Crash at a Crit

[Rob3rt]

[QUOTE 2623954, member: 30090"]I'd say not getting your line right through a corner and panicking is a basic error.

What makes you think I have not rode a crit?[/quote]

Maybe there was a component of basic errors, but even the best make those from time to time!

 

[Buddfox]

This debate reminds me of the comments often made about Cat 4 races in the UK, which are described regularly (on here) as a bit "crashy" (or words to that effect) due to the inexperience of the riders. Unless I am mistaken, there's a crash pretty much every stage of the Tour de France. Even if you're the best bike rider in the world, you still sometimes make a careless error. I expect the crash per event ratio is higher in pro events than it is in Cat 4 events in the UK!

 

[oldroadman]

That's entirely possible. But consider, 60 or so riders going round a circuit, which should help keep them familiar, essentially because tyey enjoy racing. Compare with 200 pros on a road stage, differing road surfaces including pave, gravelly, concrete with gaps (welcome to Belgium!), changes in road width, up and down, 22 - 25 teams (depends if 8 or 9 riders, generally only GTs have 9) with their agenda. This is usually get the sprinter or GC guy in the front 25 where it's a bit safer. Road max width varies between 8 and 15 riders so overall it's no surprise that pushing and shoving happens, and someone might make a mistake. Different environment, superior bike handling skills (Schlecks, some Souh Americans, and nameless others excluded!), but sometimes things go a bit wrong.
Similar results, different comparison. If you put 60 pros round a circuit, the chance of a fall off would be drastically less than a race full of lower category and relatively inexperienced amateurs. Fair comparison in UK, the Tour Series, 50-60 riders in 5 rider teams, flat out, tight and technical circuits, very few fall offs.

 

[Buddfox]

All true - but I think the point remains that even experience riders will sometimes make 'basic' errors

 

[oldroadman]

Depends what you mean by a basic error - overlapping wheels in a peloton, which in close company is a bit dodgy, but try getting out of that when it's 200 riders close packed and someone else's brake lever is digging in your backside! In that sort of situation everyone has simply to triuts everyone else, in pro racing that happens but the lower down the levels you go, the more the chamce of panic moves because people are not confident in themselves or others, entirely understandable, hence crashes happen with small fields on closed circuits where there is really no need. Add to the mix a few strong but race-craft less newcomers, and it can all happen.