NYC Spring Cycling Series 2013

Apr 13, 2013 at 01:39 PM

3 race was typical. Ended in field sprint. Some fat old guys blocked everyone in the sprint and I couldn't gget through. Ended up top 10 maybe and that was sitting the whole time. Maybe hit 500 watts in the sprint. Hoping tomorrow at Rahway is much, much better. I felt easily fit enough to win the sprint, just got boxed in which is frustrating.

On sep note, can't wait to hear race reports from Battenkill from our guys up there.

Craig London

Apr 13, 2013 at 01:40 PM

Oh, BTW when I left 123s had 2 laps to go and JP was in the break. he looked good, sitting 3rd wheel. Wonder how he ended up bc he looked strong.

mugwump

Apr 13, 2013 at 04:40 PM

Craig,

Thanks for the shout-out. I was fourth. More on the race later.

---NO SPRING SERIES RACE AT FBF TOMORROW---

apparently it has to do with the length of time it takes for FBF to approve.

Also, AVD says that weekend racing in the future, I assume near future, won't be able to use the full parallelogram. He had a dog-leg course in mind where we ride onto the remote control airplane runway.

mperlberg

Apr 13, 2013 at 04:50 PM

mugwump said:

Craig,
Thanks for the shout-out. I was fourth. More on the race later.

NICE!!!!!!!

---NO SPRING SERIES RACE AT FBF TOMORROW---

sucks!!!

apparently it has to do with the length of time it takes for FBF to approve.

Also, AVD says that weekend racing in the future, I assume near future, won't be able to use the full parallelogram. He had a dog-leg course in mind where we ride onto the remote control airplane runway.

Jeff Condon

Apr 13, 2013 at 05:52 PM

Nice result JP. Glad that break stuck (assuming it did). You were looking strong.

neilx

Apr 13, 2013 at 06:35 PM

NIce JP!

tito

Apr 14, 2013 at 07:10 PM

JP - details please!

mugwump

Apr 15, 2013 at 01:37 AM

4/13/13 Spring Series Race, I/II/III, Central Park, 36 miles.

team: Rene and JP

That's right, 36. Good thing Jersey Mike didn't show, he wouldn't have made it to work on time. With four guys from Metra, four or five guys from the Somerville Bike Shop,and some pretty good breakaway riders, I was sure this one was going to finish in a break.

The problem was choosing the move. I was thinking about keying off of Gui Nelessen or John Durso as they often have good noses for breakaways. Brian Breach was present, but he's teh most heavily watched guy in the race. And trying to figure which Somerville or Metra would be the one was going to be tough.

There was an extra, slightly weird dynamic to add. Guys were letting gaps open when the field was strung out. Not so much like sitting up because they had a teammate in front of them, but just sitting up, like eight or ten guys back, for no apparent reason, and not swinging over to get out of the way.

There were some big splits early, but they all came back together. At the start of lap three, I was at the front, and just as we swung onto the straight, fast section at about East 86th, Breach was accelerating. He's been heavily marked every race this season,but I went with him. He swung off and I drilled it. I swung off, and a Somerville guy came through, then a Metra,then a Six Cycles, then Breach. Then a gap.

I didn't look back because I assumed the field was only a few seconds behind. We flew down the damp hill,around the top of the park and we had at least a several second gap. Up 110berg and some of the guys were already struggling. Six Cycles and Somerville. I didn't want to overdo it, so I was careful with my efforts, and when I saw the Somerville guy wad skipping pulls, I let off the gas and let a gap open to see what he'd do. He waited. I jumped back to the group, he followed. Then the Six Cycles guy blew.

Probably a good thing Somerville (Marcin) was there, even if he wasn't pulling. With this group, we had ten guys in the field on our side. The Somerville guys are known for being jerks in breaks, but this guy, at least was only skipping about 70% of his pulls,not attacking and then sitting up or other annoying stuff.

I figured we had the race in the bag. Brian was the strongest. Marcin was a question mark,and the Metra rider, Glenn, always looked like he was suffering when he took the front. I was planning on attacking the break in the hopes that the other two would sit on Brian.

But, when we started heading north at 60th street or the last time, we looked left and saw the field chasing. no time for games. I didn't lead out the sprint, and was gapped by everyone. Thought I had more. Breach won, Marcin made it by Glenn. I rolled in wiht heavy legs, and Savory of United missed catching me on the line by a few meters.

McKay Duncan

Apr 16, 2013 at 02:11 PM

I saw the finish of the 123, very nice JP!

Marc Bertucco

Apr 21, 2013 at 02:37 PM

JP, how'd the TT go? REPORTS PLEASE!

Jeff Owens

Apr 21, 2013 at 06:28 PM

Saw JP post TT. His frame pump gave it a double top-tube aero effect which he said helped.

mperlberg

Apr 21, 2013 at 06:32 PM

according to JP: AVD had his truck stolen last night which was somehow an excuse for being sucky in general.

It took him 1 hour to compile results for the gigantic P123 field of 8 riders.

JP was 6th and a bit disappointed in that.

I will be there next Sunday for the final race.

JohnMalcolmson

Apr 21, 2013 at 07:49 PM

@JP I wouldn't trust that those results are correct. My last AVD TT: winners but no times posted.

mugwump

Apr 21, 2013 at 09:54 PM

Mike's got it right. 6th. I didn't see the times, though with so few riders and I don't think anyone passed anyone else, it would have been a bit harder than usual to screw up. I was beaten by both Franklin Burgos and Stalin Quiterio in the TT, which surprised and disappointed me. Brian Breach missed his start, probably put in the fastest TT, but missing the start cost him--and he didn't complain.

Didn't feel great in the TT (not supposed to), but the disappointment came with feeling that I didn't empty the tank. I think I probably should have ridden the uphill segments a bit harder and used the downhills a bit more for recovery. I'm wondering if the aero bars were much of a benefit with all the shifting that needed to be done.

I was 14th overall in the spring series before the TT. My 50 points, could move me as high as 10th overall. In the 1/2/3's I'm probably fifth or sixth.

With one race to go, I think Marcus Dahlhof might have just passed Breach for the lead in the 1/2/3's, but they're probabably still fighting for second or third place in the overall. this could make the last race a real barnburner.

ashleyB

Apr 23, 2013 at 04:36 PM

Im in for the 5s on Sunday

mugwump

Apr 26, 2013 at 07:02 PM

Last Spring Series race is on Sunday. In the series competitions, I'm in 5th in the 1/2/3, and 11th in the overall. Don't know if I can move up in the 1/2/3, but at least I want to defend my position. In the overall, I could move up as high as seventh if I win the race and a few other things could happen, but 10th is certainly possible.

Here's the overall points breakdown.

https://twitter.com/NYCSpringSeries/status/327647755235385344/photo/1

mperlberg

Apr 27, 2013 at 03:15 PM

@ JP

I will be out to support you. Vlad too.

My hope is we can get in a break together and I can take orders from you.

David Yang

Apr 27, 2013 at 03:47 PM

Ash, I'm out there tomorrow with you in the 5s.

eragot

Apr 27, 2013 at 05:13 PM

JP,
Do you want me there? I can rouse myself I suppose.
E

mugwump

Apr 27, 2013 at 06:11 PM

Mike, Vlad,

Thanks.

Eric,

It would be appreciated.

I figure Brian needs to win from a breakaway, so Mengoni, at least Barouh and Polanco, will support him. Not sure how Dalhof is going to ride, other than watching Brian, though he could use some team support. I need to be there when Brian goes, or counter up to him.

David Yang

Apr 28, 2013 at 01:20 PM

Quick 5s report. It was me, Aaron, and Ashley today.

Ashley was putting the hurt on the field today and attacked 20 seconds into the race! People were laughing until he and a foundation guy had a nice little gap going and had to chase. He did this about 2 or 3 more times and caused mild panic attacks in the field.

Otherwise a pretty standard park race. Foundation and CRCA yellow jersey guys were keeping the pace high for most of it. I rotated pulls a few times and stayed on the weak moves up the hill which was my goal ("You Shall Not Snap!"). Oh and the usual asshole yelling from 20 guys back "KEEP PUSHING" (yang: "YOU FUCKING PUSH").

My only regret is end of the bell lap, a few guys decided to go for it at the downhill and by the 1k mark two guys had a pretty good gap going. Another 2 guys chased and pulled them back and I caught their wheels. Unfortunately around the 400m mark they pull off and I found myself on the front pulling the field like a moron. I ran out of gas and watched the field sprint around me.

Another race, another pack finish.

mperlberg

Apr 28, 2013 at 01:58 PM

I finished 6th in the race today, JP finished 6th in the overall.

The field was all over Brian Breech as usual. This story is getting boring.

After awhile of attacking and the everything coming back together (it was pretty damn hard) Ragot followed a Dave Jordan guy off the front and I followed his teammate up to him. Up the hill we go and this monster man opens up a gap on the field. We are quickly joined by some other strong men. I was hoping JP would be albe to follow wheels up to the move but the wheels he chose were lame (Franklin, etc.)

I spend most of the break cross-eyed and trying to hang on. I figured my role was to hang in and hope JP bridged up with a chase group. Unfortunately for me, just hanging on, even when skipping pulls, proved to be channeling.

There were 4 guys really driving things. One guy (Andrew Bernstein - I guess he used to be from around here and is now visiting or something) attacked with 2 to go. He held his gap til close to the line until Brian, Stalin, and the DJ guy caught him. I got close but no cigar, and was pipped by Georgie from metra at the line.

Tough day. I did what I could.

Here are the stats: 15 laps versus 13 laps really seems to make a difference in the hurt level.

mperlberg

Apr 28, 2013 at 03:47 PM

Time: 1:55:43

Miles: 50.61

Kj(work) 2025

avg power: 292 watts

Xpower (normalized): 313 watts

max: 1211 watts

avg speed: 26.3

jim_nelson

Apr 28, 2013 at 05:07 PM

Crap, that's brutal. Nice job Mike.

Jules

Apr 28, 2013 at 05:11 PM

Damn Mike. Kudos.

vlad

Apr 28, 2013 at 05:37 PM

For perspective, this is what the race looked like for me while helping JP in the field:

Time: 1:57:33

Miles: 50.54

Kj(work) 1805

avg power: 256 watts

NP: 296 watts

max: 786 watts

avg speed: 25.8

Race was not easy. Well done Mike.

mperlberg said:

Time: 1:55:43
Miles: 50.61
Kj(work) 2025
avg power: 292 watts
Xpower (normalized): 313 watts
max: 1211 watts
avg speed: 26.3

Ryan J

Apr 28, 2013 at 06:29 PM

Great riding JP. Coming out year after year and performing well in that Spring Series is really impressive. Nice work Mike, Eric, and Vlad helping him finish it off.

dstokes

Apr 28, 2013 at 07:12 PM

Great riding JP. 6th overall in the 123 is no joke, especially for a father of 2.

mugwump

Apr 29, 2013 at 02:04 AM

I want to thank Eric, Mike, and Vlad for helping out.

Tough day. I was fifth in the series and wanted to hold that or move up. Gorgi of Metra was immediately ahead of me and getting in a break without him was going to be hard work. Same went for Stalin who was ahead of him.

We knew what the deal was. I needed to be in the break. And while I wanted it to go later, like at 7 to go, Brian was making it clear he wanted to go early. Eric, Mike, and Vlad were active early, getting in the unlikely moves so we didn't have to chase.

I was going with moves and occasionally striking out solo in the hopes of drawing out the right people. Nothing was working. At some point, Mike got out and into a split. now I just had to wait for Brian or Marcus or both to go for it at the top of hte hill. And they went,with Stalin following. THat made 9 or 10 away.

I wasn't perfectly positioned, but the big Rockstar Games guy was aggressive and so was Franklin Burgos. I figured they'd go and I could sit on. Franklin is a notorious wheelsucker and whenever I have a chance to turn the tables on him, it's fun to get a little payback.

Rockstar didn't do it, nor did United, and then Franklin went, and I couldn't help but feel he was trying to hook me as he went by. Not happy about that, but I got on his wheel and he took a long pull. As he let up, I went hard, but not so hard that I wouldn't have any gas if he tried to jump me. Then he wouldn't pull.

I think that was my last chance, everyone's last chance of getting up to the break. I don't know if I should have worked with him or not.

Eric rolled the flats and got us almost close enough to try to jump across. But it wasn't enough, so I kept rolling in the hopes of keeping others motivated. Didn't really work. United was sort of pulling, but it was uneven and weird. Ricky was pulling some,and so was Savory, but these guys aren't in shape and should be their sprinters. Jermaine and Tom were pulling, but not great. Vlad was working well with them.

THen Vlad and I spent a long time with United and only a few others trying to bring back the break. At a certain point, I couldn't do it and imagine having any finish. I think there was a split but the lactic haze was in my brain.

With three laps to go, I was riding on fumes. I kept going in the hopes that the other guys were starting to fall apart as well.

On the bell lap, I saw one former member of the break ride off the course. 8 spots up the road. Eric helped me keep position, but as the sprint started winding up, I was afraid of cramping so told eric I was blowing up and backed off. I don' think there was any way I could have sprinted, at the same time, one can never be 100% on that until he tries.

I'm bummed about not having the legs I've had most spring, and bummed more that I missed the move. Sucks not to get the results when you have good support. If I had jumped across, I might have ended up groveling with Mike, but it would have been worth it.

I had a rest week and on Friday I was flying. I'm stuck wondering if it was the allergy medication I took Friday night that started doing me in or the allergies.

neilx

Apr 29, 2013 at 02:29 AM

Nice.