Nosson, and others who observe the Sabbath on Saturday, sorry about having to make it on a Saturday the 19th.

I picked that day about a month ago because I didn't have my work schedule for the next block (our work weeks start on Sunday) and I didn't know if I would be working on the 20th. Other than that, it was a good early weekend, with no local world championship park races on the calendar to conflict, before the big memorial day criteriums, before the Harlem Crit and before the Rockleigh training series starts. And, as it turns out, I am working the 20th so I can't switch the date.

Last year this workshop was much later in the season, and it's my goal to have two this year, maybe one leading up to Green Mountain, as they have a super difficult crit as part of their stage race. I'll definitely try my best to stay away from Saturdays for the next one.

So, hopefully a lot of you can/want to make it out for the workshop. This is one that will definitely benefit from more warm bodies to simulate real world cornering/racing situations.

Nosson - I completely feel for your situation in regards to observing the Sabbath on Saturday, however you do have to realize some club events will be on Saturdays and not Sundays. There are other folks that can't come out on Sundays for religious observance, child care arrangements, work schedules, etc (the same way various folks have Saturday conflicts).

If it was held last year on Sunday, I think holding it this year on Saturday is fair (at least for the first crit clinic scheduled) , as this creates opportunity for those folks with Sunday conflicts.

As a club when we hold the various clinics (and we are aiming to run most clinics more than once) , we will aim to hold them on different days of the week to deal with situations like this.

who all is coming to this party? I'm thinking of making it as well.

i will be there

I plan to be there.

JP, hope you can make it. I like to be on the sidelines observing for a number of the activities, would be helpful to have you on the road with the guys.

William and others who attended last year...email me off list about what you found most helpful from last year's session. I've got a few new ideas about how to make it better, but would appreciate your feedback. Thanks!

marcbertucco@yahoomail.com

I'll be there

I'll be there

I hope to be there

I will try to come, physical condition allowing...

I'll be there

I'm there.

remember - BBQ after and Sunday Long Island ride

my friend anthony cross (races for Princeton U. and Cicli Devotion) will be staying with me friday/saturday and would like to attend the crit workshop

does anyone have an issue with this?

does he need to sign a release, as this is a semi-official KCC event?

the more the merrier, as far as I'm concerned. don't know about the release issue however. my only bug-aboo, is MUST WEAR HELMETS. I was surprised a month or two when I went on an small group ride and there was one dude with no lid.

I'll be there as well

@ Marc, Re the leadout component. Would love to have a leadout drag-race as part of this workshop. Excuse my Franken-writing...

THE LEADOUT
The Form Up
Getting your riders together can be surprisingly difficult in a race. Some may be in front, some the back, right, left, center, they will be all over the place. Designate one rider to set the train in motion. During your pre-race meeting (yea, you should have one!) decide who and when the team will organize. Typically the designated sprinter will have another teammate in attendance throughout the race so that rider is the most likely candidate to start the paceline. The rest of the team must quickly slot in around this duo. Initially you can simply surround the sprinter as your team moves into their designated place in the rotation. Once you have a cohesive formation it’s time to do your thing. So do YOUR thing – get out in the wind, away from the rest of the field, or at least on the periphery. Don’t play games with position, execute your strategy and dominate the finish.

As Ragot noted, It’s the duty of the riders at the back of the train to communicate—loudly and clearly—to those ahead. When Lenny and I were pinched off last week, we should have yelled at Ragot to let him know—he doesn't have time to look under his arm to see if we're latched on. The whole time the sprinter should be yelling "hold it Ragot", "slow/speed up Ragot", "move right/left Ragot (to protect road space)", "pull off to the left/right"... the rest of the train has to be acutely aware of what is happening around them and communicating it verbally the moment they see a threat or an opportunity (maybe you've created a gap). Last person shouts forward how many teammates are together in the leadout train, allowing the front guy to gauge how far they need to take it).

Plan and practice how you will manage your 1-2 min effort, you'll be a lot more tired at the end of the race, if you're drilling it and feel you're fading too early, dump it into a bigger gear, scoot back in your seat and engage the larger muscle groups hips/quads and hammer it, most of what your feeling is your head overriding your body and you'll find if you focus you can squeeze out a few extra seconds of full power.

The goal of a leadout is to protect the sprinter until it’s time for him or her to make the final dash to the line, which is usually 200 meters before the finish. Using up riders too soon and leaving your sprinter in the wind is a common mistake, but you're aiming for both aerobic and muscular exhaustion. Practice 90 second efforts, afterwards the sensations should be godawful; your BPM's are still increasing even after you stop, your legs are cooked, you might want to puke, you might grey out a bit, but you still have to keep pedaling and holding your line so as not to be a menace to the pack. Manage your effort, but focus on your goal/spirit animal not the sensations.

If there's a cross wind use it to give just enough room for your train to echelon (no more) and know which way to pull off (into the wind). Put the other teams in the gutter! Or force them to come along side you and shelter you.

A respected principle of field sprinting is that it’s bad etiquette to interrupt another team’s train, so it’s fair to threaten anyone who gets in your space. One good tactic to prevent being passed in corners is to protect your inside—that is, ride on the inside of the road and swing outside to set up for a turn at the last possible moment.

Don’t go faster than necessary. Before the all-out acceleration begins, there’s no need to push the pace. Anyone who tries to rush by with a few people is doomed, because they’ll have to fight the wind for too long and will fade before the finish. For this reason, don’t panic if anyone attacks. Just slowly reel them back and continue with the leadout at a comfortable pace.

As the finish approaches, the risk of getting jumped by another team becomes more relevant, so the leaders should grow increasingly willing to lift the pace to prevent being passed.

How soon should you start using up riders?
That depends on how long each can ride on the front, so it makes sense to measure backward from the finish. For example, if you have four leadout riders, and each can sprint on the front for 350 meters (a sub 25 second effort at 50km/31mph), then the all-out assault shouldn’t start any earlier than 1,400 meters (about a mile) before the sprint. But if you have only two leadout guys, you can't hit the wind until you are much closer to finish. Ideally you have more people in the leadout than necessary so you can stack the sprint. The Prospect Park course has that downhill, then false flat uphill, that makes these efforts challenging.

@KiwiKracken great idea im up for this

We'll definitely work on some lead-outs and sprints; but what we can do will vary greatly on how many and who shows. Our time on the course (sticking with the 9-12 schedule from bridge to bridge) is going to go quickly, so we'll have to be efficient. I'll continue to think about ways to get the most bang for our buck.

I'm in for this. Anyone wanna meet at BB at 8am?

This was a great event last year. I'm planning on doing it again. Jeff, I'll meet you at BB at 8am. Other Brooklynite takers?

I'm in too. I'll see you guys at BB at 8.

Would love to come...was planning to come! But then AYSO scheduled Sam's soccer match for 8 a.m. on Saturday. Newman!

I'll be at the BB at 8am

ill be there. 8am BB.

Ill come up to the BB for 8am too.

i'll see you turkeys at the GWB at 9

i may or may not bring prizes

i will definitely $ponsor a few primes

Reminder, 9am Jersey side of the GWB bridge. I plan to have everyone back at 12...which if you do the math, means we've got to be tight, aware and efficient. Just like a good crit racer.

We'll set out at 9:10. If you miss the group, head to the Rockleigh course, we'll be there. If you don't know where it is, call William, he always has his cell phone.

Looking forward to seeing everyone who can make it!

I too, will be at the B muhfuggin B at 9