  ...

 

do not take it personally or see it as a fight but I think the Elites has a bit more racing involved than SV. I think with the racing being faster and more unpredictible it is more difficult to control the race....personal opinion on that.

 

AL' date=' I think you are confusing racing with bad riding.  Faster and more unpredictable does not create guttering.  Riding at the back when you are not strong enough to go to the front to avoid the gutter usually causes guys to cross the line.  It is a sign of weakness, not strength.

 

If the front guys are over the white line it is of course a different matter, but it does not sound like that was the case.

 

...and yes I take it VERY personally.   I love my racing and even though it'd not as fast as Elites, the racing is great and a big step up from the alphabet time trial racing.  I had a blast today with lots of attacks and tactics in sub-vets, what was your race like?!

[/quote']

 

Agree...but do not wanna fight about this white line stuff....it is getting boring now!

 

Race was good.....was sitting happy chappy in the second bunch checking Moolman doing his thing! Worked my butt in the race!!! NOT NICE WHEN YOU HAVE A GUY IN YELLOW!!

 

and then the race does not count!!!

AuctionLamb2008-02-17 11:43:22

[pererace70]

My race was just really painful, there was lots of attacking the entire race, or was I in a different race to AL?

 

I'm happy I managed to hang on 'til Hels where I broke away, (off the back), for me that's a good result. The whole season I've struggled, mainly due to Oukaaps!

[Willehond]

AL, you have my sympathies!

 

Anyway, before I get flamed:  I agree that the comms was heavy handed and out of order!  Also, I think he should have done things like the SV commisaire who warned us and used his siren a lot.  I was impressed.  Officials need to catch a wake up!

 

...and I like that full road closure idea.  Get it for us GrootLem!!!!

[Racing Hart]

racing heart' date=' the rugby players have to stay ON THE FRIGGIN FIELD and not cross the lines on the sides. your "field" is the allocated section of road. really this is NOT FSCKING ROCKET SCIENCE!!!!!

 

now a REALLY REALLY REALLY simple question - no long answers needed - it's really a "yes" or "no" one:

 

DID YOU OR DID YOU NOT SIGN A RACE ENTRY FORM IN WHICH IT STATED THAT THERE WAS NOT ROAD CLOSURE AND THAT THE WHITE LINE RULE WOULD BE APPLIED???????

 

gee whiz, you lot behave like a bunch of friggin nursery school kids having temper tantrum cos you want to play when you're meant to eat, etc, etc

 

the only reason the vets are better is that they've actually started to GROW UP!

 

and this applies in gauteng as well as the cape

 

 

[/quote']

 

Do yourself a favour and go to europe just to watch how racing gets organised and how well it works... You really need to change your mindset about cycling its not just about fun riding.. its also about doing it proffesionally/competively.. which cycling is really should be about..

 

Go to europe and see persons who RIDE for the fun its more than happy just to get out to a proffesional race and watch them RACE... they have their own rides that is non competitive where they really can have fun..

 

So maybe is that where cycling here has to move too seperating the RACING from just for fun RIDING.

The big benifits are that they can have 5/6 bunches instead of hours long lines and bunches of cyclists frustrating motorist, and also to have it maybe in a criterium type lap and do 1 race at an time and ensure that everything is under control and perfect safety.. Its also a lot more spectator friendly which encourages the reacrational riders too come and watch the racing.

[ewep]

Racing Heart, who is going to pay for your road closure and prize money if we, the poor fun rider, can't ride as well? Remember, WE are the majority, not you.

 

 

 

Secondly. You can only dream to race like the Euro pros. So don't expect the crowds to come and watch!

[Racing Hart]

firsty that why I encourage the recreational riders to pitch up to watch the race..spectators causes bigger sponspors and that causes much much more proffesiolism and that leads to bigger and better racing..a lot more than what they can do for cycling than riding for fun way behind and seeing bugger all of what happend. I am not saying they should have their events, they deffnitly should and organising those event should get just as much if not more attention than the profesional/competive(bad term: "license" events)

 

secondly we can!! we proved that in langkawi several top10, 5th team on GC and 9th overall on GC not to bad for "DREAMERS?"..And again in worldsview! Race 3 : 1st 4 going to South african as well as lot of other real good results!

[Racing Hart]

also look how young the SA pro peloton is..herman fouche, christoph van heerden, john lee augusteyn, Daryll impey, Nolan hoffman, jacques janse van rensburg, jaco venter, johan rabie all a believe has a really good chance too turn pro continetal al the least.. as well as a few promising first years yet to prove themselves against the pro's and also some names I cant recall at the top of my head right now Racing Hart2008-02-17 12:32:27

[Willehond]

Racing Heart, I like the way you dream.  I also dream of being a racer in Europe. 

 

Unfortunately they have a completely different cycling culture to us where cyclists are respected and appreciated.  Here we struggle to get any respect as we suffer from the South African disease of entitlement.  We believe we own the road and we fight it out with the cars.  Ignoring rules negotiated with traffic authorities (who often don't like us!) will only kill cycling.  Not make it like Europe.  We have to work with what we have.

 

Just saying we all have to wake up only alienates the people you look down on (fun-riders, as you call them).  Insults never really help to convince people of your opinion, but then again maybe you don't want to convince anyone, just fight?

[wheels]

Lets get a meeting with the officials. We are not children. Thanks to Chris Willemse who took over and gave us a save ride home. No problems with any cars. Lets nominate 4/5 persons for this meeting. GL,Chris Willemse and ???.

[Icycling]

I have not done 1 league race this season or funride except the 99 - a bit more road control and a ride I was paid to start!

 

 

 

I ride killarny and I was more than willing to start the TDB this past week - an fantastic event.

 

 

 

1 of my new year resolutions was not to ride events unless their was proper road control.

 

 

 

PPA rules are clear stay left of the white line at all time - that is to try and form a habit if some PPA ride you can ride where you want to and other you cannot imagine the confusion! SSubs rides each weekend would stop if PPA tried to get roling road closure! Remember also unlike TDB where their was 1 bunch of racing cyclist PPA leagues have several which would all want the same thins - not to mention the funrider!

 

 

 

Funride should not be races - but rather events like the TDB should happen more often for the racing cyclist in the country - CSA I hope you can try and somehow find way of getting more people like Lem to organise events of this nature and then the standard of SA cycling will improve - I believe the budget for the event was almost zero so it can be done!

 

 

 

PPA league could soon go CSA here the opportunity for you to step in and organise races.

 

 

 

Cyclist - racing one - speak with your actions if the PPA "races" are not safe dont ride - ride Killarny - it is safe or events like the TDB - I have done that. Altenatively all cyclist obey the rules and dont go over the middle line - but this takes ALL RACERS, but it starts with yourself.

 

 

 

I write this in my personnel capacity.

[Racing Hart]

Racing Heart' date=' I like the way you dream.  I also dream of being a racer in Europe. 

 

Unfortunately they have a completely different cycling culture to us where cyclists are respected and appreciated.  Here we struggle to get any respect as we suffer from the South African disease of entitlement.  We believe we own the road and we fight it out with the cars.  Ignoring rules negotiated with traffic authorities (who often don't like us!) will only kill cycling.  Not make it like Europe.  We have to work with what we have.

 

Just saying we all have to wake up only alienates the people you look down on (fun-riders, as you call them).  Insults never really help to convince people of your opinion, but then again maybe you don't want to convince anyone, just fight?

[/quote']

 

thats where I believe your wrong!!! cycling is a huge sport in South africa! We have the biggest cycling events on entries in the worlds..nothing elsewhere touches that..apart from a race in italy that attract an odd 20 000.. look how many races we have attracting 10 000+ entrants. We should just focus on getting cycling spectator friendly and to once again seperate a race from an fun ride becuase presently its not working to have an all in one event. it just creates massive logistical problems..

 

and the term fun rider is not an insult  at all they do it for the fun of it, don't they??..and for what ever reason from leading a more healthier lifestyle to doing something social.