Watching the USGP in Portland back in December, I saw a handful of racers, all in the elite men's race, doing this thing that I thought was odd. As they were flying down the paved start/finish straight, they were sticking their right arms out, bent at the elbow so their hands were pointed downward, and furiuosly waving their right hands.

I thought that was a bit odd, but didn't put a whole lot of thought into it. But then I was just watching last years WCs and saw both Page and Vervecken doing the same thing.

What is that? Are they flicking off mud from picking up dirty down tubes? If not that, what then?

Does anyone even know what I'm talking about? I barely do.

Probably trying to get the blood back into their frozen, numb fingers. There were no run ups in PDX so it wouldnt have been from muddy down tubes.

Probably trying to get the blood back into their frozen, numb fingers. There were no run ups in PDX so it wouldnt have been from muddy down tubes.

It seemed to get colder in the early afternoon both days, and some of the elites weren't even using gloves. Or maybe I was just getting over being warmed up from my race. :p

Yeah, that seems pretty plausible. But why just the right hand?

Yeah, that seems pretty plausible. But why just the right hand?

if you let go the bars with both hands in a cross race, often you crash:thumbsup:

if you let go the bars with both hands in a cross race, often you crash:thumbsup:
Yeah I get that part smart-ass. Thanks for the physics lesson.

Hey, that video that's on Molly's site=awesome! Good find.

I flap my right hand and wriggle my wrist because my thumb gets numb and my wrist tightens up when holding on to the hoods going over the rough stuff.
I usually role the shoulders and shake my arms to release tension.
I figure the right arm and hand is common because most people favor there right.

It's the hand that I want the warmest so I can shift effectively. :thumbsup: