CRCA Club Champs 9/17/11

by Andy Shen

Photographer:

Jbro

Thanks to James for these shots!

210 Comments

joshs

tony + crew, congrats! you guys raced a good race on sat and the rivalry made for a really fun season. not going to say i am happy about the final result, but hey. its amateur bike racing, sometimes you just have to enjoy it.

Wheelsucker

Agreed that the B Cup last race battle added some spice to the season. NYVC won last year, and now Foundation takes it back. Congrats guys.

Wheelsucker

the rivalry made racing in the B’s pathetically boring. No breaks, just sitting in sitting in sitting in, field sprint. yawn.

CRCA

If you were sitting back letting either Siggis or Foundation go for the sprint, then it was up to you to do something different.

If you were in the race on Saturday you would have seen Foundation attacking off the front on multiple occasions, with one rider getting away for a lap. They employed this tactic on the prior race as well.

A smart racer on Saturday from another team would know that Foundation was looking at Siggi’s who was looking at Foundation. A perfect opportunity for other teams to break away as they would likely not have been chased.

All of which is racing…I think the tactical experience you get from racing the club’s B races is much better than you get from racing most open races and we help develop smarter racers as a result.

Just my two cents.

PE

Tony, I’ve known you for 2 seasons now and you’ve always been a classy guy and have always respected your fellow racers. Don’t let the haters bring you down. You have made amazing accomplishments. Good luck in the 3’s my friend!!

Wheelsucker

Last I checked, Foundation and Siggi’s weren’t the only two teams in the B’s. If other teams didn’t figure they would win the sprints, they should try to make breaks. A couple teams made efforts, but more cohesive attempts will be needed.

Mark

For Foundation B team it was about winning this years team and Boyd cup. That was the goal. And so it happened. Tony and John have done a great job.

For this years final race they had the luxury of sitting in until the final sprint as their team mates and NYVelocity did not let one break succeed. Actually, during this last race there have been many opportunities for breaks as the average pace was below 25 m/h. That no break succeeded says a lot about the ambition of the rest of the field.

Tony and John have once again proven to be very competitive sprinters. Not only in CRCA club races but also out of town. Good luck next season competing with the 3’s.

Wheelsucker

I earlier defended, but the response from Tony was so dumb. When have you and Blake ever not sucked wheels? That is your MO. Its fine but …

Tony Munoz

I wish I know your name, but I can guess
Who is it and what team you are from hehehe funny clown, “we the
Best” “foundation team” not “best” of 4’s, did you read that well mr. Wheelsucker? LOL, once again, keep the heat on!!! Winter is coming, season is over and I think you will still thinking “why
I keep hate the way they ride” LOL… And about the “big boys”, don’t know what you talking about, the A’s??? Hahah the big boys race outside, RR not in CP, or PP, the big boys train and race in totally different scenarios, where the real “big” races happen. Once again, keep the heat on! Is chilly outside…LOL. ciao my friend “mr. Wheelsucker” haha

Tony Munoz

Siempre lo soy, y respeto a todo el mundo, no me meto con nadie para que no se metan conmigo, pero si me doy cuenta que en este site hay mucha gente que no respeta el trabajo que uno ha hecho por tiempo, so te hacen hablar cosas que no debes, pero yo respeto siempre y de nadie hablo mal.

Wheelsucker15

Se que eres humilde, no permitas que te molesten con sus comentarios negativos. Felicidades en tu magnifica temporada. Te veo el Sabado.

Tony Munoz

I did kinderganden in Bogota-Colombia and my current high school is with Foundation, i don’t know what’s JV team, and going to keep my studies and grads with Foundation for your info whelsucker. 😉 got it?

Wheelsucker

can you interview this guy? He seems so down to earth, and such a nice yound man…a real role model for the club!!!

Wheelsucker

Yea, screw the haters. They are upgrading next week. With the team points model, I can understand why they finished in the B’s.

Matheo Ziptie

What was going on with the a race. Why was foundation tryingnto pull the break back early on. Why did Adler wait so long to try and bring it back.

Wheelsucker

it’s true – as foundation showed the b-cup / b-boyd award is more of a sandbagger of the year award than anything else.

Victor

Two riders from Somerville took 1st and 2nd in the p123 field. The attack went off the first lap. And quickly his team mate bridged up to him and with 2 more riders. The 4 men break stayed away until the finish with a 2 minutes lead from the field. During the middle of the race, there was a bridge group but didn’t manage to gain any time on the break. The bridge group was some 1 minutes behind the break, and ahead of the field. The field was pretty much thinned out as a result.

There was a report of a crash in the p123 field with 2 to go.

http://www.oneimagingphotography.com/Cycling/Kissena-Fall-Classic-91711

Tony Munoz

You guys can call us any names… LOL, we won, we the best, that’s all, not only yesterday, constantly the whole season like it or not, you wheelsucker, the other wheelsucker and the rest of wheelsuckers hehehe…keep the heat on! 🙂

Wheelsucker

Bragging about being “best” of the 4s…more respectable to upgrade when you have the points to do it and see how you can hang with the big boys.

Helmut Gescheint

Too much fun!

Setanta kit reminds me of a bowl of bad chili – I get the burps just following these guys.

DieHard – Would look good on a battery or a Nascar bumper but… The white leg and arm warmers are not slimming!! Props to Ricky, however. Winning always is in style.

Lokey-Sanchez: like the kit but who the f— is Lokey Sanchez? Speedy Gonalez’ cycling cousin? Just a weird name.

BH Garneau: The Metrosexual’s metrosexual kit. I fear the kids will pull out the photos in 5 years and have a good laugh.

VO2 Max – I see pink and I think Chupa Ruedas. That’s branding darling!

Wheelsucker

Let’s set the record straight on one thing. Siggis had two guys that were winning or on the podium in pretty much everything they entered at the beginning of the season…Ryan MGarity and Matt Vanidvort. They could have easily sandbagged the rest of the season and the outcome of the Team Cup would have been a lot different. But they both have character and upgraded mid-season rather than stick around simply to keep winning B park races.

Tony and John from Foundation each had enough points to upgrade to 3s since at least June. At this point each one of them have something like 70+ upgrade points. You need 20 to upgrade.

Once again Foundation proves what kind of character they have…not much. They are an embarrassment not just to themselves, but the club as a whole.

wrong

John only upgraded from a Cat 5 in June.

Take a look at his record on USAC and you will see his points are in the twenties, not the 70+

Same in fact with Tony although he was probably more in the 30 point range.

We all know it was too easy for McGarrity, but neither John nor Tony were out there winning every race. Nor was Vandivort mind you.

People have different reasons for upgrading when they do depending on their goals. It was a great season for all, let it be.

Schiatuzzo Locknut

To 4:21 – John Blake only upgraded from Cat 5 to Cat 4 in the middle of June brother. Is 3 months as a Cat 4 really embarassing? Good luck in Colorado John!

Roger Parmelee

I will put my 2 cents in here. Tony and John rode a great race.(and all of foundation) My hats off to them.I rode as hard as i could in that final. We (siggis) controlled the lead out the best we could and i think that showed if you look at the gap the 3 of us had at the end. so for them to be there in the end, kodo’s to them…looking back we should have been on the left going into the corner cause John and Tony put the gas on WAY before i thought anyone would have opened up the sprint and deff caught me by surprise.They got a gap right away and i had to come across the rode and at that point the gap was to big to close. it was a very tough finale and a good race. Tony is always a gracious winner and looser and wish him luck in the 3’s. I will see him there soon when i have the points to upgrade. 😉 No hate from my end (a siggis team rider)
no hiding behind a false name ether. -Roger-

Wheelsucker

I agree that the pace was slow enough that a break could have succeeded. Hats off to Jaime for a great effort and he deserves credit for always trying to get away. That said, by my count there were 13 Siggi’s in the race – makes it really hard to escape when there are so many guys from one team. If you want a different outcome – devise and execute a strategy – its not always the strongest riders that win.

John Blake

Keep my name out of your “mouth”. You don’t know me. If you do you’re soft for not saying anything to me in person. You probably don’t know how this feels, but it’s uncomfortable for me to have you guys talk shit about me online. Even more so because there are nothing buy smiles in person.
I don’t have all that many points. Check my USAC.
I would have liked to upgraded immediately, but sacrificed for the greater good of the team and build experience in a cat where my team is plentiful.
I work at a bike shop where I am new and have few to no chances to do out of city races.
I don’t talk shit about you other racers behind your backs on forums.

Roger, my hats off to you man.
Though I got heated in that one race with you. I respect your bike handling and out right personality.

Again, unless you want to address yourself. Please don’t address me in a personal fashion, positively and more importantly negatively.

P.S. EMAIL THE GUY WHO IS RESPONSIBLE FOR UPGRADES SO I CAN BE IN CAT. 3 FOR MENGONI AND YOU GUYS CAN BEAT MY ASS TO MAKE ME HUMBLE FOR A LONG WINTER.

Wheelsucker

There were a few break attempts during the year – SIDS was often involved in attempts to get off the front – but based on the sheer numbers that Foundation and Siggi’s brought to the races they smothered anything that got off the front well before the finish. That’s how racing goes sometimes, but it certainly wasn’t exciting and certainly didn’t make me want to race in the park. If Foundation and Siggi’s are going to continue to represent half the B-Field every race CRCA should at least do more points races to make it more exciting / attempt to counter the numbers dominance that Foundation and Siggi’s have.

Wheelsucker

my guess is that most of the comments here aren’t from the cat 3’s who will be racing mengoni. this smells like a very excitable cat 4 discussion to me.

Wheelsucker

Ive never raced with you foundation guys and never spoken with you either
But for two guys who claim to be humble and respectful you sure are coming
off as enormous @$$holes.

Yeah internet slander is annoying but it’s just the internet

Benjamin Threadlock

Arguing about who’s a Cat 4 sandbagger is like arguing about who farted in the car. Doesn’t matter, because everyone stinks.

David Seatmast

the B cup should be over.

We need to go to the old rules

only about 1/2 of the races are Cup races. those Cup races each team has only has 6 riders.

any spill over goes to the B field, and there is no more B cup.

Wheelsucker

I have raced with the Foundation guys. I can understand them having their backs up since they get so much shit here. It is one thing to bust their balls because they win races, but a lot of the stuff gets really nasty, dopers, cheaters, etc. etc.

For the race in question, the finish by those guys was great. It was more of a late attack than a sprint. There was around 6 Siggi’s guys (who were working it too) and Blake launched near the north end of the Met. Very nice.

John Blake

one of the prospect series doesn’t do anything for the 4’s as far as points accumulation. I asked the director why. He said it encourages hanging back. He wants to encourage growth and progression.
For a series that lasts that long. There shouldn’t be a 4 field championship.
But where do you cut the line. If our courses were longer and the 2’s and 3’s were separated do they also not get a championship? I think this should be the case as well, but maybe some disagree?
What do I know anyway as a young padawan.

Mael Seattube

Another option would be to make the Bs 3/4 and the As 1/2/3. Have 3s make a decision as to what they wanted to do but with the aim of raising the level of the Bs incrementally. As it was, the right guys got the points.

Paolo Headset

It’s the fact that – as described by Tony and John – Foundation wanted guys not to upgrade in order to win the B cup and those guys – wanting to support their team – choose to do what their team requested. Right or wrong Foundation as a team decided that winning the B cup was more important than having their riders upgrade. In comparison Siggi’s sent Mcgarrity and Vandivort up to the A-field and raced for the B-cup with other riders. Different teams, different strategies, but I don’t know if you need to change the rules just because Foundation put winning the b-cup ahead of allowing their riders to advance to the a-field. And I certainly don’t think you can blame Antonio and Blake for doing what their team requested them to do. If you want to issue a critique it should be towards Foundation management for having questionable priorities and putting the b-cup ahead of their own riders development.

Roger Parmelee

you win or you lose. thats racing. when your out there it’s all out.and when you cross the line it’s done. That’s how i look at it.well some times i need about 5 min after the finish line for it to be done..hahaha John Blake knows that. 🙂
it’s just a cup. i have a whole kitchen full of cups. time to end this and put beer in cups and drink out of them!! 🙂

David Seatmast

A bunch of dudes knew it when it was started, that dudes would be super psyched to win it . so much so they would not upgrade , ever,

that is not the idea here , awards for all cats are good but for some reason a season long Team Cup is too big for some people to handle … staying a B racer just to get it is embarrassing ,

So it should be gone , cause people love shiny things like cups too much

John Blake

NY velocity would win every year. They have an unlimited supply for individually coached racers. As one of their starts upgrades 2 more pop up in his place.
Where does regulation start and end?

Gaetan Brazeon

and if nyvelocity were to win the b-cup every year, that would be an injustice and a travesty on the order of, like, how that one big kid who had the early growth spurt was the best pitcher in little league for like three years.

Kakamaka

no one would want to play baseball and everyone would turn into girly men game boy players and eventually become investment bankers and the like 😉

Marchionne Rim

Siggi – That’s a great story and I’ll surely buy and try some. Thanks for clearing up any confusion I always thought it was a pizza place!

Matthias Dry Lube

You make a valid point, however, that IS the point. It is a TEAM competition. If what you are saying is true, it means that they do the best job of supporting a TEAM. You are talking about which group has the best talent, which is a different thing altogether, and not the point of a TEAM competition.

Roger Parmelee

we have to race for something? also guys who are not sprinters, what do they get out of racing in the park…one thing they do is try to get in brakes and help the “team” that has the sprinters. Racing for a “title” is cool and fun and should not be just for the A field. The C field already don’t race for anything except for bragging rights and experience. there is no reason to not have the B field not race for a cup,title, money or anything.

D- Cup

guys would stop brown-nosing Blake and Munoz. Munoz wrote veiled threats here to the Siggi’s guys and Blake intentionally crashed a Siggi’s guy when he got beat in one the B races- totaled his brand new carbon wunder-bike with a flick of his elbow. There’s freakin’ video evidence of it! Grow a set NYVC yogurt!

seat post

John, you make some interesting points and seem like a thoughtful guy.

On your advice I checked out your results on USA Cycling. Shows that you placed 1st or 2nd in 14 out of your last 19 races this season, and that you have yet to place lower than 7th.

That is really impressive and you should rightly be proud of those results.

Usually if a guy wins or podiums 4 or 5 times, they cat up. 14 times…well, that is pretty dubious. It also becomes a poor reflection on Foundation that they asked you and Tony to stay back.

McGarrity

Guys,

Enough already. Both Velocity and Foundation had great seasons. The B Cup came down to the last race of the season and was a success.

The Boyd Cup, should be scrapped. It serves no purpose.

As for Blake’s comments regarding PP, i agree. What’s the point of having a long series if the leaders of the series are forced to upgrade By USCF…

For those racing Mengoni on Saturday, good luck.

It’s now time for beers, bad food and doing anything that doesn’t involve riding.

Jordan Lube

Cat 4 sandbaggin’!

Can we please discuss some other meaningless topic now?

The Champion of Second Best or the Less Than Best Average Racer has been already decided. Read it and weep!

joshs

@Marchionne Rim (and anyone else interested in free skyr): siggi always has a booth at both escape ny and the ms ride, be sure to see him for some free skyr. i am personally a huge fan of the vanilla, mixed berries & acai, orange & ginger and the new pineapple.

John Blake

We started something and were asked to finish it. The team cup is there to be raced for. How do you battle for a year long competition when you say it should only take 2 months to upgrade.

No one should fall with the flick of the wrist. I was deeply sorry for him. Offered one of his teammates that I would try and help him out and replacing the bike. I tried to apologize and he didn’t accept. If it was my fault outright I would have been reprimanded.
When Roger and I bumped some. we got passed it. Roger also stayed rubber side down.

joshs

what happened between you and mike is between you and mike. i applaud your contrition, but your comment about that hit and any contact with rog is not necessary nor is it comparable. happy to discuss offline with you, but please don’t comment on that publicly regardless of the banter on this forum.

Mark P

Looks like this paolo headset clown is having some anger issues. I would be pissed too if my bike would end up in 2 pieces and if I had the feeling someone crashed into me intentionally I would be looking for justice. However, I have heard that CRCA has been fully aware of the incident and has decided not to take any action against any of the racers involved. End of the story.

Conclusion: People crash in cycling. Shit happens.

....

That dude was standing and sprinting on the hoods, John’s elbow never touched him. Check the video frame by frame and you’ll see the expression on Mike’s face BEFORE the alleged ‘contact.’ He knew he was going down.

I find it upsetting that John has been ran through the mud and forced to defend himself from an bunch of hack rookies that don’t know shit about racing. How can one with no skills be the judge? You shouldn’t fly off your bike from the flick of an elbow UNLESS YOUR CENTER OF GRAVITY IS TOO HIGH!

DON’T STAND AND SPRINT ON THE HOODS!!

It’s a sprint, you should be expecting and prepared for contact. Don’t blame a stronger dude for your inexperience!

You’ll never survive an A sprint, you should quit now!

Wait until Wilson smacks past your shoulder!

Sander Chamois

He wasn’t sprinting. Check again, frame by frame if you like you twat, it was on the lower part of cats paw for a met finish. He had just led a teammate out and was moving backwards, not even attempting to sprint.

People like you make me hate NYC racing.

the Sensei

anger issues
By: Mark P
Tue, 09/20/2011 – 6:21pm
Looks like this paolo headset clown is having some anger issues. I would be pissed too if my bike would end up in 2 pieces and if I had

I’m not commenting on the quality of the comments in any way, just saying that the guys who calls himself Mark P. is not Mark Purdyo Ifixbyx. I don’t roll lke that.

Arno Plug

I have a new business: I have relatives back in the old country that can get any script I want and safely ship it here for me to use and distribute…anyone interested???

Mark P

I am the one and only Mark Purdyo Ifixbyx. That other Mark Purdyo Ifixbyx that claims to be Mark Purdyo Ifixbyx is lying!

Mark P

That ‘person’ going around saying that he’s Mark Purdyo Ifixbyx is just a frickn’ gay mamil. I am the one and only Mark Purdyo Ifixbyx! The (web)master Schmalz knows I am.

The Great Mark Purdholio

Mark Purdyo Ifixbyx this is your husband. Come to your studio right now. Lunch is ready. I am waiting already since 12.30. Will you for once get away from that damn computer you mamil!

The Great Mark Purdholio

I am the one and only true and GREAT MARK PURDHOLIO.

ARE YOU THREATENING ME????????????????? Impostor.

Arne Skidmark

are you not only a crap racer but can you not count? 12 racers are the max any team is allowed by the rules. both Siggi’s and Foundation had the max allowed by the rules (i actually did count and only counted 11 Siggi’s guys at the start). i agree that anything over 9 is just crazy talk, but no one had 13, last weekend or any other weekend.though perhaps because you only have 10 fingers you will need to start showing up to races not wearing shoes and socks or maybe bring an abacus? if you don’t like the rules either bring it up to or join the board and do something about them.

Twisted nipple

I contacted the CRCA board about the team limit awhile ago.

I enjoy Park racing also and I think I would enjoy it more with less than a dozen riders from one team competing in a given field.

I don’t consider voicing an opinion to be whining or bitching.

Noah Hammer

Do you think a 9 rider limit would really make a difference?

The riders assigned to reel in breaks would still be in front and the riders assigned to sprint would still be waiting to sprint

The teams would function much the same as they do now.

Why not just abolish the teams all together?

Everyman for himself

Would that make you happy?

Come on now

This was a big race for both teams so of course there were 12 riders racing

Get over it

Tony munoz

Yo! Patetic funny clown wheelsucker 4:21pm ! Stop saying and Taking the way you do about me, john Blake, and my team Foundation, and other riders like vandivoort or mcgarrity, if u have the balls to make any point of discussion post it under ur real name!!, about our race, me, John and everybody did what we did
For the “team”, and I say this to lot of ppl b4, I will do anything for my team to get the cup this year besides personal goals! Period!, you wish to be in this team or NYvelo for sure, but u don’t even have the character that u are talking about to post something with ur name clown. Stop doing maths about upgrade points and other stuff, season is over my friend, u better do math in how to train, how many hours and miles to put in your slow legs, so maybe one day u can beat my ass!, and if u want just to let u know I’m always in the park from monday to Friday from 9am to 1pm, maybe u want to be a man and talk about tactics, strategy, upgrades, etc etc, ur crossing the line my friend…..

Roger, Josh, vandivoort and all the NYvelo fellas, hats off to all of u guys, is been a pleasure to ride next to u guys not only in the park, but in some of the big nice stage races out there like Battenkill, Bennington, killington etc, great year for everybody I guess. See u around fellas.

And same here, please email the guys at the upgrades so I can gety ass beat
Too with John b at Mengoni so I can train harder in winter.

Tony Munoz

Yeah me and my team is awsome LOL, !! And u are a clown with no balls !!… And I guess a “wanna be”, but u can’t my friend, first u need balls, then u need to be a man…then maybe you can try to ride, or race, once again, u can face me in the park at any time.

Tony munoz

Hehe for you to be talking and talking shit about me, John and my team since those pictures and results appear in this site I think yeah me and my team we awesome!! And u love us soo much and hate us so much that u can’t resist to not talk about us clown! LOL….enough is enough mr. Clown let’s stop this stupid game.

Real Man

Just saw Blake cycling in the park knocking over little kids on tricycles with a flick of his wrist. Oddly he was incognito, wearing a Siggi’s jersey . . . na na na na na na getting Siggi with it . . . . (yes, I stole that from another observer).

Tony Soprano

can’t wait til Blake upgrades and has to race against Marmo. Let’s see who has the better flick of the wrist.

Excitable Boy

Joking if you think that if Siggi’s and Foundation showed up with 7 riders the outcome would have been any different. get over it. Sid’s usually shows up with a good headcount, but their kit is so ugly, they tend to hide in the pack.

Axl Blake

Great- that’s exactly what a wet Mengoni Cat 3 race needs- a dirty rider with a point to prove. Can’t wait to read about the carnage on Monday.

patsie

If you want to change the limits for teams, you better get yourself on the board quickly. The candidate for president is a Foundation rider, so dont expect any changes next year.

Matthias Dry Lube

but dj coaching too. and endurance…basically all those that make you pay for the priv of racing for them. they just want your money, and you are definitely squirrely

Hugo Downtube

Why does everyone want to be Mark Purdyo Ifixbyx? There’s just only one Mark Purdyo Ifixbyx. It’s already hard enough being Mark Purdyo Ifixbyx. Now stop claiming that you are Mark Purdyo Ifixbyx, I am late for lunch already!

Real Man

Let’s get back to the Blake banter — and let me get this straight — some dude crashes in the B race because he rubs Blake’s wrist and then cries about it? Man up. If you were truly wronged, you should have challenged Blake to a post-race thumb wrestle, like any man would have done.

I bought Landis a beer last night

That is so Cat 5. Now post-race bike throwing – that is a much more suitable way to settle grievances for excitable Cat 4’s.

Tony Soprano

Mike Siggi exclaimed (!!!):
“I find it upsetting that John has been ran through the mud and forced to defend himself from an bunch of hack rookies that don’t know shit about racing. How can one with no skills be the judge? ”

Right. You and Blake aren’t hack rookies? You’re cat 4’s who do know shit about racing. You both have all the skills so you can be the judge.

mv

a friendly reminder that mengoni registration closes tomorrow at noon. there are still a few spots in the P/1/2 field and there is lots of room in the women’s field where the $2,400 prize pool goes 20 deep (with 24 riders currently registered the odds of being in the money are very good). there is also separate scoring and a prize pool for cat 4 women. bikereg: http://www.bikereg.com/events/register.asp?eventid=14222

Fake Blake

Will all the Foundation hating ever stop? Don’t be jealous b/c they always win — just get better and MAYBE you too can ride for them.

Noe Biopace

IMO there should only be a maximum of 6 riders per field in a team cup event. At one point this year we had 13-16 guys from NY Velocity in a C field with 20-25 guys max. Why not just divide everyone in the B field to either Foundation or Velocity? lame sauce…

Adam Rubber Hood

it’s one thing that bugs me about Kissena as well. Not that it is their fault, but looking at confirmed rider lists where they make up 25% of the field is dumb.

Tony Soprano

“Will all the Foundation hating ever stop? Don’t be jealous b/c they always win — just get better and MAYBE you too can ride for them.”
First, Foundation only wins in the Park.
Second, Everyone already rides for them. They have like 70 guys on their roster.
Third, If we stop hating Foundation, we’ll have to hate another Cat 4 team.

The Hoff

Hold the phone, didn’t Michael Knight work for the “Foundation?” Will K.I.T.T. be the pace car at the Mengoni Grand Prix?

Shmulck

Since we are all too good for park races, thus making the park not a real race venue cause all of us who race there suck. Let’s just stop racing there. Maybe if we race elsewhere we’ll all be better?

CAN YOU DIG IT?

P.S. (Sn)/(B)itches

Robot

Is 12 riders per team. If there are 75 racers in that field on a given day, there are potentially 24 Siggi’s and Foundation riders combined – btw, that never happens. Do you want the field to be smaller? Other teams need to do a better job organizing and signing up new racers to their rosters if they want numbers – or maybe just stop complaining about Foundation’s and Siggi’s numbers. Both teams (especially Siggi’s do a great job in getting new racers into the CRCA. I would guess that 20-25 % of the CRCA are graduates of the NYVC program. as for the C field, is NYVC the only team that make a concerted effort to put together a team in this field? How is introducing new racers to the sport a bad thing?

Tony Soprano

pretty sure both Siggi’s and Foundation had full squads last saturday. If they didn’t, that would be poor planning since the B-Cup was on the line. So please don’t say “btw, that never happens”. There were at least 10 Sid’s riders there too but no one complains about them because they’re nice guys without an attitude.

Twisted nipple

In last weekend’s B field race there were 13 Siggi’s in a field of around 70. I think that’s a bit much. Not only were there 4 or 5 on the front the entire time to reel in any breaks, there were another 4 or 5 at any time “blocking” at the front when called on. It made it difficult to move up and move within the field. The Park is not that wide – a dozen riders clogging the front is a real advantage. I think team tactics are great and the NY Velocity program is terrific, but I don’t feel that dominating a field with pure numbers is fair.

I suggest that Siggi’s establish two separate teams so that they can race everyone, without a white blanket draped all over the field.

Axel Seattube

Didn’t do the headcount so you are probably right, but it was very easy to move up, CP is not that tight of a course, pace was not that hard. It may have been discouraging to see a lot of White Jerseys up there, but attacks were easily launched. Yes, every attack had Siggis and Foundation stuck to it like packing peanuts, but that’s racing.

Bryan Cable

With a few exceptions, the park is not narrow. Most of it is at least two full car lanes wide and there is section that is three lanes wide. Even in the areas that are only two lanes wide, the pack usually on uses one lane because most want to draft. So if you have the legs, you can easily move up.

Twisted nipple

Bottom line – 13 guys from one team is ridiculous – split into two squads. A few years ago CRCA had a field limit of 9 per team – I vote to reinstate that rule.

Bryan Cable

stop whining here and speak to the board if you want to change the team limits. Better yet, why don’t you run for the board.

Tristan Internal Routing

I didn’t notice 13 Siggi’s riders. I usually count just to be able to lodge a nuisance protest. They got away with one this time!

I don’t see 12 as a problem and don’t ride for either of the power teams.

I like racing the park, I like guys that form teams to mix it up. I am a hobbiest not a pro.

Rumor monger

Rumor has it that, post-Mengoni, Blake is going to shave that nasty pubie-esque beard for charity to try to buy a new bike for the (na na na na na getting Siggi w/it) dude we wiped out last week . . . . .

Schiatuzzo Locknut

We all know the size and success of a CRCA cat 4 teams is directly linked to how good their kit looks.

Foundation – was terrible and had 4 racers total when they had the fish-scale kit. They couldn’t pay people to wear that kit it was so ugly. Once they switched to pinstripes their ranks swelled and their results improved.

Setanta – used to be good because they had some nice understated kit. Then they got those black monstrosities and they became irrelevant. How can you recruit with that kit?

FGX – showed some promise a few years ago with their tasteful white kit. Once they went with the completely unremarkable black kit they disappeared. Obviously designing a kit to make CJ look svelte did not work as intended.

Sids – Non existent with their drab gray kits but this seasons attractive orange kit at least makes you know they are at races.

NYVelocity – A good looking kit makes recruiting all the racerboy wantabees easier, so they have numbers.

Houlihan – Time for a refreshing of roster and kit, don’t you think?

Teany – Refuge for those aged out of the NYVelocity structure. Unbalanced kit thunder stolen by BH/Garneau – time to go back to the drawing board.

Adler – Time to go retro boys! Blue man group kits are a fail.

Schiatuzzo Locknut

Organic – You can understand why, but still, pure ugly. Other then Lance, team has done little since Gatens ate non-organic beef at team party and non-vegans were summarily removed from team.

Kissena – Nice basic looking kit allows them to attack a lot of riders but it is not something to aspire to.

BVF – Real sharp team prior to the Gorilla/Red kit conflation. Results in decline as a result.

Speedwell – Who? Enough said.

EMS – Easier to have more than 4 guys on the team when kit does not look like a broken kaliedoscope (former NY Sketches kit).

BH/Garnaeu – A team historically know for outlandish kit and a few good racers (in ML and Pacifico guise) is now prone to lengthy disappearances (think boring black side of kit, absence of results) with only an ocassional flourish (i.e., color side of kit – that foreign dude that won everything early last season), Schmaltz gastrointestinal issues aside.

Rapha – Need less focus on curating facial hair and more on racing.

Mengoni – Some would say a boring kit, but historially the white/blue/black (let’s try and forget the yellows and such of yesteryear) was like the knight in shining armor of the peloton. Lank of sponsorhip however and slippage to cat 2 team that can’t get a bike sponsor just makes them seem bland now.

Schiatuzzo Locknut

Wonder Wheel – You wonder why their only results are at remote venues without spectators (i.e., Floyd)? I don’t. Carnie’s want their kit back.

AXA/Stan’s – When Empire rolled out in their sharp black kits and matching red cervelo’s a few years ago that was as pro as NYC cycling has seen in a long time (probably since the Pineda’s and Mengoni). Results followed in the coming years, though Chodroff’s were drug aided. But now? Fake camo? Come on. Obvious sign of a team on the way out.

W.S. United – Who is on the team today? W.S. Divided more appopriate? What color kit are theu wearing? Different everyday. Other then the day glo varients the kit is sharp, but the absence of brotherly love . . .

Scotto’s – Food at Luzzo’s is better. So were the kits and results.

Gotham – Screams retail. Bring back Toga kits and return to relevance.

Gennaro’s – Genneric . . .

Asphalt – Lipstick on a pig. Everyone knows they are all tri guys and thus give them a 5 yard cushion in peloton.

Blue Ribbon – Once a beacon of style and performance but have gone semi-custom over the last few years and only semi-relevant.

Axis – Formerly a masters team to aspire to with compelling kit. The colors and results have faded over the past few years. Do they know you can order new kit (and recruit new riders) more than once a decade?

Champion System – Louder does not mean better.

FinCraft – Results equal to amount of but crack visible through white shorts. Thankfully white’s mothballed for cross. How is Roger doing?

Bandit/Affinity – Two teams that soared like Icarus with outlandish kits and results. Such blinding kits can be volatile, and thus, like Icarus, flew too close to the sun and perished.

Andre Leon Tally

Adler kit. Best in the CRCA. Asymmetrical Teany kit must have helped the legs because all of those old farts from NYVelocity all moved up to Cat 3 mid-season. There’s a lesson for Foundation somewhere there. Agreed about BVF. King Kong Kit klutzy. Speedwell? Worst kit since Footon.

meh

loving these kit reviews, despite the hate that my team’s kit received. FWIW I don’t think the red/gold Setanta kits look bad at all (not my team, for the record). Agree that’s way past time for HL/Sanchez to get a new design.

Schiatuzzo Locknut

Die Hard – Glad someone mentioned Sears. Like Sears they have one ace in a hole (craftsman/Ricky) but otherwise are a sea of mediocrity (think Amana). Addition of more checkerboard in this year an upgrade over empty white of past years.

Fouriclasse – Hello champion systems? What is your most visually unappealing color combo? Toss in a bland kit design and you get bland results. How many times has David Taylor come to the line shaking his head? Thought it was the puncture while in a break, but no, shame from his kit.

Leopard/Jordan – Horizontal stripes on someone as wide as DJ? Orange is the new black? Huge improvement over the red/gold harlequin ensemble of the prior year. Uptick in results as a result?

NYAC – Nice look for a crew team or polo team, not so much for a cycling team. Results evidence where priorities lie (hopefully for them on the water).

EnduranceWerx – Nice enough kit but coaching fees too high to attrack talent.

Echelon – Paulie . . .

Overstock – Big thumbs up for going against the grain with castelli; big thumps down by not even trying to design a kit, and not really showing up at races.

In response to some prior comments

– Adler was best kit but is trending down.
– EMS is not horrible, not great though. Props to the new UWS EMS though.
– Setanta’s “white” (i.e., white/black/purple/silver) look had great flow to the design. Deductions for going backwards in kit design.

KMA

“This world is bulls—, and you shouldn’t model your life about what you think that you think we think is cool, and what we’re wearing, and what we’re saying and everything. Go with yourself.”

Victor Wave Ring

You’re absolutely right. Blake showed everyone that he is in fact the sandbagger that everyone thought he was.

And now you can clearly see why no one but other guys like you from Foundation have any respect or give a shit about either him or Foundation.

It’s not only because of this. It’s also because every time there is any kind of drama it ALWAYS includes one of you jokers.

Someone flats and jumps back in and effects the race? A foundation guy.
Someone punches an official in the face? Hes at the race with the Foundation guys.
Someone gets a bike thrown at him? It’s Lisbon’s father from Foundation after squirting water in someone’s face.
A couple of guys blatantly sandbag the b field for the awards? Foundation guys.
Someone gets popped for PEDs. It’s a Foundation guy.
Someone gets caught at the boarder with a suitcase full of PEDs. He races for Foundation now.

Other teams have something here and there, but with you clowns the list just goes on and on. At some point everyone realized that these are not isolated cases. And that my friend is why no one has any kind of respect for you clowns whatsoever.

Luchino Tank

“How many times has David Taylor come to the line shaking his head?” is fantastic. and the answer: too many to count

crank shaft

Just because Blake was winning, does mean he could upgrade. He didnt have the points. As others pointed out here, he only upgraded from Cat 5 in June. CRCA races don’t count remember.

Hardly sandbagging.

The same people who say his skills are questionable also wanted him to upgrade the first day he could?

Maybe “too easy” McGarrity should have learned a few more skills before he upgraded, then maybe he wouldn’t have crashed out today…

Mael Seattube

Foundation & Velocity worked together and well to set a very positive example in the 4/5 field today after a big crash going down the swimming pool hill on the second lap. On all subsequent laps the descent was essentially neutralized which made it a much safer race for everyone.

Time to clear the hate.

Kobe Cable

Why not allow velocity and foundation to have 80 of the 100 B field slots! hahaha It is going down that road anyway! …pun intended

Adam Rubber Hood

adler and teany kits. like the bh kit. hate the asphalt green kit. all the rest are fairly boring.we need some new teams.

I bought Landis a beer last night

kit is boring beyond belief. It’s too bland to be called retro, it just looks like government issue kit. Die-Hard checkers? Save it for matching t-shirt wearing fat Nascar couples plodding along at the mall. Lokey-Sanchez has never changed their kit as long as I can remember- and it was terrible the first time.

I hate to say it Foundation, but Victor Wave Ring has got a few good points. The team need to hire a publicist, though I don’t know how you spin “my uncle punched a USA Cycling official in the face” to make the team look good.

And crank shaft, no one questioned Blake’s skills. He’s great at knocking people over on the bike. Someone please post that video!

Tony Soprano

Nice critique of local kits. But do you guys really think riders won’t join a team because their kit is ugly? I thought they joined because they wanted to race with their friends or, if they were assholes, because of what the team offered them (like Foundation’s bonuses for winning).

What I don’t understand is why people join the pay-to-play teams like Velocity, Dave Jordan, and Foundation’s 4’s.

Strong teams attract strong riders. Weak teams, attract weak riders, if any at all. Kit design is meaningless.

F---d L----s

Its all about kit design, which one makes you look less like a nube, like the cat4 powermeter guy that gets dropped or always crashes……Strong riders are stoopid to join an already strong team as then they just become someone else’s bitchestique…
some guys like taking it hard for their “sprinter”…
some guys like learning from of a good circle jerk…

Then there is Team “Kit”…
some guys ride in one kit but race for another, its called the mafia….and use and sell drugs as well, just stop by any of the shops they work at…thats why you will never see these “mafia guys” get on a pro team…until drugs go underground again…but pro teams race races that test often, as well as have the “passport” to worry about, not worth the risk anymore…

Adam Rubber Hood

and i can’t figure out why people join pay to play teams (kissena included, although at least there you get a discount on most races)

Tony Soprano

“Strong riders are stoopid to join an already strong team”

So strong riders should join weak teams? Really?
That works well in theory, like communism. In reality though, strong riders join strong teams, smart riders join smart teams. Morons should join your team.

Florian Ergopower

Houlihan Lokey is an investment bank, http://www.hl.com/ . Sanchez is a software company.

Why join pay to play teams, read their web site! I assume you can read. You pay, but you get something in return. Coaching is what you get when you join those teams. I’m not saying it is worth it, but that is why people join those teams.

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