ITS GIRO TIME
For Immediate Release
On the Evening of June 17, downtown Flemington NJ will host the first stage of the second annual Giro Di Jersey Stage race.
Some of the best in the world will be here to show down for the right to wear the first Rose Jersey of the 2009 edition of the event. The race starts at6:00pm and will provide spectators a great view of what is called in the cycling world (a criterium). This 1/2 course will provide the back drop to something that resembles a stock car race. The only difference is the the race will contain up to 150 men on state of art, self propelled, racing machines. The with guys to watch for defending champion Mike Margarite (Empire – Mass), 09 runner up Guido Palma (Colavita – Arg), Lisban Quintero (Foundation – NYC), former Philadelphia International Champion Mark Walters (BiKyle -Can), Colin Jaskiewicz (CCB-Volkswagen Current NCCA Crit Chamipon) rounding out the field, the battle ground has been set.
The next stage is the Rocky Hill Cycling Classic,- 130K + of the challege of the Old Georgetown Wall in Franklin Twp. will separate the pretenders from the victors. This is one of the most beautiful stages for people to watch in this small NJ town.
The 1 mile climb put Mike Margarite in the drivers seat last year and put 11 seconds between him and Palma.
The final day is the Corner House Grand Prix in Princeton Township. Although this stage is short, do not let that fool you. It is just plain hard core pain and suffering. Watch for the teams to protect the leader in the rose rersey. Watch teamates help chase down dangerous break attempts to winning the grand prize of the last to earn the rose jersey. Events benefit local charities. Race details can be found at www.girodijersey.com
This race is on the same weekend than Harlem and Housatonic. We didn’t have enough conflict. So we added another race.
This race has always run the 3rd weekend in June and is a great tune up for Fitchburg. Nothing like getting stage race Fitness!!
as in, the one time it was run before?
I love it when promoters ignore or don’t acknowledge totally basic stuff. 2 major area races happen on June 21. Why add another one?
Obviously, it can’t be changed for 2009, but in 2010 you should consider another date. For example, this past weekend, you would have probably sold out the Giro di Jersey.
“This race has always run the 3rd weekend in June” doesn’t really fly.
There’s too many races on the calendar, waaaaaah.
Promoter’s are such jerks for putting their time in to give us great, safe racing, waaaaaaaah.
Seriously, sit down and shut up. These are the same guys who complain about open weekends and lack of races. It’s boring.
Thanks. And now, back to free internet porn.
the point is that if this race, Harlem and Housatonic were in diff dates, many NYC riders would do all 3.
is June 21st. Lots of folks have family commitments over that weekend and it will stretch thin the group of racers able to travel, especially for a stage race. Questionable choice of weekend given the holiday.
Could you Imagine if they put the Giro and Somerville weekend together? Hey we could have an event on the Scale of California or Georgia in our back yard. But that would make too much sense!
If you think about it, They could split cost, all of the charities could make money, limit big race conflicts, the local business would boom, Sponsorship and marketability would increase and what do you know these are all pre-existing events. My vote is with the people who are trying to build a stage race. It takes a lot of guts and time to pull that off in Jersey, Esp the quality race courses and you can take the train to Princeton. We are lucky to have these events to choose from so close to us.
Last year Fathers Day was on June 15th with no conflicts. To schedule a race on a holiday, your date is going to change year to year. Most races esp big races are hardened into a calendar based upon available weekends. No matter what you are going to conflict with another event. Dad wants you to race your bike and make him proud and dad, go race your bike and have fun doing what you love to do. Dinner and beers will be waiting.
The more races there are the more riders get to win bike races.
the real injustice is Spring Bear on Mother’s Day. I’m a master of persuasion and even I can’t get out to race on that day.
Damn you, Mike Green, Damn you!
Aw man… Don’t hate on MG. He’s a good guy stuck with a bad race date. Imagine if CRCA changed it… there are guys with training plans set to peak for Spring Bear in 2014 already.
Folks yes, It is extremely difficult to put on a stage race. This takes negotiations with over 6 different municipalities, 3 Counties, and a boat load of meetings and politics. Perhaps we are crazy to do this but we are trying to build our event so that we can both increase the marketability of the product but also increase the level of our sport on a local basis. Yes, sponsors were not around this year but we are pushing forward, trying to stay in the stage race market. Thank you to everybody who encouraged us to go on. It is sad when great races like Toona and others falter. It is a scary market indicator. We are hoping to get through this year, cover the expenses and hope for a better 2010.
Again Thanks for your continued support.
Event Management Group, LLC.
sticking a race on dates that conflict with 2 major established races sucks. these guys deserve to fail
Look for Bear on Saturday the day before Mother’s Day next year.
Sterling isn’t really a conflict.
MG
Comment – Sticking a race on dates that conflict with 2 major established races sucks. these guys deserve to fail.
Who ever is the A-Hole who made this comment deserves to be suspended from racing. What needs to happen is more promoter coordination and communication not just the local association level. These are all terrific events this weekend. At least it gives us Options. In Europe there may be 10 races within the same province going on on the same day. We need to support our promoters. Pretty soon all these guys are going to turn to Triathlons cause there are 3X as many people and all they get is a trophy or a ribbon for a $100 dollar entry fee + you have to swim in the used sewage on condom infested Hudson. With that comment you made our sport look like $hit.
I have to agree, That was a super D-Bag comment. I liked the Combo with the Somerville Idea from Brains. The weekend in question has been a race weekend has been running on the same NJ date for the past 3 years D-Bag. + the charities they help support. This metro area has the best racing in the country. For anybody to discourage this is cycling sacrilege.
Races like Toona are failing and the promoter of the NJ race isn’t smart enough to realize that Harlem has been on Father’s Day for 36 years.
Let’s have competition for a limited number of riders on the same day so that neither race succeeds and we are left with nothing.
If anything is D’Bag it’s the total lack of consideration of the NJ promoter.
I dont really understand the comments about conflict here. NJ Giro is an Omnium. You could arguably race the TT on Friday, the RR on Saturday, and skip the RR Sunday for Housatonic or Harlem. If you race Harlem late in the day you could race Housatonic in the morning since its an early start time. That would be a TT, 2 road races and a crit in 3 days. The only day with a true conflict is Sunday and you still could get 2 races in. Try living in the midwest or even upstate NY where the closest races every week are a 4 hour drive.
One last thing, you dont have to race every event on the calendar. Pick and choose what works best for you. I wish all these races well and hope some more local cross races come up also.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-U-mvfjyiao
The Pro/1/2 race is a stage race not an omnium.
It’s competition for the P/1/2 riders that is a problem.
The last stage of the Giro is super early in the AM for the Cat 3/4 I believe 7:00am and it is not that long. Go support the Harlem race after. If they move the start times up in the afternoon for Harlem, It is a no brainer. Sombody might tell John to consider this. Most people who do the Harlem crit are from NYC anyway. You will already be warmed up. So quit your bitching and go race your bike like the men you think you are. There is no conflict. This could be the most racing any one of us has ever done in one weekend. Take off your skirts and race.
I can’t imagine how hard it is to plan, promote and stage a stage race. Permits alone must be difficult to lock in.
Not a Problem, The Corner House race (Stage 5) ends at 1:00. You can be back in NYC even by train in Princeton, well in advance of Start of the P 1/2 in Harlem. Hell you can get across he GW by at least 2:30. Unless you are on the podium. If you love both races, then do both.
The Harlem Race just popped up on the calendar other than CRCA so who’s fault is it! In this economy who knows if any race is going to exist? These guys have to move forward with plans. I commend all of them for taking such risk in a crappy sponsor market and props to the communities that did not give up on it. It has to be exhausting and the stress alone. So register for the events. None of them break the bank. In fact throw an extra $5 for the charities. Just think of all of the police and permits and bullshit these guys go through for our sport.
The Harlem Race popped up on the calendar for Father’s Day in 1973. For this year it has been listed on the New York State and CRCA websites since January or Dec.
It’s also listed on the USACrits series calendar.
The NJ guys just don’t seem to look or care about anything that does not happen in Jersey. Last the dysfunction of the NJ association stayed in state with them forcing Ray Smith out of the sport. This year their dysfunction seems to be seeping out to effect others.
Thanks for the greeting card companies for screwing up the calendar. If Fathers Day was the second weekend in June like it was last year this would not be an issue. It is no ones fault. So many guys trying to do great races is a problem? Hell the Tour of Americas Dairy land is also in the loop. Anybody want to comment on that one. Support your local races ladies and gents. Next year we will most likely not have this issue.
$120 bucks for three races- that equates to $40 per stage, and one of them is a time trial. Too much to pay in this economy. If anything, it should be cheaper.
For the quality of the events and the amount of police needed or forced upon them. I could see an extra $5 bucks/event for the kind of effort it takes to put on a stage race. We normally pay $30-$35. $15.00 should not send any of us into bankruptcy. It was the same price as last year and the 3/4 had over 80 riders.
I hate you all.
(Except for the promoter.)
GMSR is $170 to $190. Four events, one is a time trial. That’s more than $40 per event, and most people travel far for that one.
Cycling’s as American as apple pie.
Why all the bs with these faux European names. Giro di Jersey. Please.
new jersey is not vermont
Next on Bravo: The Real Wheelsuckers of NYVC.
World’s most obvious statement…
“new jersey is not vermont”
We have a weiner!
still not convinced
might be obvious but some are still comparing the two. you sir are a doofus.
ps: your a doofus
You sir, are a weiner!
Did any body ever think that if we support an event like this that the race will expand the event into a Mountain Top finish like high point NJ. They have to justify the cost to do so. Lets help them them out. Most of the people pre-registered are from out of town. Even if you get an good a$$ whooping. Lets get off the pot, get registered and encourage the promoter. The negative comments do a great job for cycling’s sponsors and our sport. Great job. You should have to pass a test on the business of cycling before you make a comment.
your all idots.
I think that it is terrific that they’ve started this race and I hope that the cycling community supports it fully. Harlem will be fine.