Masters Chumpery

From the WSBA listserv:

rom: XXXXX
Date: Fri, Mar 19, 2010 at 1:53 PM
Subject: Re: [WSBA] Rules on Neutrals?
To: XXXXX


Actually the Ladies didn't catch us. It was the 2 or 3 riders in the break away for the ladies cat 1,2,3 that caught us. When we slowed down for several miles due to the officials slowing us downthe pack then caught us. Funny how we passed them later on and they never got close again.

Kevin

My first reaction was "Seriously?" So you didn't ger caught by the ladies except you did. But you didn't really get caught because the officials slowed you down? I think you are confusing cause and effect. The officials neutralized you because you were caught by the womens break. You didn't get caught because you were neutralized. You were neutralized because you were caught.

If it is that much of an ego blow to get caught by the women? Bicycle racing is not done (usually) at full tilt. You go fast. You go slow. And then you go fast. I've been in Cat 1/2 races that were caught by the women before. Cause we were going really slow. And then we went fast. It happens.

Anyway I am sure that your awesome 48th place was because of all the hard work you did keeping those women at bay after the officials stopped "slowing you down". Which, just to be clear, is a backhanded way of saying it's rather clear that the women had no impact on your actual result and that you're just whining to rationalize your unimpressive result.

If it bothers you that much you should probably find a better fit like touring were you can ride your pace all the time and then impress your friends with stories of all the women you successfully dropped cause you are *so* fast.