May 14, 2014 at 01:19 AM
This guy
Kissena Velodrome Twilight Series
May 14, 2014 at 01:22 AM
Me.
May 14, 2014 at 01:50 AM
T minus 2 weeks before my track debut!!!!
May 14, 2014 at 01:59 AM
I'm scheduled to be out there
May 14, 2014 at 02:51 AM
The 4/5 schedule for tomorrow night:
SnowballChariot
Elimination
The chariot is just an all-out puker and we all know about the cat-and-mouse tactics of the elimination race (I'm pretty sure it's a slight variation on the miss-n-out).
The snowball is more interesting. 5 laps. Points awarded on each lap. The first lap is worth 1, the last lap is worth 5. If you have a great sprint, do you just collect your sure-thing in the first and middle laps and then fade, or do you try to hang on and go for later sprints? If you have some endurance fitness, do you sit in until the bigger points come up and try to break away? I'll obviously be trying for the latter, but I have zero sprint.
May 14, 2014 at 05:07 PM
I'll be there tonight--see y'all later.
May 14, 2014 at 06:15 PM
Ugh home sick with a stomach virus. Sunday have to be my first day back at the track.
May 15, 2014 at 02:22 AM
Results, bros?
May 15, 2014 at 12:03 PM
Stories of battle please!!!
May 15, 2014 at 01:47 PM
May 15, 2014 at 02:12 PM
I smashed my hand/hip up on Saturday and still can't quite grasp the bars. Hoping I'll be good for next week,
May 15, 2014 at 03:45 PM
In terms of a race report, I had a blast racing racing alongside Jeff and Ros. The 4/5 field was split in half, and we all ended up in the same group which allowed us to try and be tactical in some of the races.
Ros ended up with a few points, and may have podiumed, TBD on results. I don't think Jeff and I ended up with any points.
5 Lap Snowball: I believe Ros won the first and second lap of the snowball getting him 3 points. Not sure about Jeff.
Chariot: In the chariot prelims, I pushed as hard as I could and came up just short at third place where the top two advanced to finals. Ros made finals.
Elimination: The three of us were all knocked out mid-race due to getting boxed in, tires rubbed, and a few guys being really strategic about pacelining.
May 15, 2014 at 05:17 PM
Results are in... I placed 2nd in the Omnium once again (just 2 damn points out of the overall win for the second straight week).
I took the first two sprints in the Snowball race (for 3 points) and placed 2nd in that race. Wanted to also take the last sprint, but couldn't close the gap at the end.
Won my qualifying Chariot race (JeffW was looking really damn strong in this race and was sooo close to getting into the finals with me, but was clipped at the line). And official results say I placed 2nd in the Finals Chariot race, but I was certain I got 3rd (1st place dude was a Cat2 roadie ringer). Shitty start off the push for me (need to work on that) and just ran out of track gaining on the leader at the very end.
The final Elimination race was my fourth race of the night and left me with so-so legs. The hard driving pace of the field from the gun did not help the cause. I was trying to play it smart and not use up many sprints until I needed to and somehow got clipped at the line with 4 other riders left. Was fairly toast at that point (officially: 5th place and 1 point).
I'll take the 2nd place overall and look forward to this Sunday at Kissena (can't wait!).
Jeff & Jesse looked really strong despite not getting points. Jesse looks like he has some thick ass hockey-legs that can push some watts if he gets his conditioning/training going.
Kayt did her thing in the lady's races, always looking in the mix in the top 3 following the moves of the upper category women like Roz. That cannot be easy, as some of these women look insanely fast & experienced.
May 16, 2014 at 03:57 AM
All the Twilight races from yesterday were apparently recorded. Videos here:
https://m.youtube.com/user/MikiMoone
https://m.youtube.com/user/MikiMoone
May 16, 2014 at 10:05 AM
Don't spoil my upcoming cat 5 debut Ros!!!!Ros Knopov said:(1st place dude was a Cat2 roadie ringer).
FWIW - I checked in with Alan, he requires upper category roadies to at least do one race in the 5s before he considers upgrading them.
May 16, 2014 at 01:49 PM
@mperlberg I doubt you will have any trouble in your debut 
May 17, 2014 at 12:12 AM
I totally forgot to mention the best part of Wednesday night. Kayt came ready with Pom-Poms (team colors too)! And I have proof!
May 29, 2014 at 07:03 PM
Race report?
May 29, 2014 at 07:47 PM
Shorter the race, the longer the warm-up!Aaron Blum said:No results for me. I got there a bit late and missed the first 4/5 race.Overall, I had a lot of fun coming back to the track and maybe I should run a 15t cog rather than a 14t. Kate pointed out that I looked like I was over geared and I did feel it during the 3rd race.
Aaron, I've noticed on the road you tend to be overgeared as well. You and I talked about this on one group ride this past winter. Get your spin on dude, you'll be happier with the results.
May 29, 2014 at 08:06 PM
First and foremost, I was so sorry to hear about your crash, @Jesse. And your bike. I hope the surgery goes well and that it doesn't set you back too many weeks--both for work and for racing at the track. You were missed last night!
My first race report from the track, because until last night I had no idea what I was doing. The field was relatively larger for the women last night, and fiercer. Pink Rhino was out in full force, plus a friendly Cat 3 who races at Yale, plus some other monsters with thighs that make mine look like puny twigs.
Chariot: I got a nice push for the start, but the aforementioned competition got the best of me, though in part because a squirrelly Pink Rhino rider cut me off when I was in the sprinter's lane and I narrowly avoided her wheel (@Erika, the Pink Rhino in question is one from your recent near-crash past--Hannah, who is lovely off the bike, but wobbly as hell when off). This race made me realize I need to work on my jump and standing starts.
Miss & Out: My favorite race of all, and also Jeff's "white whale" race which he described a few weeks ago. First few laps were easy peasy, but it gets interesting when there are 6 riders left, and I rode aggressively to ensure I was well ahead of the last wheel across that line, sometimes taking the brunt of the wind. With five riders to go, one of the ladies who I made a mental note to avoid (who I had spotted skidding a la #messlife when she got off the track), crossed wheels with the questionable Pink Rhino woman and they almost both went down. Fortunately I was up track, which has become my safe, special, happy place. Coming around turn three, I was sitting comfortably behind Yale in the sprinter's lane and Ms. Skids is very narrowly moving laterally into me, I scream "stay!" which worked out to her advantage for the race, because my Yale train wasn't moving fast enough and I found myself boxed in. Even though I crossed the line after the last rider, I was right in front of the stand and was probably more noticeable. Several people told me it was the wrong call. Ah well.
Snowball: I wanted to be in the top 5 every lap, staying the hell away from the dodgy riders, and copying Yale's moves as much as possible. Everyone was pretty worn out and breathing heavy by lap 4, but I kept pushing. I came in third on the last and final lap, which was quite exciting for me and still a little bit of a blur.
After some rest and spectating, I did more sprints and cool down laps until the sun had set completely, which felt right at the time but feels very wrong today. Despite being completely toast, I can't wait for next week. Great seeing A-Aron and Josh out there last night, too.
Jun 02, 2014 at 02:18 PM
@Kayt, great race report! I'm hoping to come out this Wednesday for my first go at track racing. I attended the women's racing clinic yesterday (sunday). It was fantastic! A good number of people showed up including a Yalie and several Rockstars. Some other people were there too including one Pink Rhino, a world champion from CT, and of course, the unattached T-Shirt gang.
We all had a great time and going around that track put me in some kind of zen flow state that I am itching to get back to. . . . hence, Wednesday twilight (assuming the weather is ok this week).
@Jesse, I didn't know you crashed. Sorry to hear that. Hope you are able to bounce back soon and get back on the track. The women's field is likely to just keep growing. Yay 
Jun 03, 2014 at 04:17 PM
Yeah @Jessica! So great to hear the "zen flow" clinic was such a positive experience! And glad to hear you'll be coming out tomorrow. Isn't track the best?! Crossing my fingers for no rain tomorrow.
Jun 03, 2014 at 06:59 PM
I may make a appearance. Heading out to t town tonight. Ill see how I feel/if it gets rained out tonight ill def be there tmrw.
Jun 04, 2014 at 12:25 PM
I'm sadly out for tonight (nagging cold, work). @Jessica--I'm very, very bummed to miss your first race night at the track, but so glad the Kissena colors will be flying in the women's field. Go get 'em!
Jun 04, 2014 at 02:09 PM
I'm going to try to make it too! But I have a ton of work to do so might not be able to make it out tonight. . . . .
Totally want to but my schedule just got very very busy
Jun 04, 2014 at 03:22 PM
Is anyone driving from Brooklyn there tonight and could give me a lift to cut time? I'm in Lefferts Gardens.
Jun 05, 2014 at 03:43 AM
@Aaron, was great to see you out tonight. I was very relieved to see another Kissena teammate at the race. You kicked ass. This was my first race, and I while I was trailing behind most everyone for most every part of the ride, it was still good to get out there and I'm glad I tried it out. (I hope never to see the embarrassing video)
I was sucking wind the entire time. Most of the other women stayed in a pack, and I was far far behind everyone. My bicycle fit was stretched, which did not help with sprinting. I'm not making excuses! but I noticed that my positioning was definitely something holding me back from being the strongest I could be, and I couldn't do any standing efforts with my positioning.
So, I learned that the start is important and it's really easy to get boxed in (and out). Also, I'm comparatively not much of a sprinter. Aaron offered me some coaching advice (greatly appreciated) and my strategy got better with each new race.
All in all, really happy to have tried out track to see what it's all about. And definitely will try it again, especially when @Kayt is back in the saddle.
Jun 19, 2014 at 04:54 AM
MATCH SPRINT NIGHT!!!!1!11!!
Two laps, three-up. Everyone got to race twice; not tournament format :-\.
Ros came to the 'drome with 98" of chain on but decided after his warmup to back it down to a measly 96". He then went smashy smash all over everyone everywhere. He won both his three-man match sprints by multiple bike lengths -- the second one cruising the last twenty meters sitting up ... wiping his hands off on his skinsuit? He was so far gone that Alan responded to the rule infraction by quipping, "Sometimes the rule book comes in handy, sometimes common sense."
Kayt came to the 'drome with a chain so taut, you could pluck a high C on it. She started her first race in the first position. In Turn 2 after the bell, third wheel attacked up track and second wheel attacked from below. Kayt hesitated an instant and charged after the correct wheel in the sprinters lane, but couldn't quite get in the good slipstream until the finish line was much too close. Her second race, she started in second position and made a solid attack from the top of the track betweens Turns 1 and 2 after the bell, using the banking to launch her jump. Unfortunately, the other two were all over it and got straight onto her wheel. Amazingly, with all the draft of a 3-up match sprint they only were able to get around her in the last few meters. It was an impressive move, and Kayt is knocking on the door. It will be very soon when you'll all read the race report of how we all came home with wins.
After finding out that my chain was too short for a 50t/15t (90") setup, I came to the 'drome with my 48t/15t stuff, a measly 86" (compared to Ros's 96").
I started my first match in first position and rolled slowly around the top of the track, slowly building speed. Halfway between Turns 1 and 2, I looked back and saw the two rather well-built dudes behind me letting a gap open and fooling around with each other. I added some pressure to the pedals, looked back again in Turn 2, and saw a good 20 feet of gap open. They were staring at each other and straight up letting me go. I'm better from a long way out, so as soon as I hit the pursuit line (when the racing is on) I sprinted all-out into and through Turn 3. I hit the start-finish at top speed as the bell rang. I was going SO HARD, with my feet moving seriously as fast as I could move them, but they were slowing down. Sad trombones, my friends. My feet don't go that fast for that long, and I was caught by both my opponents in Turn 3. 86" is simply not enough chain to stay away for over 1.5 laps. I just can't maintain top speed for very long at that frenetic cadence.
After that boondoggle, I took off my 15t in favor of my 14t for my usual 92".
I again drew first position in my second race. Oddly, one of my opponents was one of the same burly sprinter dudes from my first match. Wasn't too excited about that. We went off, and this time I put myself right up to the rail and barely exceeded a jogger's pace. Well before the pursuit line, the Pink Rhino rider (who started second position) went down track and basically came up even with me. The big burly dude stalked my wheel at the rail. I decided I'd stay even with Pink Rhino, but up track from him to keep the advantage of the banking coming up in Turns 3 and 4. We cruised through Turn 3 and Pink Rhino started to put on pressure, but not going. I finally flinched and came off the rail a bit, thinking he was going. Once I did that, I knew I made a mistake and took a glance back. Yep, the big guy instantly flicked up track and took my outside. So now I'm second wheel with a large, muscular man up track from me, overlapping my back wheel. Arrrgh. Just then, I caught a break. Pink Rhino decides to go for the long bomb, and dives down the banking into Turn 4. I dive after him, but can't quite get to his wheel. Damn all this chain! But I stick with it, through the bell, and get onto him in Turn 2. I paused as long as I dared, and started going over the top as we neared Turn 3. A touch late, probably, as the big fella was already over top of me and ahead by a wheel by the time I was making the pass of Pink Rhino. I had just enough position to seize the sprinters lane, forcing him to sprint outside me through Turns 3 and 4. We were knuckle to knuckle after Turn 3, barging all up in each others' business due to the obstreperousness of Kissena Velodrome as well as our own careening efforts. Eventually I was able to careen faster and got across the line first for the win. I have no idea what the gap was.
Gotta love match sprint night!
Jun 19, 2014 at 01:41 PM
Ros, Kayt, Jeff, you guys my heroes.
Jun 19, 2014 at 01:41 PM
Congrats Jeff and Kayt!