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FBF Gone?
Last night Charlie I. made the announcement that we might be having our last night but most probably our last year of racing at Floyd Bennett Field. It seems the Park Service (National, that is – FBF is a national park known as Gateway National Recreation Area) no longer wants motor vehicles in the park. This is not a reaction to bike racing as it is a reaction to the ding dongs who are out there drag racing their cars and motorcycles. We’ve been caught in the middle it seems. Who do we talk to about this? This seems like something we could work out. Should we join forces with the model airplane guys? Those RC planes aren’t going to fly themselves out to the runway.
Extra Extra! Bike racing and man hugs make the Daily News.
ray and his team need to do more big races for them to get my respect
seems like a decent guy.
Whatever was said must really have been nasty to be deleted from this forum.
Hey …Hey.Hey Im just looknig for some digits, man chill out. why the negativety.
Sorry Ray Didnt meant to start something.
MQ
There was a comment deleted below regarding ray.
WTF? don’t even know him personally but he is clearly a good guy, runs a good team and is great for NYC cycling. What is your f’ing problem? I hope you were joking.
Hey does anybody know or have Franklin Burgos Info (email or cell)
Hey Ray Alba you’re out there
is going to say at his press conference tommorow? Can’t believe he’s going to admit to anything, but call a specific press conference to once again deny involvement in Puerto?
maybe not a true climbers race but what race is in NY? I recall some jokester saying Battenkill was not a climbers race. Yeah there is no 25k climb but I assure you the “climbers” will likely win each field.
Who’s racing cross at the NJ State Fair Saturday Night? I’ll be there racing in the C’s because the won’t honor my intl. license.
intl. license = PRO
capital region description was funny. skool yard post was funny too.
They are pro masters??!!!??
I think you may have missed the subtle (and not too funny) joke in the NJ cyclocross post. Sven Nijs is a Belgian cx racer and is the current or former world champ. I happen to have a huge man-crush on him – he’s dreamy.
3/4’s was also won by a 4 man break reduced to 2 and they won by just over 2 minutes. There used to be bad pot holes on the long downhill. Bad crash in the 3/4’s as a result last year.
…..Gracias for that very helpful description. Sounds like it is not a pure climbers course……which is magic to my ears.
There are 3 hills worth mentioning. The first is about a mile and not too steep so it isn’t bad at all in the group. The second comes right after a long downhill and a very sharp turnaround straight into a 15% pitch. That one is short but damn painful. The last one is the finishing climb which isn’t too long but has some steep punchy sections leading into a slightly uphill finish. It isn’t a super hard course but that steep pitch hurts for sure. Last year most of the fields stayed together minus gradual attrition. The one exception was the pro/1/2 race which featured a 3 man break of Will Riffelmacher, Jeremy Powers and eventual winner Josh Dillon. Those guys are animals, but I wouldn’t be surprised if a break gets away again this year in the p/1/2.
Oh yeah, I forgot to mention that the course is like if Central Park had an illegitimate child with Tweed Rd on steroids.
Manhattan is “for all intents and purposes” NYC?
Is that right, douchebag?
What does that even mean?
Races in Central Park are (mostly) only open to CRCA riders, while Prospect and Floyd and Kissena Velodrome are for all.
….anyone ever done this race before? synopsis..comparison to other RR’s…..is this a climber’s race?
brooklyn is a city in its own right- the 6th largest in the country.
Events in CP are increasingly hard to get permitted. Lots of competing interests, CP Conservancy, dog people, etc etc. Just as well to keep this thing of ours quiet.
Who is CRCA’s publicist? Got snubbed by the Daily News. Ouch.
even though it is, for all intents and purposes, New York city.
Capital Reg RR
Pro1/2 – Guptil or Lindine (there home turf)
3s – Bruno or Morrison
4s- ???
Mengoni –
Pros – Bunde in a break or Myerson
3s – Ugli
I’m doing the Capital Region race too, and I plan on puking all over the road Whitback climb.
well its looks like no Jame Joseph for mengoni in the 3’s
so I got my money on Tony Maisto.
I’m doing Capital Region — and planning to yell at everyone throughout the entire race with my new Rapha megaphone.
Why can’t we all just get along?
Why, ‘Rodney’? Because of douchebags like you who use tired phrases from the early 90’s to effectively say absolutely nothing.
Back to cycling, anybody doing Capital Region?
hey, we’re aggressive anyway….and we’re racing so naturally we’ll become bigger assholes…
Yeah, but NYC people don’t double post.
And what is this Lilliput? Are you finding little people on your travels?
Or do you mean “I find that NYC people are…”
One more thing, fuck you.
Why talk to people you race with when you can yell at them instead?
I find are much less friendly than the VT, CT, MA and upstate racers.
I find are much less friendly than the VT, CT, MA and upstate people.
Miguel is a nice guy. His nickname is Mexico. Try talking to people you all race with. Makes it more fun.
His nickname WAS Mexcio. Now its cooler and funnier by far.
I wish I actually had a reason to be called the Scottish Slayer or some shit. Not fast enough in my field Im afraid!
umm, that is probably the best team for him.
The reasons are obvious.
He’ll be all, “Homologous blood transfusions: friggin’ cool!”
I hear that Astana snatched up CJ
I hear Setanta is throwing around 6 figure salary guarantees after losing their whole team to a crash in CP last week. Aspiring riders should contact them.
People call me the Spanirilian…
I Love it! Be proud of your heritage. I love the cutioner for his style and power…
So what is the big news on NYC teams and racer tranfers? Which teams are throwing the money around for new talent?
I have no known heritage, therefore I’m insulted by the reference to his. And because of my specific personal issues, I demand that everyone else adjust.
Charlie said next week may or may not happen, he was not sure as of Tuesday night.
The city plans to put up some barriers. You might have noticed them, they are those big plastic orange things hanging around all the runways.
They are scheduled to be placed and close the runways next Wednesday. But the barriers are already there, all they have to do is move them. If they do so before Tuesday night. Then no race.
Ex Mengoni, Ex Kissena, George Hincapie to ride for T-Mobile in 2008.
Will they race in FBF?
Why is calling someone Mexican an insult? Mexico is a great country that I am proud to be from. I’m glad that the Mexicutioner wears the flag. Nobody flinched when people called Kim Riseth Mini-Thor due to his Norwegian heritage. Grow up, its a funny name.
i’m confused. is next week’s race at FBF still on or is it just next season that is in jeopardy?
CAT5’s are like high school freshman – happy, enthusiastic and not really aware of that big ugly world out there.
CAT4’s are like Sophomores – they think they are really cool, and make fun of the CAT5 freshman, but really they aren’t that fast.
CAT3’s are like Jrs – they are bitter because they felt like they were cool and fast as 4’s but now have to race against the upper classmen and get their asses kicked.
CAT2’s are like Highschool seniors. they are the kings of their local scene and get to beat up on the CAT3’s in local races. Unfortunately for some CAT2’s this is the end of the road.
CAT1’s are like high school graduates who go off to community college but still wish they were in high school and come back and hang out with all the highschool kids, steal their girlfriends and feel cool. However, deep down they know that they would never make it as a real pro.
Pro’s are like the kid that you barely knew in highschool who turns out to be an olympic caliber steeple chase runner. He’s not going to get rich doing it, but you think its pretty cool anyway.
I heard it from the man himself at FBF this past tuesday. After next week’s race, he is moving on up.
There’s a Mexican flag on his jersey, so I don’t think it’s ignorant to assume that he’s Mexican, amigo.
“The mexicutioner” makes people smile and there is nothing wrong with that.
I think the whole mexicutioner thing is a little ignorant. Do we know if he is even Mexican. Maybe he’s Central American, or maybe your parents didn’t teach you enough about other people..look at yourself in the mirror, I’m sure I can find some funny material about all of you..
Does this mean the end of the Cutioner?
are like ugly girls who cant find a man. All they do is whine about everyone else’s life and hate on those who have made it and work with what they have.
You guys don’t need to post news updates on here, we can read cyclingnews ourselves.
Actually, we can post whatever we want here.
Just enter the little number and pum! is posted.
Floyd is alive, he is in a transitional period of his life. His trials will motivate us to maintain what we have and to build more…
If you can post whatever you want, why is it mostly crap and cat 4s complaining….
I hope this doesn’t happen. I just started riding in the cat 5 races and was hoping on racing more next year.
I’m really happy to be here!
Astana’s Andriy Kashechkin has tested positive for a homologous blood transfusion at an out of competition control in Turkey on August 1.
http://eurosport.yahoo.com/08082007/58/kashechkin-positive-rocks-astana.html
Why can’t they just race on the Major Deegan like everyone else?
c’mon schmalzy, have some heart. toleranace, baby. they got a need for speed and a love for a fringe sport just like we do. seems like a safe (if not legal) place for them to indulge it. you think bike racers have it tough, imagine how frustrating/difficult it is for them to enjoy their pastime
It looks like they caught him w/ an ‘out of comp’ on Aug 1st.
UCI probabaly targetted him
FBF has never been good to me. got dropped a few times, got flats, wrecked a rim, and never finished well.
still, i would absolutely hate to see it go. please keep us posted.
Can anyone explain how he could fail 2 tests before the Tour and not have that be announced before-hand? What am I missing?
The sponsors are only concerned with the Pros. So a 1230 start is fine and makes sense. Discovery, Healthnet and Navigators are sending clients to an event at 6am to watch Cat 4s.
Charlie I also won the Tour of the Adirondacks and a bunch of big money crits in his time
The Mengoni race had 4s in it in the recent past (in a 3/4 race), but the CRCA cut back on the number of fields and riders to try to avoid problems with crashes spilling into the rec lane and fields mixing. The 4s get their separate race at Maltese I think, and the 3s at Mengoni
“FROM: Keith Berger Memorial Criterium
————————————————-
We have just added some pretty sweet product to our cash prime pot.
Take a
look below and spread the word.
Cat 3 race will have a Cannondale CAAD 9 Frame & Fork ~ retail value
$800.
Cat 4 race will have a Ritchey Wheelset ~ retail value of $440.
30+ race will have a pair of Ritchey Pro Carbon Matrix bars ~ retail
value
of $170.
See you in East Hartford August 19th!”
If I remember correctly, The Men pro event usually started at around 12:30PM. Pro women between 9 and 10:30am.
I wouldn’t be surprised. The most likely scenario was a whole doping shabbang/program within the team (Inclusing Kloden + Savoldelli)
http://www.sportinglife.com/others/news/story_get.cgi?STORY_NAME=others/07/08/08/CYCLING_Astana_Nightlead.html
As an FYI – for anyone interested in doing this crit on the 19th in E Hartford, the Primes are nice. Cash Primes plus for the 4s – set of easton wheels I think, for the 3s – Canondale Caad 8 frame and fork. Plus some of the proceeds go to the lymphoma society for research and prevention. Good Fun and a good cause.
Andrej Kashechkin failed 2 out of competition tests before and during TDF – news will be out shortly. My freidns Borat called to tell me this from Kazakstan
Bikereg link:
http://www.bikereg.com/events/register.asp?eventid=5191
Charlie I got 3rd in the downtown crit in ’03 I believe.
He was no joke.
I think all ‘shouty’ and nasty 3’s and 4’s should think about that the next time you bitch at one of his races.
I do sprint workouts at the Harlem Speedway…
Did someone say “vagina”?
My point was that where the prize money goes (Harlem, downtown or Central Park) the big teams follow, it’s not the location.
i’m glad the uscf suspended those two guys, though sounds like roberston probably didnt do much, but they had to penalize him somehow. They must have found Ivanov threw a punch. what a dummy. a great sport like this, you’re out there competing. trying to be a sportsman, and you end up fighting in a cat4 race.
“physical assault”. bummer dude. hit the spin classes.
Some pictures from the Downtown crit. Even Armstrong raced there.
http://flickr.com/photos/groovylab/sets/72057594052435106/
Registration will open tomorrow at noon, on bikereg. We will be fielding a Men’s P-1-2, Men’s 3, Women’s P-1-2-3 ad Juinor field. Very nice prize lists.
Eugene, I remember a joke from way back:
“What was the last thing Donald Manes said to his wife before leaving the house? ‘I’m just going out for a few slices.'”
what the hell happend to landis? weren’t they supposed to make a decision like 4 weeks ago? He’s still having fundraisers, but for what?
No cat 4?
Never has a CAT4 field
This race must come back if only to watch the real pros battle it out. Also, Re: Prize money… it does bring the big teams but venue has alot to do with it also. Big teams and there sponsors have a ton of clients and market share in NYC which leads to a great client development events for the team sponsors.
that crit was also at like 6 in the morning. I doubt sponsors really appreciate the ‘off-peak’ hour of the race even if it is in downtown manhattan
also, 3rd paragraph:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Donald_Manes
Not the same as the NYC race downtown. Not sure what the event was called but it attracted big teams and lots of fans. I think they had a cobble section also? Cobbles are so Pro!
http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/more_sports/2007/08/07/2007-08-07_amazing_races.html
umm, Harlem Crit is not in nyc?
http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F5071EF9385C0C778EDDAA0894DE484D81&n=Top%2fReference%2fTimes%20Topics%2fPeople%2fS%2fShulman%2c%20Claire
Aviator is not really competing with Chelsea piers. For someone in Brooklyn, or Queens, Chelsea piers is very far.
What the parks department should consider doing is opening up a public drag strip. Then all those folks with the souped up cars would have a safe, legal place to run their cars. It would also have the added benefit of keeping them off the public streets.
I hope racing at FBF doesn’t become a casualty of NYC’s hyper-gentrification. Face it, we’ve had a good run using, at little to no cost, a derelict property that happened to suit our needs perfectly. It’s going to take the community coming together in new ways to keep what we have and possibly expand.
Aviator, the sports center, is obsessed with hockey. The money behind it used to own the Islanders. You’ll be starting from scratch trying to wrap their brains around bike racing, but there might be room for a seasonal relationship if the right approach is taken. Depending, of course, if they have any say on use of the runways.
Publicity and sustained usage have been a problem for Aviator — they’re competing against Chelsea Piers, much more centrally located. Hopping into a cab to the West Side is a much lower hurdle for gymnast twinks and hockey cornhuskers than running the gauntlet down Flatbush Avenue.
Maybe the solution is to close the park to cars after sunset.
I was dickishly using the term “Someone Else” in the general sense of no one specific. As in: “Someone should do a time trial up the climb at the end of River Road. That’d be great.”
A NYC Crit would be huge. Lets hope it happens as I am sure the local teams would support it 100%. I know it was a big event for some pro teams like Navigators and their title sponsor for client events.
Riding past FBF on weekends the past few years, I’ve seen what I believe is permitted racer-car crap events — greasers showing off their NOS and tinting. Personally I think it’s revolting, but that’s what you get in a throttle and horsepower-obsessed culture. Drag racing at night is only its natural end.
Isn’t the the simplest solution more enforcement? I would lobby the Park Service to add patrols that would discourage the illegal racing. That’s got to be less inexpensive than infrastructure changes. The PS will be hard-pressed to make abandoned runways, well, less abandoned and less runway-like.
I’d gladly write and sign a constructive petition.
Nat’l Parks Service
So a contact like schumer is the guy.
But let’s follow Charlie’s lead for now of not doing stuff political at the moment
Also in terms of the NYC rr/crit that JG mentions, I heard “They” retired from race promoting. “Someone Else” is supposedly interested though.
Schumer got that ticket because he was drunk and wasn’t wearing pants. Ric got the same summons.
They ever bringing back the NYC rr/crit? That race got me into road cycling but I never got to do it.
where are the pics from last night??
The development of the area in particular the sport center is probably what’s behind the move to get rid of the drag races.
I once saw a police officer give Senator Schumer a summons for riding his bike on the boardwalk at Coney Island. He’s often been spotted riding and lives in Park Slope. If we need political clout, he’s our guy.
Not at this time but I may need to reach out to cycling community in the future if petitions need to be signed etc. Let me see how it goes…
Not at this time but I may need to reach out to cycling community in the future if petitions need to be signed etc. Let me see how it goes…
I would find the name of a politician that in his/her role could make convince the authority to maintain road bicycle raging in the park. A petition with thousand of signature sponsored by a politician could move the process. If anything you guys could try to partner with the recently built sport center to create political and logistical synergies
Not at this time but I may need to reach out to cycling community in the future if petitions need to be signed etc. Let me see how it goes…
I understand that FDR park in Yorktown Heights use to have a training series/series. That is a great loop with a nice hill and some tough long straight and windy stretches. Not that this helps the FBF faithfuls but there are other places we could seek out for a new site. The ESG qualifier this year was great. Also USI does TTs there.
No one wants to drive out to Long Island to race!
What parks authority does FBF come under?
Heckscher State Park,East Islip/Great River Area in Suffolk County.
Nice loop for racing!!!
Charlie,
Anyrhing any of us can do?
Not at this time but I may need to reach out to cycling community in the future if petitions need to be signed etc. Let me see how it goes…
Thanks for your efforts.
I am talking with the Park to try to find a creative solution for 2008. I will keep you posted.
WADA opens Contador investigation
The World Anti Doping Agency has opened an investigation on Alberto Contador (Discovery Channel), winner of this years Tour de France, and his alleged involvement in Operation Peurto. WADA is working with ex-Liberty Seguros rider J
Someone should do something about this sometime soon.
Why doesn’t anybody do anything about this?
If nobody does anything, noone will be able to race out there again.
It’s a different parks department we’re talking about here – national parks department…
USAC suspends members
USA Cycling has announced suspensions for two of its members as a result of a physical altercation at a local race in Prospect Park, New York. Oleksiy Ivanov received a one-year suspension for physical assault while Eric Robertson received a 15-day suspension for verbal abuse, with both suspensions backdated to Monday, July 30.
Ivanov was charged by USAC for his role in the June 9 altercation and did not request a hearing, but did make a statement and cooperated with the investigator.
Cars are generally not allowed in Central Park, and are not allowed to pace races. But sometimes CRCA and Van Dunk need cars for putting on their events — to bring in equipment, etc.
The way they work it out is that they get a special permit from the Parks Dept for use at a certain time/date. It’s a bit of a hassle, but it allows the car in.
In the case of Floyd, I would hope that the barriers to stop cars allow a way for an authorized driver to go around them — such as an emergency vehicle. if that is the case, perhaps the Park could put in place a policy of special permits for special events such as is done in Central Park.
Just some thoughts — I’m lazy and am not going to do any legwork so will not sign my name.