Attack from the gun.  Pull the field for 9 laps.  Die on the last hill.  Roll in for 50th.

I AM ALL IN ALL CAPS FOR GREG'S PLAN.

Greg's plan is the way!

In all seriousness I'll be hanging on for dear life, but the marks will be the leaders jerseys and their teams as they will shut shit down and go for the win themselves. If I'm still there at the end, I'll be following their wheels.

If by some miracle I am in the position to help initiate a break and then fall apart so that Matty and/or Greg can diesel away with other strong riders, I will make it known when I make the move.

Yeah joking aside, the field is 87 deep with KruisCX and Hilltop being very well represented so I expect them to animate/control. We should keep an eye on them and expect to stick to their wheels

Linea p/b Sun & Air had no plan last race- they'd attack, get a gap and then do nothing. If they do the same this go around they could be a good team to attack with, get a gap on the field and then attack from there and establish a break.

Ultimately, I am there for Greg and Matt.

Let's just see if we can have a quick conversation pre-race and hatch a little bit of a plan.

Some obvs notes:

• At 80 some deep, its likely to be a sprint finish
• We probably gonna get 3 bells for sprint/kom/sprint back to back earlish on the 1st half. Watch out for who's attacking these, specially if the jerseys are involved.
• The biggest chance for a move to stay away would be if the Yellow and Green jerseys are in it, we need to be alert and in it if that happens, but else, we should NOT be closing anything (i.e. let someone else close it, specially if bringing the full pack)
• Ride the front and try to stay there, it'll be expensive to move forward

Let's go race bikes!

103 starters in the 1/2/3.

Big hit has the biggest representation.  Veselka is well-represented, as is Foundation, Good Guys, and Imperium.

For better or worse, the right combination really matters.  And an early break can take the whole thing.

I think I'm going to have to try to follow early moves and hope I can hang.  

Good luck boys!

Looking forward to the ride reports!

Today went pretty well for me.  I was coming off a rest week so I was able to shed pretty much all the fatigue from my last few big mileage weeks.  Kruis, Linea, and Hilltop all had solid squads out.  I sat in the first few laps and chilled.  Was only doing ~4-4.5 w/kg up the hill.  Much less than usual and was able to make some strong surges to gain positions over the top.  Going into 2 to go, we had a KOM.  The yellow jersey decided to jump in the mix with the polka dots, so I went along.  Coming over the top yellow hit the front.  I shouted at him to push.  He did, but not strong enough to build a gap.  Sat in for the next lap.  I found Eloy going into the bell lap and told him to go up the right.  He ushered me up to ~15th wheel at the temple.  Some Lineas came up the right side and I decided to take the ride.  Stayed up towards the front and was fighting for wheels along the right runners lane.  I kicked it into gear going up the final hill.  As I was moving up someone's bars smacked my hip - they yelled.  That's a them problem.  Was ~6th wheel going through gap.  Tried to hold it but I either was spinning out or my gears would not go into the 11t (it's happened before).  Held on for 11th.

Overall, a solid day out.  It definitely makes we want to downgrade to a 4 to be able to race with friends more.  The worst part was the 123 field went so fast that I lost all my KOMs.  

Lackluster report for me. Had someone chop my wheel and nearly hit the deck. Jacked my rhythm and I was already feeling pretty spent so I drifted back and let the pack roll away. Did manage my fastest time for 5 laps, and hit some new power PRs, but all in all a bit disappointing. Still learning and still having fun… 

All other Kissenas rode super strongly, Max smashed and took 5th. Absolute menace and bad ass. 

Kind of a frustrating race for me. Took it easy the first few laps and was cruising along feeling good near Greg and Eloy. On the first KOM I followed the polka dot jersey and one other guy and we had a huge gap on the field. Two more guys jumped across. Everyone sat up after the KOM other than one who attacked hard, but with 6 laps to go I didn’t chase. After that I had trouble figuring out the field. Some laps the left felt faster, some the right felt faster, each lap I was on the wrong side. Last lap I was moving up nicely over the false flat but coming into the climb there were 2 park users in the bike lane moving very slowly (one and then another right after we got back up to speed). Me and the wheel I was following avoided both riders, looked at one another and remarked that was all she wrote. Pushed to stay with the field up and over the hill and finished with the pack but was a fun day out getting back into the swing of things  

Disappointed in myself today.  I didn't have my pack racing head on.  At the same time, the race was pretty fast.

I figured I should get to the front right away.  But when we came off the line, I was in my 52x15 and didn't immediately shift to a lighter gear, so I was pretty close to the back quickly.  And then the field was full, 102 riders, were pre-registered, so moving up wasn't super-easy.

every time we got to the bottom of the descent, it seemed like I was out of the saddle at 500w, just to hold position.  But every time up the hill, I had no problem either keeping pace or moving up some.  

We were neutralized twice.  Once for the cat 5 finish.

Much to my surprise, moves weren't sticking, but maybe it was the speed issue, though teams can stymie chases.

Before I knew it, there was a lap to go, though I didn't hear the bell.  Since I wasn't 100% sure it was the last lap, I kept rear 2/3 position just in case I was wrong.  As riders from Foundation and Good Guys dropped anchor and faded off the back I was pretty sure we were about to finish.  

Quick report from me:

• The new coolest club in New York City is in Prospect Park, and it is called the Mid Packing District.
• A nod to when the cool clubs like avalon where actually in the meat packing district
• Both allowed for full use of lycra everything (& helmets)
• Greg looked strong, Matt looked strong and blue
  
• Both attacked at some point
• Some Linnea guy thinks he knows me mid race "I wanna tell you about your teammate attacking" he hears back "Let's chat later, if safe, this is a race, we can do whatever the fuck"
• He also grabs post race coffee at Hungry Ghost, we mellow fist pump but discuss nothing
• Right before the last lap bell, I hear Greg behind me "Eloy, go right"
• I go hunting for the all the gutters, feeling very Van Averment Van Aeart Roubaix and what's his name Degenkolb, because this is Motherfeather's Brooklyn 
• I am pretty sure I helped Greg none at all, but he says I did, so I'll take the credit
• At 42.1 km/h (26.15 mph) it is the fastest race so far of 2024
• Greg looks like the fire mixing it up, I finish safely clubbin' 31st with Matt a spot or two behind
• ( @Matt Budofsky the right at the bottom was faster, then the left on the hill and by the shell)
• Post race coffee always a highlight

Here is a raved documentary video of the coolest club:
https://youtu.be/XqkAyzqobf8?si=GhehN8EUfZV0gfkF

& a couple of photos:

Nice video montage

Congrats Max! And love reading all the reports. Sounds like all the fields have strong summer legs and the races are fast. JP IIRC you set lap/race records pretty recently too. Are PP races getting faster? Someone should do a Strava deep dive on it .

Sorry I missed the race and hangs - I'm usually good about waking up to one of my 4 alarms, but I must be more tired than I think I am. Can't wait to race this weekend.

Late report from me:

Was feeling solid going into this race, (I got to hold onto a club PP lap strava record one day before JP took it :'( ). Getting a sense for some of the stronger riders in the 5's as well.  L&D has some strong riders and a lot of representation in the race, so was looking at them for wheels to follow (not the best idea in retrospect, lot of random break attempts to then just sit up and float back).

Stayed in the front for most of the race, but kept feeling the need to surge into break attempts, the first break was in the 2nd lap, three of us gapped the field on the hill and held for about half a lap before being caught.  A few more haphazard break attempts followed, and for some reason I kept feeling the urge to go in them and burnt some matches unnecessarily.  By lap 4 I just decided to try and stick 10-15 wheels back and chill.  Going into last lap I was in solid position, started to move up into position 500m before the hill.  Coming over the top we had strung out a bit and I was sitting in 6th wheel behind who would eventually sprint for the win.  Didn't have much left right at the end and just passed one of the guys in front of me to secure 5th.

Happy with my placement in the end, but poor strategy from me.  Still, a good learning experience- I think had I not been too jumpy to get into all these breaks, I would have had a bit more power left to take a spot or two at the line

L&C this Saturday, who's in?

I'm out of town unfortunately

I plan to be there for the 3/4 race

I am saving myself for Verge next week  

BlakeFoster said:

I am saving myself for Verge next week  

Like Jonas, you too can race into fitness! Join Kevin W. and create+execute on a mini plan!

David Yang said:

L&C this Saturday, who's in?

I’m down for the 5, only ridden PP once in my life, any and all tips welcome!

Kevin it's a short loop and I highly recommend visiting and doing a few easy laps this week to get a feel for it. There is one hill that at race pace is approximately a 30-45s hard effort with caveats for people pushing the pace before and after.

Your race is only 5 laps and breakaways rarely happen in these short races so I highly recommend letting others chase down flyers.  Save your legs for the bell lap, position yourself toward the front heading into the hill and follow the fast wheels as closely as possible coming from behind you as people start to drop anchor. 

What Master David said. It’s all about the hill so getting to know beforehand is a good idea. My fastest time up the hill is 1:15. Challenge is that there is another .5 mile from the KOM to the finish line. So if you are gased by going all out on the hill you are kaput. Also, there is usually no room to safely move up on the hill, so position before is key. 

I'll be racing in the 5's!

Also race for free if you volunteer! Get to reg desk by 445-5a.

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeFGRyAquwOWdxhAPGAOjLGfithGpMmB5mjF8vi8jXgkYO-3g/viewform?usp=sf_link

David Yang said:

Also race for free if you volunteer! Get to reg desk by 445-5a.

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeFGRyAquwOWdxhAPGAOjLGfithGpMmB5mjF8vi8jXgkYO-3g/viewform?usp=sf_link

What do people typically do with any bags they bring down that might have extra drinks/food etc, leave it by the reg desk?

KevinWomack said:

What do people typically do with any bags they bring down that might have extra drinks/food etc, leave it by the reg desk?

Yes.  Absolutely.  there has been a "bag drop" by registration for years.  Considering the possiblity of rain, have a dry top in a waterproof bag along with a rain jacket for the ride home.

Let's wait for the official comms but Tom messaged and is pulling the plug and will try to move the race to another date in August.

Update: Tom sent the official email - race is postponed.