Comments on: 2007 Fitchburg-Longsjo Race Report - Stage 3 Road Race http://cyclocosm.com/2007/06/2007-fitchburg-longsjo-race-report-stage-3-road-race/ Pro Cycling News, Commentary and Special Features Fri, 05 Dec 2008 03:14:31 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.1 By: C http://cyclocosm.com/2007/06/2007-fitchburg-longsjo-race-report-stage-3-road-race/#comment-1730 C Sun, 01 Jul 2007 11:44:07 +0000 http://cyclocosm.com/2007/06/2007-fitchburg-longsjo-race-report-stage-3-road-race/#comment-1730 Sir, You have complained about slow fields for the past 2 weeks. It's time to put up or shut up. If the race is slow, do something about it. For your stellar GC placing and losing 1:40 in less than 2 miles, for you to place you must take a chance. No wonder the Masters always catch the Cat 3 fields, as people are afraid of racing. Oh and despite the short stage for the RR, try it in the traditional 98 degree oven that it usually happens in, and then complain about it being short. Again I say it's not the length of the organ but how you use it. Sir,
You have complained about slow fields for the past 2 weeks. It’s time to put up or shut up. If the race is slow, do something about it. For your stellar GC placing and losing 1:40 in less than 2 miles, for you to place you must take a chance. No wonder the Masters always catch the Cat 3 fields, as people are afraid of racing.
Oh and despite the short stage for the RR, try it in the traditional 98 degree oven that it usually happens in, and then complain about it being short. Again I say it’s not the length of the organ but how you use it.

]]> By: cosmo http://cyclocosm.com/2007/06/2007-fitchburg-longsjo-race-report-stage-3-road-race/#comment-1732 cosmo Sun, 01 Jul 2007 14:38:26 +0000 http://cyclocosm.com/2007/06/2007-fitchburg-longsjo-race-report-stage-3-road-race/#comment-1732 It's not a slow field that I've complained about. Read the <a href="http://cyclocosm.com/2007/06/lake-auburn-road-race-report/" rel="nofollow">Lake Auburn</a> report if you want to see how I respond when the field is slow. My beef is with the selectivity of race courses at the length my field races them at. For example, you'd need way more watts than I'm ever going to have to get clear from a field of 125 in an hour on the Cox crit course. And I think that if you're going to have a selective, mountaintop finish in a stage race, the time gaps ought not to be shorter than those opened in the 20-minute TT. I'll agree the Men's 3 fields are afraid of racing from time to time, but our pack yesterday had a solid breakaway and a decently hard chase, so it wasn't like we were sitting up and yelling at each other for not pulling. As for the 98 degree oven, sometimes bike races are hot. I've done Fitchburg in warmer weather, and I've done races that are <a href="http://cyclocosm.com/2005/08/salida-road-race-report/" rel="nofollow">hotter</a> than Fitchburg will ever get. There's plenty of neutral water support, and if the organizers don't seem to think the distance will kill the Cat 2, Pro/1, or Women/1/2 fields, I can't imagine why they'd be worried about killing us, either. It’s not a slow field that I’ve complained about. Read the Lake Auburn report if you want to see how I respond when the field is slow. My beef is with the selectivity of race courses at the length my field races them at.

For example, you’d need way more watts than I’m ever going to have to get clear from a field of 125 in an hour on the Cox crit course. And I think that if you’re going to have a selective, mountaintop finish in a stage race, the time gaps ought not to be shorter than those opened in the 20-minute TT.

I’ll agree the Men’s 3 fields are afraid of racing from time to time, but our pack yesterday had a solid breakaway and a decently hard chase, so it wasn’t like we were sitting up and yelling at each other for not pulling.

As for the 98 degree oven, sometimes bike races are hot. I’ve done Fitchburg in warmer weather, and I’ve done races that are hotter than Fitchburg will ever get. There’s plenty of neutral water support, and if the organizers don’t seem to think the distance will kill the Cat 2, Pro/1, or Women/1/2 fields, I can’t imagine why they’d be worried about killing us, either.

]]> By: Innocent by stander http://cyclocosm.com/2007/06/2007-fitchburg-longsjo-race-report-stage-3-road-race/#comment-1771 Innocent by stander Tue, 03 Jul 2007 23:28:53 +0000 http://cyclocosm.com/2007/06/2007-fitchburg-longsjo-race-report-stage-3-road-race/#comment-1771 When considering the length of races, you must remember that 3's and 4's have always been the cash cow. And you're going to show up, because Fitch is the only game in town. You talk about cadence and watts, put all that away, ride your bike, and make sure that you put in those epic days that make you an athlete. Beer won't do it. If you're racing your bike, then there shouldn't be any excuses. Excuses are like &*@holes, everybody’s got one, but no body wants to hear about it. ride fast, and take risks, these are things to write about. When considering the length of races, you must remember that 3’s and 4’s have always been the cash cow. And you’re going to show up, because Fitch is the only game in town. You talk about cadence and watts, put all that away, ride your bike, and make sure that you put in those epic days that make you an athlete. Beer won’t do it. If you’re racing your bike, then there shouldn’t be any excuses. Excuses are like &*@holes, everybody’s got one, but no body wants to hear about it. ride fast, and take risks, these are things to write about.

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