Sportives - Shameful Behaviour

[Garz]

Phillip- thank you for the comment on our website. I don't publish comments on the site but your words were spot on.

Where is this information?

It seems a shameful occurrence which for the benefit of everyone needs to be addressed so it doesn't happen again. This club should put on their own event - for free
with the culprits providing the food for all to eat!

 

[Crimmey]

Im dying to know . I even went through car park piccies to see the van and shop/sponsor but couldnt match a club with one i found.

 

[Herbie]

OK, some of us have done it, turned up and ridden an event route at the same time one was on. I have, and that was the Manchester 100, but I did not take any of the freebies etc. etc. and it's not a proper Sportive anyway and I have paid before.

Well, last weekend there was a Cheshire Sportive on. The organiser is well aware folk do start and complete the route with paid riders, he's OK with that But:-

A group, from a club turn up in a posh BMW and a Mercedes van with bikes, at the HQ. They procede to ride the event, then back at the finish, go into the HQ, and rather than just have some of the food they just help themselves and stuff their pockets emptying tables. This gets spotted and were followed out to their vehicles. They refused to show event numbers. Worse was one of the offenders was a club sponsor. The club secretary has also refused to name and shame.

This lead to some of the paid entrants not having any food.

This just isnt fair. Bad enough it's another local club !

I may pop the link in !

Boundahs and Cads all of em

 

[Shaun]

What a shame that a few people have been so selfish and inconsiderate - it's not like £5.50 is a massive entry fee for the ride - and if the organisers are letting people ride it for free anyway then these people should be grateful for the opportunity, bring their own refreshments, and not treat it like a free-for-all.

I suppose a possible way to stop this happening in the future is to inform all paying riders that they will need their rider number to get the "freebies" at the end of the ride - with the food and freebies stored far behind a desk or counter and not "up for grabs"; but that just adds an overhead for the organiser and requires helpers to dish out the goodies.

Best of luck with the next event - and I hope the club involved makes an effort to ensure this is not repeated.

Cheers,
Shaun

 

[dodgy knees]

Further to add, i know lots of people who go and o a local sportive and just follow the signs around the course, (no one can stop them as they are done on open roads, they thingthey dont do is take anything from the stops, they just stop at local cafes or take enough with them.

 

[Banjo]

You cant stop anyone riding on open public roads just because theres a sportive on.I wouldnt do it personally but it isnt illegal.

Taking food you havent paid for is not only thieving but also totally inconsiderate to the riders who paid for it and found nothing left.

 

[Ashaman42]

Plus having a bite or two is one thing but to fill their pockets as well

 

[Cyclist33]

^ This ^

It's the minority that spoil stuff for everyone, so there is no need to name and shame a club, it wasn't the club as a whole, just a small group of selfish idiots.

It also is not the way 'club members' behave in cycling, or certainly not in my experience.

I mentioned it because of the bloody cheek of it !

notwithstanding that, the secretary etc of the club is an official representative so if they are not taking responsibility, you should do, and report the club.

 

[Star Strider]

I hate to say this but with all the rather odd pro team issue kit wearing that goes on and the team issue replicas floating about on sportives it's not a suprise to learn that it can attract the big time pro-cycling walter mitty element who then ruin it.

 

[deanE]

I honestly can’t see why anyone would want to go and ride a sportive route, on the day, without paying and taking part “properly”.