Conference noted::bicycle

    This is one thing I don't like about racing in the U.S.  The
    race organizers are always trying to save every second, so they
    risk mixing up the packs all the time.  Italian races don't 
    have this problem -- if the course is long, they'll separate
    classes by 15 - 30 minutes.  If it's short, they run the races
    independently.  (But I could go on and on about how much better
    organized things are in Italy -- it shows when a sport is a
    national passion, rather than a quirk.)
    
    As far as getting a ruling goes, I think you're out of luck.
    The rule that packs should stay separate is unenforceable near
    the finish line.  It's a shame, but inevitable, that somebody
    jumped after the Vet breakaway, and mixed things up.  The guy will
    certainly claim that he was starting a breakaway of his own, and
    the vets "just got in the way".  It situations like this, you
    just have to make the best of it.
    
    What I'm trying to figure out is how the Vets would hurt your
    chances of winning the sprint....

    MATT

    	The vets were slower in the sprint I had to go around almost
    all of them. My pak try to stay together up to the sprint. once
    the sprint started everyone was picking there own line. it was hard
    when you have about 15 vets to go buy. I was thinkin about getting
    a lead out by a vet. But I did not want to japerdize my finish.
    I know it is against the rules to use another group to get avanage
    So I did the best I could.
    
    Mike
    

    	re 1202 I said that if it wasn't for the vets I would of gotten
    first. I meant if the vets were not there I would of gotten first.
    sorry.
    
    Mike

I raced a a Master 45-55 that day and watched the finish of the CAT4 and VETS
races. 

First there was not a VET break of 5 riders. The field that you passed was the
lead VET group.

Second from what you explained it sounds to me one of two things occurred. The
CAT4 field slowed down after passing the VET group to set up for the sprint,
which allowed the VET field to close and mix in. Or the VET field took pace off
of the CAT4 field then mixed in. Or, I have done enough VETS races to know that
at the end of a race the pace REALLY picks up thats why your field was caught.

At the end of the race they seperated you into different groups and used the 
"honest" system to pick the winners. Mark Hegan who rides for laughing alley
has not lost a race this year as a VET and he was picked 3rd. He clocked a
54 min 40k TT two weeks ago, he also won the district crit, and was last years
RR winner. Believe me Mark was not very happy with Sunday's results either.

Now if I were Tom Vinson I would have DQ'd all the VETS and awarded no medals.
The VET field should have slowed way down allowed you guys to have your own
race. With 5 miles to go it would have been no problem for the VETS to do this.

Some VETS are slower in a sprint than CAT4's but some VETS are also FASTER
in a sprint than CAT4's. Also last year a VET won the CAT 1-2 Barkeaters stage
race in NY last year
            

/Charlie

    	The guy that won the VETs group was from pro-bike. He was out
    to win that. he is one of the best vets out there now. This guy
    did not make it to the district crit race. but if he did he would
    of place high. He finish 4th at putney. 4th at Jimmeny peak race.
    4th at greenfield race. all road races. He has been pushing hard
    to win the district. He will be going to the national. Bear MT.
    	WE as the cat VI never caught up to him. The only time we seen
    him was at the sprint at the finish line. I was leading the cat
    VI by the Vets And I never saw my team mate ( pro-bike ). I ask
    him and he said there was a break away. they were 2 mins in front
    of the vets. So they slowed down for the final sprint. 
    	AS for the cat VI we passed the vets and was keeping a good
    speed up around 28 m/hr. The commint that came from Tom Vincent
    while passing us was you had your chance. But they never break away
    from us. they just blended in with us. I ask that question at the
    day of the race why they didn't leave us alone. They gave no answer.
    maybe because Tom was in the wrong. And he didn't want to deal with
    that. I think they should of put offical in the pace cars. For a
    race like this they did a bad job running it. If they had a cammra
    at the finish line they would of pick out the winners with no problem
    hopefuly they do a better job next year.
    
    Mike

    No photo finish?!!!!  It's incredible how half-a**ed USCF races
    seem to be.  Hanging out, waiting for the photos to be processed
    is one of the grand traditions of cycle racing.
    
        
    MATT

             
        I also raced in the CatIV race at the Districts in Brimfield
    and I was suprised at the organization of the race.  Although they
    did have all aspects of the race covered, it seemed that all of
    the 'little things' that you would expect for a Championship race
    were just not done...    Everything from the registration to the
    pace car support and even the porta-poddies seemed to be set up
    with the attitude of just barely providing adequate service.
    
        I must confess, I've never tried to run an event of this magnitude
    myself but it seems that the USCF could learn a few things from
    those organizations that run thr tri-athelons and bi-athelons in
    this area.  Even with all of the short cuts that were taken to get
    the race going I still expected to have adequate coverage at the
    finish so that we could list the top ten racers in each division...
    just wishful thinking.
    
        Steve

    I too raced the Districts at Brimfield, and I too was
    surprised--pleasantly.  The last time I road MA/RI Districts was
    1985, when the senior race was cancelled midway through.  At Brimfield
    the course was better and the police were friendly.  
    
    Groups mixed because there were too many groups started on a loop
    that only took an hour to complete.  The officials were trying to
    accomplish too much in too short a span of time.  
    
    As for the "championship" status of districts--women, juniors, and
    seniors were there to qualify for Nationals, and maybe pick up
    a medal.  Vets and IVs were different, since vets don't have to
    qualify to ride age category Nationals, and IVs can't ride Nationals.
    
    Districts are a race run by officials rather than promoters.  Almost
    by definition then, districts are not going to compare in quality
    to races where there is a real prize list and a more sophisticated 
    picking system at the finish.
    
    I'm actually kind of grateful that there was a race.  I ran the New 
    England Championships in 1974, and I swore afterwards that I would 
    never organize another race.  You can't appreciate the amount of work 
    that goes into putting on something like that until you try it 
    yourself, which most riders are unwilling to do.  Why anyone would 
    want to drive a support vehicle for the sole reward of seeing a race 
    take place is beyond me.  Why anybody would want to be an official is 
    beyond me.  But try having a race without either of these.
    
    The solution might be more $$, but where are they going to come from?
    People are already complaining about higher entry fees and license
    fees.
    
    By the way, congratulations on at least nailing down third.  Sounds
    like you won't be a IV much longer.
    
    Justin
    

    	About running races. Our club runs four races in april. All
    the races are in brimfield. We run the races very effectivly. We
    don't use any equipment to determend the winner. They pick five
    winner for each group. running races don't have to be that hard.
    you only need people that are willing to help and know what has
    to be done to get a good race going. You don't ask people the day
    of the race to help. thats to late, and they usely have something
    else planned. For the district race I think they should go and ask
    every club to send people to help out. make it part of the entry.
    if you are in a club and you want to race in the race you get some
    of the other club members that are not racing to help out or get
    some of there friends to help out. If they do this there would be
    no problems in not having enough help. They can start now to plan
    for next year race. I think that this will give them at lot of time
    to think of everything that needs to be done. I like the course
    they picked out it has everything from flats to hills. Great course.
    
    Pro-Bike
    Mike