Harlem ’09 Cat 3

Photographer:

Andy Shen

 James Josephs wins in a sprint over Filip Capala and Eric Robertson.

26 Comments

Beersucker

raced really well! Dan especially off the front many times, and the tall guy nearly stole the sprinters thunder just getting caught late in the last straight. While James Joseph was indeed the fastest sprinter, even with nerves of steel to go through the gap on the right right up against the barriers, Pacifico was the star of that race!

Wheelsucker

You guys are whining about some 50 yr old dude beating you? What does that say about you guys?

Wheelsucker

The announcer says the lap before he knows who’s going to win the field sprint. We all knew what was going to happen. JJ won, kind of boring.

Wheelsucker

really, you think it’s okay to stay in a category than you are better than (based on having enough upgrade points year after year)? Would it be cool if Colin P. didn’t want to upgrade from Cat 4 and won race after race for a several years? I think its bullshit to win multiple races in your category and choose not to upgrade.

Wheelsucker

He is a 54 year old man. The logical thing would be to talk to him and ask him about his training. How he maintains the fitness to beat people much younger than him. It is silly to whine about his wins. He doesn’t win every race he enters.

Wheelsucker

please check all riders that scored upgrade points to make sure they haven’t exceeded upgrade limit.

Eric Robertson

I don’t whine when James beats me, and if any one has a right to complain, it should be me.

James is a great racer. He’s also a really nice guy. Last year I had the pleasure of besting him a couple of times, and he also beat me on several occasions. This is fun. I like racing against guys who’s ability is similar to mine, and it makes for a spectacular finishing sprint. It’s no fun to win an easy race.

How much fun would it be for any of us if the tough guys weren’t in our fields? Do you want to make the race easier? What about the sprint – should it be slow? I really don’t understand. Any of you 25 year old 3’s who feel like he should move up should train harder and practice sprinting – see if you can get stronger and whine less.

James is perfect for the 3’s. If he was a 2, at 51 years old, then he probably wouldn’t be very competitive any more (no disrespect). He’s perfect where he is.

Philip on the other hand should consider upgrading soon. He’s strong as hell and young enough to benefit from the toughness of the higher levels of competition. It would be interesting to see if he has what it takes to be world class – he’s 19 (I think) and should be looking towards what it will take to join a domestic pro team in a couple of years. Also a really nice guy, by the way. I wish him the best.

Eric Robertson

Wheelsucker

ps there is a way to beat JJ (not that i’ve done it)
get off the front and stay there, he won’t chase.

Wheelsucker

he can stay where he pleases at 52. until you feel the consequences of turning 50 first hand, learn from him, or keep quiet and figure out how to beat him.

Wheelsucker

Both super strong riders. JJ is over 50 years old. I am guessing that he was winning races before some of the Cat 3s were born. That is crazy! As for Philip Capala, he has won a ton of races the past 2 years. Honestly, he can be very competitive at the next level if he wants to make the commitment. He won the Cat1-3 a week ago at Bethel in a sprint. He is always up there in the top 5.

Plus, he is really the only racer from his class of junior racers that has not yet gone up to Cat 2(Connor Sallee, the hottube racers, etc). He is really wasting his time in the 3s at this point and he is racing guys much older than him.

Wheelsucker

You guys have to remember this is Filips first year out of junior gears.He’s just get out of restricted gears.He’s now learn how to turn the 53/11 or 53/12.

Wheelsucker

what was up with those thugs from new zealand who felt like they had to serve at and shoulder everyone they were near.

Wheelsucker

Those New Zoolanders weren’t the problem, though one of them was riding TT-style, with his forearms resting on the tops of his bars, through the turns. That was kind of freaky but impressive handling. The real problem were the locals — NYC riders generally ride like total assholes and cram into corners like rioters charging a fence at a Scottish football match.

Wheelsucker

wow, lotta fat guys in those pictures. it gives me hope….until i realize that all of them surely ride faster than i do…

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