Khan.
I'm Mr Mom tomorrow with both little ones. What Eric has forgotten about cornering I would be happy to learn.

Monday July 16th at 6AM in Prospect Park. Pack Skills Clinic:

Become comfortable with close riding, holding your line, and moving
within the pack. We’ll go over bumping, leaning and wheel touching, as
well as basic pack etiquette.  Great for new racers as will as racers
looking to practice their on-the-bike skills. If you want to know how to stay upright when things get sketchy, this is the clinic for you.

Meet at Grand Army Plaza at 6AM and we roll out from there.

I am going to have to cancel this since i am going to be out of town at that time. If somebody else wants to pick this up and run it in my stead. If not I will do this later this month.

I'm happy to lead this Monday.

Dan- contact me off line with topics you want to cover.

Kissena,

Daniel Hubbard has graciously stepped up to lead this ride on Monday July 16th at 6AM to meet at Grand Army Plaza.

Monday July 16th at 6AM in Prospect Park. Pack Skills Clinic:

Become comfortable with close riding, holding your line, and moving
within the pack. We’ll go over bumping, leaning and wheel touching, as
well as basic pack etiquette.  Great for new racers as will as racers
looking
to practice their on-the-bike skills. If you want to know how to stay
upright when things get sketchy, this is the clinic for you.

Meet at Grand Army Plaza at 6AM and we roll out from there.

Either give a shout here if you're going to be joining or send a message to Daniel Hubbard directly.

Hey Dan, brand new member and racer. Want to attend Monday's ride, just want to make sure it's not over my head. Whaddya say?

Eric- will be fine! This is more a technique ride. Will be good even for experienced riders to do these drills. We'll see you then!

Last Call- Tomorrow is going to be damp.  Let's get 5 folks out there or we can reschedule.

http://www.velominati.com/the-rules

The Rules might be discussed tonight, be sure to read up on them

@Jules, did the rules list get longer? I don't remember as many...

ANNOUNCING - CX Workshop on Saturday, August 25.

Time - 8-10 am - Cunningham Park in Queens. Meet by the Tennis Courts. (google map it).

How to get there - if anyone else is going apart from Whitey and myself, then we'll need to create a cue sheet and let people meet and ride from GAP at 7am.

If the group is big enough, I'll lead the ride if I have to.

My plan is to work on mount / dismount technique, handling technique, shouldering technique. Short and longer courses will be used to work on these things. 

Riding on the MTB trails is optional.

I also plan on shaking down some wheels, so people can try out different tire combinations if they'd like to (and ride 9 speed). I also can bring some clinchers if people want to try different ones.

Please let me know via the forum if you want in.

In

I'll ride out from Manhattan. I can lead a group from the Williamsburg Bridge if there is intererest.

i'm in.

This was awesome, but I am TOE UP. Two hard falls, two nasty bruises and a sore shoulder. After about 50 mounts/dismounts the right-mid sector of my taintal zone is in Code Red.

CX Workshop: Sept. 8

Leader: Eric Ragot
Meet by the Tennis Courts or on grass between Francis Lewis Blvd and 199th St.

Eric's plan is to work on mount / dismount technique, handling technique, shouldering technique. Short and longer courses will be used to work on these things.

Perlberg will bring cones

He will also plan on shaking down some wheels, so people can try out different tire combinations if they'd like to (and ride 9 speed). I also can bring some clinchers if people want to try different ones.

dstokes I would be interested in this event - let me know when you've solidified a date. Thanks!

Cross posted from "Goals" thread:

Goals. I've got a few. But the most important ones are to try and be a more active/better mentor for the club in 2013. One of my main objectives is to help you Alpine/Computrainer/FBF watt monsters become more successful racers. Stay tuned for more info as my plans develop.

Okay, I'll cross post the following announcement in the Grant's Tomb thread but...

The weekend of March 2/3, I'll be running a pre-race workshop of the following weekend's Grant's Tomb. Topics covered include:

• The ideal racing line on both the short and long courses
• Alternate lines through key corners
• When you stick to the "ideal" and when you take an "alternate" route
• Team racing tactical suggestions (individualized for your racing field based on who is pre-registered)
• The final sprint: How to achieve success even if your name isn't John "I don't care what Bertucco said, I'm going to start my sprint from 300 meters out into a cross-headwind, up a 2% false flat and still win" Malcolmson.
• Hot laps
• Sprinting practice
  

I expect to spend roughly 45 minutes to an hour on this workshop. The course will be open to traffic, but early on a weekend morning (say between 7:30 and 8), we shouldn't have too many problems getting done what we need to get done.

I do want to keep this early so that folks who are on their way to meet guys by the GWB for a weekend ride don't have to miss out on the group ride fun that typically starts at 9am.

I'd like to hear from folks who might be interested in attending which morning, the 2nd or the 3rd, would work better for you. If Anthony Van Dunk gets his spring series going in CP on either of those days, then I'll hold the workshop after his morning race.

Rumor has it John will be hosting a quick clinic right afterwards on how excessive leg hair aids in dramatic, uphill, into the wind "Wrong Way" victories

Okay team...I realize there's a whole lot of Marc going on this weekend, and that's more than any one person should have to bear, however, the timing is right, so if you can handle it, I'm announcing another Mentoring event on March 2 at 8:30 a.m.

Central Park: Cracking the Code.

Many of you know PP very, very well, and so that makes it easier, less intimidating to suit up for an early morning race in Brooklyn. In theory, the Central Park course is more forgiving and if you come to my pre-race run-through, you'll be ready to rock and roll the very next day.

Alternatively, somewhere on this forum, I used someone's GoPro footage of the CP course, and wrote up a detailed, companion piece describing the ins and outs of the course. Where best to move up, where best to attack, where to "hold your horses," etc. However, I don't know where that info is anymore.

Sooooo, saddle up on Saturday the 2nd, if you want get the inside poop (literally, I'll show you an awesome place to move up on the course that is filled with horse poop) and scoop up winning approach to handling the Central Park course!

Saturday March 2, 8:30am, meet at Tavern on the Green.

*If any of you alternatively employed chaps can get to CP on almost any given Friday around 11am, you can ride with Mentor JP and get the same good info.

PS Cross Posting the final date/time for the Grant's Tomb Workshop:

Sunday March 3rd AFTER THE MORNING CP RACE. We'll meet at the start finish, debrief from the races, then roll up to the Grant's Tomb course for the aforemention happyfuntimeexplosionofcrityness.

Bump: Big weekend of racing workshops.

Saturday March 2 @ 8:30 am: Central Park: Cracking the Code (new meeting place, ride your bikes to the start location of the CP races. North of 72nd on the East Side. The top of Cat's Paw hill) Between 3 & 5 laps, to leave you time to do your own thing afterwards.

Sunday March 3 @ after the Central Park race: Grant's Tomb Criterium Racing Workshop. Meet at the finish of the CP race, we'll ride 7 minutes north to the race course. And spend 1 hour or less breaking it down.

I'll have my cell phone with me for both of these events in case someone is lost or running late.

Marc Bertucco: 646-761-8755

cross posted:

Last call. Tomorrow, for the Central Park pre-race course run through, meet at 8:30am on the East Side main road, just past the 72nd street transverse. It's the start/finish line of the open CP races. I'm planning to get done what we have to get done in time for folks to ride up to meet the muffin-men at 10:15 for group ride action.

I will wear a watch, to help me better manage the time.

P.S. This mentor-event was/is inspired by a teammate last year who was very successful in PP events, but reported to me that he struggled with the Central Park course because he didn't know it as well. You may be planning on skipping all of Anthony Van Dunk's CP races, but there are several later season, big money CP races, including the Mengoni GP where you not only have to be fit, but smart to do well. I can't promise any magic beans, but I'll give you the tools for you to start planting your own garden full of organic whoopass.

Marc-Thanks for the CP ride through this morning. Good time, very informative.

My pleasure, thanks for coming out!

Thanks for the GTC clinic/preview Marc.

Thanks for joining Vlad! You cat 3s are going to KILL IT. Will be fun to watch. Is Hubbard going to be there? He's got a similar crit racing background to me.

CP Course Breakdown recap for those who couldn't make the "ride-n-chat" event:

Thanks to all who came out. We had about 6 guys, mostly new. Patrick Grehan was there as well and offered his perspective and help as we carved down the hills and dales. Thanks Patrick!

Of the 3 city courses, I find that CP to be the most "crit-like." Yes, at 10K/loop, the rule book calls it a "circuit," but from a racing dynamics stand point. This course is all crit. Many crits, once you have a minimum level of fitness for your category, are fairly easy to finish, but hard to place. And that's how I would describe the dynamics of CP.

Mentally, I break the course down into 4 sections, and on the last lap, I divide "section 4" into two parts. Each section corresponds to a riding/racing dynamic distinct from the other.

Section 1: Fast and furious! From the start, down Museum Mile and the sweeping descent before Harlem Hill. This is routinely the fastest section of the race. The pack can "soft pedal" at 32-38mph down Museum Mile. You could attack here, you could get a gap. But how long can you pedal 33-39 mph by yourself? Here you want to spend any extra energy getting yourself into good position so that you are comfortably away from the sketchy bike handlers as you tear through the dusty dirt on the right side of the road right before dropping into the trickiest descent of the course.

Section 2: The Hills are Alive! This, the hardest, slowest section of the course starts a few meters before the base of the climb. It's always a headwind here coming out of the left hand sweeper, so better ride a few wheels before you launch your Harlem Hill attack. It's not a great place to attack, because the field is usually fresh and ready for this, the most obvious place to attack. Strong guys can get away here, but they have to work hard over the top of the climb and keep on the gas big time on the West Side rollers. A more conservative approach, would have you positioned about 10 guys back from the front at the base of the climb, follow wheels, don't challenge for the non-existent KOM points, and get ready to launch at the 100th street entrance when the field swells and recovers from chasing down the dudes who attacked the hill.

Section 3: Fast and Furious: Tokyo Drift. After the field pinches the right sided curb on the west side before the descent past the Marionette theater on the left, you've got some recovery due. Another fast section that can feel sketchy now and again. Past the pond on the left, a fast approaching right left rising chicane is the place where you want to stay the course, no sudden movements, because the sea parts on the rise to Tavern on the Green. Plenty of room to move up here. And if you are in bad position, you want to, because we're heading into section 4.

Section 4: Horseshit Alley. The road narrows in a hurry and the pavement on the far right is well on it's way to national historic park sink-hole status. But if you've got some breathing room on the right and you are comfortable hopping over poop and road depressions, you can make up some ground here.

Then we're up Cat's Paw and time to do it again for the next lap. Fast FWD to last lap.

Section 4B: Cat's Paw Screamers. Coming out of HSA, you have one last chance to get yourself into fair position for the final sprint up the hill. DO IT NOW. Or forget about it. Okay, you're top 10 at the base of the climb, the field is cruising towards the right sided apex/curb. If you are in front, no problem, if you are 20 guys back, you'll either crash or have to brake significantly here if you insist on threading that needle. Better go left and maintain/improve your position. Ride the eager beaver sprinters 1/2 up the hill. Unless you've got Cat 2 power numbers and a Cat 5 license (we get a couple of those every year), there's no way you can lead out the sprint and hold on for victory by launching at the bottom. 1/2 way up is when you punch the turbos and hold on for dear life.

Thanks for the CP workshop Marc, it was great meeting you. Thanks for putting all the info into text, it's a lot to take in for a newcomer.

Thinking ahead to Grant's Tomb, both for those who are racing, and those who aren't.