This sounds all very appetizing...next year perhaps! you guys did great!

Posted By: Jules Roazen

"The KMS Cycling Team is a comprehensive junior cycling development program. The team is coached by 1985 US Junior Worlds Team Member, 1989 US Collegiate National Champion, past pro racer and 30- year racing veteran, Peter Vollers"

Peter Vollers was a New England legend. When I first started racing at Vassar in the early 90s, I had a teammate who was trade-team teammates with Vollers and always went on and on about him.

Great report. Looking forward to the same sort of EPIC material in the Catskills. Great to hear about the honorable teamwork. And Jules, sorry to hear that your TT helmet does not have a prescription lens on it, but at least your unborn grandchildren will be happy that they were mentioned.

Muffin rain. Forty bucks!

Oh man!  How happy am I that we're not there this year?

Jules said:

Oh man!  How happy am I that we're not there this year?

As we were bundling up for the Hills of Somerset RR this morning, forty-something with wet roads, dark skies, and strong winds, the rain having only stopped a half-hour earlier, trying to decide if we should dress for rain, or for it to get colder, or for both, guys were laughing "at least we're not at Killington."

Did any Kissenas go to Killington this year? I feel like this race was uber-popular with our club.

So weird that I can basically count on one hand the number of Kissenas racing on Memorial Day Weekend...

Marc Bertucco said:

Did any Kissenas go to Killington this year? I feel like this race was uber-popular with our club.

So weird that I can basically count on one hand the number of Kissenas racing on Memorial Day Weekend...

I think we went from "all in" to crickets in one season!

Marc Bertucco said:

Did any Kissenas go to Killington this year? I feel like this race was uber-popular with our club.

So weird that I can basically count on one hand the number of Kissenas racing on Memorial Day Weekend...

I think Keith Snyder is up there this year. 

Keith is there.

Last year a bunch of us did it. Me, Jules, Joe, Norm ... I can't remember if there were others.

Marc Bertucco said:

Did any Kissenas go to Killington this year? I feel like this race was uber-popular with our club.

So weird that I can basically count on one hand the number of Kissenas racing on Memorial Day Weekend...

Wait, Mr. Crit, the guy who has been selling short, fast racing to the club is wondering why only Keith is up at Killington?

Oh, sarcasm...how thee makes me feel so warm and fuzz-eeee.

VERY small fields at Killington this year 42 Pro/1s, 66 Cat 2s, 41 Cat 4s, 38 Cat 4/5s.

Looks like Keith was a "dnf" today, but reading the communique, due to terrible weather, everyone is getting to start tomorrow. Which is as it should be in my opinion.

Anyone doing this for 2014?

Thinking about it.

Would love to.  All plans on hold till littlest arrives.

If Jules thinks it's possible that he can I'll hold out hope that I can

Oh, it's possible baby...

Oh I should definitely do this.  Well, at least drive people around and change diapers why you guys kill yourselves.  It is a great time out of the city, despite the first stage's finish.

Good times, bros.  Somebody chopper @Normanzo back east so we can get the Band back together...

Roy Hutchinson, a former Kissena is looking to see if anyone wants to hitch a ride in his mini-van and share lodging up at the race. He can be reached at ihutch@me.com

I’ll write up what I have been up to the last two days as I just know that you are all desperate to hear it.

The first stage yesterday was a circuit race.  This thing was almost destined to end in a bunch gallop.  I did not care for that.  I was rocking a skinsuit.  For this 72 mile road race I rocked a skinsuit.  My plan for the race was simple: to win the KOM jersey, win the sprint jersey and win the race.  Well, didn’t go to plan; only won the sprint jersey.  There is only really one way you are going to do all that and it would be off the front I suppose.  What I will describe next is without doubt the best day I have ever had on a bike. Ever.  This is a true story, not even embellishing.  You’ll understand when I explain the second stage.

After the neutral start I attacked immediately.  For whatever reason, the pack chased me and it was strung out.  A quick question here, especially for out Cat4 riders who seem very pleased when they write about “bringing back moves” in the park.  Why, oh why, do people who have no intention of being off the front bring back break attempts?  WTF is that about?  I will never understand why people do that.  You attack or you bridge?  Why chase??  Especially at mile 2 in a 71 mile road race.  Feel free to let me know the answer to that if you know it.  Anyway… as soon as they caught me I realized that they were not serious so immediately jumped again.  This time that was it, after 5 miles I had 40 seconds on the group.  They realized that soloing off the front with 70 miles to go was stupid.  I obliged them.  After about another 3 miles I felt a tap on my shoulder as one bridging rider made it up to me.  Happy days; I thought- was going to go alone but now have help.  We were doing just fine and our gap went out to 1:52.  Unfortunately, at the second ascent of the climb we started with 1:30 but the KOM points seemed to motivate the pack.  About 2k m from the summit we were caught by a group of 4, making 6: we’d been off the front for 31 miles together.  The field was very close in behind so after the summit we were caught.  Back in the pack.

As the climb had been tough the group then decided to sit up, which I thought was stupid.  So, I went again.  I was warmed up and so went off, hoping to get some other help.  After 4 miles I had another 40 seconds on the group.  This time no-one came.  Whatevs, I thought, I’ll be fine alone.  This was kind of fun.  As my lead stretched to over a minute it was just me with the pace car in front, a moto referee on my left giving me time checks and my own personal SRAM support car behind with all traffic moved out of my way.  Pretty motivational actually.  I turned on to the climb on the lap which was about 7 km with a minute and a half on the group but again, the KOM points seemed to motivate them so after 11 miles solo they caught me at the top of the hill.  Meh.

I rode the wheels for another 5 minutes and watched what the field was up to.  Although I ride pretty aggressive, there is actually a method to my assaults on the pack (accept at Trooper Brinkerhoff this year with john and Jeff C where I just rode to open the legs and went off whenever).  The second I see a bit of weakness at the front (people looking behind for who is next to ride up front or people sitting up) I go.  At this point, some other ride made some totally pathetic move off the front.  I would have ignored it as he wasn’t strong, but the field was obviously tired so he dangled there for about 2 minutes.  Knowing I was not into a field sprint I decided to go off again.  I jumped and made it to him and passed pretty easy.  As I went past and started riding another guy came across.  Perfect, three of us.  We went full gas.  I must confess, I was pretty tired now, had been off the front for about 2 hours by now, either two up or alone.  I worked hard to establish the break with the two and then for a few minutes skipped pulls, then started working again.  I went off and on like this and we stayed away for another 10 miles.  Eventually one of the break guys dropped out (the weak one who started the move) and there were only two of us.  Very shortly after my last attempt off the front was caught with me and my break companion being pulled back on the last ascent to the KOM.  I checked the Garmin and it told me we were at mile 61.  In all I had been out front for about 60 miles.  Then it dawned on me my predicament.  The last climb to the KOM was a lesson in suffering.  My legs were not pleased.  Only 11 miles to go to the finish, half uphill.  Started at the front of the pack and as we crested the KOM was about 4^th last wheel!  Made it.  I was pooped.  Not capable of sprinting even if I had wanted to.  Meh.  Did not win the race.  

Well, despite not winning which was a shame, I managed to snatch up all the sprint points on the course and won the sprint jersey.  Kept getting pipped at the KOM so only got third in that competition.  For the finish I rolled in-was too spent for anything else really.  I was a bit famous too; lots of my field and the referees seemed to want to chat to me after the race.  

Gros chapeau Adam.

Now I know what you are thinking.  Whatevs Adam, so you are superman and were an animal.  Yeah, yeah.  Well, that’s half true.  I was a superman.  Yesterday.  If yesterday was the best day of my life on a bike, today was the worst.  Easy.  On the first climb of the day today (it was a very tough climbing stage) I jumped around someone who was popped.  Made it over the climb with the lead group but my legs were not amused.  I was totally fucked.  I knew it wouldn’t be my day after 5 miles.  Well, that didn’t bode well.

In any case, I was resplendent in my lovely sprint jersey.  As I gobbled up all the points on the road the day before, there was only one contender who could mathematically beat me.  The winner of stage 1 was awarded some points, if he had won the sole sprint point on this stage and I had failed to get any points at all, he would take my jersey.  Well, thankfully for me a couple of guys went off the front just before the sprint.  They gobbled up maximum points.  As long as I made the time cut I would win the jersey for the stage race (no sprint points on the final TT stage).  Whoop.  My only success of the day: I locked down the KSR Green Jersey for Cat3.  The rest of the stage was just suffering.  My legs were totally done after the previous day.  There were two very, very hard climbs in the race.  One midway, one at the end.  The middle climb was torture and I got gapped.  I joined a chase group and thankfully we rejoined the lead group not too long after.  I made it to the final climb (7 miles long- a bitch).  I was done, no way.  Took off glasses and put them in my helmet, undid my jersey and just went up alone.  No way I could even hold the slow members of the group.  Ended up shipping 7:28 to the winner.  The way I was feeling I was happy with that.  I channeled all my inner Fat Cav to make it up.  I must add, being destroyed on a climb whilst wearing the sprinter’s jersey makes it much more acceptable, even to the people on the side of the road.  To know how bad I was, my training partner who was in my field and who is 190lb (I am 150lb) put 3 minutes into me on the final slopes! 

So, stage 1-was a fucking beast.  Stage 2- pain cave for 61 miles.

TT tomorrow, if my legs work again I am looking forward to it.  Got new equipment to try.

Adam - can't help but wonder what would happen if you put those legs to use trying to win the race rather than being superman. Just sayin! Then again, racing like that will be a different story when you add Kissena's very strong Cat 3 team into the mix for a Purgatory, Cielo, etc...

I often think that too.

Ryan J said:

Adam - can't help but wonder what would happen if you put those legs to use trying to win the race rather than being superman. Just sayin!

Fantastic Adam!

I'm just glad Adam "rocked a skinsuit." Fewer opportunities to bastardize the kit combos.

Was wearing old-design gloves FYI.