L&C Cup - Forum Archive

Apr 20, 2013 at 11:44 PM

Putting all the negative bs behind for the moment, I think we need to celebrate the fact that we have yet another legit top 10 threat in local 1/2/3 races! That's kind of exciting. Other teams are going to have trouble marking you all! And congrats in another week in shutting out the local thug 'roid raging, "I'm a man" declaring a-holes from the proceedings.

Would love to read a few more race reports. What was it like back in the field of the 1/2/3s?

Cat 4s? Good team racing this week? Hard to tell from what's been written so far.

Cat 5s! Podium with Wes, nice! Report?

eragot

Apr 20, 2013 at 11:53 PM

My perspective:

I've been working an short 2,1,30s efforts lately, so my legs are generally trashed. They were again this morning. So without any warmup (despite openers yesterday), I towed Ryan up front right off the bat, then stayed at teh front, covered moves but not with the eye of getting away, but of allowing Joe or Ryan to do so. Eventually, the break goes. I'm happy, my legs are still really tight, so I can relax a bit. A lap or tow goes by and Mike sips off in a chase group that just dangles in front of us. I figure I'm in save it for the end mode, but about a lap or two later, Mangoseed and some random guys start to chase. After Rene gets yelled at by Savory, I start to play gatekeeper.

That lasts for a few laps. I am waiting for a chance to jump across to Mike and help power the chase to get away from a pack unable to chase. Then, with 5 to go, on the top of the park - FLAT! Done. Rode home, put training wheels on, went back. Never had to balance at all!

Nice to see the guys finish strong.

twoyacks

Apr 21, 2013 at 01:02 AM

Adam I missed a race start when I was warming up on rollers in the parking lot one year (while in the green jersey). I went home...it sucked...but getting to the start line on time is part of the sport. There is no honor in lying and cheating. Dioslaski would be ashamed of himself if he had any shame. His actions today revealed his lack of character. What does it say about a man's character if he has to cheat & lie to collect prize money at a "park race"? Dioslaki is a talented bike rider and apparently a talented liar. Missing a start then jumping into a break is frowned upon in this establishment. If somebody else pulled that crap and finished one spot in front of Dioslaski, he would be the first rider to lodge a protest. What he did today qualifies for an automatic Cat I douchebag upgrade. I am old, I am slow and I don't win much...but I respect the rules.

Yacks

mugwump

Apr 21, 2013 at 01:44 AM

Sorry I missed the start. I think this is the first time I've missed the start of a park race in forever. I went through my data and re-ran my morning and I made two big mistakes. 10 minutes longer than usual to get out of the house--last minute clothing changes. 7 minutes slower on my ride to Prospect--headwind down 5th, wet roads made me much more conservative riding on the streets. Next time rain is predicted, I'm going to have to wake up earlier.

I'm stoked that Ryan made the break and scored. At the same time, I would have loved to have seen two Kissenas in the move.

Jersey Mike was in a split that hung out for a long time. Love to know what went on here.

Pro Tip for Kissenas hanging out--stay near the road so you can help out. Give splits, share wisdom, be prepared to help those in the races. I was giving splits when Mike told me to yell at Ryan. Which I did,and it worked out for everyone.

Marc Bertucco

Apr 21, 2013 at 02:16 AM

Why do we call Perlberg, "Jersey Mike?" Isn't he "Brooklyn" Mike like 97% of the rest of our club? Any word on how Joaquin and/or Robertson rode? Did I see pics of Keith? Hubs?

David Yang

Apr 21, 2013 at 02:21 AM

Funny note: After leaving Smorgasborg and the Hot Sauce Expo in wburg this afternoon I was walking out of Blue Bottle coffee on Berry when a really cool custom track bike caught my eye.

Struck up a conversation with the owner (to the boredom of Wife) who turned out to be pals with the cat5 Ride Brooklyn dudes. They apparently have a mass text message thing going on and he had already read about the race this morning through it.

Small world.

btw this was the bike:

http://www.pedalroom.com/bike/yamaguchi-aero-track-1814

Joaquin

Apr 21, 2013 at 02:35 AM

I was feelin groovy. Intention was to show the legs some race pace and shake out some of the bad vibes from my high speed crash on the downhill in the last 2012 installment of the L&C cup. Felt good about halfway through but decided to stick with plan of riding mellow. All in all good 2013 reintro. Mission accomplished.

mperlberg

Apr 21, 2013 at 02:48 AM

@Marc - 18 years (born and bred) in Jersey, 5 in California, almost 7 in Brooklyn. Hence Jersey Mike. You can call me Brooklyn Mike if you like.

- My perspective. I feel like I've actually been getting some respect lately. Riders respond to my moves (sometimes) I told Ryan and Joe to look for an early move and sneak away (and maybe snatch up some polka-points).

I did registration duties and didn't get to warm up. On lap 2 I kinda rolled through and found myself off the front with an AXA (AKA Stans No Tubes) guy. 2-3 bridged but that only last a lap or so.

The field started to splinter coming in to 1 to go for the 1st KOM. I told Ryan to go across and he did. He followed the big move and that was that. I watched him go across up the hill and I was PUMPED!

The Chase Group: AKA Frustration City

One lap later I looked up and saw a AXA and Metra guy off the front. WHHAA??? I bridged across (hardest effort of the season) from the top of the hill to the amphitheater. 2 other joined and we had our chase group.

Chase group: AXA, 2 Metra, 1 kissena (me) and a Somerville

We get within 20 seconds of the break. We all have riders up the road. Everyone is working. BUT, Metra guys don't like Somerville guy from last week (he sat on for four laps, blah blah blah).

I tried to explain to Metra, you can put 3 in the top 10, have a shot at winning, etc. if we catch. I didn't want to kill myself to get us across given the lack of cooperation and the attacking that was going on within our chase group (worst case scenario: I get dropped and Ryan is joined by 4 other guys ---- no no)

It is clear we aren't giving it our all. A metra dude attacks and we let him go. Frankly, I didn't think he'd be able to stay out there that long, but kudos to him. When the field caught us, Joe bridged across and got to the metra dude. Good for him.

Anyway. That's how it played out. Very frustrating.

2 prospect races next weekend. I'll be there for both.

Jeff Owens

Apr 21, 2013 at 11:40 AM

Ryan can probably beat just about anybody up that "hill" if it was only a bit longer. When he snagged second on the first KOM, it was him and the first place guy by a nose and then everyone else.

The difference in the speed up the hill of the 123's and the 4's is like 10mph. It's pretty amazing.

Ryan J

Apr 21, 2013 at 12:52 PM

Jeff Owens said:

Ryan can probably beat just about anybody up that "hill" if it was only a bit longer. When he snagged second on the first KOM, it was him and the first place guy by a nose and then everyone else.

The difference in the speed up the hill of the 123's and the 4's is like 10mph. It's pretty amazing.

10 mph might be an exaggeration, but yeah, it's faster.

The KOM laps were actually slower up the hill as they were really treated like a cat and mouse sprint. I was actually surprised by the gap that we had on the first one. I think it was because the break was so hard at that point that guys weren't that motivated. I was waiting for the move and followed when it came but that Rodriguez guy is FAST - 10 out of 10 times I won't match that jump.

I was actually looking forward to the hill on every lap - that was when it got easier for me, just because I was the smallest. The second time I was thinking that if I went early I might have a shot, but I talked myself out of it.

The KOM/Sprint standings aren't out yet, but looking at the unofficial results it would appear that with the Dioslaki DQ I should be sitting 2nd in the KOM. And Rodriguez has both the Green and the KOM.

I don't know that I'm really a viable threat to grab that KOM, but I suppose I ought to try since I'm there.

Ryan J

Apr 21, 2013 at 12:58 PM

Victor got some great shots this week. A beast mode shot of Joe here: http://www.oneimagingphotography.com/2013RaceSeasonSeason/LucarelliCastaldiCup420/Pro123/29012349_d6s2k4#!i=2467459264&k=9MLQXM9

josephmueller

Apr 21, 2013 at 04:26 PM

First thanks Charlie I for putting on the L&C cup. Second nice job Ryan and team.

My race was quite a learning experience in positioning. Ryan and I covered moves early on but I didn't warm so I would cover lose position expend a lot of energy getting back to the front cover a move then slip to the back. This was pretty much on repeat till Ryan got away.

After that I was trying to stay in the top 10 wheels incase anything promising went across I could bridge across to the break. Little jumps would happen I would cover then end up on the front. United asked me very nicely 3 times to stop blocking and move to the back. 3 times. That bummed me out because I wasn't trying to block at all. No one would pull through, but it looked like I was racing negatively (which was not my intention).

We crested the hill and two guys went flying off the front I thought maybe I could cover but I just didn't go. Mike did cover and was now away in a nice looking break. With Ryan and Mike away I'm feeling good about our odds as a team. I try to stay away from the front and sit in while United tries to pull back the breaks.

Mike's group stays away until 3 to go. At the bottom when contact is made I roll off the front figuring that the filed wont think much of me and wont react. Yep. A large gap opens up and once over the top I see Gorgi the (Metra guy who didn't like the Summerville guy. Drama) wave me up to his wheel. I close before the band shell and we to work together well. With 2 to go Gorgi thinks we are about to get caught and lets up, feeling like this is my only chance to place I keep the pace up which I think gets him working again.

We work till the down hill on the last lap he blows by me after my pull and I end up soloing in for 10th (9th because of the DQ)!

The 3 laps hurt really bad, glad I didn't have to go when Ryan did. I got muffins next time!

Marc Bertucco

Apr 21, 2013 at 04:35 PM

Good job Joe!

Next time other racers start whining about you blocking, just say, "Dude, I'm covering moves...you are welcome to line it up on the front at a pace that will discourage the attacks and bridge-up attempts. Until your team, with the best sprinter in the field, and having missed out on the move, can man-up and handle the job they should be doing, I will continue to do my job."

Or just think it to yourself, and keep on keep'n on.

Marc Bertucco

Apr 21, 2013 at 04:48 PM

Seriously though. United is usually pretty good about getting a chase going when they've missed out on a move. However, it is absolutely up to them to be organized and at the front. If there's a steady hard chase with guys working together, then you slot in 5th or whatever wheel, and let them get about their business without disrupting their flow.

But if they don't get their act together and guys are flying off the front willy-nilly, then you have to do what you did. 100%.

I mean, frankly, your job would have been easier, if you could have just rode caboose of an organized chase train. But Kissena, get used to getting hollered out. That's a sign you are doing a good job. Guys are getting frustrated.

I remember once, I got a seriously Religious rider on the track to start swearing and yelling at me mid-race, "why can't you just race for yourself!!!" when I was just making his life harder. Ahhh, mission (no pun intended) accomplished.

tito

Apr 21, 2013 at 08:00 PM

Marc: if you read between the lines of the posts you can see that the cat4 crew was cut down to 3 dudes - myself, Jeff C. and Jim - within a few laps. We didn't work together as well as we could have, for sure - with better communication, I think we could have gotten Jim higher in the sprint points on the second sprint, and if I had navigated the bell lap better I could have given Jeff a leadout instead of leaving him to freelance for 9th. I blew the KOMs myself - lost position on the first one, and was too gassed from just having attacked to do anything on the second one. This Saturday I'll be more patient - if I'm going to initiate or follow an attack, I want to make sure that it lines up with a chance at the KOM.

McKay Duncan

Apr 22, 2013 at 03:13 PM

Congrats to Wes, Jim, Andy, Ryan, and Joe! its great to see Kissena be active across all areas of the races. In breaks, sprints, working for the race... feels like the park is our house, so I am looking forward to the next installment...
.... a brief adventure in the wrong field... i arrived to the start from my warm up to see a field pull away. thought it was the 4s (was actually 123), so i jumped and caught them at the base of the hill. worked my way up to mid pack half way around, and was happy to feel comfortable moving up. However, i lost position near the finish line, and got dropped on the second hill. recovered by 3rd street, and put in a effort to catch the field, but after a lap, accepted my reality, and was going easily when i was confused to see the 4s come up. i suppose i should have jumped on then, but it seemed somehow not quite right (see above for late start discussion), so i let them go, and spent the rest of the race in limbo. Did a couple of very strong practice breakaway laps with Harry (very strong fellow, i nominate Harry and Bruce for a breakaway in lap 6 next race).
Hoping for better legs next week.

ashleyB

Apr 23, 2013 at 04:36 PM

Im in for the 5s on Saturday

tito

Apr 23, 2013 at 05:49 PM

I'm in for the 4s.

twoyacks

Apr 24, 2013 at 05:33 PM

Something will have to be done about this...

62679_474349479301099_1768950903_n.jpg

jim_nelson

Apr 24, 2013 at 07:58 PM

Absolutely.

Jeffrey White

Apr 24, 2013 at 08:10 PM

I am reg'd for the 4 race. We'll get that frogsuit.

dstearns

Apr 24, 2013 at 09:20 PM

Ros Knopov

Apr 24, 2013 at 09:30 PM

Ok, I'm reg'd for the 5's on Sat.

Edwin Ortiz

Apr 24, 2013 at 11:32 PM

Im reg'd for 5s as well. Ill remember to set up my alarm correctly this time.

Rick Perner

Apr 25, 2013 at 12:20 AM

there are 9 of us reg'd for 5's on Saturday with 14 spots left

twoyacks

Apr 25, 2013 at 12:57 AM

I plan on employing the old bait-and-switch Saturday. If there is no real lead out for the man in green...I plan on jumping early...Jim, Dan or anybody else can mark the green jersey and sit on him. The guy in green has to defend now. If I go early, he may panic and chase...or his team may chase (if he has a team that will work for him). Ideally we get the green jersey to go to the front way too early...thus using him as a lead out for our sprinters. We may not have the fastest sprinters in the race...but we have lots of willing sprinters = inundate the sprints with humanity ! Keep other teams out of the points and they will soon lose interest.

I may go for some KOM points this weekend...depending on how the knee feels.

yacks

Dan Reiners

Apr 25, 2013 at 01:32 AM

I am down for making the green jersey holder hurt. Andy, if you want to get in the green jersey I am willing to be in the leadout party, and also help you up the hill after the sprint (trust me the hill in PP is hell after finishing the sprint).

Lets get a roll call for the race this Saturday:

Tito

Jim N

Craig Z

Bruce

Whitey

& myself

Who else is in? Who wants to make sure Kissena owns one of the jerseys by the end of the week.

twoyacks

Apr 25, 2013 at 01:38 AM

I'll be there....with me shoes on...so I have them....jerky