Overheard at Rosena Ranch Criterium on Saturday

[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.