First, as you say he was ahead of you and you were super tight - since we all know he's the fastest guy in the pack up that hill (it takes about 4 or 5 of us to keep him to close second) he could have been a dick and taken you (and everyone behind you) out by launching early with a bit of a shove - but more importantly we don't want to beat him by surrounding him with riders and PIT him every time he wants to move.

There is a very big difference between not letting someone into a leadout train and not letting someone out especially if they're ahead of you and stronger/faster.

Blocking is a delicate (and hotly debated) art but the one thing people agree on is that for better or worse it is done from IN FRONT not up close and behind.

Absolutely the inside line is the fastest one for that sprint but it's for the guys in FRONT of him to own that and make him come around.

Daring someone to chop your wheel is no way to go through life, son - IMHO

We will generally dominate, numbers-wise, in Charlie's races - I don't think there's anything wrong with using the numbers advantage to achieve our goals, but we must use our powers for good, not to be bullies.  Not to say that this was Harry's intention - just that when we box people in, slow down or soft-pedal in sweeping position or practice other sketchy tactics AND we have people everywhere it looks bad.

Your quote (which I bolded) stands.

My opinion is that your move was neither safe nor sporting, all things considered.  I'll say it, imply it and repeat it as often as I choose, thank YOU very much.

Maybe a beer and a packet of salt and pepper chips is in order this Tuesday night.

The other week, I was behind one of our guys leading into the KoM and Franklin Burgos comes up on my right as we were moving right just as the road curved right.  I didn't put him there.  He put himself there.  And he's stuck on the curb.  Franklin is an easy target, as he has no problem working other people over ("sporting" is not a term anyone will use near Mr. Burgos) and bitches when he doesn't get to do so (did I mention how he loves to attack through the jogger's lane?).  But there he was, on my right, with his bars a bit behind mine.  As the speed is ramping up, I'm holding him there, and he's starting to yell.  Tough darts, I think.  I'm not moving.  And I don't, but as the sprint opens up, I don't quite have the same burst as the guy in front of me, and my bars go from in front to Franklin's, to behind by a few inches.  He sees this, swings left and chops me, and just comes around Ryan because Ryan went for the wrong line.  If I had held him there another moment, Ryan would have had second.  It wasn't terribly sporting of him to chop me, either--and to the bigger question of ethics, his move was arguably less ethical, as he disregarded the safety of those behind him, while I was riding safely and predictably and no one was going to have to change their line on my account.

the results were wrong (i am dan reiners; bruce, apparently, raced? he was moving so fast that i never even saw him start) so even though charlie posted the new standings, they are perhaps incorrect.  however, yacks is in the dots...

e-mailed greg from prtiming, he said the bib file used was incorrect, and is in the process of correcting the results.

@mugwump now i feel bad about leaving when i did without giving you a tube.  75% failure rate with the patches, sheesh!  sorry about that

Saying, "don't box me in" and being a super nice guy are also pretty effective tactics for getting people to do you favors in races, and Eric has those moves down pat. I also try to charm my way around people when I think it might work. If I were in Eric's shoes after the race, I would fault my own pack positioning, not that of another team.

It clearly shows how well the KOM train operated yesterday.  If you watch what we did, you are going to realize that if we repeat it, we will retain the jersey.

at 31:50  David Yang hits the front and gives us ONE HOT MINUTE.  A herculean effort.  I think you can see Jules pat him on the back on the way by.  Look at who is behind us...We have Tito, Patrick and Brendan.  Jules takes over around the 32 minute mark and drives it for 45 seconds.  Meantime at 33:11 the polka dots has to make his move...he doesn't know it yet but his sprint is already over.  He has to work for 25 seconds, out of the saddle & in the wind, just to reach my wheel.  Do you know what is waiting for him when he gets there?  MY KICK !!!  game over...Kissena wins

let's start this one at the start/finish.  (56:12) We have Jules leading Jeff, followed by Brendan, Patrick & Tito. Jeff rides a good tempo to the base of the climb.  At 56:54 Brendan hits the front and drills if for 20 seconds.(57:18)  Patrick and Tito jump....followed by me AND with the polka dots right on my wheel, sitting right in my draft....(57:24) I split through a gap between Patrick and Tito and and drop...you guessed it...MY KICK !!! game over...Kissena wins

my time in the wind for KOM #1 = 10 seconds

my time in the wind for KOM #2 = 20 seconds

Guys....I was in the wind for a total of 30 seconds. 30 SECONDS !  That is how we got those points.  I can't out climb Erik Pedersen...look at him...he is lanky bastard with a power to weight ratio that makes me want to become anorexic.  We will NOT be able to hold this jersey unless we repeat what we did next weekend. Let's line it up and drill it into the climb with 3 or 4 Kissena's behind me.  Erik is going to look for my wheel early next week.  If you are behind me...no gaps and defend your wheel.  Thank you all....this video just illuminates what I already know...that Kissena is by far the most selfless team in the city.  Yacks

Watching so many people sacrifice themselves makes me really proud to ride with Kissena.  Opinions notwithsanding - everyone did their best to get Yaks into those dots and it's a splendid thing to participate in.

One note, lost in my repot; after the second KOM Andy our green jersey sprinter came back to pace me back up to the group... super gentlemanly.

I digress, anyway.

1) About too many Kissena riders in a field.  Lots of teams run races and at those races, often single events, the whole team is pressed into service for reg, marshalling, course set up etc.  In lots of these races (i.e. Pawilng and Purgatory) the team is basically forbidden to race as it's their turn to provide an event for other racers.  Once a year they don't race so that they can put on an event for others.  A nice attitude.  Just food for thought.  Not saying that Kissena should be banned from it's own race series, just makes you think about how having 13 guys in an 80 rider field in our own race, week in, week out, might look to other teams.

2)That KOM at ~32 minutes in the video is perplexing to me.  How on earth are there not 5 Kissena riders attacking the fuck out of that situation?!?!  At the end of the climb the race is in pieces at the front.  Perfect attack time.  Why do you need 3 sweepers?!?!  Get off the front and go.  Looked good though.

imaginary KOM (thought it was a KOM lap; it wasn't) - 25:30

a TRAIN of kissena coming out from behind me (including yang's megapull) - 31:50

a leadout for the sprint (more kissena train)?  it was unclear to me exactly what i was doing, but i see that andy comes by me so i assume it was a sprint? - 39:00

jules, you'll be proud; i diligently refused to take a pull when a W&D rider beckoned me through; told him i was receiving orders from above. not sure if camera shows it but he smiled. had you heard, i'm sure you would have too... - 20:24

oh also hannah got this picture of the kissena train. makes it look like the race is only us?  i've chosen not to attach the same picture from a slightly different angle, which reveals that the guy on my left is not a kissena.  also: i think i semi-aggressively nonpushingly pushed him (when you do that thing where you just sort of indicate by placing your bike in a path slightly incompatible with theirs) off the wheel in front of me

(faint then vomit)

(but in fairness the plan had been to keep it together until after the 2nd KOM)