baker vs. meyerson at nats

[karl_27376]

so, the cyclingnews.com and velonews.com reports don't metion anything about the tussle between jonathon baker and adam meyerson.

baker went down in a big 180 corner on the first lap (the one just after the turn around the tree). meyerson was right behind him, and ran into baker and went down too. they got up and were tugging at their bikes - there was a pedal tangled in spokes - and exchanging some choice words. baker finally got free, and as they were starting to remount, baker throws a big right roundhouse at meyerson, and it looked like it landed square on the left side of meyerson's face. meyerson said something about baker getting suspended, and they both rode off.

i can't say for sure that baker made contact because i was directly behind him, but it sure looked like he landed the punch.

[TedH]

He was listed as "DNP" on CN.com, so maybe Baker got bounced pending review. Not sure what DNP means (did not place?), but a guy from Indiana also got DNP.

[pretender]

Everything I've read about him makes it seem Baker is a pretty intense dude. But throwing a punch, bad idea.

[celeste55]

I was right there. It was epic. THE best part was when he got back on his bike, his chain was off, and he was just spinning there. Then the next lap, me and some friends heckled him when he rode by the same corner, and he ate **** again. EPIC.

[PeanutButterBreath]

Same Baker and AMH in this necylocross thread from last year?

http://sports.groups.yahoo.com/group...s/message/4473

If so, weird.

[carlosflanders]

I noticed that Baker was way. way behind when they went through the runup at the first lap. Myerson battled gamely throughout the race - I seem to recall a mark on his face. Baker seemed to vanish. Either got pulled or just gave up.

[iktome]

The punch was definitely an overreaction and way out of line, but Myerson did give Baker a pretty good push right before as they were yanking on their bikes (at least it looked like it from where I was standing).

[carlosflanders]

Punching is usually an automatic suspension. Could be anything from 6 weeks to a year.

This could ruin Baker's European trip and shot at competing at World's. Does Myerson need to complain? Somehow I don't think it's the first time he's been punched. I'd hate to see Baker's trip ruined but punching somebody, shove or no shove, is way out of line and all cycling associations are very intolerant of this.

Other points of note at the race: apparently there was some sort of a scuffle between some Page supporters and one of the bare-chested guys.

Marko Lalonde sprinted for 10th place and wasn't able to brake in time before ploughing into a bunch of spectators and knocking over a middle-aged lady. Neither were injured but I felt that the organisers should have done a better job of making sure that the group around Trebon were located a safer distance from the line.

[Susan Walker]

Originally Posted by carlosflanders

Somehow I don't think it's the first time he's been punched.

Why? He's the sweetest guy. But yeah: http://www.kenpapai.com/cycling/rbr/adamsStitches.html

[tjanson]

I saw some of the Page supporter vs. stupid drunk dude in suspenders near the parking field.
The guy was heckling stupid stuff during the Page interview. I was 8 feet away from Page when it happened, and saw him pause, then ignore the heckles and continue with the interview. Gosh it pissed me off so much. I yelled a few "yeah JP"s to try to counter the negativity. The guy was yelling stuff about how Page never performs at nationals and always has excuses or something like that. Then I saw the scuffle in the parking lot.

[the mayor]

I wasn't there this year...but I understand the drunk that got in the scuffle is the same guy who got in one last year( I watched it happen ...and he got what he deserved).

As far as people being run into after the finish....at what point do people think it's a brilliant idea to walk onto a race course, and usually with their backs to the oncoming racers????
You see it at bike races all the time...and I've seen it at motorcycle and car races ,too.And it always comes down to,"the promoter should have stopped me". Pure proof that evolution has stopped working.

[PeanutButterBreath]

Originally Posted by the mayor

As far as people being run into after the finish....at what point do people think it's a brilliant idea to walk onto a race course, and usually with their backs to the oncoming racers????
You see it at bike races all the time...and I've seen it at motorcycle and car races ,too.And it always comes down to,"the promoter should have stopped me". Pure proof that evolution has stopped working.

http://winsorwhitephotos.smugmug.com...70_UdLeL-XL-LB

[colinr]

Originally Posted by PeanutButterBreath

http://winsorwhitephotos.smugmug.com...70_UdLeL-XL-LB

I know you're a big fan of terseness in posting, but that picture looks to me like people running through a course crossing behind a racer. The only reason I can tell it's not a course crossing is because they're in a sand pit. Nevertheless, they're on the course behind the only visible racer, so you'll have to elaborate on how this is a clear sign of the apocalypse.

[the mayor]

Kids don't count.
You can always make more....which dumb people seem to be very good at.
Sometimes I feel like I'm sitting in Darwin's waiting room.....

[colinr]

Originally Posted by PeanutButterBreath

Its three small children scrambling in at least two different directions on course in the middle of a race. If that doesn't seem like a problem to you, far be it from me to impose my opinion on the matter.

Looks like a spot that could be trouble though:

http://winsorwhitephotos.smugmug.com...55_4B27U-XL-LB

I'm secretly excited by the idea of striking a misbehaving child while racing my bike, so no, it doesn't seem like a problem to me -- rather, an opportunity.

[PeanutButterBreath]

Its three small children scrambling in at least two different directions on course in the middle of a race. If that doesn't seem like a problem to you, far be it from me to impose my opinion on the matter.

Looks like a spot that could be trouble though:

http://winsorwhitephotos.smugmug.com...55_4B27U-XL-LB

[carlosflanders]

Originally Posted by the mayor

As far as people being run into after the finish....at what point do people think it's a brilliant idea to walk onto a race course, and usually with their backs to the oncoming racers????
You see it at bike races all the time...and I've seen it at motorcycle and car races ,too.And it always comes down to,"the promoter should have stopped me". Pure proof that evolution has stopped working.

fwiw, a large crowd congegated around Trebon about 30 yards after the finish line. Photographers, soigneurs, relatives, journalists etc. This is what Lalonde was trying to avoid. Racers are entitled to sprint for a place and shouldn't have to deal with this. I've marshalled at finish lines at other events and we always were told to usher racers on to a safer place, not allow folks on the course and get them off asap if they came on. They were there for quite a while, plenty of opportunity to at least "try" to move them on.

[pretender]

Originally Posted by carlosflanders

fwiw, a large crowd congegated around Trebon about 30 yards after the finish line. Photographers, soigneurs, relatives, journalists etc. This is what Lalonde was trying to avoid. Racers are entitled to sprint for a place and shouldn't have to deal with this. I've marshalled at finish lines at other events and we always were told to usher racers on to a safer place, not allow folks on the course and get them off asap if they came on. They were there for quite a while, plenty of opportunity to at least "try" to move them on.

It is understandable for friends and family and press to be excited and forgetful in the moment. And yes it is the job of course marshals to (politely, cheerfully) herd people away from the finish line. There are ways of doing this without spoiling the moment.

The photo PBB posted is meaningless. If the photo was the kids in front of a racer, it would mean something.

[PeanutButterBreath]

Originally Posted by pretender

The photo PBB posted is meaningless. If the photo was the kids in front of a racer, it would mean something.

Only if you think there is an appropriate time for three small children, beyond the reach of their guardian, to be on a race course at a large event, especially in a technical section where they could stumble and be delayed in getting out of the way or distract someone and cause a crash.

Note also that there is a safer (grass) crossing area just up the course (perhaps where the errant kid is headed).

You can't see far enough down the course in the angle of the photo to make a meaningful conclusion about how close other racers might be. Besides, why do they appear to be in such a hurry and why they chose pass behind that racer so closely if the coast was going to be clear 2 seconds later?

[pretender]

Originally Posted by PeanutButterBreath

Only if you think there is an appropriate time for three small children, beyond the reach of their guardian, to be on a race course at a large event, especially in a technical section where they could stumble and be delayed in getting out of the way or distract someone and cause a crash.

Note also that there is a safer (grass) crossing area just up the course (perhaps where the errant kid is headed).

You can't see far enough down the course in the angle of the photo to make a meaningful conclusion about how close other racers might be. Besides, why do they appear to be in such a hurry and why they chose pass behind that racer so closely if the coast was going to be clear 2 seconds later?

I am right and you are wrong. Unless you have a photo of the kids directly interfering with the race. Oh, that's right, you don't.

[tomk96]

Originally Posted by PeanutButterBreath

Besides, why do they appear to be in such a hurry and why they chose pass behind that racer so closely if the coast was going to be clear 2 seconds later?

if i need to cut across a course, i rush whether somebody is coming or not. maybe daddy is calling them to hurry up and run across.

i understand your point, but the pic doesn't really support anything.

[carlosflanders]

Found this

http://tinyurl.com/56o4m2

The bearded guy looks like the same guy who was shirtless earlier on

dunno exactly what's going on, but someone is trying to ruin a dozen Richard Sachs bikes

[PeanutButterBreath]

Originally Posted by tomk96

if i need to cut across a course, i rush whether somebody is coming or not. maybe daddy is calling them to hurry up and run across.

i understand your point, but the pic doesn't really support anything.

And perhaps the woman with them scolded them for not staying close.

I don't know and neither do any of the experts who have chimed in to argue that the picture doesn't prove what nobody said it proved in the first place. Just an example of spectators on course when and where it would be prudent to stay behind the tape.

[the mayor]

So...uhmm....how about that Baker vs Meyerson incident?!?!

[Littletinytrainingwheels]

Originally Posted by carlosflanders

Found this

http://tinyurl.com/56o4m2

Is there vid of that? I read that Page's wife stuck one of them in a head lock.