[NCNCA] Giro di SF Juniors

[JT Ryan]

       With regards to comments about lack of size at the Golden Nugget 
Stage Race I have a few things to say.  First of all, Junior nationals was 
in the next week and people may not have wanted to fry their legs. Secondly, 
the Fitchburg races were going on which were qualifying events to go to 
Worlds, something far more important than any local race. Third, there was a 
regional camp the whole week before which took away a large chunk of riders 
who were willing and able to race.  Also, this race (which I went to btw) 
was pretty far away from everything which makes things harder on the parents 
(the ones usually driving).
      The women can't even get it together to show up to a classic race like 
Cat's Hill. Far from being in the middle of nowhere at an inconvenient time 
Cat's Hill has continuously tried to attract women racers.  The same holds 
true for the Giro di SF. The juniors fields at the Giro have consistently 
been large. In 2004 at the Giro the women's 4 field had a mere 23 racers 
while the Juniors had 28. Last year the women 4s had 29, the same as 
Juniors.  While both years the Women's 1/2/3 had less than 70 riders.  I 
can't see any justification for taking away this highly contested, highly 
publicized race to split up a women's field that is already relatively 
small.

My point of view,
Jim