2013 RHC 2: BROOKLYN NAVY YARD

Jun 10, 2013

With the 2013 RHC Brooklyn Navy Yard in the books, we are back home in SF, and back to work. Processing the event, and it’s memories, both in mind, and in photographs. Chas, Walton and I flew in late Friday night, catching the tail end of the storm. Kyle is living with Evan this summer, racing and working with Tom. With a nights rest, and some morning laps in Prospect Park, we met up at the Navy Yard for the qualifiers. It was not but a few laps into group one, when a horrific crash took one racer away in an ambulance. With the collective racers hearts with that athlete, we all set ourselves up for an exciting night. Enclosed are some moments from the night of racing. We are looking forward to Barcelona next!Two hundred athletes compete for 100 slots in the main event. This front row quickly becomes prime real estate.Dan uses this 2007 NACCC shirt as his barometer summer has started. The first sleeveless T to come out each year! Frank would be proud.Evan upgrading his Wallgreens lotion.

Tonight athletes will be tested on every front.

We found a nice birds eye view for the qualifier, and the sunset.

This is the first time the Navy Yard has been opened up for an event like this, and we all felt lucky to be part of the experience.Takuya Sakamoto scouting for camera angles.With record levels of rain the day before, the skies broke offering a spectacle of light for everyone to enjoy.Mr. Bobe in the qualifierEvan putting in the second fastest qualifying time behind Neil.Base Camp

Walton floating the dirt corner

The warm weather helped keep muscles loose between the qualifier, and the main event, but rollers, and neighborhood laps kept riders loose, ready for what comes next.

Walton inside, doing what he does second best.Kyle will be getting a new bike soon, weather he wants it or not. This sample histogram tape used to be white.Moto support doubled this time. With two on course, they were able to clear the lapped riders more efficiently, allowing those still in the race to have a safer envionment to do what they came here for.Dan had an onboard camera mounted with the best that hollywood has to offer.Evan, Kyle, WaltonThere was a shotgun mic recording the conversations at the start. Hoping this info shows up down the road. It could really reflect the friendships, and camaraderie that goes on between the athletes. Authentic friends on and off the course.

This moment never gets old. Calling up the rows based on qualifying times. All three of our team members made the first row of ten. Neil, Evan, and Dan also knew this front row start would help avoid the crashes that were to follow.

Chas leaning in leaving the last 90 degree corner before the finishing straight on the course. This spot proved to separate those with handling skills, those who did not, and those caught in the middle.Citibike is a new sponsor for the event, with their new bike rental system in the area. This has been a major undertaking, and Neil Bezdek was heavily involved from the ground up. The chase group heading into the cobble sectionWalton and Chas set the pace early, including earning the first lap prime. Both were crashed out in separate instances before the 10th lap.

Dan was down in the first lap, but ok. He raced on the road the following day. This video has been bouncing around. It gives the viewers an idea of the intensity of these crashes. This one caused by a racer from State Bicycles.Several racers riding tubulars and Stans no tubes flatted in the cobble section. Racers really needed to float this section, while holding their line.This sort of sight became numbing. It will be interesting to see if there is data showing of the 100 racers who qualified, how many were lapped out, crashed, or ended with a mechanical. This course was a blast, and could have been a more intense race on the bike if the qualifier was cut down to the 50 fastest. With the narrow/tight corners, and long dark straights, the bottom 50 were quickly lapped, or became laying obstacles on the course. There were only 29 racers left at lap 12. I think only three racers from the front row finished, with seven out from crashes or mechanicals.Kyle got a front row seat in his second ever Red Hook Crit, finding himself working with Neil to open up the leaders gap.Like Dan’s solo break in 2012, there must be a thousand photographs of these two, who broke 10 laps in, and ended with a 51sec gap in the end.With one to go, Neil and Kyle took turns testing each other in different spots on the course, to see if they could shake the other racer. With a pedal strike by Kyle in the chicane, he lost his moment to attack leaving Neil’s strength on the last straight overpowering Kyle for the finish.Kyle meeting the press

Chas worked with our team, and secured the first lap prime. He divided the cash, and shared the whiskey.Tradition: 1: Neil Bezdek, 2: Kyle Murphy, 3: Marc Marino, 4: Alex Barouh, 5: Cooper RaySave some for DaveA few of the podium bikes, including Kyle’s clapped out 2010 Cinelli MASH Bolt with alloy clinchers. Also his brother Evan’s bike post-rear flat taking him out of the race.Again, we want to thank the Trimble camp for everything. This series of races has continued to grow, reaching an upmost level of professionalism, while still giving riders and fans aspects of where these illegal street races came from. We are all looking forward to Barcelona, and hopefully Milano too this year!