Branchbrook NJ Spring Series

Mar 30, 2013 at 06:00 PM

Just a quick update guys, Rick and Wes were in a crash in the 4/5 field today with 3 to go. There were a few questionable characters in the field and one of them took out about 8 guys in total. They are both relatively ok when they left..Rick with a cracked helmet (hopefully no concussion) and Wes with a very sore shoulder though. There was another guy with a possible broken collar bone, and another with a wrist injury. Here's hoping @Rick and @Wes recover completely with no long term injuries.

Marc Bertucco

Mar 30, 2013 at 06:14 PM

Yikes! Keeping my fingers crossed that everyone is okay.

Phil Maronilla

Mar 30, 2013 at 06:18 PM

I should add, that this was the second crash in the 4/5 race today... the first one involved only two guys, as we were rounding a turn..

Bruce van-Schalkwyk

Mar 30, 2013 at 06:54 PM

Damn, bitter news. Hope you're ok, Rick and Wes.

Rick Perner

Mar 30, 2013 at 07:04 PM

I'm ok. I just had my bell rung. I'm playing it cautious though as I got concussed about 8 months ago. I'm heading over to GF's house in a few for monitoring/nursing etc.....

Wes seemed like he was mostly ok. But his airborne endo was quite dramatic. He cracked his helmet too in addition to tweaking his shoulder. His dad was there and drove him home. So he should be well taken care of.

The field was really sketchy. That Toga guy that Konrad mentioned set the tone with his inability to ride in a straight line and absolute lack of spacial awareness.

I was really happy when I successfully avoided the first crash through a combination of skidding and weaving. I just narrowly missed a bike that was somersaulting end over end down the middle of the road. I gave a little cheer when i was past it with nobody having smashed into me from behind. The fates still had my number though, they just hadn't called it yet.

I was feeling really pretty good/pretty strong about the best I've felt in a race so far......up until the crash. Wes looked really good too. Oh well.

Yesterday I was talking to a friend who raced for Stanford. He jinxed me when he asked me if i'd crashed yet

Jules

Mar 30, 2013 at 08:08 PM

Damn dudes... not good

Ros Knopov

Mar 30, 2013 at 08:10 PM

Yea, what Jules said ^

Mark Clifford

Mar 30, 2013 at 09:38 PM

That sucks, Wes and Rick, though I'm glad you're broadly OK. Heal up.

David Yang

Mar 30, 2013 at 10:16 PM

Sorry to hear guys, hope you both recover quickly.

twoyacks

Mar 30, 2013 at 11:41 PM

A 4/5 field can get dodgy quick...I hope you guys heal quickly. I signed up for the Masters instead of the 4/5 because the masters are safer. I was the sole Kissena in the Masters 35+. One guy soloed in on the last lap for the win. I took 3rd in the field sprint. I'm not big on "I could have won if only......" but today I sat in all day to test the knee...which is ok, not great. When the sprint started I just followed wheels...when I launched I was surprised to have really good legs and overtook about 10 guys...her comes the "if only"....had I started my sprint a bit sooner I would have taken the field sprint. The field was small due to the holiday I suspect.

In the Masters race I was with Dave Stokes, Ryan and Ragot. This race was MUCH faster than the 4/5 masters...no shock there. The thing about this field is that the second things feel too easy, someone or several someones launches an attack. So you are either in pain, or counting the seconds until the pain returns. There were all kinds of moves, counters and shenanigans. I tried to stay around top ten most of the race and follow the surges. With two to go I even jumped into a cheeky little 2 man move...with 2 guys who were likely as anonymous as me. We were caught after about 1/2 a lap. On the bell I had no power left on tap but I did hit the front and pedal furiously coming into the sprint in a pseudo leadout attempt. A maneuver that had not been discussed with Rags or Ryan and thus cost me a bit of a tongue lashing post race. Truth be told I was not high functioning mentally on that last lap. There are a million stories in the naked peloton...this is only one of them....yack-fu

JohnMalcolmson

Mar 31, 2013 at 04:09 AM

Congrats on the debut Yacks—a place is a place is a place!

eragot

Mar 31, 2013 at 12:01 PM

Quick resultless report to report. Me, Yack, Ryan and Dan Strika (hello Dan!!!) in the Masters.

Attack, counter, attack, counter. And so it goes. Opening lap we're doing 30+ on the backstretch. It was going to be a fast race. The race almost split one time coming out of the corner as it was obvious that some people were lacking fitness. Alas, it didn't split. Coming down to a field sprint, Ryan was sitting in the top 5 and out of the wind for laps. I surfed further back. I felt powerful, but lacked something (probably due to a week off the bike). We didn't organize for the sprint and Ryan kept things together at the front. I moved up, but when I went to sprint, the legs didn't cooperate. Meh.

1-2-3 - big field - 60+. Somerville Bicycle Shop is out in force. Ryan and I are in hang on until we feel better mode. Craig London is in crazy happy active mode (and shadow Brian Breech). A break goes early, I am immediately up to the front to help Craig. A counter goes. Caught. I make a move with Edwin, but it doesn't work (or was that the Masters race?) Another break goes and increases to about 10 guys in size. Luckily, John Durso's Colavita team missed it. A move goes to bridge up to the break. Breech, Craig and Durso are in that move. I bridge up to it. We give it gas, but the Somerville guys in the move disrupt things and it falls apart as we come so close to joining the break. Had those two moves joined, that was the race IMHO. Instead, we didn't catch the break. So, I went into chase mode.

I worked with Colavita and some others (Robert Lattanzi, Edwin Bull, Zeb Nelessen) to bring back the break. I totally wrecked my back pulling so hard and so often. Eventually, we complete the job despite Somerville disruption tactics. But as we reel the break in, a group of three went off the front of the break. A Somerville rider, Jeff Cline (tt monster) and another. We didn't reel them in before the end.

Bell lap - I was happy to make it this far and my back was killing me. I rolled it in at the back with Ryan.

I haven't worked that hard in ages. Totally wrecked my back. I don't want to acknowledge the need for strengthening exercises...

eragot

Mar 31, 2013 at 01:10 PM

oh. Hard race - 302w NP.

twoyacks

Mar 31, 2013 at 03:44 PM

Mas importante...pics r up !

Check out the cat IV with knee chondomalacia...that's right I said chondomalacia driving a break in the masters..

http://www.photoreflect.com/store/Orderpage.aspx?pi=0HS2002Y000122&po=122&pc=277

twoyacks

Mar 31, 2013 at 03:48 PM

One arm warmer up and one down = street cred !

http://www.photoreflect.com/store/Orderpage.aspx?pi=0HS2002Y000122&po=122&pc=277

The guy in 3rd wheel hates me...

http://www.photoreflect.com/store/Orderpage.aspx?pi=0HS2002Y000124&po=124&pc=277

konrad

Mar 31, 2013 at 05:09 PM

Yacks-thank you for keeping the Kissena/Spooky rep solid at Branch Brook.

BROPOUND!

twoyacks

Apr 01, 2013 at 02:41 AM

Vids too...Branch Brook = Da Bomb !

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6dQN6TAvX7k&feature=player_detailpage

Jules

Apr 02, 2013 at 12:37 AM

Damn those orange helmets are good

twoyacks

Apr 02, 2013 at 02:12 AM

who's got the stones to kick it up a notch ?

Orange.jpg

tito

Apr 02, 2013 at 02:42 AM

First calling the laps at AVD's race, then manning the video camera at Branchbrook - man, that little 6-year-old gets around!

Craig London

Apr 02, 2013 at 11:17 PM

Hi is anyone racing Branch Brook this Saturday? I'm registered for the 1/2/3 race at 8:55am. Don't have a ride just yet and might rent a car/van. If anyone wants to split with me let me know. I'm coming from Washington heights area by GW Bridge. Let me know!

Jeffrey White

Apr 03, 2013 at 12:03 AM

@Craig - I think a lot of folks (including myself) are going to William's Ronde van Millbrook Saturday. It's going to be one of the year's highlights.

Craig Zolan

Apr 03, 2013 at 12:20 AM

I may be doing the 3/4 race earlier in the morning. You could catch a ride with me in the morning, but I can't wait around for the 1/2/3 race to drive home because I have my son's baseball game to go to in the afternoon. Which is why I won't be attending the Ronde van Millbrook. If I were you and had the whole day free I'd go up to Millbrook. I drove through there a lot on my way to and from the Berkshires and it is really beautiful countryside and I always imagined doing rides up there. Unfortunately, I can't make it this year.

Craig London

Apr 03, 2013 at 02:48 AM

Hi @Craig Zolan --

It would be great to catch a ride with you. I am on 163rd st between Fort Washington and Riverside Drive by the GWB. I will probably just ride home from the race if you have to take off. Please call or text me if you can make it up here. I would really appreciate the ride and will give you gas money.

Thanks,

Craig

(917)-602-1366

Ryan J

Apr 03, 2013 at 03:05 AM

@craigL, come do the club race, it's going to be blast.

Craig London

Apr 03, 2013 at 03:29 AM

Would love to but pre-registered for Branch Brook a while back and am chasing upgrade points. Sorry I'm going to miss it. Sounds like an awesome time- Have fun everyone!

tito

Apr 03, 2013 at 12:08 PM

So much peer pressure - and William hasn't had to say a mumblin' word!

Dan Reiners

Apr 03, 2013 at 02:25 PM

We'll have the Craigs flying the Kissena banner at BB this weekend, while many of the rest of us will be wandering around the roads of Duchess county being hunted by mysterious woodland creatures that are usually reserved for those dark early fairy tales that were made up to keep children from wandering into caves or heavily forested areas.

eragot

Apr 05, 2013 at 12:40 AM

EDIT - I can't race the 1-2-3, so I'll be doing masters and masters alone.

UNfortunately, I can't make it to William's race. But, I can make it to Branchbrook and then go to the upper west side after, so Craig, I've got room for you on the way back.

Now, do I do the masters and 1-2-3 races? 78miles?

jim_nelson

Apr 06, 2013 at 03:14 PM

Craig L gets 2nd in the field sprint in the 3/4 race.