Any takers?

Race this Sunday! https://www.bikereg.com/65002

1. Anyone racing the 4/5? Happy to join you if you are. It'll be a good time to try things out.

2. I'll be at reg desk.

3. Hang out for a few laps for a new member ride.

4. Coffee and race tales and looking sharp.

thinking about racing, but may need to go with my wife to an early appointment so not entirely positive

Count me in!!

One question, do we get a discount on the tag??

Thierry Bonnaire said:

One question, do we get a discount on the tag??

We did in years past, we'll have to talk to Tom again. Hang tight.

Thierry check your DM.

Anyone who needs a timing chip please DM or slack me!

This Sunday morning is the race! Any Category 4/5/Novice racers thinking of racing? 

I"m fixing to do the Old Man's Race.

With the amount of rain falling on Saturday, I would not be surprised if they cancel this damned thing.

WIth that as a given, anyone else signing up for the masters?

I'm planning on masters if there are no 4/5s racing. Depending on how hard the field goes I'll be dropped somewhere between laps 1-2.

Registration Desk volunteer signup!

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScmZheWRkOkaIGy7elWphaSphdqRJsdk3hC97V-KdzBm_tecA/viewform?usp=sf_link

Looks like a rough one tomorrow, freezing temps and windy to start.

What a traditional way to open the race season.  Sub-freezing weather in a NYC park.

It was 31f at the start line yesterday.  There were only 39 pre-registered and we had four (4!) Kissenas in the house.  Dave Yang, Eloy, Thierry, and myself.  

At that size of field, there is less to worry about single attacks off the front, but the surges by the better riders dropping people off the back.  The front can surge, and the weaker riders have fewer people to hide behind and the field presents a smaller wind block for chasing back on.  

Every year, the calendar graduates a few new heavy-hitters into the masters ranks.  Last year, it was Mike Perlberg and Constantin Schreiber, among others.  This year, it was Stalin Quiterio.  

I was feeling pretty good about my form, as I had a pretty strong 1m effort when I was feeling tired on Friday.  I was thinking with good rest, I'd be flying at the race.

But first, we did start quickly, and Dave was up front.  I was thinking, 'he doth protest too much'.  First time up the hill, Perlberg and his teammate accelerated to string out the field, and I think get rid of somem chaff.  I was third wheel.  about 3/4 of the way up, I realized they were going pretty hard and I wasn't feeling good.  So much for that Friday confidence.  Time to re-evaluate.

I tried going with a few attacks on subsequent laps.  But, when it was really tough, I didn't quite have the legs to be there.  I think at about half-distance, there was a split.  I was in good position on the hill, the attack came, I couldn't accelerate well, and was on the wrong side of the split.  The group I was with wasn't really chasing well.  They'd let me and a few others chase, but there was no coordination.  At a certain point, I said to myself, 'this race is over unless I can get across, so it doesn't matter if I blow up or get dropped after emptying myself to try.' So I did what I could to get across.  Between my effort and a few others, and possibly the front group sitting up, we made it back, and we were back to zero.

Or not quite.  somewhere, Constantin got away solo.  With two to go, an attack of four or five got away.  People weren't chasing.  I was thinking of going.  Johan Burrowes was loudly chastising the field for letting the group, with a teammate of his, for getting away.  But they weren't really gaining.  One to go; we caught them, and I was beside Johan.  I said, 'I thought they were getting away!'  he laughed.  But I also knew it was to his advantage as he sprints well.  

Last time up the hill, I was hoping that I hadn't gotten any more tired and those around me had.  I figured with a decent effort, I could still salvage a top 10, maybe get into the top five.  

Nope.  We were sprinting for second.  Johan got 5th, the last paying place.  I was 20th, at the back of the group.  

https://www.strava.com/activities/11034442614

Category 4 and 5 racers - I would love to race with you all on Sunday!

https://www.bikereg.com/verge4-14-2024

In for the 4/5s. Let’s stick our noses in the wind and race bikes!

Mark Taylor said:

So i signed up for the race last weekend and chickened out , my fear of crashing is very real ,

@mugwump, If i were to race this weekend , which race should i jump ,40 + or 4/5 ?

the old man race.  It will be smoother and probably safer.  It will also definitely be faster.  

See if you can get towards the front before going up the hill the first time.  See how you handle it and then use that to figure out how hard you can go for the next nine laps.  And let us know (during the race) what you found.    

I signed up for the masters race 

Same, I'm up for the masters race

I’m in for 4/5s, Matt/Dave I’ll see you! 

I think there is a CRCA race this Sunday(?) so the Prospect fields are looking small.

These races are gonna be stupid hard.

Yes, there is a CRCA race this Sunday.  And it's their last until May 11th.  There's also a crit in Sussex, NJ and a time trial in Cape May.  I figure the TT doesn't impact us, but the crit probably does.  

So far, we have Adam, Eloy, Patrick, and myself among the 18.  

In the 4/5, we currently have Blake, Dave Yang, and Matt among the 23.  

BTW, where are the overall standings posted?  I don't see them on NYCbikeracing

I wasn’t going to race before my half marathon but joining the 4/5s for this one might be fun 👀

@LennartZandbergen Do it!

I'm in for the 2/3s.  

@mugwump results are posted here: https://my.raceresult.com/283289/results

4/5 crew - it's a short race and not many people. A hard break on lap one should crack a lot of eggs (myself included) and if that doesn't stick, a second punch immediately after should. My plan is to attack lap one on the hill. DO NOT FOLLOW ME. Let everyone else chase and you all sit on their wheels. The field will almost likely string out and by top of the hill I expect some bunching. This is where the next KCC attacks and stays the hell away.

if some other team or rider has this genius idea of attacking on lap one, same thing, let the other rabbits hunt them down (myself included). 

Don't forget the hill isn't over till GAP, not the KOM line/crosswalk.

Signed up! We can make this a hard race and Matt's scary high power numbers can finish it off I think, I'll go for a breakaway or two once I see the chance

According to the race predictor and stalking Strava, this is the guy to watch out for: https://www.road-results.com/?n=racers&sn=r&rID=246504