Spectator Series: The Thrill of (Someone Else's) Victory

 

This memory came up on my fb feed the other day. It is from the 2019 Nevada City Bicycle Classic, the last edition of that race. The following year, the Covid brought the races' lengthy run of years to an end, cancelled as were so many events that year, and it has never been able to recover. I would like to think it is a case of very long Covid, and time will bring it back, but with each passing June the likelihood of that seems to grow less likely. Domestic road racing just seems to be locked in a long-term downward spiral. 

The photo does not show the faces of the racers, and the action is all from behind, yet this remains one of my favorites. It captures the excitement of a race finish from the perspective of the spectators. Her nearest competitor has been left behind, dropped on the uphill sprint as the race winner powers the final few feet to the line (marked by the large inflatable finish arch seen on the left). Meanwhile the eyes of each and every spectator is glued to the leader, even the person holding the phone camera has abandoned it so as not to miss the live exploit. They all lean into the course, the better to see, the better to bring them closer to the action. Smiles abound; maybe some of them know the victor. More likely, though, they are simply excited and happy to share in the moment of victory.

Sometimes the race does not need to be the focus; sometimes what is happening on the sidelines can tell the story just as well.