Thanks @josephmuller, but alas we are still 4cm short for @eragot. Unless you wanted to ride an ill-fitting frame with a lot of seatpost for three laps.

There's got to be a spare 58cm track bike out there somewhere! Club legend and track legend Delroy would probably know of one. With any luck I will see him at the track tomorrow.

I am really a first man in team sprint. I am back in base training so to speak for CYclocross, so I'm slow. It will be interesting if I get a bike.

58cm velodrome loaner bike has been reserved for you with Alan. Just bring your pedals (and a wrench etc)

BOOM! Great work Josh, thanks a lot. I didn't think that Alan would be the man for the loaner bikes too.

Very exciting to have got a team together! Shame there might not be any time to actually train together for it, but I find this is a minor inconvenience. I am going to the track tomorrow (Sunday) if either you want to join me there for an hour or so - can do whatever time is good with you and we can practice a few starts and some efforts. Give me a shout if you fancy it, 917 679 0927.

Failing that, we can have a good talk about it before the race! Plus, if either of you have any time between now and then, try a few standing starts on your road bike. If you've not practised them before, select a race size gear - 52 / 53 x 15/16 would be best. Slow down to a crawl, then max effort and unleash the beast, out of the saddle, for about 80m, making sure you arms and core are nice and braced. Then a couple of minutes easy, repeat x 4 (and x 3 sets if you're feeling frisky). Will get you used to the starting effort a bit.

Racing kicks off at 1pm, seemingly with team sprint first up and 1/2/3s last off, so we'll be up at around 1.20pm I reckon.

@mugwump, you ok with @eragot going man 1 and you being man 3 then? I can't ride man 3 on a track like Kissena, I'd die a thousand deaths with 200m-300m to go (800m is going to a be big enough of a stretch, haha).

Let's put a bigger chainring on you - 49 - which make me and you on the same gears and will help you maintain speed in the final lap.

I can do 2nd if need be, but with mismatched starting abilities, its tough to put the team together well. But well give it a go.

As for the starts, they are second nature. But I'm not doing intervals. I will do a long group ride beforehand to open up! He he...

Ha, something makes me think you're not joking about the long group ride! Glad to hear starts are second nature. Just don't drop me ;-)

Most ideal starting order:
1. eragot
2. kieranleahy
3. mugwump

They're not sure what gear is on the loan bike, but we are allowed to change it. I'll bring all my spare stuff, but sounds like you have everything too. Between us both we should have something that will fit whatever is on the loan bike - in fact you could put your good track wheels on it?
What size gear would you ride for it? 92"? 94"? 120"?

I gave up the good track wheels long ago. I got rid of my bike last year, but not my bag of gears!

I gave up the good track wheels long ago. I got rid of my bike last year, but not my bag of gears!

I have a bike. Ilk set it up this week.

Good work! Let me know if setting it up goes to plan and I'll stand down the loaner bike.

Kieran, 

The burden of responsibility could crush me...

JP - glad you're ok with lap 3! You'll have much better speed endurance than me.

Re gearing, I think 49 x 14 would suit us all, (though personally part of me is still tempted to go on 50x14). Obviously it's hard without knowing your strengths and knowing exactly how fast you can get a gear going / spin, but I think 94" (49 x 14 in old money, equivalent to 53 x 15) is a good allround gear for an event like this, particularly on a track like Kissena. Eric, remember that you've got a whole 400m to get up to speed, so you don't have to go as nuts at the start as you might on a shorter track. Dumb question to you both - what gears do you run on the road in a sprint? And what do you find most comfortable doing - spinning or pushing?

As you all know, the most important thing with a team sprint is that we keep good shape - i.e. everyone gets on at the start, and no-one blows anyone off a wheel. Assuming I stay on Eric's wheel, JP, I will kick a little, but it won't be anything over 60kph and won't be too explosive.

Oh, and I'm good for a skinsuit thanks, I've still got my "defective" new design one.

Sorry, by "good all round gear" I meant for the team sprint, not for a track league, bunch race etc!

Go with the 50 if you think it won't be too big.

@eragot and @mugwump

Have either of you got rollers you can bring on Saturday? I do, but will be getting to the track on public transport / riding from the station, so won't be able to carry them and bike, kit etc.

Kieran, I'm in your boat.  Got them.  Expect to take the train there.

Ah, the joys of the train to Flushing Main St...I'll try and take mine, but it means having to walk from the station, which is long.

Just remembered there's the small matter of registering for the race. On bikereg.com, it looks like you enter details for each member of the team as part of one entry (I think). I'm not sure how we'd do it separately - I might be wrong. I'm happy to do it for all of us. If you like, send me your details via private message - full name, DoB, license # and emergency contact. I can just put my address for everyone. Registration closes on Friday at 7pm.

https://www.bikereg.com/Net/16786

reminder: Reg closes at 7pm tonight 

Thanks Joshua, all taken care of! See you tomorrow - what events are you doing?

Good luck guys - let's get a state championship! I'll await race reports while on vacation.

Well, we've already won the sartorial battle hands down in that case, given how pimp our new kit is / horrible theirs is! The actual racing should be a pushover, ha.

I imagine LaCorte will be partnered with his Saturday morning training buddies - don't know how well matched they are to him.

LaCorte could crush me right now - he did a 10.8 in Masters qualifying! I've not done a 10.8 since er....2007. Just downplaying my chances, haha.

Yechy.

I'm not sure the connotation of that statement.

The tram sprint...

i want to thank Kieran for getting myself and Ragot out to the track.  Whilst our team sprint came off the rails early (Sorry Kieran!), I was able to recover in time for the other races--I guess I should look at the team sprint as my opener.