What David is saying makes sense but I think he exaggerates the width of the fitness spectrum. Anyone who can hang in a 4 race for a few laps is going to be able to hang in a mixed field. It's not like Eric, Mike, and Rene are going to go straight to the front and force a 28 mph first lap.

Funny how after a dozen early morning wakeups everyone is suddenly kvetching about the hour...

#canyousmelltheendoftheseason

I think a neutral first lap is a good idea.  Doesn't have to be a slow, parade lap.  And I agree with Stokes.  There's no point in dropping a handful of teammates on the first climb (which has happened).  Btw, Jan never soloed the whole race.  He won from a break.
See everyone tomorrow.  Looks like the weather will be great.  Glad the race isn't Sunday.

I will always kvetch about the hour . . . always and forever.
And I am completely and totally disgusted and annoyed about getting caught (or catching) other fields, regardless of the hour. We should avoid this at all cost.

dstokes said:

I will always kvetch about the hour . . . always and forever.

David, you may kvetch, but at least your Manhattan-residing-self shows up to race in Prospect Park, unlike certain Brooklyn teammates who flat out refuse to show up to Central Park to race in the early a.m.

(OHHHHH, totally unnecessary Brooklyn slam!)

Last year was a mess with the 4s mixing in with us who weren't in the break. No parade lap!

Yeah, Jan beat me from that break I bridged to on the last lap...

Lennykatz said:

Btw, Jan never soloed the whole race.  He won from a break.
See everyone tomorrow.  Looks like the weather will be great.  Glad the race isn't Sunday.

JAN!

Did I tell you about that one time I rode with Jan 235 miles and we went up beat mtn 19 times and he only went through one water bottle and half a banana? It was cool. True story.

Escape from beat mtn!

Patrick - since you are in the Cat 5 field you get to race from the whistle. The neutral lap only applies to the Kissena Champs field which consists of KCC members Cats 1-4.

Jeff Owens said:

Did I tell you about that one time I rode with Jan 235 miles and we went up beat mtn 19 times and he only went through one water bottle and half a banana? It was cool. True story.

That was Keith, actually.

Things that just got real:

a) Syrian conflict
b) Farm subsidies bill
c) Cronut lines
d) Shit
e) KCC Championships

BTW do we need reg table volunteers?

BTW do we need reg table volunteers?

Yes please!!!

1. washed bike- check

Bike filthy – check
Tire on wheel – check
Eating cheese – check

I see your tank and raise you one tank catapult !!!!

BTW do we need reg table volunteers?

Yes please!!!

Will try to be there by 5.

By special request, Hotlist is here to break it down. Hotlist feels very strange and out of place in this thread, but since everyone but Martins and Bertucco invoked the 118-rule this last weekend and likely the next (we won't travel for more than 118 minutes to any cross race regardless of how awesome it may be), let's take a look at the last road race of the season of any consequence.

The Kissena Cycling Club championship event. Where, in the past, the winner gets a special jersey with extra-stripeage proclaiming him (or her) the club champion for that year.

Most of you probably wouldn't know this little factoid because in recent memory all of our club champions have promptly disappeared, immediately, after the race, rarely to be seen again wearing Kissena colors. If memory serves this included the infamously independent Jan, and most recently one Lenny Katz who frequents the forum more than the roads upon which we race.

Make no mistake about it though, if it comes down to the sprint, current club champion and still active KCC racer Lenny Katz is not to be trifled with. But will it come down to a sprint?

Because the way you sissies are talking this sounds like the much heralded championship race is going to be 30+ dudes are going to ride around PP holding hands, singing "Frere Jacques." I can only assume our 3 badass women will first throw-up a little in their mouths at the spectacle of silly behavior, then promptly TTT to top of the podium.

Road-results.com has predicted the finish so Hotlist will start there. Next to each rider's name is their predicted finish by the road-result race predictor. Don't get confused by missing or "out of order" numbers. Hotlist has listed the top 10 Kissenas in his own descending order. In some cases Hotlist agrees, other instances, not so much.

1. Rene Herrera...over the last few years, Rene has grown into one of Kissena's better racers, racking up a number of impressive results including a big wins at the recent Tour of Fort Lee and Mengoni Grand Prix cat 3 criteriums. If it comes down to a sprint, and he's there, it's kind of hard to bet against this guy.

2. Michael Perlberg...this dude has done something in the last few years that no other Kissena has done in recent years. Won and/or placed very highly in fiercely competitive Pro 1/2/3 PP circuit races. It's going to be up to this guy to make sure that Rene doesn't come within 200 meters of the finish with a shot at victory.

3. Ryan Johnston...this dude has done something...everything I said above for Perlberg goes double for the club's acting actor in charge.

4. Eric Ragot...So in recent years, tall man has not only raised his road racing general fitness, but no longer exclusively surfs the back of the pack and has been known to contest a sprint or two. Perlberg, Johnston and Ragot all want to be in a breakaway without Herrera. Herrera will have to be smart, because if the rest of KCC is smart, they'll make him chase down any breaks he misses out on.

7. John Malcolmson...The diesel on the team with the longest sprint in town. But unlike 90% of the rest of the club, he's not afraid to try and sprint, so if he comes to the last lap with a shot at glory, you'd be a giant fool to let his wheel go.

9. Joaquin de Baca...when on form, this guy is one of the club's strongest racers. He's riding/training motivated for cyclocross this fall, so there's bound to be spillover fitness available for tomorrow.

13. Andy Da Silva...Don't let his mild mannered self-deprecating comments about "400 meters" fool you. This guy has been training and racing on the track, won at FBF, won the cat 4 Harlem crit, 3rd at White Plains...this guy is for reals. Look out.

11. Alyosha Smolarski...one of the team's Frenchmen, he's got road racing and soft cheeses running through his veins. 5th at Hilltowns, 12th at Tour of the Catskills, if this guy wants it, he could take it. The question is, how bad does he want it?

17. Jules Roazen...After racing more with his head than his heart, Roazen scored some top results and upgraded to cat 3 double legit-style. Plus his planned midseason road break, with an eye towards CX season, this is another guy who might have the podium in his sights.

8. Lenny Katz...hard to know where our reigning champion will finish, but as mentioned before if it comes down to a sprint, look for the guy built like a small brick house who can crush a sprint.

I am tired and want to sleep in.  Can we agree to race at 11 am?

5 jerseys and zero street cred.....Perhaps you have all forgotten that experience and treachery can overcome youth and ability?  Either that or you have never seen Breaking Away...

Whoops....I just harpooned my chances.  But, all four major food groups are represented; meatball, chicken, bacon and beer...

8:03pm Brace yourselves for the flood of excuses... Dibs on #becauselegs