Thetford MTB winter Series 2011/12

stylish

I was doing bottles for one of the very quick 4 hour riders, (he started at the back, led for a lap and then parked it) and he was telling me he had alot of trouble getting through traffic, but nothing a simple please and thankyou didnt sort.
I had to chuckle at the number of riders who went balls out to the line for a sprint finish with the rider in front, only to see that person carry on as he/she was in a different category!
My dad was out taking pictures, and he was telling me of a rider in blue who was shouting "race leader" at everyone he encountered, in the 2 races i did there seemed to be a alot of them........

Pirahna

My first winter series and traffic has been bad at every race. I find it hard to get past slower riders but then I'm not too quick and I'm sure faster riders struggle to pass me, that's what happens on races. The advantage I have is that by a cruel twist of nature I have the looks of a psychopath and a build to back it up (I'm nothing like that at all) so nobody says anything to me.

I'd love to come across the bloke who elbowed my wife off the track though. I've spent many years track racing and will guarantee my elbows are for more dangerous than any elbow he's encountered before.

stylish

I only did the first 2 rounds, and got involved in someone elses accident in round 1, got took down then hit by the next rider along as i was trying to get up, he didnt stop or ask how i was, just swore and rode off, that did annoy me a bit at the time. In the same race on lap 1 there was some youngster (I Know who it is) was shouting 2 hour race leader to all and sundry on his way round, at that point in time he was a long way behind the lead bunch!

I love the Thetford series, its great fun, local and always well attended, now i dont profess to being anything more than an enthusiastic amateur, but there do seem to be a hell of a lot of potential world champs out there on a sunday!

johnnycash01

I'm not condoning barging or swearing. But i do accept that when you overtake, or are overtaken, occasionally you bump into each other.

Pirahna

johnnycash01 wrote:

There are always people who are not happy with the approach of overtaking riders, and their manners. But, while I appreciate it is not pleasant to be shouted at and barged out of the way, this is a mass start race and not a time trial. People are pretty pumped up with adrenaline and overtaking doesn't always go as you'd like but you have to get past and if you choose a spot thats not ideal and it goes a bit wrong, what are you supposed to do, stop and apologise? Its not a normal environment, its a competitive one.

An interesting view. So pushing people out of the way and swearing at them is acceptable behaviour? Fortunately most people, including the race organisers and don't agree. Overtaking is a skill, pushing women around is something thugs do. I'll be riding the MSG races this year, if you'd like to push me around drop me a PM and we can meet up beforehand.

evo3ben

Overtaking is part of racing, not being able to overtake is part of racing, waiting till the right time to overtake is part of racing. Swearing and barging people out of the way is definately not part of racing no matter what way you look at it. Its just not acceptable.
The foul mouthed abuse i have heard come out of racers mouths at Thetford over that past four races is in all honesty disgusting. Fortunately none has been aimed at me and only got cut up badly just once but what i have heard people say to others is unreal.
It wont stop me racing at Thetford but if someone was new to racing i would not recommend them to race there as a novice.
As for doing the MSG series, they dont do one over the winter thus why people race at Thetford. Also, the MSG series less competitive?? Its the Eastern Series just like the midlands series or southern series etc. Just as competitive as each other and all being a British Cycling official competitions with the chance of claiming BC points

VWsurfbum

I didnt get round to doing any of the thetford races for one reason or another but for what johnnycash01 has said its why i dont enjoy racing as much as i should.
I Ride for fun, I ride to enjoyment, what has been described is not fun.

pilch

I have been lucky and not experienced too much of this, in general the majority of people are polite and patient within reason, that is the guys that ARE quick & experienced not the wannabees who think they are racing gods, pushing past you only to blow up 10 minutes later.

spursn17

Deep breath in, start rant......

I took part in the 2010/11 series last winter and thoroughly enjoyed it.
This winter I've noticed a change in the way some of the faster riders are behaving, some of them (my perception is that it's more than a few of them) are pushing the slower riders all over the place. I know I'm not the fastest rider out there and always try to give way to someone coming up behind me if I can, without endangering myself or the other rider.

In race one I got pushed in to the trees by a rider that was trying to overtake as I was going through a 1 bike wide gap between 2 trees on the singletrack.
In race four I was overtaken by someone who barged me sideways going across a dry ditch about halfway round the course.
Both of these moves I considered were unnecessary and were only the tip of the iceberg. If we had numbers on our backs at least we could identify the overly aggressive riders.

Also I was getting fed up with the pompous g1t who was shouting 'senior leader, senior leader' as he was coming up behind everybody as if it was the equivalent of a blue light and siren on a police car and we all had to pull over for him. I was in awe of his bike skills, but I bet he's a pain in the ar5e to live next door to!


Am I right in thinking that in the 2010/11 series the 2 hour race was completed before the 4 hour started, or am I getting mixed up with the MSG series (which was really good and didn't seem to have this problem)?

If so, I think that there may have been too many riders on the course this year. In the 3rd race this year I didn't get any problems and everyone was good natured, was this because the course was a little bit longer at 7.5 miles and riders were more spread out?

I won't be doing this series next year as at nearly £100 for entry fees, and a 150 miles round trip each race, to get treated like dirt by some riders just doesn't appeal to me any more.

Rant over, sorry :oops:

C0LL0

THis was my 1st WS, but I have to say I loved it, didn't have any issues with being passed with regard to physical abuse. In race 2 when a leader shouted track right I left enough room, only to be told "get off the f#cking track then" :evil: he didn't come back to make me move.

That was my only issue, but heat of the race I can understand some frustration, but as I move to allow a safe pass thought it was out of order. But in round 3 I miss timed a move and hit a tree forcing me back on to the track forcing the rider I was passing to stop, but was a mistake nothing more than that.

I'll be back next/this year to do it again, maybe even do the 4 hour for a laugh, I also have a 2 hour drive each way but is well worth it when the day is done and I'm aching having a beer in the evening.