Mengoni GP 2008

Ugh!

Associate me with an undeserved insult. Marco, as can be seen, was riding on the motorcycle. That makes for a different type of image. Plus, with almost no light for the first hour, the required electronic flash shooting gives an indoor (dark background) effect that counters the sense of motion and environment that riding with the cyclists would generate.

But the fundamental difference is that I'm not showing the many images that I have that are grossly blurred, mostly because of the difficult circumstances, but also due to poor technique. If Marco (and the other photographers) only posted 15 or so images they'd easily form a superb series. But then many racers wouldn't get to see their efforts on display.

When I look at the image view counts, it's the ones with the most riders that get the most views, even if they're just standing around as was the case with the delays due to the downed rider in Prospect Park a couple of weeks ago. The other photographers are providing more feedback to the racers. I'm posting what I think are the prettiest images I have of a set.

Marco should take lessons from you.Great shots!

We need the Zapruder film to end the debate of the "magic bullet" (ricky and his sprint that went from one side of the road to the other side of the road)...it all sounds like conspiracy theory to me. The Judges ruled and results are up, so rip off the mini skirts and get on with it

Seriously sounds like conspiracy theory here....
"How did Ricky go into the joggers lane but manage to end up on the opposite side of Myerson. Why would myerson come from the right to pass on the left and ricky come from the joggers lane and end up on the right side of myerson. Makes no sense. It seems impossible for ricky to have been in the joggers lane and ended up in the far right lane across the finish line."

But I like the fact that you missspelled grammar.

If you don't clean up the spelling and grammer on this website I'm going to kick all your asses

Get busy winning, or get busy doing something else.

when did andy dufresne sign with adler?

but manage to end up on the opposite side of Myerson. Why would myerson come from the right to pass on the left and ricky come from the joggers lane and end up on the right side of myerson. Makes no sense. It seems impossible for ricky to have been in the joggers lane and ended up in the far right lane across the finish line. That would have been a very long way to the finish. Myerson would have gotten beaten anyway. Myerson shouldn't have protest. He knew he was clearly beaten. Nice job Ricky.

I am not sure if any ws united guys did really go into the rec lane at mengoni since i wasn't even there, BUT....

If any rider from ANY team did, then i think maybe the entire team is supposed to be DQ`d or relegated somehow from that particular race .... anyways it would only make sense to me they should ???

Im just hopeing(im sure along with everyone else) i can get Ricky to switch onto my team next yr., explaining to him its his team is what causing him to lose !?!?

Ricky is clearly the fastest powerful finish sprinter in NYC this point in time, he is showing all this yr that Wilson days in the sun are days gone by(i know Wilson is somewhere just back there but now not even up enough to be in these photos ?)..... but if Ricky is anything like Wilson was, Ricky will win the mengoni race about 6 more times.. so no big worries for him ?

Thanks for the kind words. I should note that when a cycling race image set is dominated by atmosphere images it probably means that the racing images weren't that good. :P With the longer loop at Central Park there was less chance to correct for mistakes made in technique but more time to look around and see the "roses." Central Park racing, with its earlier start time, is also much darker than the Prospect Park races.

As for the finish image, it doesn't clarify anything. The riders in the background are in the west lane near the dashed road line that extends directly to the lead finishers. The jogger's lane can't actually be seen because of the crest in the road. In any case the alleged infraction was described as having occurred further south down "cat's paw" hill.

The race results have been posted.
http://www.bikereg.com/Results/2008/08/23-Mengoni-Grand-Prix.asp

Is it possible that it was another United rider that went into the joggers lane? In that last photo, Ricky is on the other side of the road and well away from the lane, but it looks like there is a United rider farther back in the middle of the joggers lane. This seems more likely than Ricky coming all the way across the road. It isn't a stretch to mix up team mates in the fury of the sprint.

Great pic's btw.

Please keep photographing local cycling events. Your pics are spectacular!

Those are some serious gorgeous pics!