Pictures Bro:

http://lucarelliandcastaldi.com/2015/04/lucarelli-castaldi-cup-round-1/

In other news, anyone know if we are getting a discount at KCC races this year? There was no "envelope line" as far as I could tell. #$40trainingparkraces?

and $45 day of…wtf?

did Zwift file for bankruptcy already?

I think I paid $30 day of......

Bruce, I'm not entirely sure what you mean when you describe the race as a "C" race. Because if you mean, its a "C priority" race, then I don't necessarily think you should be timing your intervals and weekly workouts to let you show up with fresh legs. That's what you do for your A-priority events, right?

I mean, yes, you might perform better on a given day, but if you are training towards other goals, then it's very possible that what is actually important about how you perform in an early-season park race, is maybe that you have strung together 4 days of hard work on the bike, which might include the "C" race.

Other notes to consider, based on your report:

1. On the climb, I found that the wind was actually coming from the left side. So if you were staying to the left, I think you were taking wind. I used that lane to move up on occasion when I was feeling good and/or the field was moving slow enough that it didn't "cost" me too much. Now as we crested the climb, I pushed harder on the funnel left hand sweeper so I could swing over from the right to the left side where the pavement was more predictable and there was protection from the swirling wind. I guess it could have been different for you, as the wind was swirling but most every lap, I felt as though the right side up the hill was the protected side, and the left side across the top of the course up until the decent.
   
   
2. Everyone struggled in the wind. That said, you are probably one of the tallest guys racing, so I wouldn't be surprised if the wind affected you more proportionally. One trick is to get low and in the drops and try to minimize the surface area you are presenting to the wind. The other, is paying attention to your gearing. With gusty, swirling winds, it can be hard to find a pedaling flow/rhythm, so for me, normally a high cadence guy, I click down my cluster a bit more than normal, slowing my RPMs, but improving my overall stability on the bike to resist gusts and keep a nice even tempo through alternating gusts and calm as riders flick back and forth in front of me giving me moments of relief from the wind.
   

vlad said:

You and JP actually had a lil' gap at one point! Then things exploded. 

It was totally the right move.  Sitting around and waiting for Loehner, etc. to make the moves and mark them isn't an easy way to do well.

But lets go back to before the start.  Riding to the park, it was clear that it was going to be a windy race.  Windy is good for strong riders.  think spring classics.  strong riders aren't going to wait for the end of the race when there are heavy winds.  They're more likely to force moves early, and knock out the pack.  And with around 100 starters, a hard move might well catch out not only the weak but the conservative and unlucky.

We had Keith, Marc, Vlad, myself starting starting.  

Shortly after the start, Perlberg and a Ritte guy got away. There was no reason to worry about them, they'd just be the carrot.  Still, we followed moves, keith set tempo now and again.  Maybe we'd catch a ride across.

I think it was four laps in. I had been pretty active, was at the front, and I saw Marc roll by a little after the temple. Figured he sensed the pack sleeping, so I went with.  The time was right.  We got ahead of the heavy hitters.

We got a little gap and then some of the reliable hammers came by hard just as we were getting to the hill.  I sensed this was the moment.  Unfortunately, I was a little more gassed then I expected.  They went harder than I had.

Not much to do other than to drive as best I could and hope they sit up.  If you look at Marco's pictures, the break was caught on the hill.  A few more guys got up to them than can be seen, and a few drop back.

I was behind, going as hard as I could.  After I think I'm not making any headway, I hear a voice say, "JP, move over."  It was Andrew McGee of Rapha.  He and a teammate, and another guy or two are behind me.  I sit on after the finish line, and briefly recover.  I'm good enough by the temple that I accidentally ride them off my wheel.  I sit up, and we continue.  We catch by the old finish line.

The break of nine is pretty much cemented by that moment.  And three guys my age or older are up there.  Our group of 15 does a pretty awful job of chasing, partially because a few are deliberately getting in the way, and because some guys are stupidly getting in the way.  And several had no interest in chasing.  

The wind is making chasing hard, but really, there were more guys in front who knew how to ride the wind than in my group.  

I played the sprint wrong again. 9th in the group, 19th on the day, and hadn't wound up my sprint by the line.  I might try leading it out next time, just to learn from that position.

PatrickG said:

 If I read the results correctly I was able to snag the Masters jersey. 

Nate took the silver jersey. We'll work to get it for you Patrick but seems unfortunate that we'll have to beat up on one of the nicest guys in the peleton to do it.

jim_nelson said:

PatrickG said:

 If I read the results correctly I was able to snag the Masters jersey. 

Nate took the silver jersey. We'll work to get it for you Patrick but seems unfortunate that we'll have to beat up on one of the nicest guys in the peleton to do it.

I misread Nate's age when checking he results at the finish Saturday. I agree he is a good guy - we chatted during the race itself. I don't know if he intends to go after the jersey. 

Patrick...get the jersey...as I need to see if your gray locks are a perfect match for the grey jersey (fyi..you can use either spelling grey or gray).

twoyacks said:

Patrick...get the jersey...as I need to see if your gray locks are a perfect match for the grey jersey (fyi..you can use either spelling grey or gray).

except when you put Dorian in front of it

Also, order up some short liners or something. Those grey shorts are see-through.

True...I've seen bits of J.P. I wish I could unsee 

We'll spell it Greh by the end of the series.

Yaks - sad to say but I'm sure my whiskers (I don't have locks) are more silver than any jersey. 

as for the grey kit, maybe we can let Nathan hold on to it for a while. 

^ till the next race.

^times like this I miss being a 4 with Yaks putting a weekly beatdown on whatever jersey we wanted.
#lesigh

I plan on racing saturday and cannot do the KOM duties if someone is interested it pays $70 contact Charlie to set it up.

Keith

Isn't the L&C cup on Sunday this weekend?

SUNDAY.

I wouldn't mess with Keith man. It's not worth it. Dude will rip your face off like a bored chimp.

I'm in by the way, for whenever the race is.

Racers, in efforts to eliminate all non-Brooklyn-based riders from contention, Charlie has moved the start times to 6:00am-ish.

Just kidding...sort of.

Everyone racing, please note the NEW start times this week.

I'm racing this Sunday in the 4's  any plans or meeting before the race? I could be a domestique for somebody with a goal, as I have no personal goals for the race other than staying in the front third of the race for as long as possible

rhanks
chaim

1/2/3s...back in the saddle for another week. Looking forward to racing with, as of now, Yacks, JP and Vlad. And looking at the startlist, this week has the potential to be a barn burner. Plenty of heavy-hitters. So we'll have to be on our toes, to make sure we don't miss any promising moves. For one, we don't have the manpower to chase too many things down on our own.

The two biggest teams will be the CRCA/Brands and Sommerville Sports. I don't expect much team work to be evident from the "Brands" team, but Sommerville has some serious firepower and likes the break. Hopefully one of us can be there with them when something goes.

The faded, "Emperor's New Clothes" kit of Rapha of the peeling silkscreen ass-letters will again be out there. Someone be sure to point out which is Dan Seaton and I'll do my part to make sure he doesn't get away without company.

John Loehner and Zmolick are never to be ignored. They are wearing all black and sponsored by Lightweight wheels. Yikes. How did that sponsorship happen?

Dioslaki is back, and...well, you get the point. A lot of firepower that will likely keep things interesting.

For my part, I'll again be attacking monkey style. Last week's race, I "surged" over 10 watts/kg six different times in a 12-lap race. Five other times, I put in surges from 8-10 watts/kg. From a "surges" point of view, it was my "toughest" race of the season so far.

This week, I'll be looking for similar kinds of efforts, however, I'm going to do my best not to drift too far back on my recovery. Too many times, when the field swelled and I was ready to go again, I was stuck/locked in the back of the pack. I don't expect much, if any, bunching, but still, will try to hold closer to the front after big efforts. That might be big ask though. Hard to recover from a 15 watt/kg attack when the field is flying by you. We'll see. #WorkinProgress.

One thing I don't think, with just 4 riders in this field that we as a team should be doing is getting to the front and pulling the field up to a breakaway that's been dangling "too long." I'd be more inclined to attempt to work to help someone bridge up to said move, but giving guys like the Scott Savorys and Matt Seatons free rides is not in our interest.

That said, if one of you asks me to pull something back, because you've got something up your sleeves, and I do it, if I don't get a "good pull" compliment/pat on the back after the race, then I will be grumpy and my feelings will be hurt. #appreciateeachother

I also have the goal of getting points in at least one of the sprints on the day. I struggled to be in proper position last week, so I'm going to give it a go again this week. I'm cautiously optimistic that a less bunchy field, will actually make this easier for me.

If any of you have specific goals, thoughts, about how we can race better this week, please share. We've got a nice little group here that could potentially do some damage if we get a little lucky this week.

Field is not full, FWIW; wondering what Craig and Jake are up to this weekend?

I've been stretching this race cut jersey all week....hope I can breathe in it on Sunday

Yackitori - Stretch out some new kit with current sponsors!

That's the rub Yanger....can't buy the new jersey till I know which size to get.  Club cut is a parachute and race cut crushes my spleen.

Yacks, it's very simple. Race cut because you race. Plus your arms are dreamy and the public wants what it wants. 

If the situation is that desperate my tailor does flat lock stitching

I'm loading up on the Axe for Sunday !!!

Rock the full Galetta