Trouble microbrewin' at 'cross race

by Sir Flatsalot on Nov 3, 2009 11:05 AM EST

Hey, long time no talky, what the hellio?!? Oh yeah, that was my fault. So here's the story so far: The Cross Crusade is in full swing in Portland Oregon USA and the Halloween race is the stuff of legend. It's well known in cycling circles and the Crusade forum that if you show up on costume day and race without a costume, at the very least you'll be heckled mercilessly. Maybe more. Well there was that more and more Sunday Nov.1st. The event is a 2 day race about a 100 miles from Port. at Astoria on the coast so there's a whole lotta beer being drank/drunk/spilt/spewed/etc. SOooooooooooo..here's the problem. As the day wore on, and got more clear and sunny, the crowd got more rowdy towards the non-costumed riders but at the same time cheered even louder for the costumed ones. By the 3pm Mens A race the boo's and f-you's turned to full-on beer facials,silly string in the face and a coupla of reports of actual beer cans being thrown. I know I would have been super pissed off if that happened to me every lap but hey, you're warned ALL YEAR LONG to prepare for the worst. Since it 's a 2 day race you can go Sat. and shred,then go home and throw out the Sun. race ( you get to throw out 3 races this year). No one get's hurt. So there you have it. Thoughts? www.crosscrusade.com

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Personally, if someone hit me in the face with a beer while I was racing

I would dismount, tear their fucking lungs out, then resume riding. But that’s just me, I tend to be a little tense during races.

I mean uh... hasn't that ever occurred to you, man? Sir?

by Drew Davis on Nov 3, 2009 2:51 PM EST reply actions

No, I think that's pretty reasonable

by Sui Juris on Nov 3, 2009 3:18 PM EST up reply actions

agreed, pretty reasonable response to a beer can thrown in your face

now on the other hand, good heckling at cross races is art.

by lyne on Nov 3, 2009 3:23 PM EST up reply actions

To be sure

And that kind of support I never mind :-)

I mean uh... hasn't that ever occurred to you, man? Sir?

by Drew Davis on Nov 3, 2009 3:56 PM EST up reply actions

I wonder what Wellens thinks about being heckled mercilessly...?

Oh yeah, that’s right, now I remember.

by brunopitton on Nov 3, 2009 5:49 PM EST reply actions

Ha! Yes

video (700 KB)

by tedvdw on Nov 3, 2009 5:54 PM EST up reply actions

Muahaha I so love the :O and hehe faces

What do you fear most?
1. coup d’etat
2. putsch

by Frinking on Nov 3, 2009 6:02 PM EST up reply actions

stripe hehe face.

the twinkling eyes + mocking face

What do you fear most?
1. coup d’etat
2. putsch

by Frinking on Nov 3, 2009 6:04 PM EST up reply actions

That guy does have a twinkle in his eyes.

by brunopitton on Nov 3, 2009 6:22 PM EST up reply actions

Bahahahaha

"If I were World Road Race Champion, I would wear black shorts. That probably has more to do with me being on the wiser side of 30 and understanding better that the decisions I make now never really go away. White shorts would not be something I'd be proud of...." - David Millar, in Rouleur.

by Albertina on Nov 4, 2009 5:58 AM EST up reply actions

As someone who has to monitor such things at races,

the heckling and such, have at it! Throwing items at the riders – especially cans or bottles, not cool. Not safe and as a rider or fan bystander, it’s a bad image for the race.

We tend to have a few snowball fights here as our season rolls on and we have been creating quite the scene on our heckler’s hills with fun hand ups and even beer hand downs this past weekend but we have basic rules like no glass or metal on the course itself and we encourage full blown heckling but no impeding a rider’s forward progress. You can have a blast and heckle but seriously, safety should be a laid down priority for all.

I'm ready for this road season to wrap up. Bring on Cross!

by nikki on Nov 4, 2009 1:10 PM EST reply actions