Q: At last year’s Breck 100, I stopped to help a rider who had somehow managed to get himself (not his bike) severely stuck in an old muddy bridge. While I felt I had done my good deed for the day, I lost precious time and started to question how bad one’s situation has to be to get me to stop. What is your advice on when to play the good Samaritan and when to leave the rider for dead to shoot for the podium?
—Roger, who has good karma
A: There is always someone else who’ll help. Leave the guy and only worry about yourself. NOT! OK, let’s break this down by mechanical or physical problems. Racers who suffer mechanical problems are on their own. Preparing your equipment, taking safer lines and being prepared to handle mechanical problems are all racing skills that should be developed. You’re not going to wait on a hill for a rider who is a slower climber, so why lose time for a guy who doesn’t take care of his equipment?
On the flip side, if a rider is injured or disoriented, you need to assess the situation. You may be of the most assistance by riding ahead to alert race officials, or it may be best to stay by the rider’s side until help arrives. The biggest winners, professionals or amateurs, are the riders who will stop to help a fallen rider.
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