June 2000 Race Reports
By Various Team Members
NY State Track Championships
Kurt and Gary raced, after a three-hour training ride that morning, and got good results in small but motivated fields. Kurt won the 35+ 3000 meter pursuit, with Gary second and George Suter of CRCA-Unions Square third.
Kurt and Gary were also first and second in the 35+ points race, with that event having all the fields combined and then picked (very well) by Gwen Bubb. Dave Jordan of Union Square won the race after he and Kurt lapped the field Bob Clifford was the 50+ winner of the points race and also won the 3000 meter pursuit. In the open pursuit, over 4000 meters Dave Jordan won from Greg Durovich.
New Britain Criterium
Paul did the Masters 35+, which was fast from the gun. Attacks were constant until a group of 6 got away with Excite, CCB, Richard Sachs and Arc En Ciel represented. Paulmanaged to sneak across the gap to join them. The group worked well together until about two laps of the 1 mile course were left. As the field approached Excite's John Funk attacked with Paul on his wheel. It looked like a good move but CCB chased very hard and brought it all together with about 1 k to go. Pat McNamara won (with his wife 11th) and Paul holding on to finish just in the money for 6th place.
1. Pat McNamara - Citius Altius-Ridgefield Bank, 2. Ed Richards - Missing Link, 3. Keith Ford - Sunapee/Mowatt, 4. Jimmy Veliskakis - CCB, 5. Tom Stevens - Mid State, 6. Paul Carbonara - Century-SBCG
Kissena Prospect Park
There was all kinds of action, but lots of fit riders combined with very pleasant weather and no wind meant nothing got away in the pro-1-2-3.. We had Gary and JT active but in the end it was a field sprint won by, surprise, surprise, Rosevart Martes of Toga. Ideal Tile riders Jonathan Erdelyi, Jason Schneider and Chris Young were second, third and fourth.
The masters were a little more animated, with Kurt getting away for three laps with Clarence Ballard of Somerset, Randy Willier of CRCA-Sony and Chris Gugliemo of Spin Gym. BUt in the end it was a field sprint, won by new Spin Gym rider Morgan Stebbins over two of this former teammates, Frankie Arroyo and Juan Pimental of Sony.
CRCA Club Race
They're very fit. They've got good tactics. And they've got the numbers. Dash.com-Renaissance dominated this points race, with Kevin Malloy and Kyoo Min particularly impressive. Leon Moser of Union Square was also very active. We're not sure of the final placings but these guys were up there. We had Walid getting close in some sprints, aided by Eugene and Lance, but all in all it was a "learning experience" for us.
The women had a points race too and while we're not sure of the winner it looked hard. And there were twenty-three competitors, which is a good turnout.
Floyd Bennett Tuesday
More chaos at Floyd, with the outcome of the race being affected by an Ideal Tile rider who helped chase the break despite being a lap down. That's not right. But the break -- which was away for seven of 12 laps, sort of made it, with Wilson Vasquez of Mengoni winning over Eugene. The field, led by Oscar Pineda, was right on them at the end and their companion, Chung Chiang of CRCA-Princeton Review (who Wilson later described as taking "really long, hard pulls") was swept up at the end.
Harlem Skyscraper Criterium
Harlem is a York City classic, and was true to form in some ways and different in others. One difference was that the races started pretty much on time. Also, there were few or no crashes in the 3-4.
Unfortunately there was a big crash on the last lap of the pro-1-2-3, with some bikes being destroyed. One guy simply laid it down in the first turn and took 15 people with him. Bonehead. There had been a lot of short-lived action in the race, which had a small but good field, but nothing stuck and the race was won by Jeffrey Hopkins of Australia over Shaklee's Graeme Miller and CRCA-Togo's Pollo Martes. We had Keith and Walid in the race, with Walid seeming to have a big cheering section on one side of the course.
The women's race was small but intense, with Joanne Kiesanowski winning over Tania Duff Miller and Elizabeth Vernal.
The masters was intense too, with a couple Mengoni riders, and lots of hot sprinters, plus Kurt from our team. The race was won by Peter Vollers (Galaxy) from a small break which also included Steve Roszko (Northampton CC), Mausa Abuethman (Cranford) and Scott Mercer (Mengoni -- who flatted at the end but held on for fourth). These guys could be players in the pro-1-2-3 and, indeed, Vollers was away with Graeme Miller for a while in the big race.
Besides being a safe race, the 3-4 was different than the past in that it was won by a breakaway, with David Osborne of Artemis winning over Aubrey Gordon of Team Squiggle and German Estrada of CRCA. Keith was out chasing the move for 3 laps at the end but didn't make it and got swallowed.
Housatonic Hills Road Race
A very nice promotion of the Zephyr Cycling Club, with good-sized fields in all the races, we had guys in the 1-2-3 and 30+. Eugene did the big race, and was in a little move at the start but not much else. A break went clear on the first big climb, with about ten guys including CRCA-Dash.com-Renaissance's Jason Priest. There was some reshuffling over the next three hours of hilly, rainy riding, and Bill Innes of Kissena won.
In the 30+ Steven Badger of CRCA-ReMax was impressive on the climbs, winning a Festina watch in the KOM. Paul sort of started the winning move at late in the first of two laps, drifting away with GMBC's John Dolzadelli and a woman from the national (or international) RLX Polo team. They were joined by Bill Yabroudy, who pulled went very clear with Dolzadelli, dropped him and came in alone. Simon Orr was got 6th at the end, while JT was in the race but not much a factor, being near blind in the rain and doing what Dash-Renaissance's Pat Dougherty described as a "Stevie Wonder imitation" 30 feet off the back on the descents.
We watched some other events too, and saw former team member Doug O'Neill (Cranford-Spin Gym) win the 40+ after a two-up break with Scott Wade of Gearworks. Todd Buckley of Arc-en-Ciel had gone clear earlier, but broke his chain (from pedaling too hard?)
Before the race a local rider was heard muttering about "too many strong CRCA women." Yeah baby, yeah! Nina Strika of CRCA-RLX Polo took the hard uphill sprint for second place in the women's 1-2-3; Paula McNamara of Ridgefield Bank won that race solo. Catherine Powers of CRCA-Dash.com was fifth and Beth Renaud of CRCA-WS & F, who admitted she should have checked out the finish earlier, eighth.
The women's 4 was decided by a four rider break with Stephanie Bleecher of CRCA-WS & F fourth, Aubin Sullivan of CRCA-Dash.com sixth and Nancy Morgenstern of CRCA-Psoas (a "non-climber") eighth or ninth.
Connecticut State Time Trial
Simon did this race and had the third fastest time of everyone, leading to lots of moaning and groaning on his part at Housatonic the next day. And in the women, Catherine Powers won by a minute from former team member Caryl Gale (Cranford-Spin Gym -- who was first master). Aubin Sullivan was third in the category 4s.
Kissena Prospect Park
A weird race in the pro-1-2-3, with JT sort of in the main "break." But really it was the field -- Charlie Issendorf (Breakaway) attacked at the gun, Walid joined him for awhile, then JT and ten guys crossed. Then another ten, and another, until there were 40 guys in front and maybe 30 behind. Up front there was a lot of fooling around, until Charlie went again, this time with Jonathan Erdeyli of Ideal Tile, who won (and got top ten in the Espoirs national championship road race the next day). There was lots of action in the last few laps, with JT in a bit but missing the two moves that went away and getting...16th...of 15 places.
Lessons from the race -- as if we didn't know after seeing it for 15 years -- when Charlie I goes, it is for real.
In the masters, Cranford-Spin Gym had the numbers but didn't play it quite right. They put four of five guys in the big break, from which their leader Manny Lopez went clear with Tom Cipolla and Paul. Cipolla won, Manny was second and Paul third.
CRCA Club Race and Women's Clinic
The Club race was cancelled due to problems getting the course set up in time. The women's clinic, organized by CRCA-Women's Sports & Fitness, went ahead with just under 30 participants, which was good.
Tour of High Bridge
Kurt did the 35+ in this hilly circuit race in New Jersey and won. There was a small but tough field, with four Spin Gym rider and six or seven from Libery Cycles. Kurt attacked on the second lap, was joined by Doug O'Neil (a founding member of out team before joining Spin Gym) and they finished a minute up on the field.
New England RR Championship
We had Gary and Eugene in the 120 mile 1-2-3 race. The race was decided with a break that went from the gun, including Sean Nealy and Bill Innes of Kissena and Mark Walter of Navigators. Inson Wood of CRCA-Keith Haring (in his team's new jersey) was in it too but we're not sure if he stuck to the end.
Eugene flatted out, while Gary finished in what might be called "the field." Jason Priest of CRCA-Dash.com-Renaissance was in a chase group of nine or ten guys, then left them and rode solo to the finish to take fifth.
Paul, Rick and JT did the 35+, with JT in a group of about six that was away for eight miles early. A bit after that group was caught the winning move went, with ten guys including three Arc-en-Ciels, Morgan Stebbins of CRCA-Sony, Enrique Cubillo of CRCA-Keith Haring and some others. Two of those guys crashed big time, and Randy Rusk of Arc-en-Ciel won. JT and Paul got away in a group of about six with 15 miles to go; JT popped while Paul came in 13th.
The various women's races had lots of action. In the 4s a group of about 8 got away, including CRCA-Dash.com's Aubin Sullivan and CRCA-Women's Sports & Fitness' Frances Harrison. That break caught the 1-2-3 and there was a bit of chaos. Eventually Aubin and a CCB rider went clear and finshed 8 minutes ahead of the rest with the CCB rider wining the sprint. Frances was fourth.
In the 1-2-3 a group of five went away, with CRCA-Dash.com's Catherine Powers taking her first win in a 1-2-3 over Lori Hewig of GMBC, Tara Parsons of CRCA-RLX Polo Sport and Audrey Augustin. New category 3 Beth Renaud of CRCA-Women's Sports & Fitness was dropped out of the move but held on for fifth.
It is interesting that although men outnumber women in CRCA by at least four to one, in terms of riders showing the enterprise to travel to races out of town the sex ratio is about even.
New Jersey Time Trial
Gary did the 40K 35+ event and broke the hour. The course was flat and conditions were windy and slow.
Tour of the Hilltowns
Adam Hodges Myerson put together a great event on this hilly 55 mile course, including a long, steep climb near the finish. We had guys in a bunch of races. Eugene did the pro-1-2, which was decided with a six-man break that went at the gun. Robbie Dapice of Wheelworks won over GMBC's Nat Hammond, with CRCA-Dash.com-Renaissance's Kevin Malloy third followed by Doug Gowen of CRCA-Breakaway and Ian Stuart of CRCA-Hot Tubes.
The 35+ was decided in similar manner, with a group of six including two GMBC and CRCA-Keith Haring's Enrqiue Cubillo going clear in two surges in the first few miles. We -- with Kurt, Paul and JT -- tried to get a bridge going with consistent attacks for over 10 miles, but GMBC shut everything down. Eventually Kurt got away with John McKone of GMBC and the two of them stayed clear of the field but behind the break for the last 30 miles. Randy Rusk of Arc-en-Ciel won and Kurt was eigth.
In the 3/4 our guys -- tired after the 75 mile ESGQ the day before, sat in much of the beginning of the race. Then a break went with about 22 miles to go, and as all the otherattempts had been unsuccessful, we didn't respond in time.
Simon attacked at the feed zone with the Berkshire guys to try to bring the break back, and then. Rick and Keith also were active, with Rick in particular climbing very well. But we didn't get back to the front.
Women from the CRCA did well, with Beth Renaud (Women's Sports & Fitness), Aubin Sullivan (Dash.com-Renaissance) and Stephanie Bleecher (Ws&F) in second, third and fourth in the 4s. Aimee Vasse of Williams College won by getting away on the last climb.
In the 1-2-3, the breakaway companions from the previous day placed -- Catherine Powers (Dash.com-Renaissance) was third and Ann Marie Miller (WS&F) sixth.
Empire State Games Qualifier
We rode well in this 75 mile race for New York City residents to qualify for the Empire State Games, and the race was more agressive than the result -- a solo winner and field sprint for second -- would suggest.
Tim was in the first big, good move, getting away in a group of about six which included Leon Moser of CRCA-Union Square, Scott Willingham of CRCA-Asphalt Green and others. They were away for several laps at which point Bill Innes (Kissena) bridged, seemingly effortlessly except for all the guys blowing off wheel. His injection of speed kept the group out several more laps.
After that there was all kinds of actions, with lots of attacking usually with our guys in it. But unfortunately a few strong guys in the field (especially a lone Spin Gym rider) seemed to never attack themselves but always responded by dragging the field back.
With about five or six laps to go Kurt rode away with Dave Sommerville (Kissena-Sock Guy) and Jose Collado (CRCA-Sony). They ground out a decent lead and we thought they were going to make it. However, they were caught on the last lap, with Donny Lopez (Wheelworks) zooming away alone to win. Simon was sixth and made the team, Eugene was in the low teens and likely to go, and Tim may make it also. We'll see.
Ann Marie Miller (CRCA-Women's Sports & Fitness) won long break with Catherine Powers (CRCA-Dash.com-Renaissance) who was still muttering about how hard they went hours after the race. Take a look at these race reports by two colleagues at the Kissena Developmental Team and CRCA-ReMax sites
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