CycleLoft and Co Comment on the “Transition” at NEV

I sort of thought that this was more a PR sheet than an explanation, but perhaps you will read it and disagree.

If you take the time to follow the link, I encourage you to leave a comment. I did.

Tony Eberhardt Looses the Velodrome which Brings RMM Out of Hibernation

I’ve been busy. I barely have time to train, let alone blog about bicycling and training. Furthermore, I have made a little resolution to stay out of dramas for a while.

But recent events at the New England Velodrome tempt me out of my hibernation and cause me to comment on an unfolding drama.

As most of you know, the NEV has been lovingly developed by Tony Eberhardt over the last 5 seasons. Tony has poured his infectious enthusiasm into bringing track racing to Londonderry, NH; rallying volunteers and sponsors into transforming a humble go cart track into a venue for seriously competitive bicycle racing.

While Tony started out promoting track events, he branched out into cyclocross, establishing a weekly training series and putting on an annual race. He didn’t stop there, he also developed a BMX track and put on a weekly time trial as well. Tony and the NEV’s motto was “Cycling for Everyone.”

While I didn’t agree with all of Tony’s decisions, I supported him wholeheartedly. I view him as a kindred spirit whose deep love of bicycle racing caused him to continually strive to improve the competitive cycling scene in New England. I never once doubted Tony’s motives or his commitment to the competitive cycling community.

It really comes as a blow to hear that the Velodrome has been rented out from underneath Eberhardt and associates. According to the NEV newsletter distributed today, Kurt Begeman and Jeff Palter of CycleLoft approached the NEV’s property owner, unbeknownst to Tony, and offered the owner a higher monthly rent in order to take over the velodrome. The property owner, looking after his own financial interests, accepted the offer. Tony was informed this morning that he will not be allowed to run the velodrome this season.

It sounds like there will still be track racing at the NEV. So New England has not actually lost anything, other than goodwill.

Surely there is another side to the story, which will unfold over the next few weeks. Begeman and Cycleloft will likely issue a press release that paints a rosier picture than the one Tony relays.

The whole thing just makes me sad. Tony worked his ass off to make the velodrome a viable race venue. He stuck with it when registrations slid when the economy tanked. It just seems wrong that an outsider who had befriended him is now “buying” the track out from under him.

Do I have recommendations? No. Will I race at the “new” velodrome? Maybe. Will I show the ‘new” velodrome the kind of loyalty, respect and dedication (yes I have volunteered to help clear debris) that I showed the NEV under Tony? Absolutely not.

Photos of an Attack

Croth captured this series of photos at the track last week. The photos illustrate some of the great features of bicycle racing: an attack, a counter attack, a chase group, sitting in on a chase, and the results (the finish line is just outside of the frame in the last photo).

One of the great things about track racing is that the strageties and patterns that take hours to play out in a road race and tens of minutes in a criterium, play out in mere minutes and seconds on the track. There is no time to think, there is barely time to act.

Dan Butler is the rider in Blue, Brooke O' Connor is the female in red who bridges to Dan, I am the CB black and white kit on the red bike, Nick Machburn is my teammate in B and W on the ivory bike, Colin H. Murphy is my good friend (though he is not acting like it in this race) in the yellow kit, and the two red kitted riders are Jay Francis and Barry Greenburg.

Instead of telling you the story in words, I will allow you to interpret the photos.

Boston Velodrome: Fill Out the Survey Please.

Perhaps you have already filled out the survey, if so, you can move on to the next blog.  

If not, below is a link to a survey that is part of a feasibility study concerning the construction of a national level indoor velodrome and full service cycling center in the Boston area.  

Even if you don't race track and don't plan to, this would be a great asset to the competitive cycling community.  All you have to do is fill out the survey so that the developer can assure the investors that the center will make money.   Easy, right?

Survey

Announcement: New England Velodrome Opens Tomorrow 5/5/09

Tuesday is beginner night with C and D races.

Wednesday is advanced night with A and B races.  

Racing begins around 6pm both nights

Bikes are available rent if you don't have a track bike.  

Generally there is a train that leaves Cambridge around 4 on both nights if you need a ride.  Hit me up if you are interested in joining.  

I will be there on Wednesday to challenge all A riders (and then promptly get dropped).

Rolled Tubular at World Track Championships--Who's the Hack?

As an amendment to this post, Dave was kind enough post a link to video of the crash. As you can see, the tire popped off when Kevin Sireau lost control of his bicycle. I still maintain that the glue job was garbage, watch how easily the tire broke free:




I guess that I have to ask: would Sireau have been able to recover and avoid the crash if his tire hadn't rolled, or was he a goner by the time the tire came off?







Sometimes tubular tires roll. A weak joint is able to work itself loose and then the rider hits a hard bump while the weak spot is gripping the pavement, usually while cornering. The result is that the tire breaks free. When the glue job is good, most of the tire will remain adhered to the rim, though the rider still crashs. Even in cyclocross, where lower tire pressures make the glue job that much more important most of the basetape remains attached.



These photos are remarkable for a number of reasons. Firstly, notice that the tire is completely off of the rim, even before the rider hit the deck, as if it was not glued at all. Secondly, notice that the other rider remains upright even after being bumped pretty hard at the end of a sprint. Thirdly, in the last photo, notice that there is no evidence of glue on any part of the offending rim.


My question is: who the hell glued these and shouldn't they be sanctioned for negligence? If a cat 4 rolls a tubular in a criterium USACycling has the right to fine and/or suspend the rider.

While these photos have gotten wide circulation, there has been no comment on how tubular failure appears to have caused this crash.

Photos of the Wilier Alp d'Huez

In the discipline of bicycle photography, Yasushi Katsumi is my mentor and prime influence. For your edification and as an homage to the mighty Japanese cyclocross racer, I offer you gratuitously detailed photos of my track bike, the Wilier Alp d' Huez. I don't expect my photos to approach the same level of detail and execution as my mentor's but I do hope that I provide a sufficient homage.

I Can't Wait for the Velodrome to Open

Why we love to race our bicycles: