by Tony Settel

@##=#<1,r>@##=#Bear Mountain Masters – Oh Joy. If you like pain and playing chicken with the lactate threshold 3rd rail, that is. You know, the funny thing about masters is that most of the ones doing it have generally been doing it for a long time. Why? because they are good at it. Many masters are former national team members or have lengthy lists of palmares. Anyone remember Andy Ruiz in ’88 when he won something like 15 Cat 1-2 races? How about Buben racing for the USSR back when it was THE USSR? On a local note, Geoff Bickford used to be the dominant local rider that won everything with ease. The same goes for many other masters. As for the new guys, I can only say I am glad they haven’t been on the scene for as long because it saves me the added years of humiliation. For Sunday, the field is packed with some serious talent. Spring Harriman is one of THE classic races along with Housatonic, Fitchburg, Jiminy and Floyd…um, ok, maybe not Floyd. The course favors a big, powerful rider with climbing ability a plus. Add a sprint out of a small group and you have it all. Of these, there are several in the field.

5 star favorites David Taylor, Andy Ruiz, Troy Kimball. These guys make me feel like Marsha Brady. David, David, David. Andy, Andy, Andy. Troy, Troy, Troy. These guys showed their stuff at Jiminy and have proven themselves on this course in the past. They climb, sprint and tt. I hate them. There goes the journalistic neutrality.

4 stars Brian Rafferty, Doug O’Neill, John Mckone, Morgan Stebbins, Desmond Slattery, David Kellogg, Tom Officer, Dzmitry Buben. Somewhat absurd to list these guys as “only” 4 stars. It is only because of the ridiculous skills of the 5 stars that these guys are one level down. I am ready for any one of them to make me eat my words. Morgan finally going good, Brian on fire all season long. Doug? please! Everyone knows about the class of this guy. No one knows about Desmond except for guys that race in PA. He is brilliant. Dave and Tom – old school New England. Mckone should be 5 stars but he seems a little human lately.

Just a ‘notable’? Someone’s making sure he’s not marked.

Other notables Riders that have the skills but aren’t in top form yet, and/or have performed well on this or similar courses in the past. John Funk, Scott Bodin, Kurt Gustafsson, Geoff Bickford, Thomas Pennell, Chris Long, Tom Luzio, Roger Friedman, Quintero, that Settel guy (check out the 55×24 up Tiorati). Ted Neu was good at Floyd last week, maybe Juan, too. I am missing some that deserve to be included. Sorry. Win the race and shove it in my face. It will be easy. My mouth will be wide open at the finish, gasping for air.

Which brings me to the race. I predict it will be driven up Tiorati creating an initial selection but it will be along the other parts of the course that the race will happen. Big accelerations on the false flats will show who will be there in the end. Maybe a break of 5-7 with one soloing for the win.

Liner notes – Roger doing the 1-2. Cue a sigh of relief. Ramon Benitez not there, another sigh of relief. Carbonara would be in there but he is off doing his wedding singer bit for a while.