NYC Spring Cycling Series 2013

Apr 01, 2013 at 02:36 AM

I think too, even more evidence of my point about the value of teammates is to look at how one of the strongest guys around, Brian Breach, was effectively, this week, neutralized, rendered ineffective without any willing teammates. I assume Al Borough wasn't there after racing Redhook just hours before the start of the PP race. Not sure about the sprinting Pollos (Sr and Jr), although traditionally they've done their own thing with regard for the rest of the team. And I can't remember who else is on that team this year.

dstokes

Apr 01, 2013 at 03:23 AM

This race was crap. Merging of fields is so common in van Dunk races that you would think that the experienced racers would take matters into their own hands. Instead, they ignore the moto driver who is lamely trying to separate the fields. The 3/4 belonged behind the masters. But the 3/4 field are bigger dicks, so after 1.5 laps of complete mixing and confusion, the 3/4 field accelerates up the hill to follow their leader (the biggest dick of all - was there actually a pace car at that point?). The masters end up hanging back and by that point I'd had enough and just stayed with their field. The difference was palpable. By the time we got back to racing, I realized that it was 8am with 3 laps to go and I had to be home at 8:30. I was happy to get the f**k out of PP and will not return to a van Dunk race any time soon.

eragot

Apr 01, 2013 at 03:28 AM

You wonder why I avoid the same thing whenever possible!

This race was crap. Merging of fields is so common in van Dunk races that you would think that the experienced racers would take matters into their own hands. Instead, they ignore the moto driver who is lamely trying to separate the fields. The 3/4 belonged behind the masters. But the 3/4 field are bigger dicks, so after 1.5 laps of complete mixing and confusion, the 3/4 field accelerates up the hill to follow their leader (the biggest dick of all - was there actually a pace car at that point?). The masters end up hanging back and by that point I'd had enough and just stayed with their field. The difference was palpable. By the time we got back to racing, I realized that it was 8am with 3 laps to go and I had to be home at 8:30. I was happy to get the f**k out of PP and will not return to a van Dunk race any time soon.

Dan Reiners

Apr 01, 2013 at 11:26 AM

Most of the challenges with officiating was entirely because the fields mixed so much. I can't believe there were so many neutralizations and they were handled so poorly.

Oh and the number of times I saw riders in the wrong fields like Juan Pimental, who is all of 17 years old in the Master's field and James Joseph's racing with a number in the wrong series just added to the fun.

I've already been asked to officiate at the Van Dunk TT at Palisades. I wonder whether I can handle that comedy of errors and not cry at the end?

Brendan Rigby

Apr 01, 2013 at 12:00 PM

wow. sounds like a picked a great weekend to skip the races.

mugwump

Apr 01, 2013 at 12:23 PM

Dan,

We need you out there! Good officials are hard to come by.

dstokes

Apr 01, 2013 at 12:28 PM

Yes, 4 fields at PP is a recipe for disaster. CP can handle this, but not PP. This is why Charlie I reduced the L&C cup races in PP to 3 fields. Add to this the van Dunk mystique, and it is quite predictable that something will go wrong. Another innovation from Charlie is that pace car drivers are clearly labeled for the field that they are leading, so it is unambiguous when they are neutralizing a particular field. Merging of fields happens, even in CP (1-2-3 field passed the women's field THREE times in a single race last year!). But it happens more often to van Dunk. You can't really rely on the racers. They are mostly dicks. I think the masters are lesser dicks and that's why they ended up letting the 3/4's jump away and allowed themselves to be neutralized, after several attempts with the 3/4 field failed.

mperlberg

Apr 01, 2013 at 01:19 PM

Dan. Who got DQ'D? I want to taunt them.

dstokes

Apr 01, 2013 at 01:33 PM

James Joseph . . . he jumped onto the back of the masters field at their start with an incorrect number pinned on (575 instead of their 700 series numbers). Did he end up in the 1-2-3 field? I wonder how. . .

Maybe I'll have to go get killed in some out of town races. I'm not sure I can endure another season of park fiascos. I shouldn't feel this grumpy on Monday morning.

Jeffrey White

Apr 01, 2013 at 02:01 PM

I love hearing James Joseph stories. Hate racing with that scumbag, though.

vlad

Apr 01, 2013 at 03:25 PM

@mperlberg, I think Ariel from Champ-Sys was in that DQ'ed break.

mugwump

Apr 01, 2013 at 04:12 PM

I think the only guys who didn't get dq'ed were Zach Koop and Jeff Kline. Possibly one other guy.

Dan Reiners

Apr 01, 2013 at 04:39 PM

Sadly I didn't get names, everybody but Zach Koop and Jeff Kline got DQed from the break. I didn't get names, just numbers, so I don't have a list of folks I can tell you who got DQed.

James Joseph apparently was given the wrong number at registration. He was the last person registered in the Master's field, and I can't imagine how he got a completely different number that isn't a series number and isn't even matching any series that were assigned that day. He finished with the field he started with.

Dan Reiners

Apr 01, 2013 at 04:41 PM

mugwump said:

Dan,
We need you out there! Good officials are hard to come by.

I also want to race too. Sadly I can't do both in the same race.

mugwump

Apr 01, 2013 at 05:14 PM

Looking at the break, I'm taking it that a jordan coaching guy, Alejandro Guzman and another foundation guy, Cesar Marte, Franklin Burgos, Georgy Popensatanov (sp?) of Metra, and Ariel. Ariel's excuse was he knew it was wrong but he didn't think the officials were going to do anything.

tito

Apr 01, 2013 at 05:28 PM

Zomg I am DEFINITELY gonna give Ariel a hard time about that.

And stroke my mustache while I do it.

Marc Bertucco

Apr 01, 2013 at 05:47 PM

Look, guys will continue to break rules as long as the officials allow it. So big thumbs up to Dan and his crew for not letting dicks get away with shit.

David Yang

Apr 01, 2013 at 05:50 PM

FWIW I overheard AVD saying to an official, and these were his exact words,"I have no problem disqualifying the whole field."

Thierry Bonnaire

Apr 01, 2013 at 05:51 PM

Words from the organizers;

Message from Rod/CRCA President
Team managers,

Apologies for sending this on April Fools Day, but this is a serious message. I need you assistance in getting the message out to all of your team members of the importance of how we conduct ourselves in Central Park - whether we are racing, training or just riding. Mo...st members are doing the right thing, but we all know that it only takes the bad judgment of one member to cause major problems for all of us in Central Park.

In this past week, the CRCA Board received multiple reports of CRCA members (in recognizable CRCA subteam kit) acting in violation of our Code of Conduct while riding in Central Park - including one from a member of the public after our last race and one from a fellow club member who was abused after calling out the member for their dangerous riding.

We generally view suspensions as harsh, infrequent penalties. However, given the scrutiny placed on CRCA, other clubs and cyclists in general in the recent past, and with our ability to hold future park races at stake, we believe serious enforcement action is warranted. Individual members and/or their subteams will be held accountable in situations where they have violated the Code of Conduct and as a result, have jeopardized everyone's privilege of riding and racing in the park. We hope enforcement action will act both as a deterrent against future violations, and serve to show third parties that the Club recognizes the importance of adhering to established rules and putting the safety of others first.

As the weather gets warmer, the park will get increasingly busy. For better and for worse, we are an extraordinarily visible and identifiable group, and therefore, each of us serves as an ambassador for the group.

Members training in the park must give way to pedestrians on the roadway at all times. It is highly recommended that members not ride in Central Park after 8am and if they are, there should be an expectation that high speed riding is not possible.

Please help us by reinforcing with your teams the following rules (which as CRCA members, you have already agreed to comply with):

- Code of Conduct
- Dept. of Parks Rules for Racing in Central Park
- Central Park Protocol

We have to share Central Park with everyone else. So with that in mind, please help us create a community that respects other park users by always being attentive and courteous to other park users while riding, training or racing in the park, in every circumstance.

Thank you for your help in this group effort - please cc me on the communications you send to your team members.

Regards

twoyacks

Apr 01, 2013 at 05:56 PM

"FWIW I overheard AVD saying to an official, and these were his exact words,"I have no problem disqualifying the whole field."....would this mean AVD pockets all the prize money from said field?....just asking

David Yang

Apr 01, 2013 at 06:04 PM

twoyacks said:

....would this mean AVD pockets all the prize money from said field?....just asking

I thought that was a given...and then he rents a school bus and takes us for a fun filled adventure in sunny TIJUANA!

tito

Apr 01, 2013 at 07:18 PM

David - Fair warning: your frequent and hilarious Simpsons references are putting you in very real danger of being stalked on the internet by William.

David Yang

Apr 01, 2013 at 07:28 PM

You will have to pry the Simpsons references from my cold dead hands.

Dan Reiners

Apr 01, 2013 at 08:04 PM

Sadly I believe AVD was interested in saving himself the few hundred dollars in prize money, but it isn't his call to DQ the whole field, and dammit it was cold yesterday, and I didn't want to spend 3 1/2 hours in the park and not score a damn race. I have to give Denise huge props for being a stand up chief referee, and listening to myself and the moto judge to DQ the riders who were ahead of the moto, not just at the finish, but on the prior lap as they were mixing with the Master's in their finish.

@Marc, this is for you. I believe you were using dicks incorrectly when you really mean assholes.