2016 San Dimas Stage Race, Stage Two

The heat was certainly turned up for today's Stage Two road race in and around Bonelli Park. Upon reflection I sometimes find it hard to believe that I could have ever raced at even half the speeds I saw today. As you know, when the speeds go up so, often, does the danger level. Racers may be on edge, at their limit, with less room for error. Take for instance an incident that happened at the corner shown in the photo above, and occurred during the Cat 4 race, though did not involve Aaron Preski of OTR Racing - he just happened to make for a good illustrative shot. Anyway, the big bunch of Cat 4s had raced on by and I had pivoted in the direction they were taking through the Raging Water parking lot on their way to Heckler Hill. Suddenly I heard another racer coming downhill fast and into, what should have been, the right hand turn. The problem is he didn't turn. Instead he yelled; I don't remember what it was he yelled, but it was probably very much like what I would have yelled given the same circumstances. You can probably imagine. Instead, due to a front wheel issue preventing him from turning, the racer went straight, over a low concrete curb, across the dirt verge, into a log pole "curb" which caused both he, and bike, to take flight. 

I expected the worst. With some hard and immovable pepper trees in the vicinity of his flight path, not to mention a very nasty looking corrugated pipe, I expected him to be shredded and broken. I took a quick glance at the nearby volunteers, but they didn't seem to have noticed the commotion; anyway they had not moved from their seats. Alright then, I guessed it was up to me, even though I was sure an EMT at best, or a surgeon at worst would be necessary. So I ran, and pretty darn fast - my legs are still aching, but by the time I got to him he was on his feet and striding out of the briar patch - bloody nose, bloody mouth, but I didn't see any teeth missing, hanging loose, or on the ground. His legs were moving, his arms were moving - in the normal fashion, and when I asked the usual dumb question - are you alright?, he was cognizant enough to answer yes. When I told him I was sorry but missed the shot, and asked if he would maybe do it again he, and in hindsight I can kind of understand, declined. Anyway dude, whoever you were, I hope everything is all right.

Jeff Konsmo (Hot Wheels Factory Team) wearing the Yellow leaders' jersey, leads the Masters 45+ race along Puddingstone.

Breanne Naider (Visit Dallas DNA Pro Cycling) Women Pro/1/2/3 rounds out onto Puddingstone.

Attacking off the front on Heckler Hill.

Alright, with one hundred fifty-five photos Flickr album for stage two is now complete. You know the drill - the photos in the album should be considered representative of all the photos taken during the day, rather than a complete catalog. If you don't see who, or what, you were looking for just let me know and I will see what I can find among the rest of them.