# Tour of the Battenkill



## TricrossRich (Mar 26, 2014)

Registration opened up yesterday... who's gonna race?


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## Wetworks (Aug 10, 2012)

If that's early spring, what does winter look like, lol.

Definitely looks like a nice ride, I'll keep an eye on it. I'm retired LE, I suppose I should find out if I qualify for the registration waiver.


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## TricrossRich (Mar 26, 2014)

Wetworks said:


> If that's early spring, what does winter look like, lol.
> 
> Definitely looks like a nice ride, I'll keep an eye on it. I'm retired LE, I suppose I should find out if I qualify for the registration waiver.


They have 2 events. The race and the fondo... if you're interested in doing the real race, sign up early. It fills up quick. Last year, I missed out and was put on the wait list, which never opened up.


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## SauronHimself (Nov 21, 2012)

This one is close to me (Saratoga Springs). I might sign up if I can bring myself to pay that high of a registration fee.


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## TricrossRich (Mar 26, 2014)

SauronHimself said:


> This one is close to me (Saratoga Springs). I might sign up if I can bring myself to pay that high of a registration fee.


The longer you wait, the more it'll be... so you'll find it hard to bring yourself to pay even more, until you wait long enough that the registration is filled up.. in which case you won't be able to register and you'll be absolved of making any decision.

I've not done this race before, but I have many friends that have and almost all of them have said its one to check off the bucket list... Last year, many of the racing classes got filled.


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## FasterStronger (Jun 6, 2014)

Thanks for mentioning this Rich.
I hadn't heard of it before and it is only about a 4 hr drive from me - I will sign up for the fondo and pray for no flats.


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## TricrossRich (Mar 26, 2014)

FasterStronger said:


> Thanks for mentioning this Rich.
> I hadn't heard of it before and it is only about a 4 hr drive from me - I will sign up for the fondo and pray for no flats.


Nice...maybe I'll see you there.


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## FasterStronger (Jun 6, 2014)

Anyone want to ride on Saturday - I am going to head out and do the ride to see what the course is like.
If you want to join the workd's slowest climber - any and everyone welcome to come along. I'll be starting near the start of the ride @ 12.


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## TricrossRich (Mar 26, 2014)

FasterStronger said:


> Anyone want to ride on Saturday - I am going to head out and do the ride to see what the course is like.
> If you want to join the workd's slowest climber - any and everyone welcome to come along. I'll be starting near the start of the ride @ 12.


wish I could join you...

I plan on trying to get up there at least 2 times next spring before the race.


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## joestralia (Aug 20, 2008)

I'm all in! 

This may be the last edition of the race which would be a shame. 

This will be my 4th participation! This year's course is same as last which I thought was harder and longer than previous edition.

Good that the date is set a month later than usual. So take advantage and train your ass off ~ we'll need it! This winter is a lot better for training too. I got a good ass kicking in the last 10 miles in the cross winds blowing across the open farms .

I agree that it would be a great idea to recon the course .


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## TricrossRich (Mar 26, 2014)

So... who raced?

I did. I ended up finishing 8th in the Cat 5 35+ field, 30 seconds behind the winner. I'm pretty stoked with that result, on a course I've never seen, at a distance I've never raced. We averaged 21.6 mph for a little over 3 hours. I was one of the race animators all day, pushing the pace. I was with the final selection of riders making it to the final climb, I just didn't have enough gas to go to the line.


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## FasterStronger (Jun 6, 2014)

Fantastic result Rich! I did the condo and it took me about 4:38. I was plugging along pretty good until about KM70 ish and then I lost steam. Started strong and for the first time ever was passing people on climbs and then found a group of 3 guys to work with around the 40Km mark which hung together until the covered bridge and then split up.

I thought it was a really well run event and had a blast.


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## TricrossRich (Mar 26, 2014)

FasterStronger said:


> Fantastic result Rich! I did the condo and it took me about 4:38. I was plugging along pretty good until about KM70 ish and then I lost steam. Started strong and for the first time ever was passing people on climbs and then found a group of 3 guys to work with around the 40Km mark which hung together until the covered bridge and then split up.
> 
> I thought it was a really well run event and had a blast.


thanks...

Yes, I had a couple of friends that did the Fondo and they said it was fun. The race was really well run, especially given how many people took part and the number of categories and races.

I ended up doing a full write up about the race (as much as I can remember) and all of the prep, training, etc that I did.

The Tour Of The Battenkill: Rookie Race Diary | Crank Addicts


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## joestralia (Aug 20, 2008)

Congrats Rich, well done! I just read your diary and completely agree! I took part this year but my race was not to be as I flatted out at mile 55 at the end of Riddle. Only 13 miles to go, and with all things considered, was the "easiest" part pf the course. But with neutral moto support (and after waiting about 40 minutes), I fixed the flat and soldiered on to the finish. While on the side of the road and broken down, I saw guys in my field coming past 20 to 30 minutes later. A testament to how hard this race was, and also made me think that I was doing OK before the flat. I thought i'd be last but funny enough, I wasn't. In the old tradition of the Giro, the guy who came last would get the Maglia Nero. An honor!

You picked the right horse for the course, with the right wheels and tires. I broke a spoke on my Reynolds 46's trying to mount a 25 mm Continental Gatorskin tubulars a few days before the race so I raced on training wheels that was about 2 lbs heavier (2003 Mavic Ksyrium SL's) . Who knows what might have been! Similar to your gear choice, I used a mid compact with a 12/27 in the back, but I wish I had my 29 (my Chorus 12/29 made protesting sounds on the Mavic's so no go).

The dirt roads this year was worse than the previous years in that small stones covered the hard pack, with only 2 small strips that was sometimes clean. You're right in that you should be in the front, so you get first dib's on the best line, and that you don't get caught behind some guy that's over zealous with the brakes. Wind was less of a factor vs last year; a historical weather check showed gusts of 25 ~ 27 mph!

I hope that Anthem Sports finds a way to keep this race alive. One can never be overBattenkill'ed! I'm not sure than a Gran Fondo format gives enough element of competition. So if it morphs that way, then none for me. But damn, that course is epic!

Cheers! ~ Joe


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## TricrossRich (Mar 26, 2014)

joestralia said:


> Congrats Rich, well done! I just read your diary and completely agree! I took part this year but my race was not to be as I flatted out at mile 55 at the end of Riddle. Only 13 miles to go, and with all things considered, was the "easiest" part pf the course. But with neutral moto support (and after waiting about 40 minutes), I fixed the flat and soldiered on to the finish. While on the side of the road and broken down, I saw guys in my field coming past 20 to 30 minutes later. A testament to how hard this race was, and also made me think that I was doing OK before the flat. I thought i'd be last but funny enough, I wasn't. In the old tradition of the Giro, the guy who came last would get the Maglia Nero. An honor!



Sucks to hear that you flatted at that point... you had made it through most of the hard stuff for sure. After Riddle road, it was primarily downhill until the final little kicker of a climb. Riddle road was deceptive though. I hadn't flagged that as a section to be wary of and it definitely was tougher than I thought it would be. A few guys in my race (of the guys that were left) flatted there as well. One guy had a huge blow out... tire flew off and tube went flipping in the air.




joestralia said:


> You picked the right horse for the course, with the right wheels and tires. I broke a spoke on my Reynolds 46's trying to mount a 25 mm Continental Gatorskin tubulars a few days before the race so I raced on training wheels that was about 2 lbs heavier (2003 Mavic Ksyrium SL's) . Who knows what might have been! Similar to your gear choice, I used a mid compact with a 12/27 in the back, but I wish I had my 29 (my Chorus 12/29 made protesting sounds on the Mavic's so no go).
> 
> The dirt roads this year was worse than the previous years in that small stones covered the hard pack, with only 2 small strips that was sometimes clean. You're right in that you should be in the front, so you get first dib's on the best line, and that you don't get caught behind some guy that's over zealous with the brakes. Wind was less of a factor vs last year; a historical weather check showed gusts of 25 ~ 27 mph!
> 
> ...


Yea, I was pretty happy with all of the equipment choices I made and the race effort I put forth. I could have tried to do less work on the front, but that's the gamble. I made sure I was in the position that I wanted to be in at all of the critical points that I had identified ahead of time, so I'm happy with that. I think that if I would have done anything differently, it would have been to simply go all out on the final climb. I went hard, but not all out, thinking that maybe the race would come back together and I'd need something for a sprint, but that final climb is so close to the finish that the race is not coming back together. The race was decided on that climb.

I really don't see the "race" coming back for the amateurs. From a financial perspective, he'll make so much more as a Fondo. He's got to pay all of those race officials and moto drivers for all of those races.. As a fondo, all of those expenses disappear and chances are, he'll probably get more people to participate. I had 4 friends that did the Fondo, and more than were signed up for different races that ultimately bailed out because they weren't ready to "race".


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## .je (Aug 25, 2012)

Unfortunately, Ellen Watters, the woman who won this year, was killed in a training accident. 

https://beta.theglobeandmail.com/sp...watters-dies-after-collision/article33442776/


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## TricrossRich (Mar 26, 2014)

.je said:


> Unfortunately, Ellen Watters, the woman who won this year, was killed in a training accident.
> 
> https://beta.theglobeandmail.com/sp...watters-dies-after-collision/article33442776/


she was also the winner of the Ellen Kugler memorial Race at Tour of Somerville in NJ.


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