by Justin Reid
Well isn’t this one shaping up to be a nice little battle. The Giro may have Basso vs. Savodelli, CSC vs. Discovery but that’s nothing compared to the duel on the Bear lined up for this Sunday between CRCA’s big (in every sense of the word) Cat 3 guns – Ken Harris and Will Riffelmacher.
Until last Saturday all eyes, ears and indeed smart money would have been on the Motor City Motor Mr. Harris. Finally free of the psychological shackles of previous seasons where he seemingly found new ways each week to dominate fields, put the hurting on the opposition but still conspire to lose in the end. This season it’s a whole new Ken, responsible Ken, Chairman of the Board Ken, President of the Club Ken but perhaps most remarkably of all patient and tactically smart Ken. Gone are the days, well at least gone are the days when every race Ken would just launch attack after attack until he either broke the string or simply gave up in frustration. No, the new improved Ken has shown not just greater strength but improved patience and tactical nous in determining exactly when to launch his patented killer moves. Sturbridge was a crowning moment as he treated the region’s best Cat 3 with the contempt that he used to show for the old man and Cat 4’s field at Floyd on a Tuesday night. All hail King Ken.
So just at the point where we were all about to throw Ken in as our short odds banker on a 4 race Yankee accumulator a funny thing happened. “Jiminy Peakâ€. We’d all heard the legends dating back to last year’s Green Mountain Stage Race of this man/monster called Riffel-something or other.
As strong as an Auth but more of an all-rounder.
As mighty as a Gulla but with a sprint.
As ferocious as an Inson but with a personality.
Could such a beast exist? Well in the first few park races it appeared as though the legend had indeed been exaggerated. Will Riff, would look mighty strong in the A races but never in the same dominant league as a Gulla in years gone by. Was he good – sure. Was he great? The next phenom? Didn’t quite look it. Well I like my humble pie served in large quantities and with a sizable dollop of ice cream and that’s just what was served up to all the naysayers this past Saturday as Will Riff threw down the challenge as he won (convincingly? I dunno as I was strapped to the dentist’s chair getting wisdom teeth removed) the tri-state regions Tour of Flanders (from prestigious stakes anyway). 1-1 all and as I can’t see either of these two staying Cat threes for long, let’s call this Saturday the bragging rights decider.
Well if Ken is Savodelli and Will is Basso that would surely make Foundation’s other contender Alejandro Guzman – Carlos Sastre? Sounds about right. An able deputy if ever there was one and a very pleasant character when he manages to stay out of the bike lane during races. The most amazing thing about Alejandro isn’t that he can climb well – c’mon look at him, he must weight all of 115 lbs – of course he can climb. No, what’s really impressive is his finish, for a little chap he sure can generate the watts.
In keeping with the Giro references that means that Merrill Lynch get the dubious honor of being labeled the local Discovery Channel Team. Step right up Tom Danielson, Chechu and Acevedo (Euri, Jon O and Francisco) – throw off those worker shackles and have a punt yourself – who knows what you might achieve. Look what Hincapie (I mean Dan Byrne) did last year and pull off a surprise.
So who else is in with a chance? Well gone are the days of trying to mention everyone for fear of offending anyone so I’ll keep it to people I know (apologies to Westwood Velo and Cuevas etc. who I know have big guns but I just don’t know names so sorry). With the real Danilo DiLuca – Matt Howard now a 2, it’s up to his team of imposters to impersonate the almost threatening Liquigas man. At a distance in the dark both Justin Lubeley and Armand Della (Har) Monica could pull off a decent DiLuca impression both in terms of boyish good looks and also winning riding ability so let’s put them in the #3 hole for now.
Who else can win? Well Cunego’s worth a shot and so must be the #2 finisher from Jiminy – John Brehmer, good name for a local cyclist.
Now I’ve just resorted to looking up the results of local races for clues. You see loitering at the back of the pack in Cat 3 races just doesn’t give you the same bird’s eye perspective as I had in the 4’s. That said Bear Mountain really is an open field. Would anyone have bet on Dan Byrne this time last year? Nope. Was there a more worthy winner? Nope. Just goes to show, if we can collectively beat the weather, ambulance and Mother’s Day duty hassles of riding at the Bear pretty much anything can open.
Right over to the peanut gallery…….
Forget Harris, this is a two horse race Rifflemacher and Gisler from Westwood.
See High Point Hill Climb Results and Battenkill.
rumor is Orville-Riffelmacher is out of town this week…jet-lag/training?
And didn’t K-Har "ride off his wheel" at Sturbridge?
Plus, K-Har has the support of Euri and comp.
can be a factor…not too many races that length. you can be a
beast for 50 or so but who knows what happens after that.
just sayin….
Forget Harris at your own peril
Not just because he’s my hometown "Ill falco" that probably ripped some legs up on the Podawadami in his day, I gotta give it to the commander and chief this year. The dudes on fire and there’s nothin anyone can do about it. The Merrill support system with francisco in the ranks just sorta seals the deal!
Who exactly was Lance to Dan Byrne’s Hincapie, couldn’t be Mike Sherry. Didn’t Byrne beat him in the Mengoni, the last big race they faced each other, a few months before?
All this drama and all for a 3 race?! What, you guys have nothing to say about the Pro/1/2 race? Seems like a majority of the local race commentary on this site is for cat 3’s, 4’s and 5’s. Whatever.
Hey Broken Armed Gimp we are working up to it.. See the progression? 4s 3s — Masters Women and p-1-2 are coming, it’s called showmanship!
Broken Armed Gimp — pro 1/2 have their own websites. They are called "velonews" and "cyclingnews" and "eurosport". You should check them out. They have pretty pictures. If you’re not in them, it’s because you aren’t a pro. So enjoy this site for what it is. A bunch of over-enthusiastic amateurs who should probably be spending more time with their wives and less time with their power meters. There will be a pro 1/2 preview, and it will likely cater to guys like the Axis squad, because they are fast and they aren’t weenies.
There’s a lot of energy among the 3s and 4s. It’s fun.
Gisler is a beast of a man. He can sprint, TT and climb.
He is now marked. So there.
Good for the intense 3/4 clan with wives and jobs- what a great outlet this sport can be. And since the "pro" 1/2 scene is so laughable on NYC it only make ssense to sense to devote this site to the guys and gals who are really racing. That is more directed at the "1 armed gimp and his clown posee of wanna-beeees"…….
heres some reality – this site "devotes" itself to whoever can be bothered to contribute an ariticle. Remember the banner ad ? "wanna pull through – contribute!" I’m 99.9% certain that if anyone wants to write a 1,2 preview then it’ll get "published". Use your other good arm gimp to one finger type a preview – we all would love to read one and it adds to the cache of the race.
Funny. 1 week before Harriman last year – I said Daniel Byrne would win it and he did catching the Pro/1/2 field. Later, he finally decided to upgrade as he should have YEARS before, and did really well in the fall Harriman as a 2 and I think if he was really training for that, he would have won.
As for the prediction this year 3’s race, well it’s nearly impossible to tell the winner. Lots of strong guys, some that might have gone overlooked. Like this guy –
Dan Jackowitz of Anthem – or a 2 now 3 and I love the guy but he downgraded for silly reasons and still rides like a 2 – Jerry Kapko, or you never know and you can’t discount him but Eric Berend can climb and is very strong.
I am passing on Bear because I am fat and haven’t done a lick of climbing in weeks. Even if I was skinny, I probably wouldn’t be climbing any faster.
Good luck on the 70 miles.
My predictions for the Pro/1/2 race are the usual suspects -Troy Kimball, Roger Aspholm, Gavi (you might be surprised), my teammate Chris Jones (though you never know) and of course Mr. Loehner himself (John sorry if I spelled your last name wrong). My bet is that Roger is itching for this race and may end up taking it.
That is my take..
Ray
Scott Zwizanski Kodakgallery.com/Sierra Nevada
Hmm. He could win this too…
Broken Gimp, it’s YOU who has to get a new hobbie
All the action is in the 3’s, 4’s and Masters.
Many old standbys of the last few years are gone. Papp,Herriott,Upton,Heredia,Greenfield to name a few.
Some 3’s better upgrade or the Pro/1/2 will be relegated to a John Campo reminisence.
Will enough 1/2/3 women show to have a race?
What happened to Daniel Byrne?
This is not a climber course. It is a strongman course. Don’t count out any big, tt type guys, including KH.
I heard he quit racing to focus on his career.
Byrne upgraded to cat 2 and finished pretty well in the p-1-2 in Harriman last year, I think in the fall.
Where are the photos from this race!????
Oops, sorry about asking for the photos — too early.
bear mt is a punch in the nuts for a semi heavy weight rider, but i think Harris will haul his butt up that hill pretty fast.
the p12 will be a suffer fest, Scotty Z is my pick cause he is one of my home boys.
Hey BAG – I’m not sure if you noticed, but the articles are written by riders in each respective field, both NYVelocity people and volunteers. If you want P1/2 articles, why don’t you try and write something yourself? I bet they would post it.
No one said Harris isn’t a factor. I just don’t think he’ll win.
I like Gisler and Will Riff. 1 2 either way.
never raced bear – but the word is there is a climb that can seperate the field, at least the 5th time up it, and a flat sprint finish…..based on observation, the parachute comes out on k. harris when he hits the hills, this weekend, he wasn’t exactly crushing the hill….also based on observation, Will R. doesn’t suffer from that problem, as he was clearly comfortable hammering that hill….and lastly, although I think it will likely be "Some other guy"…i think the hopes on NYC rest better on the heals of Guzman, who packs a solid sprint, and if he makes it to the top of the climb in the lead group my money is on that little guy to kick it in for the finish
Nice preview Justin. But next time I want to be compared to Boonen instead of DiLuca. Will that cost extra?
I predict that Orcutt (goes uphill fast, rode away from the field at Bear last spring) and Sauvayre (won two races and finished 2nd overall in the Spring Series) surprise the favorites in an epic breakaway.
i just cried laughing at all this. all you cat 4s can thank me for making jp kaminski upgrade. now he will just win the 3 race
I’m glad to see everyone is looking forward to the race. So am I; if only I can shake this nasty bug I got from all the pollen around…………..ugh.
tom dolan sure cries a lot when he laughs, or just has no imagination when he posts. all his posts are the same. seems like a real dick to me.
Yeah I’m sure JP Kaminski will be a great rider one day but he is at a decided disadvantage riding with these very strong grown men.
MAN UP and put your name on here you coward. And who are we considering "strong grown men".
DOn’t talk the talk if you don’t plan on making the walk COWARD. Let me let you in on a little secret I have been riding bikes for less than 2 years. I’M JUST WARMING UP
might be sunny on Sunday
That was the point of my comment!
-coward
Dream on. It’s going to take more than sissy rain to wash me away. Better bring your inhalers.
Won’t crack the top 10 (excluding grupettos)
God, that Kaminsky kid sounds like a real dick, too. WTF?!!!
Wow. Mr. Observer – I think Kaminsky will certainly beat you. He may not win but, for a guy that just started racing, I am keeping a close eye on him for future recruitment.
I am not one to brag cause I SUCK. I know I do. I know what I am good at now and I can tell you climbing aint one of them. So hence I am not doing Bear. But Observer, you are so ready to call people names or rather accuse people of certain personality types without really knowing them. Being that both JP and Dolan – my teammate – didn’t use any profanity and were man enough to use their REAL NAME – I have concluded that you are indeed a Penis or Prick or Dick- feel free to pick one as I think it fits your personality.
Ray Alba
As for the other anonymous posters – grow up and use your real name. If you can shell it out you should be able to get shelled back.
And Observer, I am willing to bet that Kaminsky can beat you in that race.
first let me just say i’m a huge fan of the site. anyone that can write a cat 4 preview of a race with comparisons to world class riders, favorites, up and comers and riders to watch sections deserves credit. i’m psyched on people getting psyched on bike racing. i got a big kick out of the article and wanted to get my friend JP Kaminsky revved up and ready to race. he’s come a long way since i first met him. sorry if it pissed you guys off. ride hard and be safe. cheers –
Wow, you guys are making me feel bad. I know Kaminsky can race, he can beat me and has, but here’s a suggestion: let his legs do the talking, and stop laughing so hard you cry every time you write in to pat yourself on the back for "forcing him to upgrade".
PS Ray Alba is cool.
You guys wanna talk this over. with a really COLD Beer after the race.
I’m sure my million dollar (cat 3) riding contract will pay cover the bill. hahahahahahahahaha
JP, first of all, I’m not sure you’re old enough to drink beer, and secondly, if I were to have a beer with you, you would be able to determine my identity. That Tom Dolan guy scares me with his strange behaviour, so I think I’ll stay anonymous, thanks very much. Good luck Sunday, nonetheless.
I do recall a certain titan by the name of Gulla taking 2nd to a no name some years back. Seems to me it’s what you can’t see in this race that gets you. My advice: Look to the west for the lone horseman, a messenger bearing grim news to all those with loose tounges and flapping lips. If you’re lucky you may just steal a brief look into his dark and hollow eyes before he guns you down with hardly a thought The legend of the Bear is bigger than us all my friends, let us not forget that. It is the mountain who decides. She alone is the one who will pluck a lone victor from the ranks of man to stand above them all, not these busy-bodied, chit-chatty mortals. She merely laughs at our petty frivolities. We shall pay for this blasphemy dearly in the end. A word to the wise….See you tomorrow.
so much for all you’re predictions
You suck.
neither guy is strong enough to command every cat 3 race they enter…so let’s end the nonsense