Killington Stage Race

[MattTuck]

The weather from the Giro seems to have come state side... I have a friend riding today, sounds like its going to be a miserable day in the saddle... and these guys PAY for the privilege, unlike those boys at the Giro.

http://www.killingtonstagerace.com/index.php



7:30 Update - We plan to run the race today with the first field off at 9:00am. The roads are all free of snow. It does not look like we will get additional significent rain this morning and tempratures are expected to warm into the mid to upper 40s. Please dress warmly.

We are working to set up places for racers to warm-up or abandon if needed. We will have 4 EMS vehicles out with the race which you can flag down if you need assistance. These will include the sprint hot spot at mile 24.5. We will have vehicles at the K/QoM at mile 29.9. Barnard EMS will be in the center of Barnard with an ambulance and they will have their fire station open to warm-up in at mile 31.9. Lots of help at the feedzone where you could get a ride back to the start at mile 34.5. There will be an ambulance at the end of Prosper Road and we are working to have them open the ambulance base at that location at mile 41.7. In West Bridgewater you can stop at Long Trail Brewery or the Brigdewater Store on the corner at mile 47. At mile 55 you will be back to the start at Skyeship. At the finish the base lodge will be open as well as the umbrella bars for warming up. An ambulance will also be present. It is presently windy at the finish so please do not spend too much time hanging out after the race.

[merlinmurph]

I didn't realize the KSR was this weekend. Tough conditions, for sure.

[CNY rider]

Took my kids to the new village playground this morning.
Love dressing in winter hats and gloves to play outside Memorial Day weekend.
Not.

[tv_vt]

Today's weather is mild compared to the Stage 1 race in yesterday's downpour and 40 degree temps. Can you say "hypothermia?"

[shovelhd]

I'm not cleared to race yet so I rode 65 miles in that crap yesterday. To say it sucked is an understatement. Kudos to anyone racing in it.

[Columbus SLX]

I hope Baumann won't mind me reposting his notes on the matter: "Dude, yesterday was ridiculous, worst conditions I've ever raced a bike in. Today was not bad weather wise but doin this course the day after what happened yesterday...brutal...I almost died (again) on the side of this damn mountain.":eek:

[RacerJRP]

Have three teammates up there this weekend. Weather has been crazy this whole Spring/ Summer.

[torquer]

How are the roads (pavement conditions) around Killington?
We were in Woodstock (not too far down the road) in February, and I was shocked by how bad some stretches of state numbered routes still were 18 months after tropical storm Irene. I'd be concerned about descending on skinny racing tires on those roads even without Dolomite-worthy weather thrown in.

[eBAUMANN]

Stage 1 - Circuit Race - 54mi/2k

Misery on a bike, defined. temperatures in the 30's accompanied by steady rainfall (turning to a snow/rain mix at times) and high winds. Personally, I was woefully unprepared (gear wise) to deal with the wet weather, and ended up soaked within 10 minutes on the bike, completely numb everywhere by the end of the race.

When I would try to shift gears my fingers would just kinda fold up on themselves, I had to use the palm of my hand to get the thumb shifter to move.

It was everything I could do just to finish the 3 laps of the race - I think 8 DNF due to the weather, and about 10 DNS.

The 3 race later in the day was cut short from 4 to 2 laps due to the weather...it eventually turned to snow later in the evening...

-----

Once I regained feeling in my limbs I decided that if it looked like that again the morning of the road race (the next day), there was no way I was putting my body through it again...not with the amount of suffering already on the table from just the course profile alone.

-----

Stage 2 - Road Race - 61mi/5.5k

I woke up planning on not riding. I was still aching from the day before, the radar suggested more rain was on the way, and temps were still in the low 40's for the start of the race. A couple of enthusiastic/optimistic teammates eventually talked me into it and I suited up. After signing in, the raindrops began to fall...just a light rain, but more than enough to instantly give me flashbacks to the misery of the day previous.

We lined up a few minutes later, our field had shrunk by another 10 or so.

Light rain persisted for the first 10mi and then throughout the day. But it was also, thankfully, joined by warmer temperatures and, wait for it....SUN! The weather was actually pretty ideal! Cooler temps, partly cloudy, with light showers...really couldnt ask for more on a stage as physically demanding as the KSR road race.

I was still absolutely wrecked by the time I got to the top of the mountain, but atleast this time it wasnt because of the weather.

A nagging knee pain had me swearing off the stage 3 TT as I sat down in the car....but of course those pesky teammates...

-----

Stage 3 - TT - Uphill 10.6mi

ABSOLUTELY GORGEOUS WEATHER, FINALLY!

Too bad I felt like absolute garbage at this point, the previous stages had taken their toll. I felt decent for the first 3-4mi, before things started to turn uphill, then it was just about maintaining cadence and making it to the final stretch of "flat" before the final kicker into the finishing 2k.

Hitting the flat, I was greeted with a pretty brutal headwind, but thankfully so was everyone else. I managed to pick off the guy in front of me (which always feels good) and finished with a decent time.


-------

In my field, 50 registered and 31 finished all 3 days.

This was my 3rd year doing the KSR. Given the fact that I dont train for this stuff, just completing the race is always a challenge (and the reason I keep doing it).

In years previous it was the heat that wore you down, this year the cold and the rain...next year...who knows, but ill be back to find out.

-----

How are the roads (pavement conditions) around Killington?
We were in Woodstock (not too far down the road) in February, and I was shocked by how bad some stretches of state numbered routes still were 18 months after tropical storm Irene. I'd be concerned about descending on skinny racing tires on those roads even without Dolomite-worthy weather thrown in.

OK in most places, terrible in others. There were 2 crashes in the 3 field cause by huge cracks/potholes in the roads. The first was on a long climb about 3mi into the road race, a rider got his wheel stuck in a crack and went down, taking out a few other around him, including a teammate of mine who ended up snapping both blades of his fork in the process.

The 2nd crash, a friend of mine from another team NAILED a huge pothole that was 5-6" deep...he described it as running into a curb at 30mph. He flew over the bars and smashed his face into something, resulting in a slightly cracked orbital bone. Another teammate was caught in the aftermath of this one (along with 10-12 others) but escaped with minor injuries and bike intact.

Overall, the roads were perfectly fine for riding, just not so great for race-pace descending in a pack of other riders.

[MattTuck]

The guy I know that did the race crashed after stage 2. He crashed on the descent and broke his collar bone. I feel bad for him, knowing how physically and emotionally demanding the conditions made the actual racing.

eBaumman: Did you enter the citizen class?

[eBAUMANN]

The guy I know that did the race crashed after stage 2. He crashed on the descent and broke his collar bone. I feel bad for him, knowing how physically and emotionally demanding the conditions made the actual racing.

eBaumman: Did you enter the citizen class?

Cat 4 for me.

Next year ill go back to the 4/5's I think, unless I somehow find the time to "train"...ya know, besides commuting through the city to work everyday heh heh

Sorry to hear about your friend, and collar bone injury is always hard for a cyclist...keeps you off the bike (something I have a hard time imagining). Hope he heals up quick!

[shovelhd]

You did great under really tough conditions.

[eBAUMANN]

You did great under really tough conditions.

thanks! definitely not the best result of my cycling career but given the conditions I feel lucky/accomplished just to have completed all 3 stages.

[shovelhd]

Lots and lots of DNF's.

[jh_on_the_cape]

We hiked Camel's Hump on Sunday. Snow at App Gap on the way there (car) and snow most of the way up on foot. A good 6 inches and windy and snowing at the top. SUNDAY OF MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND!!!

Memorial day we hiked up Mt. Abraham from Lincoln Gap. Again about 6 inches of snow. Lots of slush.

We opted to hike down Jester at Sugarbush. There was a guy snowboarding Organgrinder. There was that much snow. Crazy!

We did see a guy descending Lincoln gap as we drove the turn at Mad River Glen. He looked cold and wet.

[572cv]

Way to go, eBaumann. Just finishing the KSR this year, after the weather around here, is a really gritty achievement. Most of us wimped out of even riding at all until Monday, which was just the best. Chapeau!