The guys who actually threw the beer, and generally acted like assholes, well, they sacked up, and apologized. It was sincere, and to the point.
I honestly believe them, and they seem like good dudes who genuinely love cycling, and cyclocross.
I respect that. Own your fuck up, and move on.
On the other end of the spectrum were both the photographer that documented the events, and the organizers of Cross Vegas themselves.
The photog, whom I will not name, as he does need any more attention than that he is already given, actually tweeted out that he wanted an apology for being blamed for instigating the situation.
We're sorry! Sorry you're a dick!
And the organizers went on Twitter and, in the words of some very Southern gentlemen I happen to know, shit and fell back in it.
They had the Everest-sized balls to say the racers themselves shared in the blame. WHAT? Are you serious? How the FUCK do the pros, who were out there killing themselves in 100 degree heat, bear ANY responsibility for having beer, among other things, thrown on them?
That's as stupid as trying to put your pants on over your head.
The organizers' argument was that the racers who participated in some early races took the beer handups, and this behavior led to the beer spraying.
Huh?
That's in the same vein of, "She was wearing a short skirt, so...." (And don't take umbrage to this statement! If you can't figure out the VERY loose association, then it's a YOU problem!)
Handups don't lead to beer throwing. I've been to myriad races that haven't devolved into fraternity parties. Hell, I've been to myriad Frat parties that didn't involve the base behavior that occurred at CXVegas.
One argument was that the racers should "Stop taking it so seriously...", in reference to the racing, and the beer throwing. Really? Top level pros should just lighten the fuck up?
I guess these folks won't mind in Sven Nys, Lars Van Der Har, and Katie Compton come to their jobs, and spray beer all over their cubicle...
It's little more than an attempt by Cross Vegas organizers to defer blame.
They said the would be releasing a "statement" today.
If they have a brain in their Vegas desert, sun-baked, little brains, it should be a very sincere apology, and an admission that they should have acted to end the abhorrent and disrespectful behavior as soon as possible after it began. (It didn't happen for 5 or 10 minutes. It went on thru the entire evening.)
Admit more security, and less booze, were needed, and move on.
Blaming the very folks who were wronged doesn't help ANYONE!
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
TVH and I met Saturday morning, and did a ride that could only be consider damp, and muggy.
It never rained, but between the wet roads, and the 439% humidity, we were both soaked once the 70km was complete.
And the dumb was strong Saturday morning. Between the fat women in the minivan, and the FratBro in his daddy's Infinti, who ran the stop sign in the middle of the neighborhood, I'm shocked we made it home in one piece. Or two, as it were...
I guess gameday brings out the DERP in people...
Once back to SC, I worked in the yard for a while, then took a nice nap. It was good.
A nice little group met Sunday, on a cool morning. It was spitting rain, but not enough to be concerned with...until...
Once on 12th, the actual rain started, and grew stronger as we pushed South. Kevin and Tim had planned to turn around at the end, as it was Kevin's first ride outside since being nearly smushed by a car a month ago, and they did. TVH turned with them.
The rest of us went about 250m further.
Once we saw that there was an entire crew working on the bridge, and took the rain and wind into account, it was decided that The Cycling Gods were sending us a sign to go home.
So we did.
We chased back the other three, and we all rode in together.
A planned 100km turned into 40km. I was cool with that.
And as normally happens, the rain stopped, and the sky cleared about 30 minutes later.
Have a solid Monday! I have stuff to do...
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