Heal-up soon Jeff... sorry that we'll miss you Sunday.

I'm seconding that William is feeling pretty darn good. He has been making me hurt lots on the paired workouts that Mattio gives us.

I'll defer to Captain/President Dan on the final race plan but here are a few things:

Echoing Dan -- It is definitely true that last year when we had big numbers we tended to do a really good job controlling the race early but burning all our matches and not having much at the end. Given that it will be wet and is very early season we should monitor the situation in laps 1 and 2 and then really try to take control in laps 3 and 4 and finish strong.

Breakaways -- I think that a breakaway has a better chance of sticking in shitty weather. I've never raced CP before so I'm not sure where they usually get away but it seems worthwhile to try to force a breakaway. My strengths are better suited to a breakaway and would like to try for that approach.

Two Options -- It seems like Rich and I are both feeling pretty strong so we should form plans that tailor to our respective strengths and we can switch depending on how the race unfolds.

Jeff -- Get well soon!!

3/4 Field -- What is the breakdown on sandbaggers vs 4s? Does this matter?

I am unlikely to race on Sunday. If everything comes together in a perfect storm and its not raining (the anti-storm), I will come out to play. My trainer rides all look good this year, so the leadout should be in decent form. But who knows as I don't ride outside...
Eric

Gideon, all good points. I'm totally in support of sending a break. It's safer racing in shit weather and has a good chance of sticking. Being it's early in the season and race skills probably have a layer of dust, other teams may also look to just sit in and read things during the first lap or two rather than force something early on.

The geography and landmarks of CP are a bit of a mystery to me as I don't ride there much so perhaps we can all review where moves are made during a few preview laps?

Interloper here...

The single best place to attack in CP is the gradual rise, rolling uphill section, on the west side after the descent of the climb of the major hill. If you've got a lot of strong guys near the front (you are going to be near the front right?), consider having one guy ramp it up, up the climb (about 1 minute of effort), another guy with good downhill legs cranking the big ring to keep it single file as long as possible, but not so hard that your teammate can't get a nice sharp attack in as the road tilts up a bit.

Couple of things. Weather looks like crap for race day. This means the BREAKAWAY will have more of a chance of succeeding. Although at just 2 laps long for your race, guys are going to be amped up and eager to cover everything. Trick here is going to be timing. If the field has worked hard chasing down a move and you are near the front, you should be ready to pounce at just the second you feel the field start to relax.

Here you will have the advantage of getting away from the field that already has tired legs from bringing back a move.

How to attack? First: Acceleration, not top speed, is the key. So better be slightly undergeared than over geared, so you can make a clean break from the field, and make everyone think twice about chasing after you. If you start your attack from the pointy end of the field, about 5 riders from the front, you'll be carrying good speed by the time you blast by the front guys and get your gap. Second: keep the power on and don't look back. You'll see guys make their moves and blow up 25 meters after they get their gap. It's sort of hilarious. Don't be that guy. When you get your gap, don't look back (to admire your own work), keep the power on your high end of VO2 max wattage range for as long as possible (45 seconds?), then bring it down like 20-40 watts and settle into something hard, but manageable and keep going.

But what if I get caught? Good, you've just made a brilliant attack and made the field chase hard to catch you. The field is tired, but not your teammates, because they've been waiting for their own chance to launch off the front. Your turn. GO!

And you don't have to wait until the field has literally made contact with the wheel being chased. Sometimes, if the catch is inevitable, and you'll be there within a few seconds, but there is still a gap, you can "attack/bridge" to catch your field off guard a bit. Because if you wait even just a few seconds after a catch to launch your COUNTER ATTACK, then chances are, someone else in your field got the breather he needed to latch onto your wheel too. (Which is not necessarily bad, if you two can form an alliance, but...he may just be a worker bee for another team who's assigned to sit on wheels and not do a damn thing).

Now, where to attack?

The single best place to attack in CP is the gradual rise, rolling uphill section, on the west side after the descent of the climb of the major hill. If you've got a lot of strong guys near the front (you are going to be near the front right?), consider having one guy ramp it up, up the climb (about 1 minute of effort), another guy with good downhill legs cranking the big ring to keep it single file as long as possible, but not so hard that your teammate can't get a nice sharp attack in as the road tilts up a bit.

Finally, to answer Adam's question, I will adopt a terrible cockney accent in honor of his British heritage:

"Awl-right Goveners...registration is awn the east siwde of the pawk, neahar the finishing lion, uwp the h'ill. Juwst pahst the 72nd street transverse."

I'll be there at 5:45, when registration lines are short. Let's plan on meeting across the road on the right side, near the start finish line at 6 am for talking. 15 minutes group time, leaves you 15 or so minutes do your own thing/line up to race time before 6:30am start. BRING EXTRA CLOTHES THAT YOU CAN KEEP DRY FOR THE TRIP HOME AFTER THE RACE.

P.S. Just so you know, I look not too dissimilar from Sasquatch or if you prefer your mythological bipedular beasts with Asian names, Yeti. Long unruly dark brown hair, tangled, bushy beard with many wisps of wise grey. I may have an umbrella.

awh...shit. Myles is the f-ing man. He's the only one of us who's preregistered so far. He's like, "yeah, I don't care that it's going to be raining and 38 degrees on Sunday, bring it on mother-fuckers I'm ready to shred."

Hi, Thanks for your help Marc,
I'm Jorge, just joined the club... Looking forward to start racing as a Cat 5 for the first time... Unfortunately, I think I'm late for this Sunday at CP, the registration is already closed and I think I also need to get the licence to race...
Hopefully for the next one I'm there.

Hah.

Marc. I'm impressed. I feel very accommodated that you speak in my tongue in this country (although cockney is restricted to London, which is not where I am from, but that's just details). I hope to see you on the 13th and will happily buy you a beard comb or such similar reward if you can keep up the accent in spoken conversation!

Adam

Posted By: Jorge AguiloHi, Thanks for your help Marc,
I'm Jorge, just joined the club... Looking forward to start racing as a Cat 5 for the first time... Unfortunately, I think I'm late for this Sunday at CP, the registration is already closed and I think I also need to get the licence to race...

Welcome! Jorge's a billygoat who participated in the off-season computrainer sessions. You are correct and will need to head over to usacycling.org and get a license if you'd like to race this season.

Posted By: Marc BertuccoCouple of things. Weather looks like crap for race day. This means the BREAKAWAY will have more of a chance of succeeding. Although at just 2 laps long for your race, guys are going to be amped up and eager to cover everything. Trick here is going to be timing. If the field has worked hard chasing down a move and you are near the front, you should be ready to pounce at just the second you feel the field start to relax.

Here you will have the advantage of getting away from the field that already has tired legs from bringing back a move.

How to attack? First: Acceleration, not top speed, is the key.

A few pointers that I've found to be useful and easily digested:
1. Attack at the hardest part of the race.
2. Charlie Issendorf's advice is: make two hard efforts during a race - one in your warmup, and one to bridge to the winning move.

Another is to counter Marc's advice about attacking a bit, or to offer another option. I've found that hard-acceleration attacks in cat 5 and 4 races tend to put a big target on you, and often, people immediately neutralize your attack. What's worked for me a lot more is rolling off the front kind of casually, and THEN attacking - in the saddle to make it look a bit less obvious.

good luck cat 5's! go out there and make some suckers hurt.

Posted By: Marc Bertuccoawh...shit. Myles is the f-ing man. He's the only one of us who's preregistered so far. He's like, "yeah, I don't care that it's going to be raining and 38 degrees on Sunday, bring it on mother-fuckers I'm ready to shred."

The reg page is a little misleading. 10 people are pre-reg'd for the entire series but not on the sunday list. So basically JP is saying he's ready to ride in 38 degrees and rain all spring series.

There are two places where breaks can really make some seperation in CP. At the top of the Park on the westside after the 102st transverse. There is a drop there and a gradual rise (This is what Marc is talking about). Most of the time in the cat 4s there is somebody trying to establish a break at the bottom of Harlem Hill (aka Col du 110th St, aka One Hundred and Ten Berg), which gets the bunch all jazzed up and they chase, so there is no huge need to make a concerted effort to string out the group on the hill. We should probably be prepared to keep pushing it over the top, and then Gideon or Rich launch the attack over the next roller.

The second place to get an attack to stick, is at the very bottom of the park. Attack immediately before Horse S*** Alley, and let the narrowing road slow the establishment of an effective chase. The challenge here is you have a false flat uphill consistently until 72nd st, a quick downhill and then Cats Paw hill (start/finish area), which means a small group doesn't have to overcome the same aero disadvantage as on the flats, it just requires lots of power to gut it out.

Posted By: mperlberg So basically JP is saying he's ready to ride in 38 degrees and rain all spring series.

I heard he keeps his apartment 38deg and raining all year long.

Posted By: mattio

Posted By: mperlbergSo basically JP is saying he's ready to ride in 38 degrees and rain all spring series.

I heard he keeps his apartment 38deg and raining all year long.

That's because he has a side business, growing truffles and wild mushrooms for 3 star restaurants. I hear that Mario Batali has him on speed dial.

lols over here

my apartment is at 42 degrees. But when I come home from most rides, I have the rollers already set up in the shower. I strip down to my shorts, turn on the cold water, and ride the rollers in there for another hour or so. It depends on whether or not Batali interrupts.

Oh by the way, after our race debrief, I am going to NYC Velo for this. Coffee and Pastries and CX superstar.

http://nycvelo.com/blog/2011/03/nyc-velo-exclusive-sunday-breakfast-with-tim-johnson-and-friends/

Posted By: Dan ReinersThere are two places where breaks can really make some seperation in CP. At the top of the Park on the westside after the 102st transverse. There is a drop there and a gradual rise (This is what Marc is talking about). Most of the time in the cat 4s there is somebody trying to establish a break at the bottom of Harlem Hill (aka Col du 110th St, aka One Hundred and Ten Berg), which gets the bunch all jazzed up and they chase, so there is no huge need to make a concerted effort to string out the group on the hill. We should probably be prepared to keep pushing it over the top, and then Gideon or Rich launch the attack over the next roller.

The second place to get an attack to stick, is at the very bottom of the park. Attack immediately before Horse S*** Alley, and let the narrowing road slow the establishment of an effective chase. The challenge here is you have a false flat uphill consistently until 72nd st, a quick downhill and then Cats Paw hill (start/finish area), which means a small group doesn't have to overcome the same aero disadvantage as on the flats, it just requires lots of power to gut it out.

Harlem Hill?

Col du 110th St?

oh!

you mean Mt. Softee!

Posted By: WilliamDC

Harlem Hill?

Col du 110th St?

oh!

you mean Mt. Softee!

That epic wall of a climb has crushed the soul of many a doughy podiatrist on a Pinarello, and soft hedge fund manager on a Cervelo.

Mt. Softee is sort of like the Stay-Puft marshmallow man in that regard

so smooth and mellow until in crushes you, your italian carbon below its monstrous feet

http://www.evilscale.com/images/staypuft.jpg

That epic wall of a climb has crushed the soul of many a doughy podiatrist on a Pinarello, and soft hedge fund manager on a Cervelo.</blockquote>

As a Cervelo owner, I have to agree. It seems the bike of choice for 9W freds. They're every other bike you see on the weekend warrior amateur race drag strip that is 9W (just b/c they're expensive and break?). I am not proud....I think those two guys that ran into each other in the parking lot of that bike shop last saturday were on them. Wait, one was a Pinarello. The perfect storm! I'm surprised it didn't create some sort of carbon supernova implosion.

just looking at the confirmed riders - i count 6 kissenas (out of 50). that gives us plenty of legs to cover, attack, and counter-attack. the weather's going to be shitty! 46 and raining and probably even more miserable at 6 a.m. (Adam will feel right at home - I know - I lived in London...)

who's ready to suffer!?!?!

<blockquote><cite>Posted By: rhenning</cite><blockquote><cite>Posted By: Jorge Aguilo</cite>Hi, Thanks for your help Marc,
I'm Jorge, just joined the club... Looking forward to start racing as a Cat 5 for the first time... Unfortunately, I think I'm late for this Sunday at CP, the registration is already closed and I think I also need to get the licence to race...</blockquote>

Welcome! Jorge's a billygoat who participated in the off-season computrainer sessions. You are correct and will need to head over to<a href="http://usacycling.org">usacycling.org</a>and get a license if you'd like to race this season.</blockquote

Thanks Rich,
Now i got the license and ready to roll... I'm in for the next race at central park on Sunday 13th...
Hope to see everyone there...

Hey everyone...please plan on getting a good night's sleep tonight. Most of us aren't ready to rock and roll that early in the morning, but if you can set your alarm a little extra early, putz around the house/apartment a bit before you head out the door, you might be a little more awake when it's go time.

Posted By: Jeff OwensThat epic wall of a climb has crushed the soul of many a doughy podiatrist on a Pinarello, and soft hedge fund manager on a Cervelo.

As a Cervelo owner, I have to agree. It seems the bike of choice for 9W freds. They're every other bike you see on the weekend warrior amateur race drag strip that is 9W (just b/c they're expensive and break?). I am not proud....I think those two guys that ran into each other in the parking lot of that bike shop last saturday were on them. Wait, one was a Pinarello. The perfect storm! I'm surprised it didn't create some sort of carbon supernova implosion.

i relish jumping my cervelo off curbs, bunny hopping potholes, riding it in cut off jeans and sneakers and other behavior unbecoming. it's rad.

I think we've got a small team going. I'm expecting to see Marc, Myles, William, Mike, Rene, unless I read otherwise.

I expect to have my number by 6am. At 6am, I expect to be on the benches by the bathroom behind registration. I'll wait a few minutes. If no one shows, I'll probably go to the bathroom first, check the benches again, and then roll around. Mostly riding up to 90th street and back.

I'll be there, but captaining the cat 5 team at that time--so I won't be able to participate in the 1/2/3 team meeting. But, I expect that JP will be our "protected" rider. Myles and myself will have a handful of strong bursts, covering early dangerous stuff. From chatter, William and Mike should be there fitness wise in the later laps with legs to go in moves. I don't know Rene.

Rain will be the x-factor.

Plus I have indexed steering again, so that will be fun taking the sweepers in the rain.