Northeast Racing
05-23-16, 05:47 PM
#3251
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05-23-16, 06:28 PM
#3252
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05-23-16, 07:21 PM
#3253
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You go down a steep descent at like 50mph and there's a 90* right at the bottom. It's really not sketchy, though I did see a couple of crashes there last year. I guess guys overcook and wash out, but it tends to be single file there so they slide out of the way.
he explained the issue with the sprint in a way that made perfect sense. basically:
* we all know it is a high-speed and 'dangerous' sprint (meaning there are crashes every year).
* given that, a bunch of riders go into the race saying they'll just cruise in for same time to stay out of trouble.
* after that final turn, it's downhill/fast to the finish. everyone recovers from the hard efforts of the race.
* now that everyone is feeling great, many of the guys who swore they wouldn't contest the sprint feel like they'll give it a shot. what the hell?
* maybe this is compounded in the p12 field, but guys may get an upgrade point for 9th vs 10th place.
* now, guys who have no business sprinting at 50mph and rubbing elbows find themselves in that very situation.
* guys are slowing down, others are jumping around them at 50, but then hitting the wind and slowing, etc.
seems like the real key is if one is NOT a true sprinter, you should stick to your guns and forget any great/recovered feelings you get in the final, fast, downhill kilometers. *that* is the real issue.
@tetonrider
To expand on this: you do the KOM, which immediately gives way to a feed zone. You take a left out of the feed, a right, and are on a downhill. There is then a 90 degree turn to the right that is indeed fast, but even when I did the race in the 3s there was never anything to worry about. In the wet you might want to be careful but it is nothing that worried me in any year I have done this.
Show-up and partay. Let us create a break of BFers, and ride off into the sunset so we may merrily eat pancakes.
To expand on this: you do the KOM, which immediately gives way to a feed zone. You take a left out of the feed, a right, and are on a downhill. There is then a 90 degree turn to the right that is indeed fast, but even when I did the race in the 3s there was never anything to worry about. In the wet you might want to be careful but it is nothing that worried me in any year I have done this.
Show-up and partay. Let us create a break of BFers, and ride off into the sunset so we may merrily eat pancakes.
i'm leaning toward going (i.e. i booked a hotel room; refundable), but i'll wait until after my RR here to make a decision. weather looks warm for the weekend, but maybe some rain saturday afternoon and/or monday.
i've been known to ride in some breaks, but a quick glance at the reg list makes me wonder how controlled/shut down this race might be.
what's the lodging situation, @Mike686y and @dz_nuzz? @shovelhd, you staying at killington or rutland? room is booked in rutland right now.
would prefer to have a VRBO or something, to cook, but doesn't look like that is going to happen.
05-23-16, 07:30 PM
#3255
Senior Member
Regarding the danger and whatever: the road book specifically says, multiple times, that the officials will be very generous in calculating the size of the front group, to discourage riders who really shouldn't be mixing it up in a 50mph sprint to hang back. I haven't done KSR but I'm 124 lbs and I guess I sprint okay at that weight, but this sort of thing isn't really my wheelhouse. If I have good legs, I'll sprint for KOM points but definitely not downhill at 50 mph. I don't even care if I lose time, I have zero chance at GC. In the unlikely event that I have the legs to compete for something, it'll be the KOM (LOL).
05-23-16, 08:58 PM
#3257
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Housing is being provided for me but I have no idea what or where it is. For all I know it could be a chicken coop in some farmers back yard.
05-23-16, 09:49 PM
#3259
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Regarding the danger and whatever: the road book specifically says, multiple times, that the officials will be very generous in calculating the size of the front group, to discourage riders who really shouldn't be mixing it up in a 50mph sprint to hang back. I haven't done KSR but I'm 124 lbs and I guess I sprint okay at that weight, but this sort of thing isn't really my wheelhouse. If I have good legs, I'll sprint for KOM points but definitely not downhill at 50 mph. I don't even care if I lose time, I have zero chance at GC. In the unlikely event that I have the legs to compete for something, it'll be the KOM (LOL).
if you can have the discipline that you described (i think i can), then it's NBD.
05-24-16, 04:41 AM
#3260
Rides too much bike
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Regarding the danger and whatever: the road book specifically says, multiple times, that the officials will be very generous in calculating the size of the front group, to discourage riders who really shouldn't be mixing it up in a 50mph sprint to hang back. I haven't done KSR but I'm 124 lbs and I guess I sprint okay at that weight, but this sort of thing isn't really my wheelhouse. If I have good legs, I'll sprint for KOM points but definitely not downhill at 50 mph. I don't even care if I lose time, I have zero chance at GC. In the unlikely event that I have the legs to compete for something, it'll be the KOM (LOL).
05-24-16, 05:23 AM
#3262
Tyrannosaurus Rexitis
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We have a B&B booked in Killington for $110 a night. Guy said he'll make whatever we want as early as we want it. You guys are all in the p12 or 3 right?
Also, the weather forecast better improve.
Also, the weather forecast better improve.
Last edited by Harlan; 05-24-16 at 06:23 AM.
05-24-16, 06:33 AM
#3263
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I will admit to being a little nervous about the thunderstorms that are forecasted. Then again bad weather favors a break I guess?
05-24-16, 06:40 AM
#3264
Senior Member
05-24-16, 07:22 AM
#3265
Senior Member
i was hanging out at the back last year when there was a massive crash in the 3s and i think that experience validated my decision to not contest that sprint ever. i'm sure winning is nice and stuff but so is being alive and my main focus of the whole race is stage 2 anyway. hell, i'd almost prefer it as a 1 day race.
05-24-16, 07:31 AM
#3266
Nonsense
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Yurp... I was in process of moving back to get out of the fracas and went sailing into that one. Luckily other dudes broke my fall, but there was noticeable air hangtime 
So I guess this year I'll be at the back with 3k to go instead of 1k to go.
So I guess this year I'll be at the back with 3k to go instead of 1k to go.
05-24-16, 08:48 AM
#3267
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Battenkill is an awesome race, and even though I did not do as well as I was hoping, I had a super fun time! We need more categorized road races with some gravel and dirt thrown in to the mix.
Dieter, thank you for a great race this weekend and please reconsider dropping the pro/am format going forward!
Dieter, thank you for a great race this weekend and please reconsider dropping the pro/am format going forward!
05-24-16, 10:19 AM
#3268
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i was hanging out at the back last year when there was a massive crash in the 3s and i think that experience validated my decision to not contest that sprint ever. i'm sure winning is nice and stuff but so is being alive and my main focus of the whole race is stage 2 anyway. hell, i'd almost prefer it as a 1 day race.
05-24-16, 10:21 AM
#3269
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05-24-16, 10:28 AM
#3270
out walking the earth
05-24-16, 11:09 AM
#3273
out walking the earth
idk. We have a different tolerance for these things. It seems unlikely that rain will impact the race, based on the forecasts I've looked at, but I'd have pulled the plug at 6am and trained already anyway. I can't plan my schedule around weekday maybes.