CRCA News July 2004 – Volume 16, Number 7 Liggett/Sherwen Young Americans in Ireland: Sakonnet Getting Keen Technology at the 2004 FBD Milk Rás By David Wagener By Andy Guptill Hincapie has spent the better part of We arrived in Dublin to blue skies teams. After rolling out of town at a 15 years guarding the secret to his which, after the horror stories we had walking pace, the field stopped again success at the head of the interna- heard of rain in previous years, we for the official start. We didn’t know tional peleton: River Road. Lured by were hoping would hold for our what to expect and were hoping that offers from Saeco and Fassa Bortolo, entire stay. the race would stay together and end he stayed true, understanding the Once we arrived at the hotel, we in a field sprint, giving us some time warning signs of a pan-European con- built our bikes and headed out for a to get our legs. Wishful thinking. The spiracy to uncover the hidden ride, on the left side of the road. This second the flag dropped, it felt like charms of our very own 1.2 mile sce- took some getting used to, but we an 82-mile sprint with what we would nic climb. So when T-Mobile and learned pretty and spent the first two come to call “rapid-fire attacking.” Rabobank included it in their 2004 days spinning around Dublin and get- Poor Greg flatted just before the Tour de France preparation, the local ting our hot new Fuji Team Super race’s first big climb and had a slow cogniscenti querried, “Who Lights dialed in while trying to recov- wheel change. By the time he was snitched?” None other than the er from jet lag. back on his bike, the entire cavalcade mouthpiece of all things important: The flattish first stage began in of cars had passed but he worked his Phil Liggett and Paul Sherwen. the center of Dublin with a little ass off to finish well within the time [continues page 3] parade where everyone lined up by [continues page 2] Phil Liggett and Paul Sherwen near River Road sporting Transportation Alternatives (TA) t-shirts. TA played a key role in getting River Road open for cyclists and is an impor- tant force for better bicycling, walk- ing and public transit. For more information or to join TA, visit www.transalt.org. (Paul White Greg Abrahamson in action at the Milk Rás. photo) [Sakonnet at Milk Rás, continued] CRCA Board Play Fair: A Boo/ Yea Story cut and race another day. The rest of President (Acting) us finished in the main bunch. Mark Siega · [email protected] By John Tomlinson Stage 2 was disappointing – some- VP of Rider Development Mark Siega The last three time trials have each where in the midst of the rapid-fire [email protected] had some behind-the-scenes contro- attacking, a group of 67 guys got off VP of Racing versy, with members sending accusa- the front. Don’t ask me where we Eugene Boronow 718.454.4276 · [email protected] tions of cheating to the CRCA board. were – by the time we knew, it was We’ve had accusations of rules-break- too late. So by the end of this 106- Treasurer Rebecca Koh ing in some mass start races too. I mile day, were had lost almost 6 min- [email protected] don’t know if every instance of cheat- utes and were well down in the team Secretary ing was real, but “boo” on cheaters. classification. Needless to say our Phil Simpson 212.397.7317 – Fax 212.956.2164 · “Yea” for the members who spotted Directeur Sportif (Basil [email protected] this stuff. And “yea” for helping the Moutsopoulos) was far from happy. Director of Open Racing club try to put on fairer races – it’s In Stage 3 we all finished in the Adam Handler [email protected] good that members told the board main field and did OK in the sprint about what they’ve seen. which helped our team placing. The Director of Teams Marc Mauceri But it’s unfortunate that some- big news this day was our team’s 212.749.2685 · [email protected] times members wait till after leaving inability to feed from the team car. It Communications Director the park to make complaints that started with Chris and Lee heading John Tomlinson 212 362-1608 · [email protected] makes it much more difficult to back to feed. I was hanging out Marshal Director determine who is right and who is towards the back so Chris told Lee to Rob Stern wrong. It’s hard enough in the park stay in the field and we would drop [email protected] right after the race, but at least then back and feed. If anything, we were Director of Public Relations Ferdie Scharf it’s sometimes possible to rustle up being cocky about our feeding abili- [email protected] other witnesses or hear from the ties since we had picked up the “hold Membership Director accused person’s own mouth what the bottle and get a free ride” trick Ted Neu happened. After the fact it’s way, way early on. I grabbed a few bottles and [email protected] harder. And uses up a lot of extra moved over to let Chris grab a few 2 Century Road Club Association Box 20412, Greeley Square Station time for the board. from our mechanic James in the back New York, NY 10001-9992 If you spot anything amiss in a seat. www.crca.net club race, please tell the race director Next thing you know, here comes right away. That’s the person that Lee dropping back towards us, forc- About This Newsletter gives you instructions at the start of ing Chris to slam on his brakes. Century is published monthly by the the race – usually Alex Rodriguez. (At Apparently Lee hadn’t heard us ask Century Road Club Association (CRCA), an open race the person to talk to is him to stay in the field. So now there a nonprofit competitive cycling organi- zation in New York City. Opinions a USCF official). If you don’t see the are three of us among the cars get- expressed herein do not necessarily race director, please tell a board ting fed when over the radio we hear reflect the policies of CRCA. member or ask around to find the Rob yelling, “Greg flatted! Greg flat- Submission of material (except display advertising and photos) should be made RD. Do it right away – not away from ted!” So between the “feeding", the via email [email protected]. Contact the race by email. And if the issue in that email address for instructions on submission of photos and display ads. question is minor or merely question- Deadline for each issue is the 15th of able, consider just talking to the per- the preceding month. son you think is cheating or not play- We cannot guarantee the publication of everything received. Submissions are ing fair. subject to change under editorial Frankly, our club doesn’t have the review. capacity to perfectly control races, Display Advertising Rates for camera but with more of an attitude of fair ready copy are: 4.83 x 3.5 $50; 7.5 x 5 $90, 7.5 x 10 $150. play by members, and more effort of Material in this newsletter is copyright members to become actively involved © 2004 Century Road Club Association in keeping races fair and safe, we can and/or the authors/photographers. do better. Yea for that. Soigneur Danielle Flores helps Lee Rosenthal get ready. [Liggett/Sherwen Getting Keen, continued] flatting and Rob helping Greg, the Cutting short their post-race day for so long, winning the British entire team was at the very back of Giro interviews (at OLN’s remote stu- National Road Championship twice in the field swerving around like dios in Stamford, Connecticut), the the late ‘80s, that you’d think he drunks. Everything ended up fine, pair was rumored to be battling it out would retire to his very own Uganda but it was a little embarrassing and from the Boat Basin. We caught up gold mine, where his family resides. another topic of conversation at the with them on an always-glorious But he old-schools the old-school team meeting that night. Friday afternoon in May, and two boys, traveling the Empire with the Stage 4 was the first real “moun- facts became evident: First, Liggett same bike he road in the 1985 Tour tain day” with six category three still has the ability to tap out the de France. No brake/shifters here. climbs, two category two and one rhythm, an eight year Continental rac- So what do you know when you category one. The kicker was that it ing career in evidence. Second, spend 2/3 of every year (Liggett) fol- was 115 miles long, with the big Sherwen, a seven-time TdF veteran, lowing races, or 1/3 of your time climbs in the last 15 miles. doesn’t like getting gapped by his (Sherwen) translating Liverpudian Early in the race Chris got in a broadcast mate. vocabulary? You know that Jan is still break that put minutes on the pelo- Liggett allowed that this wasn’t the in a bit of bother. That it’s Lance’s to ton. This got our team some much first time that he delayed an article, loose. That Tyler has the heart of a need publicity on the internet and and in fact by mid-May had slipped lion.