Women Being Pulled by Men

This as it applies to mass-start racing. Group rides are inconsequential.

I gravel race and the pro fields at the high-profile races just recently created seperate starts for men and women, but the amateur races haven’t. Last year I finished second in the women’s field at one and found out after the fact that the winner had her husband work for her and just sat on his wheel the whole race. I didn’t even see her at the start.

There’s another local woman that has one or two of her friends pull her every race and wins. I’m not talking just holding their wheel, they slow down for her if she’s getting popped.

Wondering what others’ thoughts are with this. There’s a lot of push for more women to race (in the States), but I see a conflicting culture where a lot of the ones already there aren’t exactly welcoming and a lot of the men hold their hands. I don’t partake in that.