If we stopped all online speculation and conjecture...the internet would go out of business.  But I hear you...I think I've seen enough local guys get pinched the last few years to proffer an opinion that there is a drug problem in the amateur racing circuit.  The chances of getting busted are minuscule, yet guys get pinched every year.  When was the last year that a local bike racer did not test positive? (failing to show for a control counts as a positive...I'm looking at you Team Somerville)

This is just my POV after racing Floyd past few weeks and this past weekend with ze Germans. They're just better. I don't think doping is involved, at least for the T-Town Euros. If anyone has ever raced nationally or outside of the US, some guys are just faster, more naturally gifted or train harder. There's a 19 yr old pro who rode away from the field at GMSR in the crit and smashed the TT this weekend. I raced him in a dead flat training race in CT this summer where he dismantled the field. No attacks, he just rode everyone off his wheel like an NRC crit rider should. I don't think he's on anything. I just think he's a pro, he's 19 and doesn't have a job/family/taxes to worry about like many of us do. It's not Rider+ Drugs, it's Rider minus life responsibilities+ unlimited time to train and recover. 

Also- I know the 3rd place guy, Gui from Basking Ridge. I rode with him as a U23. He's a great track rider and has been riding for a very long time at this level. I can say with 99% certainty he's not doping. He's just a good rider who's been doing this for 15 years and has never had to work a steady job or take time off training. 

Job taxes family...I'm rocking that trifecta !

Yeah. No one is accusing Gui. Mostly the Sommerville Squad.

With all due respect Joe, I can't turn the other cheek anymore. Doping is rampant in our sport and especially in the races that I participate in. A guy from the scene. OUR SCENE, gets popped every year. It's shameful. In my mind, the pendulum has swung the other way. If you're paying attention, it's hard not to feel any different.

I hope you can find that article. Also hoping that one of our members with a law degree (we have a few) might pen a brief describing what has been witnessed at certain races. If you require an e-signature I'm in. It would be cool if we could get every member to esign it

Jim(last name? He name dropped you JP) High Gear team manager said he picked up a Colombian kid from their squad who stated something like "...I don't want any part of what those guys are about". 

Andy,

Gui was riding to win the Jersey Cup overall at Basking Ridge. With a commanding lead, all he had to do was stave off Durso. The Van Dessel boys were there to make sure Gui succeeded. Jim's rider, Durso, or any other HG bro couldn't get anything going and it looked like Van Dessel was content with protecting their rider and letting Somerville control the race. The HG guys were nowhere near the front of the race as it repeatedly passed us.

josephmueller said:

I would encourage everyone not to speculate and repeat stories that haven't been officially confirmed. I feel like if the sport is really dirty at a local level let's try harder to change increase testing even more. Write to your officials continue to be involved. 

We got NYSBRA to add a donation button to every Bikereg page for the state this year.  Little old us.  The bottom line is that testing is absurdly expensive and as the pros have shown us it takes longitudinal testing and rafts of experts and even then it's tough.

@JP "the drugs don't give you a brain" => Modafinil

Bump!

Great race.  About an hour's drive.  (Public transit on Labor Day is hard to come by)

https://www.bikereg.com/olde-mill-inn-tour-of-basking-ridge

Thinking about this one. Anybody driving up with an open spot?

Reports/results bros?

vlad said:

Thinking about this one. Anybody driving up with an open spot?

Sorry not to see your name in the pre-reg.  Sorry I can't drive in to Brooklyn from the Northwest corner of NJ in time.  77 starters.  A tough crowd.  But overall, registration numbers look down.  I think that's bad for everyone.

Marc Bertucco said:

Reports/results bros?

Labor Day.

Will be there, bringing my tenure in the 5's to a close.

Which image is it JP?

I was flipping through the images and saw Christopher in the 5s and noticed there was someone in a Mengoni kit in his field. Went to the results and it was Cesar Marte who won the 5s field. WTF!?! The kid goes out on a USADA suspension comes back and races in the 5s? He was a Cat 3 or 2 when he was caught.

Craig Zolan said:

I was flipping through the images and saw Christopher in the 5s and noticed there was someone in a Mengoni kit in his field. Went to the results and it was Cesar Marte who won the 5s field. WTF!?! The kid goes out on a USADA suspension comes back and races in the 5s? He was a Cat 3 or 2 when he was caught.

Yeah, I noticed that too. Actually he was a Cat 1. A couple of years back, I noticed him at the front of the Pro races in Dairylands, then he would mysteriously drop out. Well, at least Mengoni is consistent in their "we don't give a fuck if you are a doper here's a bike and kit please race for us" policy.

Lined up for my first true crit at Basking Ridge thinking, "It's only 10 miles". It was a quick race -over and done before I knew it, but became acquainted with lots of hurt while I was in it.

First lap, just after the second turn the guy in front of me pops out of his left pedal. He almost goes down, I slow way down on this first ascent and a big gap opens up. So I spend the first lap or so trying to get up front. The pre-race nerves were enough as it was, and along with having to navigate the course for the first time (6 turns with a fair share of climbs and a descent to the start/finish), I ramped up above threshold and pretty much stayed there the whole race.

By lap three I got to settle in the front for a bit, but the pace picked up. I think the mengoni winner had already gapped the field so a chase was on.

The climb between turns 5 and 6 drained me at every lap and I would fall back. The descent to start/finish was not steep enough to afford rest given I had fallen behind. But was surprised that I could take turns 1 and 2 with speed and confidence and power out of them which pushed me up to the chase group again. It was like that for the rest of the race. Given that sequence I was doomed to not really catch up in the end and crossed the finish solo for 9th of 22 starters.

Was very happy to race out of Brooklyn, do a crit, chat with JP for a bit, and enjoy the rest of the day visiting friends in the area with my wife and daughter.

Slight chance I'll make it to Fort Lee on Sunday, but excited to work more crits in 2016.

Crits are cool.

Cesar Marte's suspension ended this summer.  Somehow, he was knocked down to a cat 5.  Smart of Mengoni not to demand his gear back.  

First, Basking Ridge is a great race.  Nice six-corner crit, mostly wide turns.  Two rises per lap.  A lap is 1.10 to 1.14 depending on the lines you take and between 60 and 79' of climbing (so much for precision instruments).

No other local race, and the morning events are neither early nor late--you can easily do this race and enjoy the rest of your labor (free) day.  Granogue riders could even double-up--both because the racing is excellent and as prep for that all-important Nittany two-day cx next week.

I'm sad to report that there are fewer races than in year's past. and the fields were hardly big.  the pro/am was the largest field at 77 starters.  

15 laps for a bit under 24 miles.

Some years, several pro's show up to shred the field.  I've done this race and been basically at threshold for the first 20-25 minutes.  This year only faux-pro Mike Chauner, but there were still plenty of local hammers to put the hurt on.  Van Dessel had their main three (Elliston, Nelessen, and Bull), High Gear had a big contingent to help John Durso seal the NJBA cup.  And the guys behind Durso were there as well: Mike Rosenhaus and Steve Dioslaki. (I find it depressing that old guys are dominating the NJBA Cup: Durso is pushing 50, Rosenhaus is in his 50s, Dioslaki around 45)  The EC Devo (whew!  Kids) team was on hand as well as all the Burrroweses.  

Lots of attacks from the start.  As I'd been riding alone and on unfamiliar roads all week, I decided to take the first laps very conservatively, not certain of how my legs would fare.  They were doing ok.  Accelerations, not so much.  Tried to go with a move midway through, and I didn't have the gas needed.  Time to recover and look for another opportunity.

With four to go, a move was hanging off the front, but looking good.  I thought this was the last chance for an escape.  Through turn two fast, and over the first rise, they were still out there.  So I tried to attack the field.  

Again didn't quite have the gas.  I could feel that I was missing something, but if I didn't try now, the move would go for good.  Led through the third turn, pedaled a bit more, swung off, and had a small gap with two others.  Through turn five and on the second hill, I was struggling to maintain, but the group was there.  Alas.

Time to recover for one more push.  

Up front, Chauner attacked the four-man group, dropping them.  A chase of two couldn't close on him, and right behind them, the field was closing fast.

I didn't do a good job positioning, perhaps because the last lap was my second-fastest of the race.  Didn't fight for position when I should have, which was after turn two, and taking the second stab after turn five.  

Still, I didn't blow up coming out of the sixth turn, passed folks all the way to the line, and finished 27th.

Average speed was 26.3mph for 53:42.  Should have been a good race for me.

Afterwards, the promoters had a Gatorade station set up, with their recovery drink and regular Gator.  

(and for the family folks, there were kids races down to four year-olds.)