Where to begin?... Saturday was a disaster for me on many levels- mostly performance related. I signed up for the 35+ and the 1-2-3.. Had the camera program all figured out, or so I thought.. When I returned to my car from registration and started looking for the 2 gig SD card which I was sure I had thrown in my bag.. my skin crawled. Nowhere to be found... No worries, I have a 1/4 meg SD card in my digital camera.. or do I?? Nope. SO, Murat suits up and unclips the camera from his bike.. cursing under his breath all the way to the start line. grrrrr. The best laid plans.. ruined. This no doubt weighed heavy on my mind for the whole entire 9 minutes which I raced in the 35+.. Well, no it wasn't only that.. There was also some weird tactics which our hosts subjected us to on the second lap... Three of them decide they want to split the field and SIT UP going into the hard left turn.. WTF?.. Whatever.. this may be the last Rick Newhouse or Arc en Ciel crit I ever do.. So what happened in the next 3 minutes after this maneuver pretty much sealed my fate in the 35+. When the Arc riders sat-up for whatever reason, Skip Foley, and others and myself went around the outside of the next corner and started really working it towards the front half of the field, which by now had opened up a 25 meter gap on us. Skip connected in no time, but myself and the others were popping veins in our heads trying to bridge. Once my fuse was lit, the implosion was inevitable and with my head now out of the game, it wasn't long before I ended up just riding to the car. So my premature ejection from the 35+ meant I could salvage the day's true mission: to capture video from within the pack.. Wife agrees to grab the SD card and meet me 1/2 way (sort of). I met her at the Wendy's in Coventry (exit 7), got the card and doubled back in time for the 1-2-3 start at 1:15.. Mounted the camera (with SD card and new lithium batteries in it) and took start with no trouble at all. Thankfully, everything worked out as planned from here on out. The melt-down of the 35+ was still fresh in my mind though, and it had a limiting effect on the psyche.. Having the camera on me though, gave some much needed motivation to stick it out with these speedsters, for as long as possible. My goal was to fill up the camera, which I pretty much did, capturing 28 minutes of non-stop footage in rear view mode.. After that though.. I felt much better about my form.. stopped beating myself up about the 35+ race, forgave myself for falling victim to a dumb prank, and coasted back to my car before the race ended. Eleven guys had rolled off the front anyways.. leaving about 25 of us with table scraps (beer primes? what a terrible idea, sorry) Field got lapped anyway.. and my mission was accomplished.. With some quality rest and fine tuning I know that I can hold my own in a 1-2-3 race no problem. The real prize of the weekend is the 26 minute video I put together, complete with some decent background music.. By the way, Gary Aspnes won the cat 4 race and Gavin Manion won the cat 3 race.. or vice versa, not sure. (I know Gary because he almost caught me at the Bob Beal TT last year.. and Gavin.. the kid needs no introduction) I salute them both..
Video coming up!
America's #1 Balance Bike Destination
America's #1 Balance Bike Destination
12 comments:
Dearest Murat-
The arc-en-ciel rider who sat up actually rolled his tire off his rim and was able to stay upright and not take out the field.
Your chosen diatribe is extremely offensive to my team and dishonors my team and your team.
You should be ashamed. I already had a questionable opinion of you but now it is sealed and I am very happy you are not on our team.
Nice video.
Murat - a team that chooses not to chase down its own teammates is in fact a real team. I might suggest you read up on team tactics.
If they sat up, then you should have gone around them to give chase.
"The arc-en-ciel rider who sat up actually rolled his tire off his rim and was able to stay upright and not take out the field."
That's all fine and dandy.. But how do you explain the same BS happening again in the 1-2-3 race?
How do you explain one of your own expressing his distaste in the deliberate "maneuver"? Is he not aware that someone rolled a tire? because neither was I..
There's a difference between blocking and sitting up to split the field. One is a race tactic, one is a childish and even hazardous stunt.
An anonymous person's opinion of me means absolutely nothing. Besides, before this event, I have done nothing to personally insult or attack or offend any ArcenCiel rider, whatsoever. Nothing.
I beg to differ. I've read some of your other bitterness about being pulled from the Arc mailing lists. You've whacked the proverbial hornets nest with Arc.
I don't think you'll see any uncivilized behavior, but don't expect any smiles or gestures of good will from the Arc team.
I saw your follow-up email. Well said. Peace. No hard feelings.
Hey Borat or whatever your name is,
Are you fucking kidding me with this shit? You're an idiot!!! Let me enlighten you. New England Cyclists are a tight family. We look out for our own. You are NOT part of this family. I have nothing but good things to say about the entire Arc En Ciel Team. Several of the members are absolute legends of New England cycling. They've been winning races for over 20 years. These guys do 5 hour rides in 20 degree weather all winter. I bet you do 30 miles or so and then call your wife to come pick you up, and drive you home. More importantly they are almost all good friends of mine and I have no problem standing up for my friends. Did you seriously think this shit wouldn't circulate through New England like wild fire? You raced for 9 minutes and then QUIT because you couldn't close a 25 meter gap. What a pussy! How is it, that it took you three minutes to respond which was also the next corner, according to your "hate blog", when the entire lap at Ninigrit is 2 minutes? You name drop Skip, like you're in his category, and then get dropped like a fart in a hurricane when he decides to burn a watt or two. Then you quit and lash out at home in the safety of your own home, on your foolish blog. It's bike racing you moron, shit happens and gaps open. It might be a crash or a loose water bottle or someone's tactics. Or some good bikehandler might roll a tire and save you from a broken collarbone by handling his bike well. At any rate, if you have an issue with someone....be a fucking man about it and go talk to him there and then. Or yell at him in the race. Whatever....anything is better than this cowardly bullshit. This club goes out of their way to promote a great event and all you can do is spew hatred on your foolish web page? Do you think you're a bike racer for having pictures of yourself in a jersey on your web page? You quit 2 races in 1 day......fucking pathetic....your web page should have unicorns and rainbows on it, mayb e some flowers. Nice video too. I always wanted to see what it looks like to get dropped at Ninigrit. Next time strap a big dildoe on your bike, you can ride around with that up your ass.....right next to your head! Look it was a windy day and strong riders love that shit, because they know cling ons are gonna get dropped fast. (for description of cling on....look in mirror). I think it's fairly obvious that you pissed me off, and I only chose to respond this way because thats the road you went down. If you would like to respond to me...I look forward to it. My name is Jonny Bold. I'm the big bastard in the Corner Cycle Jersey that will kick your ass in any sport you can imagine........ANY ! Come say hi.
Maybe I'll see you in NH this weekend......Oh wait, that has hills so you won't be there. Maybe Myles Standish on Sunday..........Oh wait, that has a bumpy road......not good for limp wrists. Maybe I'll see you at Ninigrit......pancake flat, smooth roads......Oh wait, you're not welcome there. Just as well, maybe you should just go away, because you've just blackballed yourself in New England anyway. So long chump!!!
"I saw your follow-up email. Well said. Peace. No hard feelings."
Thanks. Needless to say, if I had gotten a good result or even finished, I most definitely wouldn't have been so critical. Bygones.
"Hey Borat or whatever your name is.."
No doubt many years were spent stock-piling all of those one-liners, ready to unleash in one fell swoop at the perfect opportunity. You are clearly bankrupt of anything more to say, having used up all of your proverbial poison darts. It's too bad that someone such as yourself, with all the respect of New England (presumed), with all the results to back it up (also presumed) and with all the intelligence, class and grace of one who holds such distinctions, would launch such a disgusting personal attack against someone who you know nothing about. If anyone is "blackballed" here, it is you. Your words speak volumes about what you stand for, and will be here for eternity, probably near the top of the results you find when you Google your own good name. If you beam with pride for shitting all over me, then I pity you, sincerely.
Jonny Bold is THE MAN!
Johny Bold is totally fuggin awesome!!!
What a cool dude.
I wish I was strong enough to help him win!
Mr. Murat I read your race report and was quite angered by it. When I read the comments at the end I stood up and cheered for Jonny Bold! Just like he races, he shot from the hip and told it like it is. He or I for that matter may not know you previously, but you showed enough of your thoughtless self to draw an inspired reaction from one of New Englands finest, most revered racers. I agree with him whole heartedly and also appreciate his hard lined humorous way he "let you have it". You deserved every bit of it. I know Jon and no one tries harder. I can only imagine how sickened he was listening to you bash his friends and also non-shalantly tell us all how you quit two races. Of course he doesn't respect you.....you haven't done a single thing to deserve any. Congratulations, you have angered some of the best bike racers we have who also happen to be great people. But if you cross them which you did, don't expect to see that side of their personalities. They are winners because of thier detemination and killer instinct. Quitting and crying isn't gonna cut it in their world. They're giants in this area and you are less than nobody. Follow Jon's advice and just go away!
"Follow Jon's advice and just go away!"
Dear Mr. Anonymous,
Last I checked, this is my blog, and you are a guest here. Please stop humiliating yourself. It's embarrassing to us both..
Hitching your wagon to such a hate filled judgment of me is not something I recommend, but that's your burden to bear. Take note that visitors here can range from children to adult, family members to current sponsors. Endorsing such obcene and malicious insults does not set a very good example for younger readers, but then again doing it anonymously takes no courage whatsoever. You can't be hung by your own words if no one knows who you are..
If you read my report fully and understand it, you'd realize that my only true goal for this past weekend was to record video footage and share it with everybody, for their enjoyment. I was upset that I forgot some equipment and my head wasn't really into the 35+ race. I used the 1-2-3 race to complete my mission, and I succeeded, and I ended my race intentionally.
Do you dismiss, condemn and belittle everyone who has ever quit a race? I doubt it.
Using my "cling-on" abilities, I managed to finish the Chris Hinds race at 20th the weekend before. Do you dismiss me and everyone who crossed the line behind me? Would I be "revered" if I finished 16th?
Get this straight: I do not race or train to impress YOU. I do not need your permission or approval to take start in any event. I do not require myself to finish every event which I attempt to compete in. I also do not participate in circle jerks where everyone is engorged with the thought of gang banging and putting down a fellow bicyclist, in order to erase their own deficiencies and achieve a false sense of worth. I'll leave that hobby for you to master.
Please do not take this personally... I am replying to your anonymity, not to a real person. I am replying only to words.
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