"Can't Miss" CX Races 2014

Jan 28, 2014 at 10:40 PM

Uhhh... Everyone is forgetting about the track!

Kick off the season w/.Spring Classic at the Kissena velodrome in late April

Tuesday Night fuji pro am

Wednesday Twilight series at our beloved Kissena velodrome

Friday night World Series of Bicycling
(... This is only an option for Ragot as of now. it is invite only for pros and cat 1/2)

And the race that makes me excited to turn 30... Masters and Rookies on Saturdays at t-town

Ny State Championship
The four years i have been racing it has moved from the last week of august to the middle of July and then this year to mid September.

Andrew Da Silva

Jan 28, 2014 at 10:51 PM

Tour de Syracuse. Underrated omnium format stage race. Great crit and an awesome circuit race with a lot of elevation.

Ros Knopov

Jan 28, 2014 at 11:57 PM

@Andy, definitely not forgetting about track. Really damn excited for this season on the velodrome! I'm finally going to join the thick-thighed brotherhood on as many of these awesome races as my work schedule and legs allow in 2014! My new fire engine red Van Dessel track ride is really to do business Yo

Kayt Mathers

Jan 29, 2014 at 12:39 AM

Yes! @Ros, I am so excited for you and your new bike. @Andy, thank you for the track schedule break-down. I'll be at Kissena every Wednesday night starting in April, taking the 7 train out with my spiffy new (to me) track bike--photos to come.

Also, the Red Hook Crit is March 29. I have it on good authority they're adding a women's race, too.

Kayt Mathers

Jan 29, 2014 at 12:56 AM

Not announced yet, but I know people...

mperlberg

Feb 06, 2014 at 01:47 PM

looks like Grant's tomb was moved up a week unless my memory is wrong.

https://www.bikereg.com/Net/crca-grants-tomb-criterium-2014

dstokes

Feb 06, 2014 at 11:31 PM

Last year, We did double races at branchbrook a lot. I think you have the fitness for two races, so why not. Second race you make up for the mistakes you made in the first one. And these are short races.

Jules

Feb 07, 2014 at 12:09 AM

dstokes said:

Last year, We did double races at branchbrook a lot. I think you have the fitness for two races, so why not. Second race you make up for the mistakes you made in the first one. And these are short races.

I highly recommend the "doubles" at Branchbrook. They're short (45-60 minute) races. Great training, lots of chances to try different things.

Rick Perner

Feb 07, 2014 at 12:17 AM

Aaron Blum said:

Hmm, the L & C series starts the next day though. 2 races the day before can strain the body for the next day?

@Aaron

They are 8 days apart now. Grant's is now on Saturday the 8th while L&C is on Sunday the 16th

Jeffrey White

Feb 07, 2014 at 09:24 PM

Racing Grant's Tomb twice is in a different league from racing Branchbrook twice, don't fool yourself. The courses and the races are totally different. Make peace in advance with getting dropped like a bag of dirt in the 3/4 race. Or, you know, do the wise thing and pick one race. It's early March, dude. You're at your greatest risk for injury and illness this early in the season with your lack of fitness, seasonal viruses, and punishing weather conditions.

mugwump

Feb 07, 2014 at 09:40 PM

Stokes,

Doubling up is a mixed bag. Are you going to "save" yourself for the second race or not? My feeling is you race the first as if it's your only race of the day and then go into race two with whatever you have left.

At GT last year, Robin Carpenter won the Pro/Am in a breakaway from two pros. He then won the Collegiate A race solo.

Aaron,

Of course it can. But the point of doing the double and then going to L&C the next day is to get on that fatigue for tougher races ahead. If you want to win a jersey at L&C, I wouldn't race twice on Saturday.

All,

One of my big training suggestions is not to go crazy with racing in March. Generally, I suggest one race day a weekend. You haven't raced for at least two months, and there's a long race-season ahead, and both transitioning and doing a focused trianing ride the other weekend day will benefit you more.

I believe that unless you've got ambitions in March or have a break scheduled in April, restrain yourself in March. Arguably, if you've got a major goal the first weekend in April, killing yourself with two weeks to go can be a good idea. But, if you're balancing that with a long winter break, it could be too much.

David Yang

Feb 07, 2014 at 10:09 PM

After many months without road racing, March feels like an excess of riches. It's a good problem to have.

Craig London

Feb 07, 2014 at 11:33 PM

FYI I am down for Branchbrook every weekend starting March 1- until April. That's at least 5 races. I race the 1/2/3 race at 9am but an be up early if need be. If anyone can scoop me up I'm in Hell's Kitchen by 46th and 9th ave. Also potentially considering grants.

Erika Tarte

Feb 10, 2014 at 02:05 PM

I've been excited about the CRCA W3/4 dev series but the first CP race is now the same day as Grant's Tomb. The CP race is at 6:30am (3.8 laps) and Grant's W3/4 is at 8:45am. Wondering if that might be too tight? Grant's W4 is at noon... maybe the better option?

Why do I care about the W3/4 dev series?! Because that's what got me started bike racing and I want to kick some ass this year.

Brendan Rigby

Feb 10, 2014 at 02:12 PM

Aaron Blum said:

Since the L&C is the following week, I am going to take the advice of just going to race the 4's as if it were my only race, then 3/4s with what ever I have left. Even if I get dropped it will be good for fitness and prepping for the harder upcoming races.

we'll be in the same boat, aaron. i just reg'd for both. i plan to use the second race as a "try not to get dropped" and "get more experience in the pack" race.

Marc Bertucco

Feb 10, 2014 at 05:15 PM

Erika Tarte said:

I've been excited about the CRCA W3/4 dev series but the first CP race is now the same day as Grant's Tomb. The CP race is at 6:30am (3.8 laps) and Grant's W3/4 is at 8:45am. Wondering if that might be too tight? Grant's W4 is at noon... maybe the better option?

Why do I care about the W3/4 dev series?! Because that's what got me started bike racing and I want to kick some ass this year.

I thought the development series started on the 22nd!? Grrrrrr....

Marc Bertucco

Feb 10, 2014 at 07:55 PM

Erika and all,

How many women on the team are a) planning on racing CP on the 8th and b) interested in doing a mentor-led pre-race course ride-through/break-down?

I was intending on doing my annual Central Park Clinic on the weekend of the 14th, the weekend before what I thought was going to be the first CP women's series race. But, will happily shift dates around to accommodate interest?

For those who aren't too familiar with racing in central park, it might surprise you to know that while it is the city's longest circuit, it also races most like a crit. The winding, dipping and diving 10k loop makes strategy especially important as it is harder to muscle your way away from the field.

Let me know so I can plan accordingly. Thanks!

Unknown

Feb 10, 2014 at 08:00 PM

No formatter is installed for the format not-found

Jeffrey White

Feb 11, 2014 at 08:04 PM

Erika Tarte said:

I've been excited about the CRCA W3/4 dev series but the first CP race is now the same day as Grant's Tomb. The CP race is at 6:30am (3.8 laps) and Grant's W3/4 is at 8:45am. Wondering if that might be too tight? Grant's W4 is at noon... maybe the better option?

Why do I care about the W3/4 dev series?! Because that's what got me started bike racing and I want to kick some ass this year.

Looks like your race is AT Grant's.

grants.jpg

Erika Tarte

Feb 11, 2014 at 08:23 PM

@Jeff It was confusing to me too, but the Omnium is the CP race plus the GT W3/4 field. Sucks because the GT W3/4 start is so close to the CP race compared to the W4 field. But I suppose all the ladies will roll over shortly after the CP results.

Andrew Da Silva

Feb 13, 2014 at 06:28 PM

What do people think of turkey hill?

Thierry Bonnaire

Feb 13, 2014 at 06:56 PM

@Andrew

Ask Mike Perlberg.

mperlberg

Feb 13, 2014 at 07:10 PM

@ Andy

I have not had great luck there but I think it's a fun race. 2 years ago I did it with William but got taken out by a silly crash on lap 1.

Last year I got dropped, but I think the 123 race there should be considered a real regional slugfest not a local 123 thing.

For a guy like you, it might be a good race to hide out all race and take advantage in the sprint. There are some small steep hills but they rarely break up the field.

Think of it as Floyd with hills.

Marc Bertucco

Feb 13, 2014 at 07:36 PM

Turkey Hill is a great, hard race. I've done many, many years of this race. It's one of the few hard road races that is, for example, PERFECT for guys who don't fancy themselves climbers but have a fair bit of power to muscle their way up a pretty short, but steeply serious kicker. The rest rolls. My last "good" memory of that race involves getting shelled out of the lead group by Joe Papp and his merry band of dopers.

Andrew Da Silva

Feb 13, 2014 at 08:10 PM

Sounds good. Im gonna reg for the 3/4

Marc Bertucco

Feb 19, 2014 at 01:59 PM

So it's back, which both surprises me and doesn't surprise me and well...it's an AVD series and that's sort of par for the course. Anyway, the reason why it's "can't miss" is that, it is, for boys, some of just a few opportunities to race in Central Park.

https://www.bikereg.com/Net/2014-new-york-city-spring-bicycle-racing-series

Marc Bertucco

Feb 21, 2014 at 01:30 PM

cross posted:

Just noticed some women race for free in the AVD Spring Series:

http://www.newyorkbikeracing.com/

Craig London

Feb 26, 2014 at 12:02 AM

Cross posted:

Anybody going to the Branchbrook race this weekend- I'm looking to get a ride and can pay gas $$. I'm located in Hell's Kitchen- 46th and 9th ave. My race goes off at 9am but I am fine with leaving super early if need be. Thanks!

Jules

Feb 26, 2014 at 12:35 AM

Would it be gauche to do my first race of the season on a CX bike?

jim_nelson

Feb 26, 2014 at 01:27 AM

I don't think so Jules. While you don't see it that much around here, I've raced a bit in Portland and it seemed that 1/4 of the field were on cross bikes in the 4 race.

On second thought, maybe that's exactly what you were afraid of......