@ Josh: sounds like on balance it was a positive experience, which is key. If you like it, and learn from it you'll keep improving.
@ Noss: of course you did! After the hurt you put on the hills in LA I expect nothing less

@all - Correction on the numbers:

Time (with slowing for crash) 1:11:36
Distance - 29.8m
Avg Watts - 245w
xPower -285w
Normalized (Power Agent) - 315w
Max Power - 1265w
Avg Cadence - 92
Avg. Speed - 25.3mph
BikeScore - 104

HA! That's my ass playing a leading roll in the video - sitting on back of Hudson train. Great riding today all around. Thanks to Marc for leading tomb laps.

I have no problem with riders' behavior in that video. They did exactly as they were instructed, and as a couple folks have said, during that part of a race when your mental faculties are under serious stress, that's all you can be expected to do. However, the race should have been stopped beforehand. Period. Why even bother having race marshals if they can't stop a race from going through bodies and ambulances? Completely pathetic and par for the course for an AVD race.

Btw, the pace moto should have stopped--racers look to them in a position like that and he lead us through that gap (not fun for guy on ground scrambling to get out of way). The other thought is there was very little time to figure that out at 28mph--It might have been another crash if everyone had slammed on the anchors. Wasn't pleased with the cosmic guys high fiving after either; totally in appropriate. I think it'd be great if the officials set more of a tone at the start of the race about safe riding... AVD's pre race was like 'here are the keys kids, just do what you want.' ... We need a race commissaire who'll DQ riders in the joggers lane.

Posted By: John Malcolmson We need a race commissaire who'll DQ riders in the joggers lane.

This isn't happening around here as the officials are beyond weak. I'd do it, but I still am racing and have to race with these guys. It doesn't always put me in good stead. Frankly, even though he was considered loud and blunt, Don Winston took no crap and has the balls to DQ a field and deal with the consquences. We need more like him, though how he goes about doing it could be softened.

The moto should have stopped, for sure, but its an ugly scene all around. Looks to me like the front of that group barely slows, and then they just take off again, properly attacking out of the carnage. Having passed that marshall a minute or two later (Jeff and I dropped out in the final minutes after we were behind yet another crash) it was pretty obvious from his shouting that one ought to slow, way, way down if not stop completely. Indeed, Mattie said he came to a near complete stop.

yeah, the marshall could have been clearer. But remember who these marshalls are. They're not professionals, and they're doing a thankless job for next to nothing. I can forgive that guy for not really knowing what to do in that bizarre situation.

I think its just a ripple effect - bad communication, bad decision by the moto, bad decision by the front of the group, bad decision by the rest to take their cue and follow. I'd like to think that had a few Kissenas been on the front instead of Hudson we'd come to a stop and at least demonstrate the sportsmanship to re-group before everyone starts racing again. But Hudson stands up and just takes off, which takes advantage of anyone who had the common decency to slow down enough to make absolutely certain that their fellow human beings lying in the road bleeding waiting to be loaded into an ambulance were not further injured.

I don't really know what my point is, other than to express frustration that the whole vibe of that race just left me feeling not all that excited about future park races. At least until I'm out of the 4s anyway, if that happens.

Maybe we could lobby as a unit at races. So if one Kissena sees someone blatantly violating a rule, ALL of us in that field report him after the race. It would probably help to recruit some friends from other teams to help so it's not just Kissena. At worst, we get a reputation for being "tattle tales," but at least someone will have that reputation.

We did this in the 1-2-3 race - we slowed, neutralized the field ourselves and frankly knew we weren't really racing for anything in that the mess would not be cleared by the time we came back. The officials should have known enough at that point to stop the 1-2-3 field and end the race.

Jeff,

I can think of about a dozen occasions where 4-6 of us (and sometimes people from other teams) have lodged complaints about intentional, multiple violations by riders. I can think of maybe once where a guy was then confronted with a piece of paper. Not sure what was even on it. A fine? A suspension? Anyway, as Eric said, the officials are weak so this almost never happens.

On the other hand, at Catskills one of the guys who got top 3 actually was dq'd for multiple blatant yellow line infractions (I think). Right on.

Well, there ya go....

That is a good result from AVD. We should congratulate him for doing the right thing and encourage him to be sensible & flexible like this in the future.

Agreed. If he deserves criticism for his many mistakes, he also deserves credit when he does something right.

In the I-II-III, when we came around to the crash scene, there were immediate yells to slow down. once around, the guys at the front were yelling to stop racing until the pace motorcycle passed us. Maybe it's age, experience, or people still having their heads on right. AVD and the officials at the finish line didn't seem to know what was going on. A friend asked me if he thought the road would be clear by the time we came around again. I thought that with 13 minutes, they could probably do it, but wasn't sure. I was wrong.

I don't think that the 150-rider field is what caused the crashes. People in the 150-rider field worried about the size of the field might have contributed. Still, if it means people in the field will be less nervous,then it's probably a good idea.

Yeah, it was weird. I was towards or on the front the entire race, and I was still BEHIND 3 of the crashes. It was just completely nervous and fairly fast (don't have any numbers, but Stokes said we were going at a pretty hard clip on the flats).

Waiting second row at the start line, I noticed a few guys' calves shaking on their clipped in leg. I was thinking: it's not really that cold, this isn't a cx race with a holeshot...this is just tons of nervous energy from inexperienced riders that's going to explode somehow. Sho nuff!

Oh well. I still think it's good the field is shrunken (and make the 3's race in the 123, duh) and hopefully he'll get some more radios to communicate with some of the marshals/pacers on the course.

Same team?

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.335525846483747.73367.216689561700710&type=1#!/photo.php?fbid=335529796483352&set=a.335525846483747.73367.216689561700710&type=3&theater

Yes, they all should be wearing the same kits. I thought about it as it usually bothers me. I asked Horace about it and his response was something along the lines of "shit man, it was early and I couldn't tell the difference in color..." I laughed and shrugged it off. I've got other things to worry about...

As for bad riding by WS United - I bumped bars with Horace as we climbed up Cat's Paw, but that was because we were out of sync and right next to each other. I didn't see any particularly eggregious riding by them - Scott Savory was bouncing around out of control for the most part. Diaslowski wasn't very smooth either.

Yeah, I'll agree with that^

I think sometimes rolling into the bike lane in inevitable. The big question is, do you use it to advance position?

Got got pushed into it going up 110berg on the final lap, I could have leaned back and stayed on the road, but is that type of fight necessary on the first race of the season? I rolled into the lane, and then came back onto the road right where I was before. But I'm sure someone could scream and cry about it.

An observation from my morning commute, which I think is arcane to the 3/4 finish on Sunday.
I'm riding in the bike lane on Ave C approaching the East River. A long line of cars are stopped in the traffic lane waiting their entrance to the FDR Drive. One of them from the rear of the line decides to maneuver up the rather narrow bike lane. I brace myself for confrontation. Then another pulls into the lane. And another thinks about it as the second goes by. I, of course, gave them hell for being in my way (and illegally driving in the bike lane).

My observation is that bike racers may not be that much different from the general population. One person takes action on a perceived advantage. And that is too much of a temptation for others, even if they may not have thought of that advantage. They follow. The world will always have bankers and politicians and the 1%. It is our choice to follow their inequities, or whether to Do The Right Thing.

Not sure how to end this . . . How about Occupy Bike Racing!

^I approve this message^

Occupy Car Path!

From AVD.

======================================================================================================

Hello Racers:

The first race of this years Spring Series has brought a few things to light. The MCA will try to address all points as we continue to develop racing in New York City.

As you know we are reducing the maximum amount of riders in the 3,4 field to 100 plus the racers who have already registered for the whole series.

Also for the Floyd Bennett Field event we will have a maximum field of 50 riders in all fields except the Pro 1,2,3. However we will add additional fields as needed. Meaning that there can be three category 3,4 fields that day or 2 cat 5 fields if needed. Each field will have their own prize list.

The spirit of the Spring Series is to prepare racers for the upcoming season. To that point we are lowering the laps for the cat 5 racers from 3 laps to 2 laps for the month of March in Central park and from 7 to 6 laps in Prospect Park. We believe that many riders are very fit and excited to race. We are very inspired by their enthusiasm. However we are committing ourselves to build racer knowledge as well as handling skills. We will continue to keep you posted on these changes.

For the Masters field and the Pro, 1,2,3 field, all riders who attended the Sunday March 4, 2012 race will get Sunday March 11, 2012 as a comp race. You will get new numbers and need to sign a new release. We ask that you show up to registration a little earlier so we can address all concerns in enough time to start the race on time.

Going forward, for all fields, if an event incident does happen where the road is closed the actions for a race finish are as follows. After the road is opened and if time allows for one additional lap, the finish for that lap becomes the results for that field. However if a full lap is not possible we will have a 1-mile scratch race to decide the finish of the event.

The results for the Cat 3,4 race and Cat 5 stand as they are and will be posted as such. From these results we will choose the wearer of both race leader jerseys.

Thank you for your time.

Anthony Jay Van Dunk
Metropolitan Cycling Association

Seems like a diss to the 3/4 field, or punishment for riding through the carnage.

Someone should tell him to watch the video of the end of the 3/4 race. If he has and still allows those "results" to stand, he's a buffoon.

Hey man, if you want the throphy you gotta be willing to get your hands dirty.

You have EPO, don't you? Gimmie gimmie!

This is pretty good:

http://competitorradio.competitor.com/2012/03/mark-zeigler-4/

@ Owens... excellent podcast.
It's funny, I was third wheel going in, then slowed for Saving Private Ryan scene... gawking at guy holding bloodied jaw... those rescue boards lying around. About 15 riders came around me while I was going through... then I got out the other side and a few guys gun it. First thought that went through my mind: I bet AVD counts these places.

"For the Masters field and the Pro, 1,2,3 field, all riders who attended the Sunday March 4, 2012 race will get Sunday March 11, 2012 as a comp race. You will get new numbers and need to sign a new release. We ask that you show up to registration a little earlier so we can address all concerns in enough time to start the race on time.

Going forward, for all fields, if an event incident does happen where the road is closed the actions for a race finish are as follows. After the road is opened and if time allows for one additional lap, the finish for that lap becomes the results for that field. However if a full lap is not possible we will have a 1-mile scratch race to decide the finish of the event."

1-mile scratch race: really?

Free race: actually, this goes further than I imagined. I figured he'd just double the next payout. But I don't want to race the 11th so I'm screwed I guess. will inquire if I can transfer it to a Prospect Park race.

that 3/4 race was the first one i have been dropped from. i like to think it was due to the first crash on the hill, as i was caught behind it, rather than lack of condition, but truth is i was unable to catch the field. in any case, i feel very lucky not to have crashed. i would like to know how the downed riders fared. does anyone know?