SECOND ANNUAL GIRO DI JERSEY CYCLING STAGE RACE TO BENEFIT LOCAL NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATIONS EXPANDS to FIVE DAYS 　
Cyclists From Around the Globe Will Converge in NJ in June 　
Event Management Group, LLC. is hosting the second annual Giro Di Jersey stage race for cyclists from around the world, will be held in Central New Jersey from June 17 through June 21st and will help raise funds for charitable organizations that serve Hunterdon, Somerset, and Mercer County. The event is expected to attract more than 350 cyclists. The big question is, can the 2008 Champion Mike Margarite (Empire Hotels) win it again and shame the pros? His team has added a lot of talent this year and the defending champions team will have to bring their A game to keep last years runner up Argentinean Guido Palma and his Colavita-Sutterhome team from taking the rose jersey from the American. 　　
Proceeds from sponsorships for the race will benefit key non-profit organizations that actively serve Hunterdon, Somerset , and Mercer County communities. These include the Flemington area Charities, Rocky Hill Cycling Classic Fund and the Corner House Foundation. The main event is a Stage Race, Much like the Tour De France, but condensed to five days. The Giro organizers plan on adding stages as the event grows in popularity. 　
This event is not only going to help benefit local businesses, but help bring back a void in tourism in the State. It is a lot of work but we are increasing the economic value of this event every year says EMG. The Races will begin in downtown Flemington on Wednesday June 17th 6:00 PM for a very exciting downtown twilight criterium. The first two stages will be for professionals and top amateurs. Stage 2 goes to Skillman where the riders will attack Sourland Mountain for over 100K of racing. Stage 3 goes to Ringoes for a race against the clock in the Individual Time Trial. Stage 4 the riders will face the Georgetown wall for over 100K of the Rocky Hill Cycling Classic. Stage 5 will be a hard circuit race in Princeton Township called the Corner House Grand Prix. 　
The public is welcome to cheer the athletes from the barricades. Information on the event including athlete registration can be found at www.girodijersey.com. Sponsors thus far include PBS Rentals (safety barriers), Champion System (Leaders Jerseys). Businesses and individuals interested in sponsoring the event and those interested in volunteering during the race can contact EMG from the Giro website.
This race sucks. Guess who’s not going back to the Giro Di Jersey next year? Answer: Everyone. The promoter left every single facet of every detail on this race unpolished, and it just was piss poor from top to bottom and in between. Fees to high. Courses stupid, unmarshalled, traffic. 1am emails about the next day…the list is endless. Never again.
The course is a good one, even though the rain made visibility a challenge. Agreed on the 1am emails, race was a bit unpolished in it’s third year (?) running – but not terrible.
The web site and registration were both confusing, as was the scheduled start time change from 8am to 7am on Sunday for the 3/4 field. This change was announced by email. I imagine some of the confusion had to do with trying to run a stage race and single-day races concurrently.
Maybe next year they’ll promote the single day races… and keep the stagerace stuff as a sideline. It’s a good set of races not too far from NYC and I will be back next year.
I think they need a communications coordinator to do a better job setting up the Bikereg registration and the GDJ website info.
I did the race and I thought that it went OK. I do not under stand the first comment. A lot of it has to do with some of the communication and being just a 3rd year event 2nd as a stage race perhaps the promoters were a little over Zellous but at least there is somebody trying and the race is a benefit event. Heck the Tour De Toona had more than its share of bumps and bruises over the years. Including a loss of life if I recall. The Marshaling was fine. From what I know there was a mis-com on the first lap of Saturdays road race between police, again not promotions fault. Sundays 2nd corner police officer needs some traffic control training. Last year this event was perfect. Perfect weather, good results, and all of the Marshals did a great job. How about all the Marshals for the Thursdays stage that got two inches of freeking rain. Nothing the promoters or any body could do about that one. And the head promoter gave us the daily purse money back on on Sunday for thursdays canceled stage. The wed crit on the other hand the officials should have pulled lapped riders and pro-rated their time like they do in other Stage races that start with a Crit. I know Stage race rules. Every rider must start and finish a race but you could have prorated them so they could start the next day. Cost? If you want do drive out to the middle of shitsville USA to do a stage race spend $$ on fuel, food, and hotel. The extra $15 you paid to do this race is nothing. Quit your crabby ass bitching and give the promoter some constructive thoughts not immature ranting. My 2c
i’m over Zellous too. he’s suck a dick.
The race was actually quite nice, in a pretty riding area that’s not too remote. I actually plan to go back and do some of my wekeend riding down there. Hanging out in Princeton after the events turned out to be a good idea.
What sucked though was the rain, and some more volunteers are badly needed. But the latter one is an easy fix for next years event. And so is sending out emails about number placing and stage results quicker after each stage.
I never felt unsafe though, and the last CR stage showed that someone had learned his lesson from the previous days. All corners were covered, police was out, and cars kept off the road. At this point, I was used to be riding in the rain, so no big deal anymore.
It took me only 70 minutes to drive home into Manhattan, it was pretty sweet to have a stage race that close to home. I stayed in a hotel nearby, and prices were reasonable.
The location is a good spot to race some of the strong NJ riders, just make sure your TT skills are honed.
If stage racing is your thing, consider it for next year. I will be back.
This is the second year I did the GdJ. It’s a great race! I know there were some glitches. But without promoters sticking their necks out and going for things like this we’d just be doing crits. Thanks! I hope the promoter keeps going for it and makes the race happen again next year so we racers can keep going for it too!
A Happy Racer content with imperfections here and there.
Did you see that piece of Sh!t comment on PE. Dr. I know you crashed sorry, I hope your team fires your ass as your words are a complete liability to your team and its sponsor. There are many people involved in this event D-Bag. Including the clubs that sponsored it. I only saw 1 club helping. Colavita guys were the only ones and you need more than that. Wed, I can’t explain. Normally the Officials will pull and Pro-rate riders that fall off. What the hell were they thinking, enforce Stage Race rules in an opening Crit? The promoter was screaming at them. Thursday – If we were not going 20MPH down that hill nobody would have crashed, the GC would have been blown to bits on Sourland. Sure it was a little narrow on top but that field would have been so thinned out that it would have been fine. What do you jerks think Europe looks like? The Rain did not help. I slid out and crashed along with 40 others. When you are on the breaks and it is wet chances are you may go down. Friday. Great TT course a little busy but good. Where was the TAP official? When I first took a course ride. I saw the promoter setting up the 20K turn point. He marked it with a 100m to go sign. Then as I am riding I see the 60 K to sign up that was laying down at the 15 K. Somebody put it up? I said that is going to confuse people. JC whooped our a$$es in the TT. Saturday, Great Rocky Hill Course. You need skills for that one. Sunday Great other than the car in the apex of the second corner on the last lap other than that it needs to be a little longer. I will be back. Its going to get better every year. There are a lot of variables in a 5 day race and it is going to take a couple of years, better clubs to support it, to get everything down pat. The community is just getting used to it. Keep it going we will be there!!
he should man up and run the race himself. so much criticism shows he clearly knows how to do it right.
the Good Doctor has shown himself to be a strong competitor + hard worker w/ respect for his competitors and the community. i know y’all love to hate on him, but if he’s gone to the point to be that negative about something (which is surprising), then, honestly, it gives me pause. i respect what he says … he’s earned it.
You guys always talk about how hard harlem hill is. if that’s a major climb for you why does it not show on any terrain/elevation map.
Did you even read what he had to say? No of course not. Because you’re a troll, not a real racer. He was very honest and straight forward. And there are a lot of racers out there who said this race was a debacle. Even the promoter himself apologized on Peloton East and said next year he would return to the previous 3 day format. Will O’Donnell and the whole Westwood Velo team are highly respected. When ever I have run into them they are always top notch racers, in fitness, skill and attitude.
Guys,
I am the promoter and I was a little over excited about the possibilites for this event a nice size stage race. I have taken some serious notes on what to do and what not to do. Last year it was simple two road races and add an opening time trial. It seemed so easy. Then I had other communities want a stage. So I said OK. The politics were all falling in line. Then came registration. The numbers were low and I knew what had to hit to break even and I got nervous and added individual events to the list. This messed me up. I extended registration and that helped the cause. Then I was left with opening the stage race that night going home, doing numbers and SARFs. Preparing for Sourland, aside from wed, hosting people, and trying to get volunteers to help the cause. With everybody not registering cause they were afraid to take off work in these times I did not put two and two togehter and think that the volunteers wont come either. Then Thursday came with 2 inches of rain. The down hill was slick. The Chief called the race on the first crash. I agreed. Friday I F-ed up the setting up of the long TT TAP. Not as many Volunteers showed up as I wanted. I should have just made it simple and had everybody do 15K. Too much traffic more than last year. Why, I do not know? The School letting out early dismissal all I had to say was F. Saturday went OK. Sunday went OK. All I know folks is that as an event promoter, who has done a lot of parking lot crits and small road races for 15 years, I have a deeper respect for those who try and do this for a living. How much Stress can one take. I am baked. As for the Dr. on PE. He was right on a lot of things but way too harsh. I am the same guy who did this race last year did nothing different, even added SRAM Neutral, more police, Negotiated with more Muncipalities, Tried to raise money for charity. Sorry if I am long winded here but I think I just had one of the worst weeks of my life. Oh yea I was just called a liar as well. I am not begging for sympathy here cause in the end it was all the same sucky weather and a plain terrible time.
Dear Promoter,
It is not too often that somebody like you comes around to stick their necks out for our sport esp this close to home. The guys who complain do not understand the business of putting on an event. Please do not give up this race. The rain, The late state police, the rain, did I say rain, put a major mood damper on this event. Thursdays course was epic, the decent was a little dangerous, but the officials made mountains out of mole hills of it. There are a lot of Dick heads in this sport and we have on occasion bit the hand that feeds us. You did a terrific job for the task at hand and I will be back Next year if you care to cater to us thankless jerks.
I have raced Masters at Rocky Hill since day 1. This year was the best 1 of all because the weather sucked and you had to have balls of steel to hit the downhill at full speed!! There were only 10 guys who qualified for that group and I can name them cause I was at the front….2 Westwood guys & about 5 liberty guys & a few others. I heard the Liberty team leader tell his teammate to go as hard as he can down the final descent. I could barely see, but my adrenaline was jacked and I wasnt about to hit the brakes. So we wailed down that rain soaked technical descent , over the slippery when wet wooden bridge and launched ourselves to the line like a pack of wild dogs…It’s called BIKE RACING!!!!!!
I think most of the negativity stems from the Time Trial. If the promoter just kept the event for all cats at 15K like last year, No Issues other than traffic (Even Fitchburg is open to traffic). The balance of the events were very well Marshaled and well run. As far as the comments on PE from Westwood, – The potholes being marked with a cone, would you rather them not mark them? These are easy corrections in the years to come the race is young and needs our support. The Crit was a little too short and they are expanding the course next year. If you are a promoter, just getting a town to host a bike race is a major undertaking. Clubs that sponsor need to send volunteers. As far as the TT-Marshal for the first couple of Pro 1,2 riders, from what people said he was confused and went to the 15 K Mark and began to set it up and put the 60 K sign up. Then he went a covered the correct Turn around point. Again, easy corrections that will make this race a great success in the future.