Not as fast as this guy:

http://nyvelocity.com/gallery/image/5657?page=38

awesome

http://www.velocityresults.net/images/1966.jpg

nice job. congrats on the podium sprint, mattie!

Al:Good work, Mattie!

Report?

From the pictures it looked like a big field sprint.

cat 4 report!

after the nightmare of last year's sufferfest i was hoping to redeem myself. like every other cat 4 team we had grand plans for a sweet leadout at the end. the hill loop getting cut really reduced the chances of break sticking, i don't think one even formed, so it was honestly a boring race. the start and stop at the t1 hairpin must have broken a lot of people, we had over 20 dnfs. it was a pretty smooth race, crash wise. i did my best to stay at the top 1/3rd, yacks was contantly near the front, so i just looked for his bare legs when i started creeping back. the plan was for yacks to hit it into the back turn, string it hard and long, gideon to drop me off, and then i kick it to the end. in reality at the end, yacks was up there, but i was jammed on outside while he was on the inside. i was able to be in the top 10 coming out of the last turn, so i had decent placing. 2 guys went a little earlier, and i was waiting for someone else to jump to start it off. we had already passed the tomb and no one was moving, and the surge from the sides never materialized, so i just jumped out and went for it. i almost reeled the 2 guys ahead from me, a better throw would have gotten me second i was surprised i outsprinted everyone considering i haven't done any sprint work, just dieseled around outside all winter. i guess the hairpin just sucked it out of everyone's legs.

pics c/o andy chen

Grant's Tomb is in 24 days (Saturday, March 10th)

I really want to help our squad win it.

I'm not sure what everyone's fitness is, but I've seen Eric, Michael and Mattie sprint, and I'm confident that one of them could bag it if they're feeling good/have help.

Alternately, we could put Joe into a break.

Point is, I've raced it 5 times, I know how it works and I think we could destroy.

WHO'S WITH ME?!!?!

http://drugdiscoverynews.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/storming-a-castle.jpg

I'm still a 4 bro, but fist bump.

fudge

well . . . get on with it, already!

joe has already asked me to leadout.
perlberg should be there too.

Registered.

I'm in. Will do as I'm told.

So that will put us at 4 for now. Rene? Keith? John M?!? I vote go for a break and if that fails with three to go we grab a spot close to the front with whoever's avaiavle and line up weakest to strongest in a sprint. Me, Willie, Mike, Eric. Thoughts. We can plan where to pull off day of the race

To offer some advice above my own category, I'm thinking that you 3s should make Joe or Willie your attack guy and get one of them in a break. If that doesn't work, tow Ragot to the line.

I think if you ran a leadout order that went William, Joe, Mike, and Eric to sprint you'd be pretty damn tough to beat.

Posted By: josephmuellerSo that will put us at 4 for now. Rene? Keith? John M?!? I vote go for a break and if that fails with three to go we grab a spot close to the front with whoever's avaiavle and line up weakest to strongest in a sprint. Me, Willie, Mike, Eric. Thoughts. We can plan where to pull off day of the race

exactly

Posted By: WilliamDC

Posted By: josephmuellerSo that will put us at 4 for now. Rene? Keith? John M?!? I vote go for a break and if that fails with three to go we grab a spot close to the front with whoever's avaiavle and line up weakest to strongest in a sprint. Me, Willie, Mike, Eric. Thoughts. We can plan where to pull off day of the race

exactly

Let's chalk this one up in the win column.

lulz

i'll just email atwood our addresses now, so he can send us our matching varsity jackets and oversized trophies

Umm, has anyone done any higher end efforts? I will totally blow up in the hard run in if I have to sprint. I can leadout perfectly fine, but when I went hard and then tried to sprint, Ryan beat me last night!

first thing: Meet by the bathrooms. Wherever they are.

second thing: I'm about to post for the annual Kissena day at the Velodrome for Saturday March 3. So you can come out and work on leadouts.

Maybe Malcolmson can map out the final 1k in 200m segments so we can better figure out position.

(shouldn't he be racing as well?)

I think it's worth getting the team together to work on leadout sprints on the actual course. That's a pretty busy part of town most times of the day, but if you guys could get up a bit earlier than usual, on your way to the bridge for a weekend ride, then you could work on being in control coming into the banked 160 degree left handed sweeper.

To Eric's point, victory here is going to go to the guy who has good position in the final 100 meters and WANTS to sprint. Not the guy with the most watts or whatever.

It's an uphill sprint, typically with a right to left crosswind. Should favor the guy that has some serious snap and can spin up to speed quickly. Long-sprinting diesels are going to be better off in the lead-out train for this one.

Posted By: mugwumpMaybe Malcolmson can map out the final 1k in 200m segments so we can better figure out position.

(shouldn't he be racing as well?)

i think he's still a 4

http://blog.oregonlive.com/runoregon/2009/07/medium_Sandbagging.jpg

Posted By: eragotUmm, has anyone done any higher end efforts? I will totally blow up in the hard run in if I have to sprint. I can leadout perfectly fine, but when I went hard and then tried to sprint, Ryan beat me last night!

lol

ok

you have 3 weeks to bone up, then

GAWD, we're such COPY CATS.

I'm signing up for this one. With all the sprints out of that 160 degree corner, my power file last year looked like a bar code. Should be good for attacking and lead-out duties.

I had a long conversation with John about this season. He is going to be focusing on setting New York city area bridge STRAVA records. So don't expect to see him in actual races. But do expect him to be hurling pedestrians out of his way at noon on the Brooklyn Bridge.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V3nMnr8ZirI

BICYCLERIGHTS10FEET!

In the past few years on the friday before Grant's,my 11am ride goes over to the tomb and does a few sprints just to get a fresh feel for it. Could be tried on the way home this and next sunday as well.

Maybe this year we finally get to do the full course.

Yarp. Never got to do to do the hill though, I wonder how that changes the dynamics. I want to one up on this.

Throw your bike this time!

Posted By: mattie davittMaybe this year we finally get to do the full course.

Don't count on it. The chances of doing the Grant's Tomb full course and Bear Mountain Spring race in the same year are roughly the same as a frog being kept as a pet in a French restaurant.

Posted By: WilliamDC

Posted By: eragotUmm, has anyone done any higher end efforts? I will totally blow up in the hard run in if I have to sprint. I can leadout perfectly fine, but when I went hard and then tried to sprint, Ryan beat me last night!

lol

ok

you have 3 weeks to bone up, then

Seriously, all you "base-miles are for pussies and the unemployed" crew, should have no problem putting a sharp end on your legs by the time this one rolls around. Anyway, this tends to be a power-man's sprint. Someone always goes too early and forgets that there's a bit of a bump/hill in the closing meters. If you are in good position you should be able to take advantage of their folly.