Sportives - Shameful Behaviour

[fossyant]

OK, some of us have done it, turned up and ridden an event route at the same time one was on. I have, and that was the Manchester 100, but I did not take any of the freebies etc. etc. and it's not a proper Sportive anyway and I have paid before.

Well, last weekend there was a Cheshire Sportive on. The organiser is well aware folk do start and complete the route with paid riders, he's OK with that But:-

A group, from a club turn up in a posh BMW and a Mercedes van with bikes, at the HQ. They procede to ride the event, then back at the finish, go into the HQ, and rather than just have some of the food they just help themselves and stuff their pockets emptying tables. This gets spotted and were followed out to their vehicles. They refused to show event numbers. Worse was one of the offenders was a club sponsor. The club secretary has also refused to name and shame.

This lead to some of the paid entrants not having any food.

This just isnt fair. Bad enough it's another local club !

I may pop the link in !

 

[StuAff]

What a bunch of.....

 

[Mallory]

Al & Claire have really been screwing over this..


To make matters worse the culprits were Tri Atheletes

 

[frank9755]

Sportive cover-up!
Organiser makes allegations but, rather than naming those responsible, makes a general slur on all clubs in the area. Why on earth does he not name the club responsible - if only for the sake of all the other clubs who now fall under suspicion?

 

[zizou]

That is pathetic behaviour - they should definitely name and shame!

 

[Hacienda71]

Cheeky fekkers!

I am intrigued to know which club it was.

 

[Mallory]

He's not naming the club as he doesn't want to tar all members of that club with the same brush

 

[Peteaud]

name and shame, especialy on social media.

 

[fossyant]

It's just one club, and a few members from it.

Not being funny, but that's just not on. OK have some food, but to clear tables ? WTF. I used to be a club secretary and the clubs 'other' members would be mightily hissed off with this behaviour.

It's not a long 'established' club like the Wheelers/Clarion.

 

[Philip Whiteman]

I recently had similar at an audax. At least five riders just turned up and rode rather than pay the £5.50 entry fee. I have to cover my own costs such as route checking, hiring of venues, etc. Letters were sent to the secretaries of the offending clubs of which there were two. One person was directly challenged, an apology was received and the offer of a donation given.

Such behaviours harm the viability of future events if left unchecked - especially where they are low cost, not-for-profit and arranged in the organiser's own free time.

 

[potsy]

That is really not on, I can understand not wanting to tar every other member but maybe it needs doing in this case

 

[ianrauk]

You've got to be some sort of arse knowing you haven't paid and registered for the ride and to then go helping yourself to all the food.

 

[DCLane]

I've paid for all the events bar one that I've done - the Manc 100 as per Fossy. However, for that we met outside, rode the route but stopped and paid for lunch elsewhere and didn't use any of their support/facilities at all. Several of us who rode that day had also registered anyway.

Turning up en masse and basically stealing is the sort of thing that can give clubs a bad name.

 

[GrumpyGregry]

You've got to be some sort of arse knowing you haven't paid and registered for the ride and to then go helping yourself to all the food.

But like most arses they clearly don't know they are arses let alone what sort of arse they actually are. They probably think they are elbows.

 

[G3CWI]

Turning up en masse and basically stealing is the sort of thing that can give clubs a bad name.

That's the word that I was thinking of in the situation as described. It seems amazing that there are no photographs of this pillaging.