R&A Cycling Series

Jul 12, 2013 at 03:54 AM

Craig pointed out that I am no longer on the start list this weekend. This is related to a few emails back and forth with Charlie where I asked for a refund, because I mistakenly registered for this weekend's race forgetting that I had a credit from the cancelled race. I thought my emails were pretty clear.

I've sent him another email to get me back on the start list. Le sigh.

Marc Bertucco

Jul 13, 2013 at 12:15 AM

Hey does anyone still have the original email that Charlie sent out after the cancelled R&A race back on June 8th? If so, could you forward to:

bertucco@hotmail.com

Thanks!

Marc Bertucco

Jul 13, 2013 at 02:59 AM

Thanks all...got the letter. Hopefully I'll get back into the race...

mperlberg

Jul 13, 2013 at 09:11 PM

guys - we need reg help:

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0An3Mt2Dj-_RDdE5HVW1zSTBJcXR5RGpERFMtOUc5dEE&usp=sharing

please help if you are racing (or not) .

mugwump

Jul 13, 2013 at 09:44 PM

Stokes, Condon, Malcolmson, Zolan, Jules, Harry, JP, Ian, and Jim appear to be our roster at the moment. 106 are registered. There are no spots left. No idea where this leaves Bertucco.

Brauer has a crew, Bicycle Planet has a crew,Axis has a crew, the Major Taylor posse is huge--but is this two teams or one?

Jules, you have legs. Are you racing?

John, are you in the jersey? How close?

Marc Bertucco

Jul 13, 2013 at 10:05 PM

I'll tell you where this leaves Bertucco...SCREWED. By our very own race director. Nice huh? You are all formally invited to my very small and brief pity party.

It takes a very special guy, I think, who registers for a race, has proof of that registration, is removed from the start list when he asks for a refund because he PAID for the race and had a credit due to him, and can't get back in the race when he provides all documentation to Kissena's race director. So not only am I out of the race that I registered for on the 8th, but I'm still somehow out $38.

Mark Izhak

Jul 13, 2013 at 10:06 PM

Michael, what time do volunteers have to be at the park?

JohnMalcolmson

Jul 13, 2013 at 11:01 PM

@JP

I am 4-way tied for green but all others are either injured, out, or no-show, so I have a 3 point lead.

I wrote earlier that I'd love help for S1 and then if you guys make a break and gobble points for S2, or we play it by ear on the road. I don't see Axis targeting the green (breakaway artists), but Major Taylor, Bike Planet and Brauer might.

6am start!

Jules

Jul 14, 2013 at 12:59 AM

Have legs, will race. Let me know what you need; I'll do my damndest.

ian ellis

Jul 14, 2013 at 03:53 AM

All kinds of shenanigans have had me running round today, I'm now retiring for the night and I'm beat. I don't plan on rising early Sunday.
You won't miss me. Have fun out there.

Jeff Owens

Jul 14, 2013 at 12:38 PM

Uhhhhhhhhh, everyone ok?

Jules

Jul 14, 2013 at 12:48 PM

Crash City!

Jonathan Podwell's frame EXPLODED when he hit a pothole, there was a bad crash at the pinch and a third crash in the final leadout up by the bandshell.

I want a "Most Agressive Rider" competition...

I don't like the uncertainty after a crash of trying to count heads from our team and make sure everyone is there.

In all I think everyone made it out in one piece although Jim, John, Stokes, Mitch and Harry were all caught out/knocked down one way or another...

twoyacks

Jul 14, 2013 at 01:10 PM

EXPLODING frames ???? What material was that frame made of?....do tell....inquiring minds want to know.

Yacks

David Yang

Jul 14, 2013 at 01:13 PM

Holy crap, hope no one was seriously injured...

Jay

Jul 14, 2013 at 01:14 PM

The 5's race was very tame in comparison. Not that I have a lot to go on though, as it was my first ever bike race. I felt good the whole time (thanks Eric for the morning workout plans.) Was able to work my way up to 6th or 7th position at one point, finished somewhere near the back. All in all a success for me, was able to avoid getting dropped and finished in one piece.

jim_nelson

Jul 14, 2013 at 01:18 PM

None of our guys ended up with much in the way of injuries except John banged up his knee pretty good.

I got caught up in the 2nd crash, hit the curb at 30mph but ended up in the grass so no injuries. Back wheel smacked curb very hard and flatted the tub. Will give the wheel a good look later today but I think it survived.

John got a couple green jersey points but not enough to hold onto the jersey. We'll have to try and get it back on his back.

eragot

Jul 14, 2013 at 01:23 PM

Podwill rode a Rossetti. The same as david Gardner.

Jules

Jul 14, 2013 at 01:24 PM

Update on Podwell; apparently the Bike Planet guy's GoPro blew off on the descent (I saw it bouncing) and poor Jonathan washed out his front wheel... and his carbon frame was toast after that... which means there was a FOURTH crash somewhere in the back early on I think... two days of racing and things are all starting to blend together...

Jeff Owens

Jul 14, 2013 at 02:54 PM

I hope the guy posts the footage off his fallen camera...

ian ellis

Jul 14, 2013 at 03:43 PM

Jeez, sounds like a $hitshow, I hope everyone is OK.

GoPro: I thought those vanity projects were banned in competition. If not they ought to be.

mperlberg

Jul 14, 2013 at 03:49 PM

glad to hear you are all mostly ok.

eragot

Jul 14, 2013 at 03:58 PM

Podwill says he's OK. Skin lost. Bruised forehead.

Brendan Rigby

Jul 14, 2013 at 06:03 PM

ian ellis said:

Jeez, sounds like a $hitshow, I hope everyone is OK.

GoPro: I thought those vanity projects were banned in competition. If not they ought to be.

sports are a vanity project. don't hate on the gopro! helpful to know what you did wrong and where to improve.

edit: it's also not a vanity project because other people can enjoy it with you. i've gotten lots of thanks from third-parties for posting videos of our shared races on youtube.

twoyacks

Jul 14, 2013 at 07:46 PM

Without a go pro. It's like it never happened...

Jules

Jul 14, 2013 at 08:03 PM

Absent the crashing, a very fun day at the races. As Condon said afterwards, "If only there was a 'most agressive rider' jersey in this series..."

Indeed.

I had a very strange night of sleep after Capital Region - waking often with strange sensations each time; hunger, feeling incredibly refreshed (2am), stomach pains, etc.

I set my alarm for 5am and was up & out quickly; rolling over to the park for an early number-pin and even had time for a civilized warmup with Condon.

The race was 40 miles (12 laps) and some very strong teams were represented; Stan's No Tubes, United, Axis, etc.

Our plan was to "help" John in his green jersey defense but it was quickly apparent that the "help" I can offer in abundance in the 3/4 field is not the same in the Masters race. My personal goal was to ride as hard as I could in anticipation of next week's Tour of the Hilltowns.

Big Willie Payton rolled off the front at the gun for half a lap and when he was caught I went to the front and did a little Perlberg Special with the slow mo roll... people let me go and I didn't burn any matches knowing full well I wasn't staying away for 40 miles by myself.

I dangled for half a lap (?) and then it all becomes a blur. I attacked a few times (ok, more than a few) and some were better than others. I know the other rides well enough to anticipate (I think) what they're up to:

Bike Planet loves to smash it on the downhill, Roberto telegraphs like crazy when he's getting ready to; I knew when Kevin was winding up his train for the KOM, when Paul Carbonara was testing...

My favorite move was countering a move that Condon was in; when they were caught Axis and (I don't remember who) put in a hard dig at the bottom of the uphill, opening a dozen bike lengths. Looking back they slowed to the pack's speed and the pack wasn't closing.

I got to the front on the climb and over the top I buried it. Before long there were seven of us, with Stans, United, Major Taylor, Carbonara, etc... as I was clinging for dear life to the wheel in front of me I let myself think momentarily that "this was it" there were only three laps to go but somehow as I was begging for a quick and merciful death at the back there was some confusion at the front... no dice, we were caught.

Besides my frantic tugging at the leash the race was dominated by the crashes.

First one (so I hear) was when a GoPro came off Bike Planet's handlebars and careened bouncing down the descent; apparently Podwell hit it, washed out and his frame broke in the crash.

Later at the pinch at the bottom of the hill (it's a lefthand turn) I was on the outside when people started sliding out and crashing on the inside of the corner at 30+ mph... the "green skinsuit" guy from United (the one with the gold teeth?) was in front of me and he went wide to the right and then as soon as he was safe cut left again which gave me a window to make it through. If he hadn't had the instinct to look out for the guys behind him I'd have been toast. Later I thanked him.

Finally just before the temple on the last lap I took the windward side to move all the way to the front and waited for the leadout trains to start. When United came by on my left I moved far right and watched Major Taylor line up next to them. I heard the sound of wheels rubbing and BOOM.

I think it was that last one that took down John - sounds like he made it through mostly unscathed though.

In all it was the crashiest park race I've ever been in but it feels like it was more bad luck than anything else.

I'm tired now, and hungry. It's good to be back in the game.

Jules

Jul 14, 2013 at 08:05 PM

Brendan Rigby said:

ian ellis said:

Jeez, sounds like a $hitshow, I hope everyone is OK.

GoPro: I thought those vanity projects were banned in competition. If not they ought to be.

sports are a vanity project. don't hate on the gopro! helpful to know what you did wrong and where to improve.

edit: it's also not a vanity project because other people can enjoy it with you. i've gotten lots of thanks from third-parties for posting videos of our shared races on youtube.

Just make sure that thing is bolted on TIGHT. I've had mine come off too.

Jeff Owens

Jul 14, 2013 at 08:18 PM

I'm not into them either. But I think cameras are only banned on helments.

That said, I love how McQuaid came up with the brilliant idea to start using those on pro tour bikes. Uhhhh, didn't Vaughters mention this in like 2007?

Now, those are some feeds I'd like to see, ala car racing. Imagine Chavanel's video from Ventoux today.

JohnMalcolmson

Jul 14, 2013 at 09:34 PM

Huge, huge thanks to the K-train today. You guys all poured your guts out for me today and it was amazing to be part of the team, and get set up perfectly for the sprints. I'm not sure what everyone did... so don't hate on me if you did an unacknowledged 480 for 5... but thanks to Stokes (longest/painful leadout in the universe), Condon (letting me drink all his water, when I had "no water"), Jules (the marauder), Harry (drink from TWO water bottles!), JP (double duty leadouts x 2), Jim (timely tows to the front), Zolan, that guy in the black and white kit who slotted in on two occasions saying "I'll finish it off for you!?" and Mitch (early chasing... ahem). I got owned on both sprints, but it's not always about who's quickest right? OK maybe it is, but I'm in a 3 way tie for first now. Better than a four way tie, but looks like I'll be out of the green. I have a fairly gnarly inflamed quad after attempting to ride over Lorenzo's bike in the last half lap, but no tendon or patella crap thankfully. Towards the end I looked down and realized I had a full water bottle in my second cage. Doh! (cue Yang). Good times!

Jules

Jul 14, 2013 at 11:28 PM

I shudder to think how hard John must be going to forget he has a full bottle...

mugwump

Jul 15, 2013 at 01:11 AM

The guy in black and white was Leigh Sorrels. Not sure what his agenda was, but I appreciated it all the same.

I don't know if I'll be at the next R&A, but we need a little more coordination to get John into slightly better position and that slightly better could be the winning difference.

I wasn't happy with how I was feeling, but happy to help out for the sprints. I knew it wasn't my day when I couldn't come close to matching the guys going for the second KoM. When the break was 15s up the road with two to go, I knew my only chance at a good finish was to try to cross on the hill. I attacked at the bottom (not always a good idea, but it was the only place to bridge that kind of gap solo), went halfway across and then my body started dropping anchor. I slogged another three or four seconds off their gap and realized I wasn't going to do it.

After I saw Harry crash by the ampitheatre, I stopped to check on him. Silly me; Harrys bounce.

R&amp;A Cycling Series