Oct 07, 2014 at 06:30 PM
Cyclocross!
Oct 07, 2014 at 06:36 PM
Quick race report from Cat 4 Caffeinated Cross
Konrad and I drove up the night before and stayed in Philly with a Rutgers buddy of ours, Marcos, who races. Stayed out a little late... Hey my birthday was the day before and we hadn't seen Marcos in a while so why not? I didn't think my race was until 1:00. and if Konrad wants to stay out this late and race the next morning at 11:00am who was I to stop him?
Role up to the race. Run into Perlberg who has already done some course recon. Relays something along the lines of "... it's muddy but I'm not using my mud tires". Alright. Konrad and I have one pair of Limus Tubs(borrowed from Ragot) between us. We opt to play it safe and just use them. Konrad and Mikes race starts and Wes and I go to the Pit. Mike actually has a pit bike. Konrad has my bike. (Note as long as I'm still a 4 he has my bike as a pit bike and vice versa). I think our saddle heights are off by maybe 2 mm and the reach is around the same on our cross bikes.
Their race ends, I go to spin around a warm up a little bit. Notice my saddle feels a little high. I'm the kind of person who brags about not being picky about my fit, but on the other end of that I constantly making small impulsive adjustments to my fit, almost on a weekly basis. I think I heard some CX talking head say something about having your saddle a little lower for cross. So i think why not lower my saddle 5 min before my race, what could go wrong?
Well as i was tightening it back up and I hear Pop... Fuck!
Where is Konrad? Mike offers me his bike... very kind of him. I find Konrad and yank his bike. He tells me the brakes don't work... great. Alright.
Starting I'm pretty much at the back of the grid. Alright, where there are only like 30 guys so, just stay clam and look for holes. Going in to the first lap i think I made it up 5th wheel. going into lap 2 in muddy/technical section in the woods I fumble trying to ride up these pseudo stair/barrier/log things and loose contact with a Bike line and guy and a Wyld Stallion guy. They get a little gap. I try and stay calm and run as far as I need to. Harrys advice came in handy here and I used the lead up to this large Dirt run up thing to recover a bit. Got over the mound and have the two guys in sight. Bridge up to them on a flat section going through the parking lot. Made it to them and just sat on for a second. I felt something I've never felt in a cross race which was "I feel like i could attack these guys right now". Not sure how much time was left so I figured I could just stay with them and wait for a sprint. It was a nice uphill leading into a good 200m stretch to the finish. So we are riding along and about to enter the muddy woods section. Wild Stallion in front of me fumbles of the log I manage to boble and keep my self up. Further into this section going in to the stair/barrier/log thing that i couldn't ride before He falls bobbles and I dismount and run. Get back on and heading into the dirt mound run up I have a gap on him. Coming out on the other side I see the race leader and it looks like he is suffering. I role up to him and ride by. a few moments after that I hear a bell. Pavlonian response raises my heart rate up a bit and I start to think "...I might actually win a cross race". I rode aggressive but safe through the turns and tried to simulate track efforts on the straights. In the last lap Mike and Konrad yelled that they had stuff more in the pit if i needed it. Nice. Rolled across the finish line Solo. Woah. Never thought I would do that.
So, it was a small field on one of the biggest CX weekends of the year but I was still stoked. My last memories of racing cross go back to 2010. The only racing I had done prior to that was track stuff at Kissena, and cross was the most painful thing I could Imagine. 2011 I was in grad school and had my residency on the weekends thus no cross. 2012 I had just gotten laid off/started a new job, no cross. 2013 I had just started another new job/moved/had to recover from training like a track sprinter with Kieran for two months, no cross. Finally, here and now in 2014 I can finally race cross and it rules.
Oct 07, 2014 at 07:22 PM
Congratulations Andy!
Prepare yourself for the "what's really impressive is how he maintains such a lead while balancing that bag of sand on his shoulders" comments 
Oct 08, 2014 at 12:19 AM
Puh-lease, everyone knows I'm the only sandbagger on the team.Jules said:Congratulations Andy!Prepare yourself for the "what's really impressive is how he maintains such a lead while balancing that bag of sand on his shoulders" comments
Oct 08, 2014 at 12:22 AM
^almost certainly the extra weight was giving your trouble on the ramp...
Oct 08, 2014 at 10:02 AM
that time me and my friends went trail riding on the wheel of the current national cyclocross national champion.
Oct 08, 2014 at 02:51 PM
19 is pretty darn young to be winning Superprestige. Kid's gonna be a superstar.
Oct 08, 2014 at 02:56 PM
For sure. Comes from a pretty fab lineage but he seems to be above and beyond.Jules said:19 is pretty darn young to be winning Superprestige. Kid's gonna be a superstar.
Oct 08, 2014 at 03:33 PM
jpow lent me his multitool! and i helped him change a flat!
Oct 08, 2014 at 03:44 PM
Yesterday was everything that is awesome.
On Wed, Oct 8, 2014 at 11:34 AM, mattie davitt <
On Wed, Oct 8, 2014 at 11:34 AM, mattie davitt <
Oct 08, 2014 at 04:31 PM
This came to my inbox today:
Hey party people,
It's beautiful out and I know many of you are thinking not of November, but we need you to think about it today, just for a few minutes. We need to get the word out about our cross race, formerly the Horseshoe Scramble, now CXMeur (pronounced Cross-meer, like meer-kat). We essentially got kicked out of the Warren venue in lieu of old people with dogs who don't actually use the park. So we've had to scramble to get a new venue. We went back to the Craigmeur property that used to host BMX and cross events in years past. They were open to the idea.
However, these permits are brutally expensive. I'm asking you to register today. I know, many wait until the week of, and sometimes even the day of, to register. We need to make sure this race is viable, as the park may end up charging us in excess of $2000 to have a race here. There are some variables and we're optimistic we won't need to pay for a park police officer, but if so, we have to eat that as well.
I'm writing this to encourage anyone who raced last year to sign up early this year, to help bring some momentum to the race and to get the word out. We promise a 100% effort in putting the course & race together, and we're looking at you, the collective racers, to come out and support.
I'm also sending this out to the people who have done our Short Track races before, since the race lengths are similar. I ask that you consider coming out for this one race, showing your support for the venue, for the team, the site, and the race scene in general.
Registration is here:
https://www.bikereg.com/cxmeur
We are also doing our best to make a short track series happen next spring. But 1 race at a time. Also remember, you can do our race with a mountain bike! We don't discriminate!
Also, please help spread the word. Thanks to everyone who has supported in the past and I look forward to seeing many of you out at the races this fall.
Thanks,
Norm & the MTBNJ crew
It's beautiful out and I know many of you are thinking not of November, but we need you to think about it today, just for a few minutes. We need to get the word out about our cross race, formerly the Horseshoe Scramble, now CXMeur (pronounced Cross-meer, like meer-kat). We essentially got kicked out of the Warren venue in lieu of old people with dogs who don't actually use the park. So we've had to scramble to get a new venue. We went back to the Craigmeur property that used to host BMX and cross events in years past. They were open to the idea.
However, these permits are brutally expensive. I'm asking you to register today. I know, many wait until the week of, and sometimes even the day of, to register. We need to make sure this race is viable, as the park may end up charging us in excess of $2000 to have a race here. There are some variables and we're optimistic we won't need to pay for a park police officer, but if so, we have to eat that as well.
I'm writing this to encourage anyone who raced last year to sign up early this year, to help bring some momentum to the race and to get the word out. We promise a 100% effort in putting the course & race together, and we're looking at you, the collective racers, to come out and support.
I'm also sending this out to the people who have done our Short Track races before, since the race lengths are similar. I ask that you consider coming out for this one race, showing your support for the venue, for the team, the site, and the race scene in general.
Registration is here:
https://www.bikereg.com/cxmeur
We are also doing our best to make a short track series happen next spring. But 1 race at a time. Also remember, you can do our race with a mountain bike! We don't discriminate!
Also, please help spread the word. Thanks to everyone who has supported in the past and I look forward to seeing many of you out at the races this fall.
Thanks,
Norm & the MTBNJ crew
Oct 08, 2014 at 04:56 PM
mattie davitt said:jpow lent me his multitool! and i helped him change a flat!
Oct 08, 2014 at 05:01 PM
mattie davitt said:jpow lent me his multitool! and i helped him change a flat!
Oct 08, 2014 at 07:55 PM
So did you guys just follow jpow through the trails? Did he impart any mythical secrets of the cyclocross gods? Did you score any Rapha schwag to make Owens jealous? Did Mattie and jpow compare tattoos? Did Jpow reveal he has a secret love child with a long haired Kissena? Tell me something or else I'm gonna have to start making shit up.
Inquiring minds want to know
Inquiring minds want to know
Oct 08, 2014 at 08:22 PM
That's a ton of questions...
We got together in a field next to the trails, where we talked tips, drills, and a ton of technique. I was surprised by how informative it was. His approach is fun, clear, and super matter of fact --- which is a sign of top pros, on any field, sports or otherwise --- Later we rode the trails.
There was Rapha schwag, and the Rapha coffee trailer. My bottle collection has grown with two super cool exclusive not on website rapha bottles.
However, as silly as you make it sound... I learned the most from riding his wheel on the trails, his level of comfort is absolutely insane. Same could be said from riding behind Chabanov. Not only clean straight ahead lines, but the fact that any obstacle will be attacked and overcomed. It was amazing.
Something like: "Everything you need is already inside. Trust, know that if you attack you will win. Do it now!"
But no written description will ever do it justice. Which is why we ride.
Go ride.
Oct 09, 2014 at 03:53 AM
Anybody going to Whirlybird for the 2/3/4 and have room in their car? I'd greatly appreciate a ride.
Oct 09, 2014 at 12:53 PM
All.... I'm not sure if this should be posted her,e or posted elsewhere.
Open call for photos of kissena's or OTHERS crashing in cyclocross races.
PLease feel free to email direclty to "Ilovetoracecross@gmail.com".
1-identities will be protected to preserver anonymity and save embarassment
2-your unidentified body hurtling towards the ground at great velocity will live on in fame forever.
This may seem contradictory.. .roll with it it's thursday.
Myles
Open call for photos of kissena's or OTHERS crashing in cyclocross races.
PLease feel free to email direclty to "Ilovetoracecross@gmail.com".
1-identities will be protected to preserver anonymity and save embarassment
2-your unidentified body hurtling towards the ground at great velocity will live on in fame forever.
This may seem contradictory.. .roll with it it's thursday.
Myles
Oct 09, 2014 at 02:43 PM
Hotlist No. 6 2014
And on the seventh day, He rested took an active recovery day.
After 6 weeks of non-stop cross racing, including the conclusion of another brilliant New England Holy Week, it’s time again to take a look at how the parishioners of KCC stepped up. There were services at two locations sending racers 2 hours south, and 3 hours north to Caffeinated Cross and Divine Providence respectively. Sifting through offerings, both in sheer number of participants and the crossresults “quality points,” the KMC Cross Fest, with 3 days of racing, UCI C1 points on hand for the country’s top Elites, was King. And if Hotlist is to be brutally honest, he wishes the team’s best crossers took their New Jersey/Mid-Atlantic prisoner ankle bracelets off one of these weekends and tested themselves against the best.
1. Michael Perlberg. After a week off, Mike puts on his Sunday’s best and gets it done. Sort of. On the surface finishing 8th at Caffeinated Cross in the Cat 3s is a respectable result. Hotlist understands, that points be damned, you race the race that is presented to you, no matter who shows up. But dig a little deeper and you’ll see that Perlberg got beat this week by dudes who finished well behind him (in the 30s and 40s) at Charm City where Mike was 6th on day 2. Still, if KCC were to hold an end-of-the-6-week Championship, Hotlist gets the feeling that Perlberg would still win.
2. Joaquin C De Baca. Feeling healthy and happy, heading into his wedding week, Joaquin puts together a couple of solid—good even—race performances that earn him the number two spot this week. But wait, what’s so great about 69th and 70th places? Earning crossresults points that were only 10 points “worse” than Perlberg’s 8th place, Joaquin grabs silver by passing well over 30 guys on both days of ultra-competitive Cat 2/3 fields of 145 or so of his best friends on what might be the most challenging course we’ll all face this season.
3. Jules Roazen. After crushing at Gloucester, Jules followed his big win by taking a freshly minted, upgraded Cat 3 license to solid finishes at Night Weasels (the most competitive mid-week race most of us will never do) and Providence. Making him the only KCC to truly take part in all of Holy Week. 110th place is not the stuff of Hotlist Podiums, but when start at the back of a 145-rider field where 25 dudes either DNFed or finished 1 or 2 laps down, and you are racing a category that is top heavy with pro mountain bikers and other dudes who usually race UCI Elite, on a course more twisted than a pile of sticky spaghetti, then you keep your bronze one more week. Honestly, Hotlist would have liked to see Roazen finish in the 80s or 90s, but he still managed to squeak ahead of this week’s number four.
4. Marc Bertucco. Mr. Consistency is at it again. Lining up at Providence on the front row both days, they were his races to lose. And lose he did. Day 1 four dudes beat him, while day 2 only two could come past him after making a pass on a tight 180 (smooth is fast baby!) to briefly take the lead. Still racing a field full of sandbaggers, Bertucco actually comes away with the lowest/best crossresults points of any KCC racer competing this weekend, so he moves to within a hair of the Hotlist podium. Rumor has it, now that he actually has enough points to request such a thing, Bertucco has requested his Cat 3 upgrade.
5. David Vollbach. What happens when you line up to race against 160+ Cat 4/5s at Providence? If you are David Vollbach you crank out an impressive 18th place, proving that he can compete in the big show too.
6. Andy Da Silva. Winner, winner chicken dinner! The only KCC win of the weekend! Riding on a borrowed bike, Andy handled his business against the Cat 4s at Caffeinated Cross. Hotlist can’t wait to see what KCC’s Euro-racing track stud can do in a bigger field of racers.
7. Jim Feehan. Back in action this week, Jim comes through with a 11th out of 27 starters. Not his best finish of the season, but he might just be giving Bertucco a run for his money in the Mr. Consistency contest.
8. Patrick Grehan. Looking at the totality of Patrick’s weekend in Providence, if Saturday’s 34th place was somewhat of a disappointment, Sunday 47th was a win. Missing his front-row call-up, Grehan handled over 100 riders on his way to a moral victory.
9. David Stokes. No racing this weekend for David, but a solid finish at Town Hall the previous weekend keeps him on the list.
10. Nelson Martins. Continues his march towards 2013s glory season by finishing 18th in the Cat 3 field earning him a respectable 438 crossresults points.
Looking ahead to the weekend, MAC series racing returns to action with Whirlybird where no fewer than 18 KCC racers are pre-registered across multiple categories. This makes it the most well-attended race of the year for KCC racers to date and should provide another interesting shake-up in the top 10. Or not? 6 weeks in, has a natural order of things begun to settle?
Oct 09, 2014 at 11:37 PM
And so it begins...again.
The following request to change your USA/Road category has been approved and processed by USA Cycling:
bertucco - 2014-10-08 18:56
Member: Marc Bertucco
License: USA Cyclo-cross
Request to change category from Cat 4 to Cat 3
Oct 10, 2014 at 12:26 AM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KeVca9MwDX8
Oct 10, 2014 at 02:40 AM
and so it begins...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-KMHgLigBcU
Oct 10, 2014 at 08:11 PM
Whirlybird may be muddy tomorrow. Light rain is forecast for tonight and tomorrow morning. Mud means something different to everyone. For me it means bringing mud tires, toe spikes and a few changes of clothes. During warm-up, I also pay particular attention to the tricky sections of the course. The time differences on the technical parts are greater when it is muddy than when it is dry. Whatever mud means to you, be prepared. Also, if it is dry, don't blame me.
Oct 11, 2014 at 12:11 AM
I was just adjusting my front Cantis when cable stop that holds spans the wheel snapped. Is there anything I can do short of replacing the cable? If not, is there support at whirleybird? Looks like their shop sponsor doesn't open till 10, which is too late to be of any use.
Oct 11, 2014 at 12:38 AM
brakes are overrated
Oct 11, 2014 at 12:43 AM
I suppose but it feels like a bad idea to go without them.
Oct 11, 2014 at 12:58 AM
Surely there's someone w a cable that can bring it to whirlybird.
Oct 11, 2014 at 01:15 AM
I found one. Crisis averted.
Oct 11, 2014 at 01:17 AM
A tip nonetheless: After your race, stop by Guy's Bicycles and buy a second set of cables (der. & brakes) take them with you to races.
Oct 11, 2014 at 02:15 AM
Adam violated my number one rule of "night before bike race." DON'T MESS WITH YOUR BIKE. No good will come of it.
Oct 11, 2014 at 02:18 AM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RWW6aDpUvbQ