Awesome work guys. I know Jeff's been chasing that jersey for a long time now. As Yaks says, you own it now!

It was my first time back in PPark since I moved.  I love these races.  For better or worse I was mostly justpack fill and didn't start anything or instigate anything.  During the first sprint lap I was on the inside lane and it didn't open up for me to get up front to help out Whitey and the second sprint lap I missed ... So, not only is showing up important but so is paying attention!  Congrats Jeff on snagging it and let's go Kissena's for him keeping it!

At only 31 miles, this was still my longest race of the season and it showed a bit as my back was getting pretty sore near the end.  I still need to get my flexibility and strength in order. Work travel has picked up recently so training has suffered a bit, but I have generally smooth sailing from early June until Green Mountain.  The travel gods do have me coming back for a week in July, which conveniently has me available for a CP and Floyd outing...

Great to see everyone and enjoy post race donuts and coffee.

@yacks @PatrickG How does the Castelli leader kit fit compared to ChampSys?

#askingforafriend?

I'm just realizing...all my kits were Champ Sys

Who is going Saturday...I'm lining up in the 1-2-3's... Those cat I's are young sans any grey hair...I'm looking at you Nelly !

Hey Cat 4s - @Jeffrey White is in the Green Jersey this Saturday. Let's get more teammates together to help him defend and extend his lead. Prereg closes today!

As usual Help out with registration and race for free. Let charlie know! (See email in prior post)

Sorry I'm out of the country this weekend. 

Phil Maronilla said:

Sorry I'm out of the country this weekend. 

I saw pictures of you in Facebook in a solo break at Floyd. Too bad you're out of town we could use your engine. 

Have be a great trip!

I'll be there for the July 8 race for sure.

twoyacks said:

Who is going Saturday...I'm lining up in the 1-2-3's... Those cat I's are young sans any grey hair...I'm looking at you Nelly !

I'll be there.

Have been off the bike for a bit due to work travel, but I'll give it a whirl. Not sure how much help I'll be tho.

The Three Amigos ride again !!!!!

Unfortunately I've done my back again. Been getting progressively worse all week. That's what I get for trying to tie my shoes. Very sorry to miss helping with the green jersey defense. If I'm walking in the morning I'll cheer from the sidelines.

Amigos!

Got a problem.  I tried to register yesterday, but I inputted my cc number wrong and I didn't realize it didn't go through until after registration closed.  With 103 people already signed up for 110 spots

Is anyone reading this doing registration?  I could email a signed entry form and pay you back in cash at the race.

please let me know.

I am CAT 4 and will be there tomorrow.  Didn't pre reg tho. 

I'd like to point out that I don't see that any of the 2nd - 4th placed riders for the green jersey in the 4's are signed up. Hopefully this will help you guys keep Jeff in the jersey.

Also, none of the guys in front of me on KOM are signed up either. Now I'm really bummed about my back but I only have 3 points and 3rd place is really wide open. That's 100$ at the end of the season.....

TUE Jim?

Damn JP....if u don't make it it'll be just Jeff and me....

twoyacks said:

Damn JP....if u don't make it it'll be just Jeff and me....

and 108 of your friends.

Greg Donovan should be there and setting me up 

We missed you J.P.
https://www.strava.com/activities/1040782597

So it was fast...27.5 mph fast...7 minute lap at 28.5 mph fast
https://www.strava.com/activities/1040782597/segments/25579364943
I just clicked that lap and noticed Zach Koop is 9th overall...which makes Yack think about how fleeting this all is...enjoy every Konditori doughnut.
Vladi, Greg & Jeff were in...JP's credit card snafu cost him a start

The race was moving at a considerable clip...so much so that many times the 110 man field was strung out and moving up the road, serpentine fashion

I came over the top of the park and the front of the race was already at the finish line..not a break...a strung out field = 

Yacks stayed small & tight in the slipstream. With around 3 to go I started feeling better...
Now it may have been my legs coming around or I may have just gotten contact backed by passing those weed smokers every lap near the rink?
Anyway I found myself ensconced in the back of the front group once again on the hill...I've noticed that if I stand on the climb in the finale I'm better over the top for the sprint...so off I went for a tidy top 9 finish !  (of all the cat III's silly people) 
https://www.usacycling.org/results/index.php?year=2017&id=1204
If this keeps up Yacks will be talking upgrade (in about 10 years of accrued points).
After the race someone asked me how long I've been racing...my 20 year reply was met by a literal head shake...not a race unless someone gets pissy with me
After the race it was Konditori with Eloy, Vlad, Greg, Whitey, Jeff and Bruce...were stories were shared including mine about my experience with team Hugh Jazz

and Witey's concerning ill tempered shish tzu's

This fellas greeted me after coffee...


This one's for you Mr. Koop....never met you...but I wish I had....

Is Hudson a racing team again?

They're still a CX team. Dudes starting to tune up. That said, I'm seeing Aviv training a lot these days. 

Cat 4 report:

• 60~70 people field
• Goal is simple, we want Jeff to extend his sprint lead
• That means we'll have two efforts
• Whitey looks like the hotness in green
• Sprint one goes well, greg and patrick stay close to jeff up to the climb. At the top, Patrick says "I got this" grabs the front with Jeff on his wheel and the best leadout ever in the world ensues. so much pro.
• To me, it looks like Whitey wins, but turns out he gets second.
• At this point, Jeff now leads the series by two points.
• Second sprint is maybe a little trickier, it comes right after the KOM on the same lap.
• I make my way to the front as we approach the climb with Jeff on my wheel, there's one guy away but pretty sure we'll catch him in a second. We do.
• I light it up as we hit the climb, as planned the KOM peeps take over with Whitey on their wheel, a gap develops with a select few, and eventually Whitey, riding like the fire, sprints around them all to take the second sprint. Hotness.
• Jeff now has a five points lead
• Racing felt good, we communicated well, and while i'm leaving tons of details out, we helped each other out, moved each other up the field, Greg was specially great at this.
• We raced as a team and it was awesome.

Photos from Victor (of all the races):

http://www.oneimagingphotography.com/Clients/Kissena-Race-Season-2017/Lucarelli-Castaldi-Cup-Race-Series-61717-1800/n-TS9H2f/i-DD5MkXt

Eloy said it perfectly. I had air support for both sprints today. Patrick did what he had to do to get me close to the line and Eloy knew he just had to put me in with the dots sprinters and lead them out. It was about as smooth as these things go. 

Thanks fellas!

Wish I coulda been there to help @Jeffrey White. Congratulations to all of you on a job well done. 

a few more photos from Marco Quezada:

http://lucarelliandcastaldi.com/lucarelli-castaldi-cup-61717-part-2-2/