What I saw-
- CvK and by extension her Teter team are the real deal. CvK lead the entire way in both first round and the final. The final was a masterclass with her team-mates all hanging tough on her wheel with CvK watching Kappa the entire way and then picking it up in the last few laps as Kappa's train started to derail. The surprise of having the white jersey on the line in the final was an extra spur!
- Kappa are also it in to win it. The quals was clearly not a fluke for these four ladies. Like Theta they have no real sprinter but will be in the mix for sure.
- DG and Theta were as solid as we suspected they might be but seemed to be lacking a little with a clearly weaker fourth rider.
- Wing-it looked well drilled as you would expect from a team coached by 'The Dean', Went off a little fast but showed they'll be there or thereabouts next friday.
- Jennifer Balbach also lead the entire way for KD but clearly don't have the depth of Teter. If Jenna Cerone has chose to ride then these girls would have been a real big contender
- PDT was also the real deal. Burnworth, Sharp and Sovinski were very very impressive in both heats and in the final Chris West showing he can do a job for them as well. No-one else was close for more than 10 laps. Baxter was responsible for the rebirth of the 'push' as he gave a Sovinski a little nudge toward the line, soon to be copied by...
- ...the Cutters. Their run look an absolutely mess but even with Patches blowing up and Clayton pushing Lusk for much of the last two laps they still came 4th. A less talented team would have just made the top ten. They clearly started a little too fast and paid the price. I understand Young's helmet cam was burnt last night to remove the evidence.
- GGS were up on the Cutters for much of the way and looked good throughout but their time was a little disappointing.
- In contrast Sigma Nu looked faster than their time as their 3 riders seemed to be racing each other every time they pulled through.
- Don't sleep on BKB. 6th place lacking their fastest rider means that even though their spring series has been somewhat disappointed they are ready for action
Photo- Stephen Quay
36 comments:
Who will be the final 4 for pdt?
Those that rode yesterday. Sovinski, West, Sharp and Burnworth
I dunno if that is the best four for PDT. Didnt West finish 8th on there team in ITT's. I wouldn't have picked him but who knows the other three are flying right now!!
Skipping out on Kain? I don't believe that, he is a 3 year rider.
These (and many other) posts show that people in general don't know what they are writing about when it comes to team dynamics. As I understand it was a fair scrap between Weat, Kain and Blackwell and the coaches thought West was the best bet. It's been a year long process.
I talked to Kain at Team Pursuit and he said that he has been sick this last week with his allergies. It is sad for him being a three year rider.
-RJ
Why is everyone so quiet? GP - when do the BVN race odds come out? It will be interesting to see how much has changed since your 9/09 odds posting.
Cutters still the favorite? It looks like their 3 and 4 have been pedaling in reverse...or will they magically peak this week?
PDT? Across the board appear to be faster and deeper than Cutters. Does Sharp have the kick to finish ahead of Young or will the triple threat ride away early?
Phi Psi? Appear to be the next deepest team, but don't really have a finisher and could run out of gas early.
F1J1? hmmm...I expected more out of this group. Can they get Ellis to the final lap? Does he have the pop even if they get there?
BKB? Huge question mark...I want to say they will be there, but who knows with this group.
GGC? If the pace is high, they'll be out of gas early.
Delts? I normally wouldn't put this team up there, but Courtney's teams always seem to be there in the end...can he do with a young and not so talented team?
The field? ride safe and get out of the way
why isnt anyone talking more about bkb? they will be there. they have 2nd place miss n out in quay to go with rj-s and jordan. lock them in.
Sprinting against Young is a very very bad race plan.
what if he falls between 3 and 4?
Or drops a chain?
He'll be too tired to go that fast on the last lap, a 31 should do fine no need for a sub 30 lap, he didn't drop it he shredded it, broke three links.
Those are pretty lame ways of winning a sprint anyways.
agreed - banking on Young to drop a chain is pretty lame!
However, considering 3 and 4 couldn't even do 40 second laps during TP (without being pushed)...I'm not sure how much Eric will have in the tank at the end. Clayton will need an epic day!
Were Cutters 3 and 4 riders this bad last year? This isn't a knock on them, I really am interested.
Riders 3 and 4 are the same guys as last year, so I wouldn't scoff too much.
their 3 and 4 are not bad riders. it was poor execution of the tp. both lusk and patches will show up on race day.
I know they are the same people, but they appear to have digressed! If I remember correctly, Cutters won TP last year with a pretty solid time. This year (same team) they looked like a bunch of clowns.
I'm sure they will be fine, but I was looking for an honest rating of their 3rd and 4th rider. I guess I'll have to wait until Saturday.
I wouldn't discredit the Cutters. They did lap the field in the practice race. I'm sure Patches will have it together on Sat. I would still say they are the race favorites. It's going to be very tough for any team to ride away from them and it's pretty safe to say nobody can beat Young in the sprint.
Cutters did not win TP last year, although they did go to the finals against BKB.
hard to ride away from Lusk and Patches? Hahahaha You have got to be kidding me. Young and Clayton had better be juiced up Saturday to catch back onto the pack from 100 meters down at least every time they have to go back out.
Lets be real!! Lusk is the only one that might be giving the bike off 100 meters down. I think Patches just blew up on Saturday from what I saw. But i agree Clayton and Young had better be juiced on Sat or they will get blown out of the stadium on Sat.
Are you kidding me about the Cutters getting blown out of the stadium on Sat?!? I'd say the Cutters have about a 70% chance of winning on Sat. I give the field a 30% chance. I dont think anybody will ride away from the Cutters and Young will win the sprint.
i think its more like 95% cutters and 5% to the field
want to place that bet?
No one has a 95% chance in L5. Too many variables.
Cutters are no doubt the favorite, but I don't think they are a lock. I'd take the field 9 times out of 10 during any race.
"I think Patches just blew up on Saturday from what I saw."
Oh, Cutters...quit making excuses. First it was Patches is "training through the series events", then it was "wait for Patches to peak on race day", now it's "Patches just blew up on Saturday..."
What's gonna happen with Phi Psi drops the hammer?
That is for sure a Mercer comment!!
the cutters will pick it up and hit them with it.
I can't wait until Saturday!
My prediction for Saturday: when it starts to hurt, each of you will look over your left shoulder and wait for the next guy do the work that you won't.
"My prediction for Saturday: when it starts to hurt, each of you will look over your left shoulder and wait for the next guy do the work that you won't."
Sad but probably true
This is the point in time where I advise all the other teams Alumni to stop baiting the current riders on the Cutters. I am almost positive that no current riders would be attempting to trash talk the Cutters. As a current Cutter I know that I respect all the other riders in the race enough not to talk trash about them on BVN and would assume that all the other current riders would stoop to that level.
That being said I advise you to focus your predictions on how the race will play out, not on how Patch and Hanks taper will turn out.
To me your infantile fixation with the Cutters lends credence to the idea that your energy is spent upon criticism of others, rather than attempting positive energy towards productive growth of the riders on "your" teams.
-Clayton
ps. Don't worry I'll be all jucied up (I'll get some for Young as well) on race day so we "don't get dropped out of the stadium"
More important than the race. Did Prince Young and Princess Methard of Little 5 really break up?? And Did Mary Rush really jump on the Cutter Rocket that quick. (No pun intended) This is heavy stuff!! I fell like a dark cloud will be hovering over both races this weekend because of this recent development. Give me the juice!!!
PS. Go THETA!!!
ps. Don't worry I'll be all jucied up (I'll get some for Young as well) on race day so we "don't get dropped out of the stadium"
Better get some for #3 and #4...just say'n...
-Clayton
ps. Don't worry I'll be all jucied up (I'll get some for Young as well) on race day so we "don't get dropped out of the stadium"
Like Woj was in 2000?
Where can I get some of this juice you speak of? And what is its magical origins?
Always haters everywhere! I heard the same about Hans in 05, but do I believe it? Of course not.
Woj
LOUD NOISES! LOUD NOISES! LOUD NOISES EVERYWHERE!!!
Post a Comment