[sanjuro]

I was reading about GravityFreakTJ's account of his race, and I am curious to know if it is ever acceptable to block in an XC race.

Now while I am very competitive in road, I have only done one XC race, just for fun, and I didn't care if anyone passed me.

I just don't understand when someone is clearly better than you, why do you need to stop him from coming around. Maybe if this is the last hill before the finish, but especially in the beginning or someone from another class...

 

[Heidi]

To let your teammate win!

 

[Captain Cogset]

Unless you are nearing the finish line of the race, I would consider blocking someone from passing you as poor sportsmanship. Road racing and mountain bike racing are different. Road racing involves team strategy, MTB racing is pretty much a solo effort. If you aren't fast enough to stay ahead of someone, it is uncool to not let them by. I have had people try to block me from passing before and the end result was them crashing into the bushes when I passed anyway.

 

[blue]

Unless you're in a hypercompetetive category where you and another (or a few others) are all on equal terms to win, blocking is kinda lame...(really lame if you're blocking someone from a different cat).

 

[sanjuro]

Road biking is much different. Since road courses never funnel down to single file (I did crash once at a race which funneled down to a single lane), there should be no reason why you can't pass, as long as you are strong enough.

I did win a pack sprint by taking the lee side of the road, forcing any rider to pass me into the wind. I also won a prime once by "hooking", by drifting over to force the passing rider to go even farther around me. It is illegal to come off your line during a sprint, but I moved over slowly and only a few feet, so I was able to avoid the wrath of the marshall (and of course, no one crashed).

 

[GravityFreakTJ]

If someone is behind me and the are obviously faster than mei will let them go as soon as the trail allows by pullin right and sayin take my left etc. Now if the don't make the pass pretty damn fast all bets are off but if you are faster than me you should be right there, it should be no problem. I have had trouble with very few racers but the one at Bump flat pissed me off.

 

[MtnbikeMike]

I there a link to the story somewhere?

 

[sanjuro]

http://www.ridemonkey.com/forums/showthread.php?t=156622

 

[The Toninator]

blocking is verboten unless you’re sprinting for the win. that is acceptable.
it rarely happens to me, a person actually blocking, but in those rare instances there are several actions you can take.
#1. Rub their back tire and say ‘Oops Thorry’ – repeatedly
#2. Run into their back tire and say ‘Oops Thorry’ repeatedly
#3. Elbow them in the back of the head no apology

 

[douglas]

I've done 30 or so xc races I have never encountered anyone blocking

 

[MtnbikeMike]

Yeah that guy was in the wrong by blocking. He was off the pace and was plugging up the singletrack. It's not like it was in the final mile, in the heat of battle or anything.

That makes me think about how guys in races I do will take off like a bat out of hell and race for the singletrack, then blow up. It's not that they block or anything, but they don't readily move out of your way :mumble: And the thing is they do it every race, and are always finishing way down.

But anyway, bottom line, that guy should have moved.

 

[GravityFreakTJ]

But anyway, bottom line, that guy should have moved.

and he did after a little "nudge"