I like the new course, it is well balanced. Riddle Rd was the toughest climb, it went on and on... I 'm still spent today and  not eager to do anaerobic intervals tomorrow.

Awesome shot of Yang manning the feed zone:



Source: http://kennethho.22slides.com/tour-of-battenkill-2015

That gut right there is why I haven't been racing!

Old kit, how embarrassing!  I need to shop in updated sponsor logos...

Side note: the photographer was really nice and seemed to know a lot of the Long Island and Mineola people.

2016 is last year for Battenkill? Unsanctioned as well. Per their fb page.

Phillip Maronilla said:

2016 is last year for Battenkill? Unsanctioned as well. Per their fb page.

WHAT?!?

From their fb page:

Here is a clarification of our reasoning behind our changes for 2016.

The date change was brought about by the risk of bad weather/snow that unnecessarily risked the financial disaster that would come with a cancellation/postponement. We also lose a very large part of the cycling public in the Northeast & eastern Canada that haven't had time to train for a challenging course like Battenkill is every year. Also, our new venue at the Washington County Fairgrounds is/was under extreme pressure to get the water on for bathrooms, showers, campers, and their winter storage situated in time for the event each year going forward. Given all this, late May makes the most sense. It's not perfect, but it's far better than early April at several levels...

The realignment away from the NGB comes after years of contemplation and in the presence of a boom in so-called "unsanctioned" events. The sad truth is that costs for a competitive road event like the Tour of the Battenkill Pro/Am are increasing faster than we can keep up with and, at the same time, participation is decreasing at a rapid rate for all road cycling events across the US (making USAC upgrades far less of value, incidentally, though there could be another solution on the horizon...). It's not a great scenario for sustainability and we have to take steps to at least maintain stability. Unfortunately, however, we fear that 2016 will be the last edition of the event... the risks are very high at several levels not limited to financial, liability, etc. Nevertheless, we've never compared the Tour of the Battenkill with any other event in the US and feel that our participants should not either; our standards for excellence are very high and the scope of the event can't be fairly compared with any other event in the US. We will continue that tradition and strive to improve the event each year as we've done since 2005.

In any case, we realize that both changes are not popular with everyone, but we feel very strongly that they are both good decisions for the event and for cycling in the US.

I guess Battenkill is a A1 race for me next year. Just so I can say I raced the last one. Also I am happier to do this in May than April.

But if it's moved to May next year. . . what tires should I use?

Bruce van-Schalkwyk said:

But if it's moved to May next year. . . what tires should I use?

It will be time for a fat bike.  I hear he's going to turn it into an enduro.

I heard rumors of this a couple of months back. USAC and Police costs apparently. The rumor I heard - not announced here - is that he is reducing the # of fields. Possibly back to just a single Cat 4 field. That will make signing up early critical.

I believe he is undecided about the Hunter races. They may already be gone, or he may do another year un-sanctioned.

He is also really fed up with the attitude of some (but enough) of the racing fraternity who gripe publicly (but anonymously) about him and his events.

Fondo's are the way forward for him. Easier to organise, lower costs, everyone just wants the satisfaction of completing and maybe a t-shirt.

It's on bikereg, tho not open for reg yet. One field for each category. Unsanctioned so I don't know what the point of having separate category fields would be.

Sometimes I wonder what would happen if Dieter Drake and John Eustice were in the same room together.


http://giphy.com/gifs/o9bcKREDAtKyk/html5



^Yang, could you fix that for me? This is me trying to get all gify and what not. #fail

Marc, I'll have to check it out on the laptop. Need to extract the embedded gif file link itself.

David Yang said:

Marc, I'll have to check it out on the laptop. Need to extract the embedded gif file link itself.

I was mostly kidding. I'm just being a goof. Please don't waste your time!

I'd like to do this and be my first big road race ... I'm cat 5 now, hoping to be Cat 4 by mid summer.  Does anyone know if I can enter this as a Cat 5 in the Pro/Am? Or am I regulated to the Gran Fondo?   It is not specific on the website or on Bikereg.

Scott Kuhlke said:

I'd like to do this and be my first big road race ... I'm cat 5 now, hoping to be Cat 4 by mid summer.  Does anyone know if I can enter this as a Cat 5 in the Pro/Am? Or am I regulated to the Gran Fondo?   It is not specific on the website or on Bikereg.

Looks like there are plenty of Cat 5 spots open in the PRO/AM race:

https://www.bikereg.com/tourofthebattenkill

Ah, OK ... I was going to a different page.  thanks for doing the dirty work for me.

Scott Kuhlke said:

Ah, OK ... I was going to a different page.  thanks for doing the dirty work for me.

Navigating BikeReg is a non-trivial skill. Took me several years (no joke)

The race is not USAC, so you won't be able to use this to upgrade to Cat 4.  It won't be listed on your USAC account.  And because no license is required, also assuming anyone can sign up for any category.
I'm passing on the race this year, but it's a great course and great experience.  Sign up if you want to race, just know that it won't be one of the 10 for upgrading.

someone at work mentioned the USAC thing, I thought DIeter was targeting running unsactioned for 2017. In any case, still high on the races I'd like to do.

Dieter sent out an email over the weekend.  This will be the last year for Battenkill.  He wrote that the Gran Fondo will continue, but no competitive race.  
I'm curious to see how this year's racing shakes out, in general.  There are higher costs and fewer racers, which is not a good combination.  But while the numbers were down last season, perhaps there will be a steady increase in participation over the next couple of years.  I can't anticipate what this year will be like.
We're already a slim group in this city.  I like to think that training in the daylight and stopping at coffee shops, wearing kit, helps promote interest.

Dieters problem is that he's running a race that somehow manages to attract fondoers and repel the hardcore racers.

Bummed about this. Had fun last year but can't justify paying $100 for a non USAC race. Do they even care what category you sign up for?

Maybe I'll change my mind, but as of right now I'm out.

Business wise I can understand the decision to switch it to a Gran Fondon't. I know race organization and promotion is a lot of work, and maybe it will run at a huge loss charging $115 for a normal USAC race, but others seem to be operating charging half that price. Maybe they're the next to go and we just haven't heard yet.

Just ranting, as I wish this wasn't the case.

Who IS planning on racing?

Dieter runs his races to make a profit. He has admitted that he needs the profit "to help pay the mortgage". Other organizers do it for love or shits&giggles, but they don't make a profit. I have no issue with him wanting to make money. However he really should learn something about client service and basic social skills if he wants to have a successful business.

The other problem is the sheer scale of the venture. So many racers attend that getting permits from towns is getting harder. While some locals welcome the inflow of cash that racers would bring, many other residents dislike the inconvenience of their towns being full, roads and fields full of cars and of course the closed roads for racers. Hence it costs him more to appease town-folk.
Then the course is one big loop. That is a lot of marshals.
Then the police require him to have lead and follow cars for each field. And he has to pay for that.
So the logistics are expensive.

His problem is that he is such a cock about handling any questions or issues that he has lost support of many who would help him.

I have to agree Ian. He runs his races as a business, but brings with it a weirdly begrudging attitude towards his clients. oh well. I hope that the example he sets (you can make money putting on races) serves to inspire others with better social skills.

This is one i'd def like to do as written a few weeks ago but it seems that there won't be much support. Dumber bummer.

Lest this all seem to much of a bummer THIS IS AN AMAZING RACE. If you have the means I highly recommend it.

Dieter's races are super well organized and supported.

If you race on the east coast, it's the one race - the one race that people will ask if you've done.

So - cat 4's and 5's - band together, rent a cabin - beg borrow and bake cookies. Go if you can.

I still kind of want my revenge from the 2014 marshaling disaster.

Edit: Nope, can't do it, wife's birthday.

Jules said:

Lest this all seem to much of a bummer THIS IS AN AMAZING RACE. If you have the means I highly recommend it.

So - cat 4's and 5's - band together, rent a cabin - beg borrow and bake cookies. Go if you can.

That said, if there is a group that is down to do this, I'd be stoked and would go.  Would be fun with a handful.  

Those interested, reply here and if I get 3 or more folks, I'll start doing the planning.