Overheard at Rosena Ranch Criterium on Saturday

[SheFly]

Just came across this great read: http://marijndevries.nl/?p=4457#comments. It certainly doesn't jive with the original observation about women racers .

SheFly

[smilingcat]

I still think that men tend to be far more aggressive and far meaner than women. And the put downs and insults they hurl at each other, not that we don't do it.

Just to set the facts straight, my current PT visit has really nothing to do with cycling. It's just well, I'm in lot of pain and no mobility like its glued together.

And my second collar bone break just over ten years ago is from a training ride.

I guess the point is, I was pretty aggressive as a rider and paid for it. But on scale of things, I'm still far tamer than the men.

[channlluv]

Just came across this great read: http://marijndevries.nl/?p=4457#comments. It certainly doesn't jive with the original observation about women racers .

SheFly

Holy moly. Does not jive. Not one little bit. Ha! I love the photography at the top. Beautiful pictures.

Roxy

[solobiker]

I used to be a fairly aggressive rider...but now that I am older I am more cautious and don't push the limits. I have only raced a few times and had fun but found that I enjoy just riding without the race aspect.

[tulip]

When I raced, there were aggressive riders and they won races. There was also an a whole culture of backstabbing and petty rivalries in the women's racing scene. It pretty much turned me off from participating in the sport after 4 years in it. Oh, and never winning was a turn-off, too.

Not sure if the pettiness and backstabbing was part of the mens's racing culture. I didn't get the impression that it was.

[limewave]

Yeah, I learned there was some pettiness and backstabbing going on as well--and here I thought we were all good friends and it was friendly competition! I knew something was wrong when I kept getting accused of being extremely competitive. It didn't sit well with me and I couldn't figure out why until I found out about all the nasty talk and backstabbing going on!

I have since separated myself from those people. Biking is my happy place. Racing is where I challenge myself. I have friends in the racing scene, but I keep them at arms length . . . for now.

That being said, I do have a couple of friends that I enjoy racing with and I have a few that I enjoy racing against. The difference is their personalities. Some of them enjoy the competition, the others enjoy the companionship.

I think the guys take things less personally, and that's the difference. And they are reckless. A psychologist once explained to me that: Girls fall on their head and they learn a lesson, to be more careful. Boys fall on their head and they think it was a fluke.