More fun on two wheels...

the race had potential for disaster. 

16 mile loop. Men do 5 laps, women do 3. Women start 50 minutes after the men. 

there was also a men's cat 2/3 race that started after the pros. 

15 min before women started, I hear all sorts of spectator shouts (the start was around 400 yards off the main loop). I say to my official, I think the men just passed. he looks at his watch and says, no it's too soon. 

no, it's not. 

by the time we started, the men were halfway thru their second lap. I think this could be a mess at the end, two races converging. 

with 8 miles left in the women's race, we're hearing position reports on the men. They are coming up fast. 

with 3k to go, we hit a road that has a divided median for 2k. Each group is supposed to stay to the right. But that won't work with two separate pelotons. Quick decision made: women will go to the left, men go right of the median. 

Police notified. Ok. 

I confirm with my official, then go left. As soon as we are on the left of the barrier (against the flow of normal traffic), we hear frantic calls for women to stay on the right. 

too late. 

The police shut down all vehicles not in the race, and we were fine. However, the men started passing the women's field behind us (we had a breakaway), and I also heard reports for the caravan (team cars) to  STOP. 

this is inside 2 miles left. The riders are cranking it up, while cars are going left, right, stopping. 

crazy. 

I turn off the main loop for the finish line 300m up. Some volunteer is motioning for me to turn off the final stretch. ????? No, Officials cars drive straight thru the finish. 

Right then, the men's and women's pack completely converge. Just a mess!

However, no accidents from what I can tell. The police did a great job. 

Big screwup; the women should have started IMMEDIATELY after the men's field completed one lap. 

no harm, no foul. But a very interesting final lap!

I had a good official. he gave very clear directions. The only bummer was that our car didn't have a sunroof, so he had to sit behind me. Felt a little too much like chauffering. 

pretty hot, too. Tough day for the riders.