Dan and Ryan, it would be a privilege to work for you guys this year...either one of you could do it. We will discuss a mind blowing strategy later in the week...as I'm not functioning at a high level mentally right now...yacks

this is really cool....could you imagine being Moser's kid and trying to become a pro cyclist???
http://vimeo.com/38174640

Apparently his son is turning pro for BMC next year, and his nephew for Liquigas.

I just want to make sure I have this straight. The two guys who speak Italian on Kissena are Canadian? Where was Joe W?

JP

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=3569378671720&set=a.3569018422714.159059.1190553654&type=1&theater

Race Report. We raced. Dave Kicked Ass. Ryan Kicked Ass. The whole damn team kicked major ass.

Oh, and Moser was there too.

I almost didn't race today: Moser/Work/Family conspired to have me in bed close to midnight and up at 4 to pick up Moser at his hotel; part of me was worrying last night that I'd crash because I wasn't on my game...

My memory of the race is a bit dim because I was so preoccupied with not fucking up a good thing. I got literally zero warmup - handed Moser his final introductions and then looked for my bike with 2 minutes to go.

I think we did a first-rate job of controlling/blocking the race when our guys were up the road; at the end Ryan came to the front and told me he wanted to string it out going up the hill to keep things safe so I obliged. I put the hammer down (375 for 3 minutes for those who care) until I heard him make a very uncharacteristic noise - I figured if I could hurt Ryan on a hill a) the whole field must be creaking and b) Ryan was tired after his 2 man break.

We took turns across the top and back down the descent (holy moley Tito can book it going downhill) and took over again for a 1 minute 425 watt dig. In hindsight I'm not sure why I stopped; I just told myself I'd do a minute over 400 and see where that got us.

After that I was just focussed on getting the hell out of trouble before the sprint - I'm really sorry I didn't think about the other places (2nd through 10th) I guess the Moser/Work/Family/4 hours sleep took a bigger toll than I expected.

What a day at the races!

HUGE THANKS to Jeff White for procuring the hat & camera last week on zero notice and to Josh for helping with the car this morning; I felt like such a jerk asking him to move it not once but TWICE for me - you saved me an unpleasant jog in my socks and allowed me to keep Moser from getting too mobbed. As they say in Italian, "Mille Grazie!"

Marco is submitting my take on the story to the press today re: Moser...

“Hey Charlie, are you sitting down? Francesco Moser wants to come to the park race on Saturday… and he wants to race…”

That’s how my conversation began with Charlie Issendorf, organizer of the Prospect Park Race series, began.

Just two days prior my wife had taken me to Lunetta, a local Brooklyn restaurant for my birthday; Francesco Moser and his son Carlo were in attendance there promoting their winery, Cantine Moser. Over a delicious meal the guests chatted with the gregarious (and multi-lingual) living legend and his son. Stories were told by the elder Moser in Italian, Spanish and French throughout the evening. As the wine flowed the local amateur racers began their campaign to get “the Sheriff” to attend Saturday’s first race of the spring series in Brooklyn’s Prospect Park. “He loves everything related to ‘cyclismo,’” said Marco Moser. “Perhaps he will come to watch.”

“Watch?” we joked. “He is welcome to race!”

The former Giro D’Italia champion demurred, citing the need for a bicycle he was familiar with, papers for racing, proper shoes, pedals, his age, jetlag and other excuses well known to racers of all ages and accomplishments. We persisted in good humor, hoping to at least secure his presence on the starting line.

Imagine my surprise on Thursday morning to get a call from Marco Moser. “Il signore would like to come to the race.” After a bit of clarification with my broken Italian the reality made itself known: “Il Signore,” “lo sceriffo,” three-time Paris-Roubaix winner, former World Champion, et cetera, was asking to line up with the local park amateurs and pin on a number.

Local racer Victor Ratto arranged for a bike & clothing while any worries about proper racing “papers” for Mr. Moser were quickly put to rest by Steve Johnson, the president of USACycling. “We [would be] honored to have him compete…” he wrote, “and Signore Moser [may] compete in the Category of his choosing.”

As I drove him from his midtown hotel across the Manhattan bridge, Mr. Moser gazed at the predawn Brooklyn Bride and declared, “It is still night!” But the speed and ease with which he changed into his racing gear indicated he was no stranger to early morning races in strange surroundings. His field left promptly at 6:15 amid cheers of enthusiasm from an unusually large crowd of spectators and despite his limited training for the event – just four rides this calendar year – the Sheriff sat easily in the top ten of the local Pro/1/2/3 event, often leading the pack up the hill with ease before sitting up to avoid the sprint. “The sprint can be dangerous,” he explained, “if you don’t have the fitness.”

Moments after finishing, Moser was surrounded by fans seeking autographs on everything from vintage jerseys to photographs. Ever gracious, he signed autographs and posed for pictures patiently with a warm smile before retreating to a local coffee shop to share stories of today’s race and others past. I am certain stories of the day Francesco Moser raced in Brooklyn’s Prospect Park Series opener will be told in that coffee shop for years to come.

High fives to the VollBeast! Killer move congrats dude.

CAT 5, 5 Laps

I took 3rd place winning the bunch sprint with 2 guys off the front on a long 750m early sprint, the move of which I missed until it was too late / boxed in.

My plan was simple, ride aggressive. I had spoken to 2 guys before the race, big (soon to be cat 4) Paul from Siggis and my Friend Fran (unattached) about doing a move together.

Lap one rolled through in just over 9 minutes @35.6km/h so I moved to the front 5 riders for the hill. Half way up it Paul starts the move, I'm hot on his wheel. Crest the hill and I came through for a monster pull, while we had brought a handful of people with us we had gapped the field. I drilled it on the front expecting everyone willing to commit to the break which now had a good gap. Last weekend when I tried to break its safe to say I didn't really commit to it 100%, the gap wasn't suitable enough to keep going with it, I wanted to change that this week and stick with it and work with others, as discussed before the race.......wrong no one came through so I stayed on the front for for 1 minute 44 seconds @ 6.0w/kg, Sat up and forced others through. The group was slowly growing but constantly with a decent gap on the field, Harry was there, Paul who started the break and my friend as well as a host of others who soon became problematic.

We had maybe 7 or so riders at that point, it grew to maybe 10 with only 4 of us working to pull out the gap. The second lap came in at 7 minutes 37 seconds @42,7km/h. The sandbagging continued into the third lap and got worse and worse and worse. I wasted a LOT of energy trying to encourage others by pulling hard on the front (or shouting at them to do the same) next time ill just attack again to shed the dead weight.

Our breakaway dissolved around lap 3 and we were all together. Lots of surges and meaningless attacks from previous sandbaggers who thought we were tired but they were not allowed an inch!

last lap, same deal, more attacks, nothing punchy enough to get away, just marked everything. Down the decent and the pace pushes up, pack started to swell.

I had done a LOT of work on the front and in the break, I burnt some pretty big matches but I felt confident about the sprint given the fact we had made the race HARD for everyone.

1km to go, people getting into positions. I was 4 or so from the front, felt good. 800m to go, people start coming around me, I kept it calm.
Around the 800m/700m mark 2 riders fired off the left side with lightning pace instantly gapping the field. I was totally boxed in but if I'm honest I thought no way, to early expecting the people in front to crank it up to chase but they were pooped and so didn't.

I gently turned it on about 35 seconds out, had to actually move back a few places just to get out of the box I was in then as soon as I felt the fresh air I kicked and committed 25 seconds and took the group sprint for 3rd.
Set another new power pb for this year of 24 seconds at a hair over 1010w which for me represents 13.6w/kg. Peaked out at 1278w or 17.182 w/kg with 5 seconds at 16.375 w/kg.

Generally I'm happy, I got on the podium for the first time, its my best result and so I'm really pleased particularly as we road aggressive and didnt just sit in until the end. Im learning the familiar faces now in my 5th race and so next week ill be more attentive at the end.

Duration
40:52
NP
314
Average Power
259
Max Power
1278
Average Speed
39.9kph
Max Speed
60.4
Average Cadence
100
Average Heart Rate
163
Max Heartrate
188

Great work Ashley; come on up to the 4's we've got a leadout train awaiting

@Ashley thanks again for yet another in a string of outstanding finish-line videos

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bvONpC4Vjik&context=C40f90e9ADvjVQa1PpcFMPacWFpyXxh_mnEgVfm9aVyUJMNeQllws%3D

Please don't let anybody let him live this down...

Fan Boy Chabs

http://www.oneimagingphotography.com/Cycling/Lucarelli-CastaldiCupRace42112/Moser-post-race/22556795_PJD38k#!i=1805231174&k=VpS9JJP&lb=1&s=A

Posted By: mperlberg
In the 123s, Joe got him self into a tie for 1st in the KOM, taking 2nd and 3rd. He was off the front for the first 6 or so laps with a foundation rider Chris.

Race ended in a sprint, we got nothing, I was somewhere up near the top 20 but couldn't find an opening.

Wait, let me get this straight. You race with a legend. Malcolmson does his first 1/2/3 race with the team and this is all we get for a race report?! Man, you guys are strong riders, but your race reports are weak.

Posted By: Marc Bertucco

Posted By: mperlberg
In the 123s, Joe got him self into a tie for 1st in the KOM, taking 2nd and 3rd. He was off the front for the first 6 or so laps with a foundation rider Chris.

Race ended in a sprint, we got nothing, I was somewhere up near the top 20 but couldn't find an opening.

Wait, let me get this straight. You race with a legend. Malcolmson does his first 1/2/3 race with the team and this is all we get for a race report?! Man, you guys are strong riders, but your race reports are weak.

What Marc said. Cough it up lads...

Posted By: Jules Roazenat the end Ryan came to the front and told me he wanted to string it out going up the hill to keep things safe so I obliged.

Great report by Jules. One correction though, on the above.

The idea was not to keep it safe, it was to keep it FAST - or just fast enough to keep Dave away by ensuring that no one would want to initiate any aggressive chasing shenanigans. I was counting on Dave being a beast so this would succeed and not accidentally bring him back.

So we did that for almost a lap. Then when we hit the hill, I figured it we made it really hard for 90 seconds that would pretty much cook any remaining ideas of a hard chase.

And yes, Jules cooked me and my legs finally gave out over the top.

(But not before I'd broken a bunch of power records. 318w for just over 10min while I was away with a guy from Rockstar on laps 2-4.)

And in the end, Dave WAS a beast, so it worked.

We were everywhere today. Awesome job by all.

Also, I got a nice compliment afterward from my breakmate Mikael Hanson of Rockstar, who coaches NYU. He said he was really impressed with the way we coordinated and sacrificed and operated as a team unit. "Very rare in the 4s", he said.

Ryan is right. Fast was the order, my addled brain confused the two.
Love hearing the other guys props. Very gratifying to know we're getting it right.

fYI my favorite non-Moser related quote was
Bysshe, "Which one is Christian?"
Jules, "The big guy"
Bysshe, "There are lots of big guys."
Jules, "Think Greco Roman big."
Bysshe (spotting him at last) "Oh wow"

And for what it's worth, Christian beat me up the hill once or twice - the whole while I was thinking "there is no f-ing way"

Chapeau Kaiser!

@Marc: Here's my report for the day.

I started my day waking up at 415am to get to registration. It was really cool to line up with Moser, I honestly didn't know to much about him before this week and it was really exciting to learn about his cycling history this week. Let me see if I can get a head count of how many Kissena's were in the race:

1.Keith, 2. Miles, 3. Rene, 4. Eric, 5. Mike, 6.WDC, 7. Stokes, 8. John M, 9. Lenny, 10. Me. This is my first time I think I've raced with more than 4 Kissena's in a race so I was pumped to have a team that could be player in the race. We got rolling and I had two goals today 1) work in a break that actually stays away for more than 3/4's of a lap and 2) focus on being in position when it actually matters. I make my way to the front and sit three wheels bac and for some reason the Scotto's guy in front of me keeps looking over his shoulder. After the third time I'm wondering what's going on? So I check and see we have a large gap. Play it cool Mueller. See what you can get away with. We have three in our break and Chris foundation quote un-quote bridges to makes our 4th.

It's the first lap and I really didn't want to mentally commit to trying to hold off the field for 13 laps so I just kinda pulled my weight not really wanting to dig in incase we get pulled back quickly. Once we hit the hill a Wonder Wheel guy is starting to skip turns and when he pulled off I asked "are you hurting?" and he replies yes then blows up. Great down to three. Probably the lap after that the Scotto's guy slips off the back on the hill. Down to two. When we hit the rollers after GAP I could look across the park and see the peloton was just cresting the hill so we still have a sizeable gap. Chris is a pretty strong guy so I figured just maybe we might stay away.

We take turns trading pulls, me mostly on the up hills and him on the down hills or when I'm just not cutting it. The bell rings for the fist KOM and I let him know that I wouldn't mind taking it and he says he wants it too but lets make a game plan once we get there. At least he was honest with me. I didn't like my chances out sprinting the guy and figured if we duked it out on the hill that would be the end of me and the break so I opted to let him pull up the hill take the points and keep the break together.

I think it was the next lap the bell rang for the sprint and once we crested the hill and came back into the rollers a Champ-Sys rider bridged and when I looked back the peleton was there. Chris and the Champ-Sys guy made a weak counter. Eric came up told me to go hide in the pack to recover for a bit.

I was hanging at the back of the pack when the next KOM bell rang. Myles looked back and I nodded so he started pulling me up to the front of the pack. We passed WDC and I said I'm going to go for the KOM and I need you to lead me out and he hopped in between Myles and I. The three of us went to the front and found Eric who said he was going to be my lead out. Perfect. There was a little lull right before we hit the start finish line and I got disconnected from Eric's wheel. I had to split Chab and from speedwell a little close and freaked Pat out. Sorry dude I have places to be. Eric, WDC, Me when we hit the false flat and Eric put in a big pull to keep things strung out and got us started up the hill where WDC took over and really laid it down. I kinda wondered if he was just going to take the whole thing himself. I jumped when WDC pulled off but just didn't have the explosion needed, and took 3rd in the sprint to end up with a 3 way tie for first.

After that I hit recovery mode again to get ready to lead out John for the sprint. With two to go I found John and asked him if he wanted to make a go of things. I dont really remember what he said but it sounded like he would try if it was there. Headed up the hill followed wheels to be move close to the front to keep things together if a Kissena wasn't in the move. Things get a little hazy here. I had John on my wheel for a bit, my main goal was to keep him at the front and out of the wind. I ended up pulling him a little to far to the front and at the bottom of the hill we got split up. Mike and I covered moves as they went but they were pretty half hearted.

Coming in to the bell lap I think Moser came to the front and let everyone know that he was still in the race.

For the last lap things get really hazy. But in the end I slipped off the back to make sure I had a lot of room between the sprint and myself.

I was really pumped with how today played out for me. I'll be out of town next Thursday so I wont be fighting for the KOM jersey but at least I can say I'm tied for first this week. A big thanks to everyone for blocking and leading out for the KOM! I had a blast today.


Joe

I have a dream...one day, us 1/2/3s take to the start of a Prospect Park race, put aside other goals and focus on setting up a sprint train, end result be damned. An impossible dream I know.

So here is my report, since you asked. I actually don't have too much to say as the day was rather uneventful for me.

First 3-4 laps Joe is off the front and we take turns covering bridge attempts. I float around the field and get comfortable. My favorite moment, as I'm sitting ~30 rider back, is to see a group of two trying to bridge while a Kissena latches on. Kissena rider, cool as a cucumber, is riding no handed sipping on their water bottle waiting for the other riders to work. Needless to say, they didn't get across.

Joe is close to getting caught, so I start moving up towards the front. I get in a small move, which falls apart just before the green jersey sprint. I'm not really interested in those points so I decide to save some energy. Most moves seemed to be on a short leash today, or when they do get away they have the wrong mix of riders.

1 lap before the final KOM I follow Stephen D. (Metra) as he attacks over the hill. We get a gap and work together. He doesn't seem that strong or is tired. Bummer. Marco does pull up on the motorbike and take some action photos. So I pose for those and try to look tough.

I see the train getting together for the KOM bus miss the bus. I follow wheels to get in position for a counter-attack but am a little too far behind. After the KOM, people are nearly crashing on the hill because of the changes in speed. It was downright silly. Anyway, in the chaos a group of 7 gets away. I try to bridge across but have no pop. Instead, I put in a big pull on the front and drag them back. It looked maybe dangerous, different teams represented, no kissena. I was in position and everyone was probably tired from the KOM, so I figured it was my responsibility.

I recover, but don't fall too far back. I start looking for Kissena guys to move up in the sprint, but I'm not seeing much. Coming down the hill to the finish, I see Keith on the front but nobody else. I follow wheels and I'm actually getting pretty close to the front. Things are unfolding very slowly. I am pinned to the left on the wheel of Stephen D. who is following a few sprinters. The sprinter advance in the bike lane, we don't. I'm pinned and can't find a place to advance. I cross the line 23rd. The guys who took the bike lane all finish in the top 10. I'm not saying I have the pop they have, but it is kinda annoying.

https://www.usacycling.org/results/?year=2012&id=1256&info_id=46964

Also, the little guy on speedwell is an absolute menace on the bike. Send him back to cat 4.

Good pics of Joe up:

http://www.oneimagingphotography.com/Cycling/Lucarelli-CastaldiCupRace42112/Pro123/i-8nGKtff/0/M/8O2T0609-copy-M.jpg

i still don't know how i feel about yesterday's race . . . all kinds of whacky shit went down.

great lining up behind Moser and Eustice as they reminisced about the '84 Giro. you can see me lurking/peeking in this pic: http://nyvelocity.com/gallery/image/7125?page=2

as usual, my friend Ariel Mendoza-Peñata was being a showboating goofus at the start. this is me as we rolled of, acting non-plussed by his antics:
http://www.oneimagingphotography.com/Cycling/Lucarelli-CastaldiCupRace42112/Pro123/i-LFPvTQz/0/XL/8O2T0418-copy-XL.jpg

the first 1/3rd of the race was great; kissenas on the front completely fucking up any chase and giving Joe as much room as we could. blocking is truly one of my favorite things to do in bike racing. it's a combination of acting, bossiness, tactics and some real performance element. unfortunately, joe's break companions weren't the cream of the crop, and as they got dropped one by one, we knew it was coming back.

http://www.oneimagingphotography.com/Cycling/Lucarelli-CastaldiCupRace42112/Pro123/i-5WTBwKz/0/L/8O2T0460-copy-L.jpg

once Joe got caught, there was a flurry of attacks.
http://www.oneimagingphotography.com/Cycling/Lucarelli-CastaldiCupRace42112/Pro123/i-2DVfPHB/0/L/8O2T0775-copy-L.jpg

i can't remember much of the middle of the race, but i was suddenly feeling very tired - i followed some of the wheels, but never once felt good enough to attack on my one (look at this pathetic expression).
http://www.oneimagingphotography.com/Cycling/Lucarelli-CastaldiCupRace42112/Pro123/i-ZLVr5KM/0/L/8O2T0712-copy-L.jpg

three big things happening in the last third of the race:
1. i almost died!
2 we led joe out for a KOM!
3. i found myself at the front with 250 to go!

1. near-death: i can't remember the order of the first two, but i do remember that the crash happened at the top of the park and that i was very close behind it. three riders were skidding diagonally across the pavement, and suddenly i was squeezing ALL of my brakes, skidding (or, as Keith later described it, skiing) from side to side. extreme freakout. i almost stopped, but eventually started peddling again and hooked up to the back. i had a high=speed crash at floyd last year and i have to say, almost crashing is a lot more frightening than crashing. it took me a few laps to work my balls down out of my chest. really quite a shake-up.

2. the 2nd KOM sprint might have happened a few laps after the crash, or a bit before. i can't remember. i do remember that i was feeling extremely sluggish until Joe spun up behind me and said something in a "get to the choppa!" voice. i didn't hear the word's but i guesssed that he probably wanted to be moved up. we found Ragot, who told me to get us to the base of the climb so he could lead Joe out. there was a lot of scrambling int he mile leading to the climb, and a few suicide breaks. Ragot and I got switched around, but he kept cool and motored us through the carnage. at this point, there was a lone rider up the hill. we hit the base, he peeled off, and i jumped. we gobbled up the last breakaway halfway through, and i got to the 3/4 mark before i imploded and peeled off (almost crashing a mengoni guy who had attacked like a FUCKING ROCKET on our left). For a moment, it looked like Joe was getting swamped, but i later learned that he took third. that must have been a BIG effort, cause he had some seriously rabid riders around him. this effort almsot dropped me, and it took a few laps to get proper.

3. WILLIAM WHAT TE FUCK ARE YOU DOING NEAR THE FRONT FOR THE SPRINT?!? Our standing plan had been to move this rugged piece of NZ machinery to the front and launch him into cat123 glory.
http://www.oneimagingphotography.com/Cycling/Lucarelli-CastaldiCupRace42112/Pro123/i-z9MkjCH/0/L/8O2T0633-copy-L.jpg
With two to go, we started looking around for each other. THis is a hard trick to pull off, and watching Team Sky cut a streak of black and blue through the peloton makes it look deceptively simple. I'm sure everyone has their own story in that last lap, but I only know mine: At the top of the park, I notice that a Champ Sys rider is off the front. I assume it's Ariel, because he is a monster (and also, the only rider from his team that isn't Tony Hall-size). I don't know where my teamates are, but i'm hoping they are together and have John. I get to the front near the start of the downhill and give it everything i have. I think i'm slowly bringing him back, but all of a sudden KEITH comes flying by and i know HE is definitely bringing him back. The two of us are going as fast as we have all day and steadily closing the gap to Ariel, who's hunched over and spinning furiously. At the bottom, a few other riders take over. I keep on expecting the suicide attacks to come flying by, but nothing does, and with 1k to go, I'm in the top 10. There's a bit of shuffling, but I speed up and slot in, and with 500 to go, I'm in 6 wheel. This is where I start to think "omg what the fuck is happening?!? do i have to sprint now?!?" I have no clue where John is, but i assume he's not close, cause i haven't heard an KISSENA!!! (or GYMKATA!!!) I feel a hand on my ass shove me out of place (and some spanish that I don't remember from Realidades! Vol.2) Suddenly, we're near the bathrooms and all hell breaks loose. Giant men are bouncing off each other at the elbow and shoulder, the air is full of carbon creaking and gentleman;y grunts of exertion. To put it succinctly, i panic, stop pedaling and squirt through the back of the pack, finishing a glorious 63rd.

Pumped for Joe, VERY PUMPED for Dave and Ashley, and can't wait until our Malcolmson express gets its mojo together.

Awesome report Will.

The impromptu skiing lesson sounds sketchy as shit.

Victor hasnt put the 4's/5's pictures up yet but I stumbled across this of me assaulting my Kracken to take the bunch sprint.

Are you sitting atop the MFV or do my eyes deceive me?
(nice 'Bite the Kracken' face by the way)

My only comments:
1. My legs were beaten to shit this week. So, not much coming from me.
2. I stayed near the front and active patrolling things for Joe. Then just keeping tabs on things and occasionally going or motivating a chase when necessary.
3. When Joe is reeled in, I tell him to head back and recover.
4. Myles comes up a lap or two later. "Where is Joe? KOM?" "I sent him to the back. Go get him." I said.
5. I stayed near the front but NOT trying to get away.
6. Myles shows up with Joe on the downhill.
7. I tell WDC that we're leading out Joe.
8. I tell Joe that we are leading him out and I am his final lead out - "stay with me."
9. ... time passes ...
10. I have to squeeze through a hole and get to the front by the bathroom to see - a group of two getting away and a Strictly Bicycle getting across quickly. Ugh...
11. WDC (I was sure) was still minding Joe.
12. I needed to make sure that we got to the base of the hill with a shot at the KOM. The Strictly guy had made it to the two and blew right through them.
13. Jets on
14. Get the two and release WDC and Joe to finish up the job. Joe's early break companion nowhere to be seen.
15.

Breathe hard.
...time passes...

16. With three to go, I find Malcolmson "time to stay with me and move up" or close to that is what I said.
17. I start pulling John up and then the crash happened. We made it through by sprinting back on.
18. I keep moving John up, but he sometimes comes around when I pause for a reason and I have to work harder to get back around.
19. Come the bell, I am at the front - whoops, don't really want to be there. Chabanov is trying to get away and someone else (can't remember), so I have to stop saving to leadout and decide to pull those guys back as it didn't seem as if anyone cared. http://www.oneimagingphotography.com/Cycling/Lucarelli-CastaldiCupRace42112/Pro123/i-jL98bXf/0/M/8O2T1017-copy-M.jpg

and
http://www.oneimagingphotography.com/Cycling/Lucarelli-CastaldiCupRace42112/Pro123/i-WCpHwg3/0/M/8O2T1035-copy-M.jpg

20. Me pulling them back on the bell - http://www.oneimagingphotography.com/Cycling/Lucarelli-CastaldiCupRace42112/Pro123/i-QLDWp7v/0/L/8O2T1043-copy-L.jpg

21. It was enough to hurt, so I had to make my way back through the field after dropping back on the hill. I made it back to John by the temple, but we started getting hemmed in and I couldn't bring him further forward. I stayed close until the parking lot and then eased up.

E

@jules MFV affermative

cat IV pics are trickling in... http://oneimagingphotography.smugmug.com/Cycling

Love this one

http://www.oneimagingphotography.com/Cycling/Lucarelli-CastaldiCupRace42112/Cat-4/i-TgtXNr4/0/L/8O2T0644-copy-L.jpg

that one is badass

i left out what is, in retrospect, my favorite part of the race

There's a break up the road. I'm riding next to Ariel and Moser. They are talking in Spanish. Ariel says to Moser, "get on my wheel, i'll bridge you up"

at which point . . . i got on Moser's wheel

never thought i'd type that!