Andrew Da Silva said:

Noted.

Lesson learned. Excited for next time. 

We're always learning. 

Masters:
Jeff, Mitch and I. Pregame plan was to sit tight until 7-8 to go (40 odd mile race) and see if we could get me and Jeff into a break. Mitch was up for pulling back anything that looked dangerous before that.

Mitch destroys a 4th lap break with a solid 3 minute pull, forcing them to pack it in (the new and improved Portland Mitch™ riding super solid in the pack too #procoach). Then the fireworks start — split field on downhill (I descend like a bomb with the new bike). Then Jeff 's driving a 7-8 man counter that strings out the chasing field. Bridging move catches on the hill gives me a free ride. A bunch of strong riders countering at the top and with the field in pieces decide to stoke it when we get over the top. 12 rider break forms as 1's and 2's claw on. Most teams were rep'd (WW gets their series leader Gregoire over). A fast lap and we're out of sight. The mix: Brands/Porsche (Jan's team) with three, WW with two, the rest were solo. Too many for my liking and a couple just sitting. I encourage smooth pacelining and no silly buggers until the end. Seemed to work! Four to go: people are starting to miss turns, a couple of attacks on the hill almost, almost force a selection, (Axis gets dropped). Sal who who was sitting on solo attacks on the next time up the hill. Not well received — "he's not getting any money".

Bell lap and ex-Kissena club champ Jan solo's. I keep him pegged just by bombing the downhill in a tuck, WW finishes. I'm waiting for the counter from his two team mates, but crickets!? Left to right headwind and I fall back for Gregoire's wheel and get into some elbows, ending up on the windward side for sprint. A tad over geared and Gregoire just too quick, I'm hung out to dry with Brauer coming through underneath for third (Sigh).

In hindsight, I'd have made sure Jeff had got across before committing to a break that early. Having two Kissenas in there would have been huge. If I could replay the sprint, I'd have chanced a long bomb by coming from the back and underneath at 450m. In the side wind I could have hugged the curb. Jeff and I reviewed after and decided we needed to stick together like glue during races and communicate more. A few $ to share for some Kondi-love put things in perspective. I recommend these Masters races, they're a lot more tactical and level headed.

123
Sad to miss out on the team effort. Not sure what you guys could have done better with the hand you had... when I saw JP and Perlberg come past after the masters race, it looked like the others in the break were a bunch of turds. I'd love to see what would happen if Perlberg and/or JP could really chill for the first half of the race.

As I reflect more on the 1/2/3 race, I feel optimistic that moving forward we'll take what has already been a few months of solid team riding and turn in some results to match our team spirit. A few random and specific thoughts to share.

• Big thanks to Ryan Johnston and Eric Robertson! Race morning I forgot to transfer my debit card to my "racing wallet" and when I got to the BoA on Flatbush, I was literally locked out of the money. Both these guys came up with 20 bucks each to allow me to race. Thanks so much! I can mail you monies, or get you the next time I see you!
  

• Dioslaki is kind of a squirrely climber. So much body English in his climbing style, the couple of times I was on his wheel going was an exercise in not only suffering, but also trying to not get my front wheel knocked out from under me as I tried to squeeze in some draft benefit.
  
  
• Building trust. I think part of the "let us know you're out of the race" issue, is that there is an assumption that if you aren't in the front of the race, then you must be in the back of the race. For me and I believe others, if I'm not at the front of the race, it's because I can't be at the front. Whether that means I'm getting the snot kicked out of me during a single file crosswind section, or recovering after an effort off/at the front. I think the more we race and ride together, the more we'll trust each other to be there.
  
  
• Agree to disagree. Let me just say, that if you drop out of the race for whatever reason, you don't need to tell me. If you're in the front of the field at the end of the race, then you are in the race. If you're not (whether it's because you are pinned to the back of the peloton, flatted or got dropped), then you're not in the race. However...
  
  
• Do what Jules did. However, if you, like Jules, did, realize that you were coming to the end of your useful racing life for the day, it's definitely worth finding the road captain and asking what spectacular end of fireworks display might be best use of your "last best effort." My own getting dropped came as a surprise. One second I'm okay, the next second, I'm chasing the pack with Vlad.
  
  
• More clear pre-race role assignment. Andy, for example, was getting mixed messages before, and then during, the race. I wanted him to be more active throughout the race, another KCC racer told him to sit in and wait for the sprint.
  
  
• We might need one official road captain per race. To set general strategy and give on-the-fly instructions for riders looking for instructions.
  
  
• Training together. This is a tough one. And maybe impossible to orchestrate. And maybe not actually required. We've all got our own schedules, our own training plans, but when/if possible, if we're racing together, we should try and go on some training rides together. If for no other reason that it perhaps will help re-set more realistic expectations as to what each of us are ACTUALLY capable of in a racing scenario.
  
  
• End of race strategy. Another agree to disagree moment. But a little more nuanced. So I file under "this is a grey issue." In prospect park when it comes down to about 4-ish laps to go, I'm thinking settle in, recover somewhat and prepare for the bunch sprint. Not, launch more attacks trying to get away. It's not that I'm dead-set against such strategy but...
  
  On Sunday, with about 5 laps to go, I got the message that JP wanted tempo at the front. I was not confident that AVD's last few lap shout outs of "1 rider, 40-seconds up" was accurate. Unclear as to what exactly the "up the road" situation was. I ignored my gut and deferred to the passed along instructions. As soon as it stopped being double file, I zipped up to the front of the field, and pushed my way onto second wheel on some United dude who was KILLING IT. As mystery man pulls off to the side, my vision clears enough to see that it was ex-doper Lisben Quintero. Mystery solved.
  
  From the minute I put my nose in the wind to get on Lisben's wheel to the point at which I lost the wheel in front of me for good, it was just a single-file blur of pain. Some of that pain I'm confident was because of KCC studs ripping it up and/or getting chased down at the front. I'm glad to hear that even our tough guys were feeling the hurt around then too. And so here's the thing.
  
  You can ask us worker bees to dig deep near the end of the race, and if possible, we'll be there. But I think it's unrealisitc to expect us to be to be able to put in big efforts with 4 laps to go AND ALSO be there to help with the last lap leadout. I'm not going to speak to others here, but me? I'm not that strong.
  
  
• Official Post-Race Debrief. I gathered one after the last L&C race in PP. We should have had one yesterday. Doesn't have to be long, doesn't have to be over coffee. This would provide an opportunity for people to have a more productive post-race dialog.
  

Awful music.

missing 3 results from the spring series. tried email and call no response. you guys have any other ideas?

Chi said:

missing 3 results from the spring series. tried email and call no response. you guys have any other ideas?

AVD is notorious for poor results reporting. If you are talking about finishes outside of the top 10, forget about it, you, me and everyone else might as well not have existed in the race. If you are talking about tenth or better, keep a personal record and when you apply for an upgrade, you send it to KCC club member Eric Ragot. He'll understand and believe you and grant you an upgrade if he deems appropriate regardless of what officially did not get reported to USA Cycling.

@Chi, AVD races have notoriously never shown up on my records. Good luck.

Bump. So according to Jules, AVD might not promote this year. I don't blame him. Race promotion is hard. Jules mentions that CRCA might pick up the CP dates, and Charlie the PP dates. Which would be fine if....

CRCA makes those open events and not just interclubs.

#fingerscrossed

cxposting...

AVD (Anthony Van Dunk) has been posting on Facebook about not wanting (or planning!) to do his usual Spring Series races.

The most likely outcome of this is that Charlie will inherit his Prospect dates and CRCA will get his CP dates.

NONE OF THIS IS CERTAIN THOUGH

Obviously after promoting races for twenty plus years this decision is a bit emotional for him, and I strongly encourage people to keep it super civil on social media.

I'm talking CHURCH CIVIL.

Our (CRCA's and Kissena's) ability to take over his races could definitely be damaged by people posting negative things about him or his late decision to abandon promotion.

Thank you for your understanding on this. Please pass the word.

Please don't make us read Schmalz.  

I read schmalz for the unsubstantiated rumor-mongering comments section.

It's better than a bathroom wall...

867-5309?

It's back!

The 2016 dates that the Parks department has offered for Central Park are: 3/6, 3/12, 3/19, 4/17, and 4/30.  

Ahh yes. Cannot wait to "sleep in" and race.

mugwump said:

It's back!

The 2016 dates that the Parks department has offered for Central Park are: 3/6, 3/12, 3/19, 4/17, and 4/30.  

Any updates here?

Cursory search doesn't bring up any open CP races for 2016.

David Yang said:

Cursory search doesn't bring up any open CP races for 2016.

I thought JP had the inside track on this...he's curiously radio-silent on the matter.

From the CRCA meeting minutes
http://www.crca.net/crca-board-meeting-minutes-20160209/

1. SPRING SERIES

Alexis Kraft informed the Board that while a promoter had secured dates to host New York City Spring Series races in Central Park in 2016 (after the Spring Series was cancelled in 2015), the promoter decided not to host the Spring Series this year, and so the Spring Series would not be held in 2016.

NEWS FLASH! SAVE THE DATE SPRING SERIES. Hold off on your Branchbrook reg's. It's looking like Kissena has secured the old AVD Spring Series dates, it'll be spearheaded by longtime member Myles Romanoff. Branchbrook conflicts with 11th and 31st races. More info to come but please block out: March 11, 17, & 31 to race, reg & race or officiate the race  (walkie-talkies!). Race for free if you do reg. Stay tuned.

^attending these races is important because the parks consider these permits as use-it-or-lose-it. The same goes for races in Prospect but those races are more well established, #obv

For many years the NY Spring Series in CP was a local favorite until the former promoter... gave up promoting. Now, Kissena member Myles Romanow has secured the park permits, gotten CLIF to sponsor the event, and together with Kissena is brining the Spring Series back! Details should follow soon as we want to make sure everything is in place for a quality series. Permits are for events on March 11th, 17th and 31st. Mark you calendars. Note that there is a Castelli race in PP on March 31st. Assuming the Spring Series takes place that date it will be with different fields than those at the Castelli race (most likely Women, Juniors and Cat 4.). We will need Kissena members to help with registration (race for free) or to help with marshaling (a paid gig) on these dates.

The Spring Series dates other than March 31st should have a Cat 5 field. Both Charlie I and Myles are running their races with Kissena as the sponsoring club. It would be bad form for us to have two races at the same time with the same fields. Given hat Charlie's race is already established and has Masters, 3 and 5 fields, those will not be taking place in CP on the 31st. Any Cat 5 can race PP on the 31st.

MarcosGirado said:

@PatrickGrehan No Cat 5??

That race is a great place to host a Cat 5 race clinic. Would love to see that come to life again.

Update: We are only running the March 17 and 31st race dates. Myles found sources for marshals (we needed 45 of them at daybreak on a weekend!) but given how close we are to March 11th it made more sense to get everything in place for the 17th rather than wait for the 31st.

Look for an official announcement soon!

Are there any more details on the March 17th races? I'm happy to volunteer except when I'm getting my butt handed to me in the Cat 4 race.

Update: spring series has been postponed in 2018 with plans to bring it back in 2019. While a lot of progress was made in a short period of time, there were a couple of issues that would have kept us from putting on the kind of quality event that we wanted. So we chose to postpone the race rather than risk putting on a sub-par event. Fortunately we have a lot of excellent racing in Prospect Park and a few open races in Central Park available to us. Thanks for watching this space.