Green Mountain Stage Race (GMSR)

Adam

Sep 14, 2012 at 02:01 PM

Ha. I love it.

Matt Green: "Can I do the Cat 4 race?"

Race official: "Where is your licence?"

Matt Green: "It's a Cat 5 licence."

Race official: "Then, no."

Matt Green: "Well, I'm pretty good. Got a couple of top-tens and stuff."

Also, I started laughing hysterically to myself out of nowhere the other day Vlad remembering your comment of [in an 'Australian' accent] 'Get in the deatch'.

Jeffrey White

Sep 14, 2012 at 06:08 PM

Kiwi accent. Come on.

Adam

Apr 29, 2013 at 01:58 PM

Craig and Mark are having a discussion about the upcoming TT at Tour of the Dragons and it reminded me that I was was meaning to post a little data from my TT at Green Mountain last year. Sorry, about 6 months late.

I thought it might be useful for people who have never done a 'non-flat' TT like the one at Green Mountain to 'see' one. I was looking for profiles of people's race data before last year and there wasn't too much.

Here is mine:-

Distance: 5.64 miles/9.07 km

Time: 16:01.65

Av.speed: 21.1 mph/34.0 kmph

Max.speed: 41.3 mph /66.5 kmph

Av.HR: 185 bpm

Max.HR: 196 bpm

Ascent: 646 ft/197 m

Descent: 293 ft/89 m

I have no power meter BTW (sorry chaps).

As you can see from the profiles, there are good things and bad things about my TT.

Good points- I actually train TT (much longer than 16 minutes) regularly. In this race, although I had my HR data available and I know my threshold, I didn't refer to my computer. I did it all by feel. Quite happy with that as irrespective of the large variations in gradient (I think that the range was something stupid like from -14% to +14%!) my HR is flat, except the last few hundred metres where I unloaded everything that was left and sprinted.

Bad points- Erm, the opposite of above. I have a computer, should have used it. My threshold I tested at this point to be 186 bpm. My average HR for the race was 185 bpm. Seeing as this race was 16 minutes not 60, I was too low (might have wanted to aim for around 188-190 bpm). Also, as I was able to sprint so I probably didn't meter-out my effort correctly (I know that as my HR was too low).

In any case, in my Cat4 field (OMG the Cat 1 and 2 fields were so fucking fast, made my time look positively retarded), that was good enough for 14/66. I was aiming for top 10 and was 8 seconds off of 8th. A slight caveat, I was in TOTAL road gear (24mm deep rims, normal road helmet, no skinsuit). I had no aero bars but no-one did: not allowed in the TT. If I had a skinsuit, deeper wheels and an aero helmet I think I might have been able to crack top 10. Food for thought for these sort of TTs. Although aerobars were not allowed in this race (it was 'mass start' equipment only) I do not believe them to have been substantially beneficial anyway.

Hope this helps those looking to plan for this specific stage. One final thing, I pre-rode the TT course the night before. ESSENTIAL!!!!!!!

GMSR TT 2012.tiff

alyoshas

Jun 20, 2013 at 01:11 AM

https://www.bikereg.com/NET/19484/The-Green-Mountain-Stage-Race-Waitsfield-VT

harry bolick

Jul 22, 2013 at 05:23 PM

21 July 2013
re: GMSR (Friday 30August -Monday 2Sept 2013)
http://www.gmsr.info/index.php

Hi ALL,
The GMSR is fast approaching, once again; and I have just committed (EARLY for me), to racing the Green Mountain Stage Race 2013 edition!

It is a super race week/weekend (4)days of successive racing: ITT uphill, Circuit race w/sprint&KOM jersey, almost epic Road Race w/one of the best Mountain Top Finished in USA cycling and a sweet(ouch) Criterium in downtown BurlingtonVT, a lovely town on hillside overlooking Lake Champlain.

I have already booked the "Morgan Room" at the Weathertop Mountain Inn a Super nice B&B with cycling friendly patrons (husdand&wife team &gormet cooks...fabulous hearty/healthy country breakfasts and brilliant(not inexpensive dinners, added cost) accommodations are very reasonable for the area@135-145 per night (sleeps 2 +pet &or child).

http://www.weathertopmountaininn.com/index.shtml

So, if you have ever, or are on fence...please DO JUMP INN NOW: marc Bertucco&family, Adam Naguib, stage racers: Ryan, Jules, Pretty JoeM, Whitey, JeffC , WDC, JohnM(chance 2 show your inner SAGAN!), JP, Alyoshas, DanH, Thierry, Vollbach, Sterns, PatrickG! etc etc etc...

ALL are, understandably, focused on Catskills now, dreaming of cyclocross season& the Labor Day weekend in Vermont is NOT cheep, but this WILL BE one of your mostJOYable out of town races!

I have not as yet reg'd as would like some insights from mentors AdamN as to which the cat4's or Masters 50+ will best suit me in overall GC top 10goal.

https://www.bikereg.com/Net/19484

a couple notes ways to get there include: drive(5)hrs tolls&fuel, MegaBus $39ea way (Bike free in bag) or fly jetBlue JFK to BVT $158RT &rent vehicle ($50Bike), Delta $138RT ($150 bike).

-harryB;-)

Marc Bertucco

Jul 22, 2013 at 06:44 PM

Harry! The Morgan room at the Weathertop was one of our favorite rooms. No GMSR for us this year though...but I agree it's a great location, great race for the whole family.

But yeah, most Kissena's are done with expensive multi-day race trips this time of year.

Good luck! And if the weather is warm enough, be sure to ask Mike and Lisa about the local swimming holes. Delightful!

JohnMalcolmson

Jul 22, 2013 at 09:42 PM

@Harry Awesome that you are doing this.

Unfortunately I am a no-go until they switch it to a Green Tunnel Stage Race.

Jeffrey White

Jul 24, 2013 at 01:48 AM

I'm racing GMSR for sure, and I'm working hard to be fast for it. Frankly, it's past time I got the only stage race of note left in the Northeast checked off my list.

Now that we've puttered through all the small-time stuff of beginners' season, I'm looking forward to lining up with a KCC wrecking crew and getting onto some real business.

harry bolick

Jul 24, 2013 at 12:42 PM

Jeff,
have a look at the Weathertop Mountain Inn...i last stayed here in '11 &roomed w/Stephan Giest a very cool place and GREAT hearty breakfasts, well priced @$135/night. GMSR 10% discount for (4)night stay.
Jeff are you racing cat4 or cat3?
-h

Marc Bertucco

Aug 24, 2013 at 09:30 PM

Jeff, Harry, Konrad...good luck at GMSR this year. I'll be with you in spirit. If I can ever get in shape again, I'll be back. This is a GREAT race weekend. Some last minute advice...

1. THE CRIT. Remember my race to the first corner drill at the crit workshop? This is it. Showtime. Get to the front IMMEDIATELY and stay there. Or else you will be dropped, or suffer mightily, or both. Seriously, I'm not being hyperbolic here. This is an extremely technical and demanding crit and you need to be in front.

2. In Waitsfield. Localfolk Smokehouse for BBQ. Eat there.

vlad

Aug 25, 2013 at 03:21 PM

Last I spoke with Canadian Mike, which was around April, he expressed interest in GMSR this year. I think he also trains some youngsters that go out there each year.

Jules

Aug 25, 2013 at 06:49 PM

Canadian Mike will be racing there; not sure if it'll be as KCC, Team Canadia, Ontario or Van Dessel. Rumor is he'll be running 27mm tires at 65 psi...

Marc Bertucco

Aug 25, 2013 at 11:54 PM

Jules said:

Canadian Mike will be racing there; not sure if it'll be as KCC, Team Canadia, Ontario or Van Dessel. Rumor is he'll be running 27mm tires at 65 psi...

Bikereg has Garrigan listed as "Van Dessel."

Also of note, fellow elite/pro crosser Adam Myerson is signed up to play. I've done 10-ish years of this race and I can't recall this being a regular race for him.

Jules

Aug 25, 2013 at 11:57 PM

Marc Bertucco said:

Jules said:

Canadian Mike will be racing there; not sure if it'll be as KCC, Team Canadia, Ontario or Van Dessel. Rumor is he'll be running 27mm tires at 65 psi...

Bikereg has Garrigan listed as "Van Dessel."

Also of note, fellow elite/pro crosser Adam Myerson is signed up to play. I've done 10-ish years of this race and I can't recall this being a regular race for him.

There was some talk of a merger between Canadia, Ontario, Van Dessel but apparently funding fell through after Beca decided he needed more hair gel.

mugwump

Aug 26, 2013 at 12:10 AM

Marc Bertucco said:

Also of note, fellow elite/pro crosser Adam Myerson is signed up to play. I've done 10-ish years of this race and I can't recall this being a regular race for him.

Back in the days of the Killington Stage Race, Myerson was a regular. I remember him being there from the end of his junior days to the time we were teammates on a composite squad in 1998.

Marc Bertucco

Aug 26, 2013 at 03:04 AM

Okay, more advice. Looks like after a few years of construction/storm damage the courses are back to the "traditional" routes.

Stage 1, ITT: Don't go out to hard. Get your warm-up in and rock the TT steady and strong. Every year, a Kissena talks about how he blew up on the opening climb. It's so easy to let your adrenaline take over and you'll be cranking 400 watts for way too long, way too early. Most of us mere mortal bike racers tend to TT at 280-320 watts, no? So stick to that range early, which should be not too hard to do. Harder though, is when the road tilts down, to keep the pressure on the pedals and keep the wattage up in your range too.

Stage 2 CR: This one, for non-climbers, is actually not that easy. From the sharp right turn onto the feedzone hill, stair stepping climb, you are going to be under pressure. Key to minimizing this pressure is to be in good position before the sharp 100 degree right turn. You don't want to be chasing the field up to the feedzone, because after the feedzone, the climb is for reals. If you get in trouble though, try to stick with a group as long as you can. After the KOM the descent is long-ish and straight and you can chase back, maybe. But you have to do it there, because after the right turn onto the back stretch of the circuit is rolling and you are going to have trouble keeping pace with the peloton there. If you are going for sprint points, or want to give the final sprint a go, keep in mind that this is a VERY VERY fast downhill sprint. I'm not saying you have to have an 11, but it sure wouldn't hurt. More important, however, is getting into position with at least 2k to go. If you wait until 1k to go, the field is moving so fast, that you'll be past the finish line before you have time to itch your nose.

After the race, if it's/you're hot, right on the other side of the parking lot on the finish line, is a nice Mad River beach and swimming "hole." Take advantage, even if the water is cool, especially if the water is cool, to naturally reduce some leg inflammation.

Stage 3, "The Queen:" Well, not much to say here...survival of the fittest mostly. Every year it seems like they change the approaching course to baby Gap just a bit. But in all cases, it's going to be important to make it over early climbs with the biggest group possible because there are miles and miles and miles of flat "valley" roads where individuals and small groups will be in danger of missing the time cut because they can't keep the same speed as a big peloton. Remember, if you aren't climbing that well, you need to start ALL climbs at the front of the field, and drift back gradually. GRADUALLY. By the time you hit the apex of the climb, hopefully you are still hanging on to a chunk of the peloton. The real attacks and racing for GC will start on Baby Gap. It's a right turn off of a flat road. You'll know it when you hit it. It's a long section of big ring/small ring fast climbing. If you are not one of the best, better let the mountain goats stir shit up, while you keep it steady and try to follow wheels. If you get dropped here, even though you still have quite a bit of saddle time left in the stage, you will still make the time cut though, because you've completed all of the flat valley road stuff. Gearing wise, in training by yourself, you can climb it in a 39x25. But at the end of a long stage, the final climb up App Gap will demand a 39x27 or easier.

Stage 4, The Crit: I've already said most of what I need to say here. Except also, I will reiterate my favorite bit of crit racing advice that is especially true in this race. "If you aren't moving forward, you are moving backwards." Don't be surprised if 1/2 of your field (or more) gets pulled long before the bell lap. Get to the course with plenty of time to warm-up properly. You will 100% need to get in a real, sweaty, lung/leg burning warm-up before this race.

Jeffrey White

Aug 28, 2013 at 02:38 AM

Thanks for all the intel, Marc!

Some of it (ITT and Queen) reiterate my existing conception of those stages. But it's good to know about the big feed-zone turn on the circuit, and your description of the crit has given me some ideas.

I hope folks are looking forward to reading the race reports as I'm looking forward to writing them!

Adam

Aug 28, 2013 at 12:52 PM

Whitey- what TT gear you got?

For the TT it's mass start gear, so you'll be just dapper with your deep-rim aero wheels, no bar However, a skinsuit and aero helmet will give a you 10+ extra seconds. The second half of the TT should be fast (29mph is probably a touch too slow) so it will help enough to make it worthwhile. I have both if you need them and can be bothered to come out to LI to pick up.

Looking forward tot he reports-see if you can write more than my novella from last year!

harry bolick

Aug 28, 2013 at 01:36 PM

28aug2013
re: gmsr

ok, t-minus 48hrs to start GMSR c2013 &have decided will give it a go.

am reg'd for the Masters and just want to ride, ride hard&race from time to time; to survive the iTT, to stay upRight on the CR&make the time cut, & to finish w/group or top10 (may be unrealistic, given compromised fitness&strong Masters Field) in the Queen Stage and Mt Top Finish, then, if it is a lovely day and i can still pedal i will start and try to hang on for +50% of the Burlington Crit.

we will enJOY the Green Mountains, Fresh Airs, warm hospitality of WeatherTop Inn &her fine Hosts/food! the company of fellow racers&supporters.

There is pain in my/our future and if it were not i such a lovely location i might just call it in and go to the beach.

high hopes for JeffW as he looks fit and has been training for GMSR, Konrad is strong and will surprise the field. BiG thank you to marcB &adamN for stage-by-stage insight for survival.

i do not know 'Canadian Mike' perhaps some one could post Mikes last name so that i can identify him and say hello? i hope he does sport the KCC kit especially given Marc Bertucco&Family's absence at this year's GMSR.

my mobile number is 718-640-8680, i hope that Konrad, Jeff&i can meet-up day1 or 2for prerides and planning/insights!

i will arrive friday Noon. Good Luck ALL!
-harryB:-)

email: hbolick@gmail.com

harry bolick

Aug 28, 2013 at 01:40 PM

jeff&konrad,
would be great to have aero helmet 'if' it does in fact lend advantage...my iTT start is 4pm so perhaps we ALL (3) can borrow Adam/other's Aero Helmet. i believe Konrad has a skin suit and i do as well size(m).

any way to pick-up Adam's helmet?

-harry

Marc Bertucco

Aug 28, 2013 at 02:00 PM

Harry, Canadian Mike, is Mike Garrigan, and will likely be sporting a Van Dessel jersey/bike as he is riding for them professional like during this cross season. He's got boyish good looks, but probably his most distinguishing "feature" is a red MTB helmet that he may or may not be wearing this year.

Jules

Aug 28, 2013 at 09:00 PM

If the Van Dessel Bus is there you guys should all drop by and see if you can score a coffee/bowl of steamed mussels or something...

Jeff Condon

Aug 30, 2013 at 02:43 PM

Good luck boys. Looking forward to reading the reports.

Jules

Aug 30, 2013 at 05:54 PM

KCC should be sitting in line at the starting gate juuuust about now...

Jeffrey White

Aug 31, 2013 at 04:06 AM

After several surreal hours of crazy New England radio, a run-in with Vermont's finest, almost running out of gas in the pitch black night with seemingly no gas stations for dozens of miles, and getting caught in line at the gas station behind some Vermont tweakers so high on Oxy or who knows what that the cashier had to help them buy what they needed for their spliff, Konrad and I got to our house in Bolton (yes, like the ass-clown), VT, at around 2 a.m. The other two dudes (Konrad's NJ buds) were already there and fast asleep. We both got to sleep around 3 a.m. Ouch.

Stage 1 - Warren Store ITT

80 degrees, light breeze. Drove from breakfast (with two cheddar biscuits for Konrad and my post-race consumption) to reg, which was housed at a fancy tennis club at the top of a mountain. The tech manual stressed that there was no parking at the ITT start, so we suited up, got all our numbers fastened (two on the jersey, one on the bike), left the car there, and rode the few miles down to the starting tent. Konrad went off at 1:49 and I went off at 2:00. Plenty of parking. Huh. Oh well.

As we rolled up to the tent, they were on a scheduled break between fields, and the race marshall called me over. He was eyeing me and my borrowed aero helment (thanks, Ryan!) suspiciously. It was the only helmet I had with me so I was nervous there was something wrong with it. Then he asked me to help train the new guy who would be holding the bikes while we clipped in in the starting tent. He did fine.

As Konrad and I wheeled back toward the main road for our warmups, I mildly embarrassed myself when I freaked out about something crawling on my seat tube. I thought it was a wasp or something, but it turned out to be a caterpillar, which obviously isn't scary. But it had, like, a punk-rock hair-do. I looked it up -- it's a motherfucking AMERICAN DAGGER MOTH. Tomorrow, I'm going to tell that to all the guys who saw me squeal and make Konrad brush it off with a leaf.

Konrad and I went out to the highway, got in a solid warmup (his was a bit short, maybe) and we got him back to the starting tent perfectly, with two minutes to wait. I saw him off and went out to the highway for my final big opener before my start time 11 minutes later. As I was returning to the starting tent, I shifted into the small ring and the shift dropped my chain. This is AFTER I readjusted it and tested it out, because it had been happening a lot lately. Awesome. So I put the chain back on and decided once I went to the big ring after the opening climb, I would have to keep it there.

I rolled up, tossed my bottle in the pile, reacquainted myself with the holder guy, the machine beeped, and I was off. I got up the big opening hill within sniffing distance of the guy ahead of me. Up to here, I had been holding just a sliver of effort back, trying to fight the adrenaline and heeding the most commonly given ITT advice: "don't go out too hard." Also, with my PowerTap not measuring power (don't get me started) I was a bit disturbed to see my HR hit 205 at one point. A couple minutes after I came over the top of the hill, I was forced to do my irrevocable shift into the big ring. I made the pass of the guy ahead of me and immediately caught sight of the next feller up the road.

As soon as I began to settle in above 20 mph I became extremely strict with my position. I kept myself super-low on the hoods (with forearms parallel to the ground) or in the drops, always keeping my face forward and down with the tail of the helmet out of the wind. At this point it was just rollers until the last 1k of the ~10k course. I passed the next guy soon enough and by that time it had become a game of holding on. Holding onto my position, holding onto the gear (or shifting up), holding onto my motivation, my consciousness, my bowels.

The big dip in the road everyone mentions came, and it was 1k to go. That was a long kilometer uphill in the big ring (which was the appropriate ring). I just maxed myself out in the drops. No sprint, no out of the saddle heroics. Just maximum full-body pain while keeping position.

Results bros!

Konrad - 16:18 - 19th place (out of 50)

Me - 16:36 - 24th place

Western Beef - 14:45 - 1st place

Then Konrad and I had to do a colossal hill climb to get back to the car. Ooops.

Circuit race tomorrow. Going to sniff around the sprint jersey.

eragot

Aug 31, 2013 at 11:53 AM

Nice job Jeff and Konrad!

Jules

Aug 31, 2013 at 07:25 PM

Jeffrey White said:

on the jersey, one on the bike), left the car there, and rode the few miles down to the starting tent. Konrad went off at 1:49 and I went off at 2:00. Plenty of parking. Huh. Oh well.

I have learned to never, ever trust the race organizers re: TT start logistics. Always try and do a drive-by beforehand and scope the scene yourself..

Totally awesome work lads!

Marc Bertucco

Sep 02, 2013 at 12:08 PM

Too tired to write race reports after CR and RR stages...that's the sign of a good tough SR, no? They haven't posted the RR results, but it looks like everyone stayed a-okay and finished within time cuts for the CR. Looking forward to the reports.

Good luck in the crit gents. GET TO THE FRONT IMMEDIATELY!

Jeffrey White

Sep 03, 2013 at 02:14 AM

Stage 2 - The Bridges Circuit Race

55 miles; 2.75 laps on a 20 mile circuit. There was an Alpine-like hill on the circuit -- a bit longer but less steep in most parts -- with a KOM at the top. There were two opportunities for sprint points per lap: one on a straight drag with a slight rise, and one at the finish line (which was not the same as the starting line) which was on another straight drag, but at a slight decline. Six sprints, including the actual finish.

My plan was to sit in and check out the sprint jersey competition. The big favorite going in was Josh Rovner, who claimed he had put in for his Cat 3 upgrade, but it hadn't come through yet (fact check?). And after that, the plan was to look for a way for either me or Konrad to win the race. Preferably me.

The race started on the uphill, and it was neutralized all the way up to the KOM, meaning the KOM climb would only be contested twice for points. It was super chill on the way up -- lots of playful banter, some roasting of the Western Beef dude who won the TT, Rovner confessing he made out with a girl in Spain the week before. And so on. We clearly didn't realize at that point that we had some very junior juniors in the field. Next week's Boy Scout meeting could end up being very informative. Or maybe not.

The race began on the descent, but not really. We all just flew down the hill together. Other than the climb and the descent, the course is almost all rollers, except for a few less-than-insignificant attack-bait rises. A few folks took that bait, to no avail.

The wind-up for the first sprint lasted about four miles. Yeah. Everyone, and I mean everyone, was looking into it. Staying all up in it was a fucking chore. But I played the game and maintained top ten amongst the various machinations. At 1k to go, I was on one of those magic wheels that edged out of line, up-shifted, and launched. It was Egor on BVF, who is kind of an all-arounder. I spun it up about three inches off his wheel. When he leveled out, I looked back. We had a gap of about 75 feet. Hmm. I let him motor for a few more seconds and looked back. 100 feet? He looked back and moved over a touch. I pulled through pretty solidly and looked back after a few more seconds. He was in no man's land, going back. Apparently he didn't like his gap or didn't like his company. So much for the first sprint. I made my way back in and watched it from behind. Rovner presided.

I got in on the subsequent finish-line sprint with about 25 other people. Rovner again moderated the proceedings.

KOM 1: Fucking ow. The KOM wannabes did their monstrous deed and the pack went over in dribs and drabs*. I believe I was in the third drib, and I went all the way deep to be there. My arms started spasming and failing to support my body. Chase groups coalesced on the descent and we caught back on in the rollers a couple minutes later. I hid like a frightened child until the next KOM.

KOM 2: Ow, but not fucking ow. As I crested still in contact with the loosely packed pack, I got a crippling hamstring cramp. Fuck. After a while, during the long drive toward the finish, the other hamstring cramped. Shiiiit. Welcome back, old friend.

About then, a short, stout dude on Rancourt (how did he make it over with us?) rolled off the front and just didn't seem to come back. Another guy accelerated over the top and bridged with about five miles to go. The gap went up and they started getting around bends out of sight. A meager chase was happening, but Rovner finally pulled out of rotation and rolled by the line asking the big guys to start working. A few did and they dug into the gap, but it didn't look sure at all. I spun up to Konrad and asked him if he felt like sprinting and he said yes. So I went to the front, took a few aggressive pulls, then took one reckless one up a kicker that made the final catch and seized both my legs in cramps.

Because the pace slowed considerably after the catch, I managed to latch my convulsing legs onto the back of the pack and got myself back up near the front. But I knew I was one hard pedal stroke from more cramps so a sprint was out of the question for everyone's safety. Konrad got himself in pretty good position for the sprint, but a hairy-legged hobo rider violated the yellow line rule and boxed him in.

*Konrad went absolutely ballistic on both climbs and nabbed a solid 2nd place in the KOM competition, behind some Cat. 1 CX ringer.

Marc Bertucco

Sep 03, 2013 at 02:15 PM

Results:

http://www.gmsr.info/results.php

Looks like all Kissenas survived App Gap RR to toe the start line at the crit. But, at least according to the PDF filed results, very few starters survived. I didn't see and P&P notations though, and in the past, if you make it through 1/2 the crit, you get credit for finishing the race and get GC placings.

As it stands now, from the PDF results sheet Konrad was the last Kissena standing. Finishing the crit in 9th and also 9th in the GC after an 11th place finish at App Gap.

Congrats all participants, really looking forward to hearing your stories!