Bringing Out The Worst In People

Just like how every year right around Christmas time, parents start to go nuts and will do just about anything to pick up the hottest toy that year, Leadville 100 is starting to bring the worst out of people. Came across this article today, and had some mixed thoughts about it. While I applaud the ingenuity of Wendy Lyall for figuring out a way to poach Leadville using a former racers number plate, and doing God knows what else to get her way past all the sign in steps where she could have been figured out, I must say she is an idiot for doing so well. If you are going to poach a race, part of the whole poaching process is not getting caught. Guess how she got caught, by getting second in her age group, receiving an award, and taking part in the podium ceremony. In short she screwed the poach pooch.

If you want to read how to poach a bike race, go find a back issue of Bike Magazine, and read the article about how Chopper poached this past year's CrossVegas on the ShitBike. He waited for the race to start, made his way on the course, got in a couple laps, then slipped away without the officials being aware. Yes publishing this story in Bike Magazine, does alert the powers that be about the poach, but I'm sure Bike does enough advertising for CrossVegas, so all was forgiven. Enough of that tangent, but I do feel Lyall (who I'm sure was aware she was riding really well), could have stopped a mile or so from the finish, and allowed a few ladies to pass her, then gone on and finished to avoid this whole mess. Now she and the gal who's number plate she used are never allowed to race at Leadville again.

I wish I could say that I was shocked to hear this kind of story related to Leadville 100. The race has just blown up, and in some way had gotten a bit out of control. Now you have people potentially facing criminal charges for their actions at the race. How long until someone who hasn't gotten picked from the lottery for a few years in a row doesn't show up with an ether rag to take out some racers and try to get their spot? Will we ever see Leadville entrances go up on eBay (you can already bid on the buckles on eBay)? In a way I am saddened that a mountain bike race is bringing the worst characteristics out of people, but at the same time I enjoy the fact it is happening to Leadville 100, and the race director has to take some time away from counting his money and kissing Lance's ass to deal with some problems.