we look good lined up but we should have pushed it a little harder so we didn't get swamped at the end.

http://www.oneimagingphotography.com/Cycling/Lucarelli-CastaldiCupRace42112/Cat-4/22576667_wqpFnX#!i=1807148672&k=hqLzMhn&lb=1&s=L

Yeah - especially as we hit the top of the park we should've been putting way more hurt on the field. As we approached the descent I realized that every Kissena in the front but me was hurting, and I needed to step up and not just wait for my turn in the rotation. If I had done that earlier on the west side of the park, we probably could've kept things much more strung out.

On the plus side, I'm feeling way more psyched about PP races! Especially since my new bike shop job is gonna make out-of-town races almost impossible and Floyd races improbable. :wink:

http://www.oneimagingphotography.com/Cycling/Lucarelli-CastaldiCupRace42112/Cat-4/22576667_wqpFnX#!i=1807148672&k=hqLzMhn

Thor's Hammer !!!! check out this block!!! I believe this is with 1.5 laps to go.

Thor's Hammer Indeed!

I feel almost guilty having so many strong guys in a PP race... but not too guilty

http://www.oneimagingphotography.com/Cycling/Lucarelli-CastaldiCupRace42112/Cat-4/22576667_wqpFnX#!i=1807148672&k=hqLzMhn&lb=1&s=A

http://www.oneimagingphotography.com/Cycling/Lucarelli-CastaldiCupRace42112/Cat-4/i-hqLzMhn/0/L/8O2T0969-L.jpg

to embed Victor's photos:

1. click the "share" tab in the regular thumbnail view

2. click "get a link"

3. copy the embed code for the size fo the photo you want

http://www.oneimagingphotography.com/Cycling/Lucarelli-CastaldiCupRace42112/Cat-4/i-hqLzMhn/0/L/8O2T0969-L.jpg

test

HOT DAMN !!! it worked Thanks D.C. !

lol

Area Cycling Club Finds All Kinds of Excuses to Keep Posting Same Group Shot

I meant to go for an early move but RJ beat me to the punch. Shared time up front while he was away.

Ate a shitload of wind winding up a sprint prem, only to have it disrupted by some numbskull Echelon guy bolting up the bike lane with two in tow with like 500 m to the line. I yelled at him at the top of my lungs and he pulled up and acted surprised in Spanish. It was enough to lose control of the front. We got points nonetheless, no thanks to me. Good on Yacks and Dan to capitalize.

We need to get better at our leadouts. Mostly, it's a matter of each of us planning ahead to get in line in time before the pace gets too high to do so, and having enough faith in one another to commit to it. Case in point, I saw Jules take TWO pulls in the leadout to the finishing sprint for second. Extremely gutsy (and there were mitigating circumstances with regard to the pace with Dave out front), but not exactly bump-set-spike, either. We weren't lined up well enough and we went too early.

Other than covering my team duties, I made one move of my own near the end of lap five of nine. Norm put in a dig coming out of the left-hand chute after the downhill and two others went with. The front happened to chase really hard so they never got a solid gap, and around the temple the field caught back in a very strung-out line, with Norm at the front still driving hard. I was around sixth or seventh wheel and my legs were feeling really sucky from Norm's attack, and he was still on the front making things supremely uncomfortable for us all.

I wondered what his rationale was for continuing to drive the front so hard after his group got caught, and I figured he was trying to set up a counter, so the instant he let up a bit (sorry Norm, but I wanted to get a good gap so I had to let you falter) I popped out of line and began to wind it up. The Hudson guy on the yellow bike was third wheel and he had checked over his shoulder a couple times, and when Norm finally dialed a notch down, he slotted out of line just a bit. So as I was coming by him gaining a head of speed I made eye contact, nodded, and said, "hey," and he got right on. I use this same tactic with women to lesser effect.

The move was made halfway between the temple and the bathrooms. I attacked out of the saddle until the top of the rise before the finish line, sat down, and flicked my elbow. Nothing. I looked under my arm, and he was right there. We had a gap, too. So I settled into my mid-300w VO2 range and took it past the finish line a ways. Flicked. Nada. But he was still there. I eased up a little before the uphill, figuring he was burnt or something.

At this point the exact same thing happened as at my last PP race. A short ways up the hill he took a huge dig and sprinted by me, out of the saddle, in the drops. So much for that move.

I looked back and saw guys flying up my ass, so I prepared to get back into the group to recover. Oops, those guys weren't in the pack, they were bridging. Same as last time. Waited a bit, and got back in.

The good news is that Dave was one of the bridgers, and he dropped the Hudson guy on the yellow bike like a bag of dirt. Thanks!

I recovered, helped with the blocking, and tried to pick a good wheel for the sprint, but I got trapped all the way on the right. Couldn't get close enough to the front for go time, so sat up.

Bravissimo to Jules for getting Francesco Moser out to our humble race. He turned a "regular park race" into something more, and his contribution wasn't just a KCC thing. It was so cool to see guys from every team turn off their race faces and just put on shit eating grins while they got their pictures taken and numbers signed by a hero of our sport. And I think our little New York cycling community gave Lo Sceriffo a fine welcome as well.

A banner start to the series, I'd say.

First off, I'm in awe of Jules Roazen for making the whole Moser experience happen. On top of wrangling family obligations, Jules jumped all the hurdles to get the Policeman on the start line; chauffeured him to race at 4am, shaved his legs and even wrote a fantastic L'equippe-worthy piece about it all.

RR
I beat Francesco Moser

My goals were: work on my positioning skills and keep towards the pointy end... aiming to get to the 'throne' 15 to 25 back and maintain it, then line up with the team for a lead-out and try and win. It was a good learning experience. Credit to the whole team (barring myself) for working so tirelessly to defend Joe's go-long break AND deliver him to KOM. Great coordination and glycogen-store-depleting marauding of the front while he was away by William, Perlberg, Ragot and co. Shamed to admit I didn't realize Joe was back, as I didn't think the single riders we were passing were his fellow escapees because they were going so slow. To stay away that long was a huge effort for 5, let alone two. When Joe was brought back, about 7 to go maybe, on the back stretch a Mengoni guy went off the front and I already had speed so I bridged over to him clean, followed by a Speedwell rider. He drove it for a while and then I got to the front on the downhill (yes, the dumbest place to attack) and took a pull, catching some moto draft I wound out the 52x12 and we got some more gap. Speedwell was gassed, was surprised to see United and Metra pull us back—perhaps not liking a Mengoni away? http://www.oneimagingphotography.com/Cycling/Lucarelli-CastaldiCupRace42112/Pro123/i-FrS4JC6/0/L/8O2T0942-copy-L.jpg Back in the group I found the biggest diesel Mengoni rider and glued myself to his wheel and see what I could learn about moving up to the front (going right on the downhill is an easy way to move up). Tried to stick with Ragot, a tough task in such a large bunch of experienced riders. 1 to go, moved up to front saw Ragot cover Chabs. Then DC and Keith on the front, I'm hoping Ragot is going to move me up, but he must have been gassed after effort and rolls off. At this stage I should have made a mini-jump to get a wheel. Ended up 25 bike lengths back at 300, which is pretty much where you're going to stay at that point with riders coming back it's like a game of Asteroids. I'm obscured, but Perlberg was ahead of me maybe 15th?
http://www.oneimagingphotography.com/Cycling/Lucarelli-CastaldiCupRace42112/Pro123/i-ZSNvjmQ/0/L/8O2T1062-copy-L.jpg

Moving from Cat 4 > P123 a bit humbling, you have this feeling like you're being chased by a star destroyer battlecruiser—there's probably 15-20 guys capable of 1400+W and a few more with 15-1800. I'd have liked to have seen a train happen, but I recognized that if my legs were pretty zapped, then the other guys were likely toast after all those back-to-back efforts. Cheers all. Fantastico!

Pro123

John there is also the added distance in that field (44 vs. 31 miles) to contend with. The distance is going to sap power in the finale...that is until you have acclimated to the extra distance. At which point you will be right up there with those guys. From what I've seen of your sprint, it builds momentum & then you can hold it for a long stretch. I would think that would be an advantage in 1,2,3 field. If you are going to sprint against guys who are making 1500-1800 in the sprint...be sure to do less work than them during the race. Less work = more watts at the end. It can be frustrating to spend an hour and a half setting the table for a 1 minute effort. Patience is the life blood of a good sniper!

@ Yacks. All good points. The only challenge is going long with this crowd is you're already going 35mph maybe with the peloton, the number of Watts required to pull off the long sprint can get a bit ridiculous. Perhaps more reason for a train.

@ Tito, lolz

Posted By: Jeffrey White
Moving from Cat 4 > P123 a bit humbling, you have this feeling when you're onboard a star destroyer battlecruiser, there's probably 15-20 guys capable of 1400+W and a few more with 15-1800. I'd have liked to have seen a train happen, but I recognized that if my legs were pretty zapped, then the other guys were likely toast after all those back-to-back efforts

I think you're significantly overestimating the amount of watts available to local amateur racers. In fact I'm sure of it. And another thing I'm sure of, is that if you look at your power profile of any race, your maximum wattage will not be at the end of the race in the final sprint. Success in the final sprint is more about position and timing.

I think the real failing of us 1/2/3 racers is that the teamwork, the communication, the cohesiveness that is so evident in the early stages when our breakaway artists are going for it, more often than not, disappears in the last laps. Guys will put in their last efforts to close gaps in split fields, or inexplicably chase down one or two heroes (instead of letting the sprinters' teams actual do some work for once) in the closing kilometers, but then sit up and take themselves out of the race finish.

And I get it. The one time I was in form and fitness and position last year to battle it out with the biggest and beefiest sprinters, I got bumped, sandwiched, shoved all over the place at 28mph, and nearly ended up in a fist fight with The WE Stand United States of Fucked UP Assholes at Floyd Bennet Field. In a way, it's not worth it.

But there's a good way to avoid that nastiness and still compete in the final sprint. And that is to commit to riding the closing laps of a park race in a manner that will allow enough of us to have the legs to string it out in the last 1000meters. I know it can be done. If you want it. But if the team insists on riding for the last-laps breakaway, even when it is apparent that a group sprint finish is destined, then we'll continue to leave the one or two Kissena's willing to mix it up to freelance it in the keep-your-fingers-crossed grand finale that is a typical PP finish.

Reading the race reports, I see many examples of heroic (used, here, in a rare NON-ironic way) Kissena's make strong efforts at the front near the end of the race, but without the support of your teammates, they just fizzled out. 500 meters to go, WDC is rocking it out near the front, but as he dies, the field starts to swarm. Another Kissena or two or three, and that leadout train stays long, straight and true.

Fwiw even cavendish isn't putting out 1800

Freak-Beast Greipel does, but imdoutnthe WSUnited guys are in that league.

I agree. I bet a 1200 watt 5 second and 1000 watt 10 second will put you right in contention for a top 10 with good positioning. You'll probably need a bigger burst to win.

Don't count yourself out for a minute John!

http://pages.citebite.com/d1h7d2p4w3xap

It's easy to think it comes down to physiology, but the truth is you are as strong if not stronger than most, and you can TT.

There is another L&C Cup this Saturday:

https://www.bikereg.com/Net/15781

And a Spring series race Sunday:

https://www.bikereg.com/Net/15341

Wow

Posted By: Jules RoazenWow

• 

Nice work Jules!

L&C Cup gets higher billing than Liege - Bastogne - Liege on Cycling News! You know we've finally made it to the bigtime. Register now for next week in case we get a rush of 1970's cycling pros thinking they can take us on. Roger De Vlaeminck, was discussing doing the Spring Series FBF TT, but was dissuaded based on the weather reports.

23april

C o n g r a ts Kissenas on a fine series of races C R A Z y fantastorific monster effort D. Vollbach &cat4 crew!!! great fun to watch. 123 same& bravo jMalcolmson for upgrade.

in my final days of cat5(after nySBRS)...congrats to AshleyB on come from behind sprint for 3rd. my short report: more of same - participated in poor/wrong plan 'break on lap2 of 5' knew it was lame, gave it a shot, nyc cat5 field is pretty strong in the 17mi range races in 2012. raced well, finished 6th. "come d'abitude" -h;>

ps...great reports above &well done sir Jules, whos kabitzed w/geatness quite regularly since podium x3@Battenkill! LeMond&Moser...who next? Ragot!

Well, Jules and I may kibbutz on Wednesday. I am happy to spread my greatness around.

Hey, Who wants to pin my number this week?

First and hopefully only casualty of the weekend; my beloved shoes. Left 'me like a moron to do my "sprint from the 1-armed woman" manouver.

Went back today just in case... Alas, alack.

Figured with all that was going on something had to give. Very glad it's the replaceable kind of thing.

^ Moser stole them.

Races like this one keep telling me to accept my role as a sprinter...while my positioning was adequate for a top 10 placing, I didn't have enough gas in the tank because I spent so much time off the front. End of report.

When present in large numbers, the 4's block very well. We have strong guys who make blocking worth it.

I've been hearing leadout train talk for literally months now, and have yet to see it pan out in a race as discussed. Ive been fortunate to have a few guys put in a dig for me, but as a constructive criticism, we need to walk the walk here.
A comparison of the above photo (showing us dominating the front) with the photos of the finish strongly suggests this.

The difference is stark, and given the strength of our riders, there is no reason for it. It's more strategic than a lack of fitness, for sure.

On the descents, I was shouting at our guys to wall off the front to keep us from being swallowed up. Guys wanted to suck a wheel, forming a string that would then get swallowed up from the other side.

Getting swallowed up is a big problem. It happened to essentially our entire team in the final lap. I believe with the proper positioning strategy, this can be avoided.

Posted By: Christian Refakis
I've been hearing leadout train talk for literally months now, and have yet to see it pan out in a race as discussed. Ive been fortunate to have a few guys put in a dig for me, but as a constructive criticism, we need to walk the walk here.

It's going to take full commitment and probably the sacrificing of other goals to practice, and work on a proper final sprint train leadout. Muscle memory is a wonderful thing. Racing in the park should be about learning and trying new things, instead it's like the world championships week in and week out. This doesn't mean you have to have the whole team sit in the whole race, breakaway action be damned. BUT, you are going to have a much better shot of having enough fresh guys at the end of the race to lead someone out if you aren't carpet-bombing the field every lap.

You guys know you can do that already. Kissena's breakaway/blocking/riding action is already top-notch. Congrats. Move on to something else. Maybe this way, you can upgrade and show us 1/2/3 riders how it's done. Because we have the same problem.

Commit to learning/practicing something new!

Hey Duders:

35 pre red'd for L&C P123 already. Get in there. Looks like its gonna fill up quick.

Sunday looks smaller. Only 2 so far!

reg'd.