Move your feast along
March is upon us and the "Moveable Feast" of serial spring bike racing begins.
The NYC season starts on Saturday with a CRCA club race in Central Park. For those preferring a later start time on Saturday there’s the La Primera Carrera at FBF.
The Branchbrook Spring Training Series race scheduled for saturday has been cancelled due to repaving, the racing will resume when the road is repaired.
On Sunday there’s the beginning of the Spring Series in Central Park (sign up for the full series and get 50 bonus points—that’s like a free second place!).
Later on Sunday is the Outdoor Sport Center Bethel Spring Series – Ronde de Bethel in Bethel, CT.
The final word is it was the MOTO’s fault for not coming too a stop. He is race marshal he should make the choice to stop racing.
They way the moto cruised through the bodies was SHAMEFUL
There’s no way 150 guys in a 3/4 can be within USAC’s regulations. How could that have possible happened, and why did folks actually agree to race under those circumstances? That’s sheer lunacy.
Throphy, bro. Results, bro.
http://bethelspringseries.com/2012-ronde-de-bethel-results
“I just dont understand why it is dangerous to continue racing after you pass through the crash at a slow pace”
Because you are using the crash just final to to sprint as the benefit to create a gap. If there is a crash from another field with guys spread all out across the road the safe thing to do is for the the field to be neutralized until it has passed the crash and then to recommence racing. Due to the location of this crash that wasn’t possible.
What the dangerous idiots did was to go slow enough not to crash into the guys on the ground and then to immediately restart racing while the rest of the field was still in the crash zone.
I understand that. And if the field was neutralized then people could talk all they want about how douchey it was to continue racing. However, if you watch the video and look at the pictures of the finish, you will see the motorcycle still leading the race out. Therefore, no word was passed to the racers that it was a neutralize finish. Once that first rider accelerated AFTER PASSING the crash, the rest of the racers just followed.
Also you answered why you thought it was “douchey” to continue racing, you never answered my question asking why it made things more dangerous. As I stated earlier, the entire field slowed as much as possible without causing a mass pileup and further adding to the chaos. Nothing done in this situation was wrong except for the lack of communication from the race directors.
seriously, a 4’s field with 150 guys? i know crazy, and that my friends is crazy. wouldn’t touch that if it was last race on earth. it’s irresponsible of the race promoter, really.
That simply has to be against some sort of rule. Someone who was actually in the race, if that’s the case, should report it.
OK, which one of you lunatics won today?
Looks like a “Chadler” won the A race today?
race pictures here:
http://www.facebook.com/TeamSixcycle
finish videos here:
http://www.crca.net/2012/03/march-3rd-club-race-pictures-and-video/
additional results will be up on crca.net shortly
Pretty good shots! Thanks for showing in a wet/crappy morning!
sponsored by champion systems but don’t have kits for the start of the season…
your orders are in the mail
Nothing like waking up at 4 a.m. to go race for 50 minutes in circles in the cold & wet.
And then coming home to my wonderful wife and kids, who are so supportive and understanding.
Right.
who’s the guy that demolished the A field? Jesus how does anyone get a gap like that?
It actually was Jesus. The rest of the field was damned to hell.
That means…..wait for it….
JESUS WAS A SANDBAGGER!
Really, the C field caught and passed the B Field?
I wonder what the lap times were for the A field. That should reveal if the group was willing to chase or not. If the lap times were slow, good for him for making a smart, aggressive move.
However, if the lap times were fast… It’s curious that a cat 2 should open up such a large gap.
I don’t buy the excuse that the A field had an extra follow vehicle to stay with the field during a break. Ergo, confusing them that no break was made. Was anyone in the A field and can fill us in on lap times and if the group was lethargic?
lap times are included in the CRCA results – see the link below, load the full results
http://www.crca.net/2012/03/march-3-race-results/
the break was the smart thing to do. it was a very small field with horrendous conditions. i would say that the morale was not particularly good and nobody really wanted to chase. i was frozen and not in shape enough to do anything about it, so was happy to see the break happen. that being said, i had no idea when it occurred an was under the assumption that we could see the lead moto (it was an additional one, apparently). this assumption was made by many. not an excuse, just an observation.
C field’s final lap was the fastest time all morning 14:16 & only five of em finished. Yow!
USACycling rules only have hard and fast field limits when 5s or cat4 women are involved. The suggested limit of 100 is up to the promoter and officials based on conditions, course details,…
Anyone find a black Marmot ski glove with an Arcteryx liner after the race?
Sorry. From urban dictionary:
douchebag:
An individual who has an over-inflated sense of self worth, compounded by a low level of intellegence, behaving ridiculously in front of colleagues with no sense of how moronic he appears.
It’s douchey because people that have a clue, know that some serious shit went down and people are in bad shape so instead of snaking through bodies and ambulances and EMT workers tending to the wounded, the people with half a brain stop. The COMPLETE DOUCHE BAG won’t. This person will come from the back where he was, not brake, fly through he carnage and use other’s bad fortune to try and get that cat upgrade point. Which won’t even count anyways. THAT IS WHY YOU ARE A DOUCHEBAG. Maybe in a couple years of riding your bike you will understand. Not to mention this is a meaningless race and AVD won’t even report these results to USACycling for insurance purposes.
Clear?
Have you not read anything I have said this entire time? Not one person that I saw went full speed through the crash. Everybody was very cautious and did not accelerate til they were clear. I am not saying that was the right thing to do, but given the fact that noone called the race and that noone was hurdling through crashed racers I think it is going a bit far to call those people “douchey”
The rider with the camera did the right thing. I counted about 12 riders go around in the joggers lane and then most of them proceded to sprint. Maybe the situation is not black and white but I’m not sure that what those riders did represents good judgement.
Agreed. I think there were bad decisions made all around. However, to call these riders douchey for continuing to race when the race director and lead motorcycle failed to stop the race is just a little harsh. Maybe explain why it wasn’t good judgment to do this instead of just calling people out from the start?
So i should give up my 30 bucks to a cat 1? Maybe they should do an all 3 field. Do your race and worry about yourself not me.
I participated in both spring series races and crca races last year. The crca races are much safer. CRCA cat 5 racers cover twice the distance of a spring series race giving them valuable time to gain experience racing in a group. Not to mention the course in central park has more variety to test out skills. I’ve seen to many racers in spring series races, be it at central park, prospect, and fbf, that are half wheeling and making dangerous, inexperienced moves. CRCA is the way to go. Somehow they allow for a much safer atmosphere.
Obvious things to do here.
1) never let the marshall on the motorcycle ever pace again
2) punish the rider in the black, red, & white vitaband kit. Pause the video at 2’2″. He almost hits the guy on the ground in the joggers lane. The guy on the ground had to curl up to not get hit. He is riding a black cervelo with a white saddle.
AVD’s races are lucky to even have Motos, so little point in blaming that guy. The riders should know better. The first person who starts accelerating post crash tells everyone else who is behind him that it’s ok and probably necessary to speed as quickly as possible through the crash. That makes it dangerous. And everyone who also accelerated post crash is also culpable – and douchey.
CRCA is safer because it’s a club where the races are only open to members. The same people race each other each week, so they are more accountable for their actions/etiquette/sportsmanship.
CRCA is much cleaner and safer, yes. Other than the occasional doping or assault bust, it’s downright puppies and rainbows!
Sorry, should say ” rather not”. But that should be obvious from the context.
Do you care more about your race results than people who may be seriously injured in a crash? The fact that you are questioning why someone should stop and help means you don’t care about your fellow riders at all. Winning a park race means nothing. Yet, it appears to fill some space in your empty soul. Please find another sport to pollute.
You are seriously an idiot and completely put words into my mouth. Each downed rider was being attended to by a certified EMS member. What can I do to help taht situation at all that would not just get in the way of those attending to the riders? The best thing to do, which all 3/4 riders did, was continue to ride whether they finished the race of just spun to the finish. Nothing about what I said should lead you to believe I care about my results over a rider’s safety. Just stating that after riding CAREFULLY through the crash there was nothing left for us to do, and since we were not neutralized officially why not race to the finish.
Everyone that is calling the riders who sprinted to the finish “douchey” seriously need to watch the video again. At no point were the downed riders’ safety compromised by the 3/4 racers. As an earlier poster stated, everyone went slowly through the crash scene and then continued to race afterwards. Absolutely nothing wrong with that given the circumstances that the race organizers did nothing to let the field know it was neutralized.
150 guys jacked on mild winter fitness, cabin fever, and delusions of glory
The guys who raced through were douchey. Look at the video, the class move is to slow at a safe pace and then spin it out. In a properly run park race when there is a crash going into the final the race is neutralized. AvD runs races poorly. To use that as an excuse for not doing the right thing is what it is.
If everyone followed the move of those who raced through, it would make a bad situation worse.
I was one of the guys in the front and I slowed down because it is the right thing to do. The guys who kept going are dangerous idiots.
I just dont understand why it is dangerous to continue racing after you pass through the crash at a slow pace. And what makes that douchey? Sorry I must be new to this NYC scene, but every race I have done I have seen riders have no regard for other riders’ safety, so why in this instance is it such a big issue when there was nothing done to put the crashed riders at a bigger risk.
If that’s what you have to tell yourself. It rewards those who got through the crash the fastest. So that sets up an incentive for next time to pick the fastest line through a crash right before the finish. Bad precedent. There’s another race next week. Sprint then.
It’s my opinion, but I’d rather be in race with people who think like you do. Safety and consideration should come 1st. Sprinting for a few bucks in a 3/4 race in March, not so important. But we each have our priorities. I just disagree with yours.
First
Where is Ray and the long course at Branchbrook. I remember him and his crew filling potholes. He never canceled.
Woo hoo! Racing.
I make the early call that DA podiums at every race this weekend.
Have fun in the rain.
In every category too!
DA mounts everything with victorious intentions.
i’m already burned out for the season. when’s the next roller race?
I want Lance to show up at a Spring Series race at FBF.
You know you’d come watch it.
my CRCA race number is 187. murder was the case that they gave me.
What happened to that race this year?
Grants Tomb is next weekend. Still time to sign up!
** Important Message ABout Tomorrow’s FBF Race **
Tomorrow is the La Primera Carrera race at Floyd Bennett Field. The weather forecast is calling for rain throughout the evening and the course we race on has no drainage. This results in large “lake-like” puddles forming on the course. If the puddles are too large we may be forced to cancel the race. A decision will be made at 7AM tomorrow morning if the race will be held.
An announcement will be posted on the BikeReg.com registration page: https://www.bikereg.com/Net/15282
Charlie Issendorf
Race Director
Kissena Cycling Club
Rain at FBF? No way!
Thanks Charlie for putting the race on though.
You’re like the Charlie Brown of NYC cycling, with Lucy (the rain) yanking the football….
I am going to win all these series, I had a good winter program of drug enhanced training.
Thanks to Andy Sheen and his crew of Goons this will never happen
Love
Prospect Park
Did I get roofied and knocked up by Charlie Sheen?
No you’re really Martin Sheen’s love child. They deliberately left out one “e” in your last name so as to legally distance themselves from you inheriting the estate.
Which means, yeah, you’re Emilio & Charlie’s brother from another mother.
But I still have some tiger blood, right?
All,
The weather forecast is worsening and heavy rain and now thunderstorms are being predicted for this evening and tomorrow morning. I am making the decision now to cancel Saturday’s race.
The next Floyd Bennett Field race, the Kings County Challeneg, will be held on Saturday, March 31. Please let me know if you would like me to move your entry to that race or if you would like a refund.
Please spread the word about the race being cancelled to your fellow racers.
Charlie Issendorf
Race Director
Kissena Cycling Club
If it makes you feel better to justify why you sprinted – good for you. The leader stopped, but you saw you the advantage and sprinted. Do you think he just got tired? He was through and realized the smart and civil thing to do was to stop racing. I’m still calling it douchey.
why is it douchey? there were several crashes in the 3/4 field why did we continue to race after those? Every single rider in that race slowed through the crash, and when the motorcycle continued they continued to race. If there had been somebody telling them that the race was over then you could call it douchey, but they payed to race, expected to race, and when they made it through the crash safely what the hell were they supposed to do stop and give first aid to the downed riders? Why not finish off the race. I am 100% positive that not one of those riders meant any disrespect by finishing the race. And there were no complaints after the race about the results being a wash, only concern for the downed riders. Sorry if you disagree, but unless you can prove to me that the 3/4 riders raced full speed through the crash then there was nothing done wrong here.
weeeeeeeeeee!
The C field is going to crush it this year. Look out B’s, these consonants are coming up fast.
As always, perfectly run, safe riding and overall satisfying racing. Particularly classy racing in the 3/4 field – a pile-up at the bottom of cats paw from the prior field? Perfect opportunity to move up!
When AVD announced that there would be 150 riders in the 3/4 field then bragged about how they’d catch the 1/2/3s I though, this will not end well. it did not. What the f was he thinking?
fwiw, i posted the video from the final few minutes of the 3/4 race on facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/TeamSixcycle
i’ll probably upload the rest of the race later tonight.
speedy recovery to those that went down.
FWIW, about 25 guys shot through the gap and continued racing in the 3/4 field. No one neutralized the field and the race was 500m from the finish. It’s up to you to follow or not, until a race is called guys are going to race. IMO it was a terrible call by the race director to not STOP or NEUTRALIZE the races. As it stands, hundreds of guys paid to race but no one got any results or paid out.
Speedy recovery to those who touched down, thats never fun to see but there should be a protocol prepared for this situation to remedy the issue with racers riding through and “moving up”. Neutralize the fields, have the race extended a lap, STOP the race. Instead nothing was done, except some whistles blown but no one yelled stop or neutral!
I am sure the ripping will begin now, but I stand by this…
First of all, I hope everyone that went down today heals up quickly. That looked like a very nasty crash in what is usually the most dangerous part of the loop. While some of you may rip into the 3/4 field for continuing the racing, I noticed(from both in the race and the video that our friend posted) nothing dangerous about the way they continued to race. The crash was around a corner, so it was nearly impossible to slow down fully going through, and as the video clearly shows, nobody even passed the leading rider until he was clear of the crash. Finally, there was no mention of the field being neutralized or the race being called at the spot. I have no problem with no official results because of the circumstances, but it is pretty ridiculous that people will rip on any of the 3/4 field for continuing to race when none of them knew what exactly the circumstances actually called for.
Why would anyone allow 150 3’s and 4’s in one races? It stands to reason anyone who does the 3/4 race lacks the racing skills for such a big field.
A special note of Shame on any 3 in the filed, shame on you for not racing the 123 race.
Just watched the video. How was that not dangerous to race through that crash. It wasn’t like there was one lane open. There were bodies across the road. Plus both the moto and someone in the road were clearly telling people to stop. To sprint after that is just a douche move.
Not one person raced through the crash. I suggest you watch the video again. No one passed the lead rider who was slowing very much until he was clear of the downed riders. And if you look at those photos of the “sprint”, you will see that there is still a lead motorcycle, which means that at no point was the motorcycle stopping the race, only telling the riders to slow down through the crash. I was in the top 25% of the field, and I can tell you that I didn’t see the crash clearly until I was almost at it and it was tough to slow down, but almost every rider nearly came to a complete stop. Those that continued to race only did so because no one told them to stop. There was nothing dangerous about continuing to race after the spot of the crash.
On another note, 150 in that field was just ridiculous. Far too dangerous for this early in the season, I think that the race director has to change a few things about this series for next week.
Once again, hope everybody involved in any of the multiple crashes heals quickly. I can assure you that nobody meant any disrespect by continuing to race, but in the heat of the moment with nobody stopping the race I see nothing wrong with what the riders did.
Crashes happen more in march than any other month.
Why? Because feeds on racing bikes with ZERO skills have little or no race experience and have been training on 9W all winter or in the gym or on trainers.
Let them loose in a park and BAM! Crashfest. Add to that 150 in a field in central park and you’ve got a recipe for absolute DISASTER!
Hope all who went down make a speedy recovery and exercise wisdom in the next race.
Mistake mean FREDS on bikes
The video below shows that tha 3/4 field did the right thing.
http://vimeo.com/37906740
If they all STOPPED racing at that precise spot where the crash happened, it woudl have been a mass pile up. There is little to do in such a case except use extreme caution, which they all did.
On Saturday morning the B field had about 40-50 riders and there was NO CRASH with appalling conditions.
The video (CRCA Bs) that M Vd V put up shows single pace line coming into the last half lap. When fields are clustering up and not riding single pace line it suggests they ARE NOT RACING full on, therefore crashes have a high probability of happening the way they did this morning.
High paced, flat out, single pace line = racing = lower likelihood of a crash.
Basically FREDS on fast carbon bikes need to learn:
#1. Bike handling skills
#2. Race etiquette
and #3. Pulling through in a smooth manner rather than a clusterf***!
Evel Knievel pulled off safer stunts than the one AvD did yesterday
http://stblogs.motortrend.com/files/2007/12/7954918.jpeg
Let me set the record straight here. If you watch the video passing the crash, I’m the guy waiving my helmet in the air laying on the pavement. I regained consciousness in time to see the field racing toward me, and was terrified of them running me over .
Does any one know what happened to take down the 5 field?