Battenkill Pushes for Prime April Date

by Chris... on Dec 2, 2008 5:29 PM EST in N. American Racing Comment 35 comments

Weird, seems like only yesterday I was ranting about the lack of a true American Classic to complement our national history of running some pretty fair stage races. Along comes Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY), fresh off shepherding the Democrats' senate campaign, to lobby USA Cycling to make the Tour of the Battenkill a major pro destination. The Tour of the Battenkill is a one-day event in/near Cambridge, NY, close to Albany and the Vermont border. Schumer's letter is simply to ask USA Cycling to include the Battenkill in the UCI America Tour, after an initial request was rejected for being late and insufficiently detailed.

Currently, they run a 200-km pro race over some interesting terrain: undulating country roads, significant stretches of dirt track, covered bridges, and regular ramps of 15-18% grade. The pro race is set for April 19 (amateurs, get your applications in for the other categories ASAP). From the VN piece, it appears that the promoter wants to take advantage of the Tour de Georgia's hiatus/disappearance and nab some prime April calendar realty. This dovetails nicely with the course's charismatic nature, fittingly just a week after Paris-Roubaix. Put it all together and presto! An American Classic.

Some caveats: first, the race is only five years old, so comparisons to Paris-Roubaix are a tad premature. Monte Paschi Eroica would be more suitable. Secondly, it's a 100-km circuit, not a single course, so it'd be a matter of laps... though if they wanted to increase the difficulty they could add at least part of another lap. Finally, I don't want to question USA Cycling's judgment; just because Schumer (or one of his LAs) is willing to do some constituent service doesn't mean elevating the race is a good idea. But it bears watching. An upstate NY classic in April might not draw the full European slate, but with enough money and a strong domestic draw this could become a pretty large event.

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I saw this earlier...

and I think I am going to sign up for the 100km amateur race.

What is the lightest set of 28mm tires out there?

Racing for Victory and Free Beer!

by DemonCats on Dec 2, 2008 6:39 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Dude, what cat would you ride?

I’m thinking about it too. Might use my cross bike as well.

"I have come here to chew bubblegum and kick ass... and I'm all out of bubblegum."

by Drew... on Dec 4, 2008 12:41 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Now that is a course description.

Is it just me, or does anyone else find their HR increasing when they read that course description?

For anyone out there who feels that a simple step-by-step description of a course is sufficient, read this narrative and then hang your head in shame. Anthony Mitchell, if you read this, job well done.

Now, how to (a) get into decent enough shape (b) get time to travel and © convince the family that a trip to Cambridge in April is a great vacation idea.

Unfortunately, I think that (a) might be the hardest of the three, and that is not understating the challenge of © …

by muk on Dec 2, 2008 6:46 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

me too

I live for anything run in this country that emulates a Belgian race. IIRC the Poolesville (MD) RR had a nice stretch of dirt and stone. It was fun until someone crashed in the one usable track and stopped everyone else, like we were on the Koppenberg.

CQRanking.com, you complete me.

by Chris... on Dec 2, 2008 7:13 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Oh Battenkill!

Why didn’t you say so? Of course that has the makings of a GREAT Classic! So many roads around there are perfect for what ails us. Now I understand and am totally behind this race.

"All men are frauds. The only difference between them is that some admit it. I myself deny it."- H. L. Mencken

by ursula on Dec 2, 2008 6:59 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Any race

that has the name kill in it, has to be fucking brutal. Agree that the description was awesome, so much better than those stupid profiles, were the mountains look like they have an average % of 80. This race could become popular if placed right. Just look at Eroica, only in its second year this year and yet Cancellara is out there battling Ballan for the win, talk about an all star duel. Eroica is the only big “dirt” race out there right now, and I believe the fans really love it, I sure love seeing riders ride on it.

"If you go (with a break), you can either win or not win. If you don't go for it, you definitely won't win."
~ Jens Voigt

by Phil H. on Dec 2, 2008 7:08 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Hey Lyne

Know anything about this one??

CQRanking.com, you complete me.

by Chris... on Dec 2, 2008 7:14 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

unfortunately no

nothing more than what can be found on the net

by lyne on Dec 2, 2008 7:16 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Paging Drew

This is 2 hrs from your house. You have to do this race! It’s a good profile for you, except the 18% stuff, but then who does that favor? The pipsqueeks, who will get done in by the randy roads.

CQRanking.com, you complete me.

by Chris... on Dec 2, 2008 7:48 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

It's actually 4 1/2 hours (I mapped it last year)

but I have been thinking about it in the past. It’s all about training time to actually ride it properly so it’s definitely on my radar.

"I have come here to chew bubblegum and kick ass... and I'm all out of bubblegum."

by Drew... on Dec 4, 2008 12:43 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Hm

Might need to bill it as a weekend at Lake George for Mrs. Drew. 9hrs in a car is a tad high for one day.

CQRanking.com, you complete me.

by Chris... on Dec 4, 2008 1:09 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Wuss. HTFU there mister. 9 hours is nothing. ha ha.

Surely Drew, being of the caliber he is, would approach the ride to and from with smiles.

"The most wasted day is that in which we have not laughed."

by nikki on Dec 4, 2008 2:43 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Nice course, but . . .

. . . it is too far away from an urban area that will be able to support it effectively with logistics, sponsorship, media attention, and a devoted fan base for it to ever become what we all hope it will be.

If scheduled correctly, it could become a lower level supporting classic like Gent-Wevelgem, but even Gent starts in a major city in Europe and totally survives as a supporting race to the monuments.

I am sorry to be the grumpy naysayer, but I guess in this case I will be.
I’ve just seen too many of these races come and go for the same reasons I listed above.

by Ryan_Liles on Dec 2, 2008 8:38 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

But

zillions of races are held in the sticks. Including most of the Tour de France. What you lose in certain logistics you gain in course logistics. Shutting down a few county roads for a day, for an event that brings in some money, isn’t anything like riding in a city. And Boston’s two hours or so; NYC maybe about the same?

CQRanking.com, you complete me.

by Chris... on Dec 2, 2008 8:48 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Montreal

is 3hr.

I would love to go but I have a race in Boston that weekend.

by Hons on Dec 3, 2008 1:01 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

My point exactly

by Ryan_Liles on Dec 3, 2008 6:40 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Well

In my case the Boston race is on the collegiate schedule. If this was a normal race I would be at Battenkill in a heartbeat. But our teams varsity status is up for review this year, so we need to get as many results in as many races as we can.

by Hons on Dec 3, 2008 11:02 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

I am sorry, but . . .

. . . there is an entire graveyard full of cool one day races in the US built on this very same premise.
They all died for the reasons I stated.
Your reference to the course routes of the TDF is totally irrelevant. The TDF is not a one day race and has taken well over a century to attain what it is today. It is also subsidized by the French government, and heavily lobbied by the cities it passes through.

Show me a one day classic, or sub-classic that is more then 100K (about 60 miles) from a major city in Europe which is alive today. Maybe I’m wrong on this, but I just don’t recall a single one off the top of my head.

2 hours to Boston? I dare you to try and pull that off; heck I double dog dare you!
No wait, seriously don’t try it ’cause you might end up killing yourself or someone else ’cause it is really more like honest 4 hours to get there.

Look, I want a super cool classic in the US as much as you do, and this looks like a cool race, but there is basically no way will it ever be what you and I hope for no matter what Senator is lobbying for it.

by Ryan_Liles on Dec 3, 2008 6:39 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

"major city"

Cambridge, as the original post points out, is near (40 miles from) Albany. Albany proper is about the size of Roubaix (respective populations 94,000 and 97,000), but the greater metropolitan area of Albany-Schenectady-Troy has a combined population of 850,000. Compare that to, say, the Liège metropolitan area, with 749,000 people, or Gent with 595,000.

Albany is also the capital of New York. If the state of New York, which had a tourism promotion budget in 2007 of $22 million, would help sponsor the race, that would help immensely. But even if they don’t, I think the area is better able to support a race than you give it credit for. After all, people seem to have no trouble finding Saratoga, a similar distance from Albany, when they want to see four-legged racing.

by majope on Dec 3, 2008 8:03 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Look, nobody wants to be more wrong then I do.

But, Cambridge New York is a population of 2,158 people. The race does not end in Albany and PR ends in Roubaix, it starts and ends in a small town 40 miles from a medium sized town.
Further, Albany-Schenectady-Troy is not a greater metropolitan area, but rather 3 separate cities flanked with a bunch of suburbs and strip malls.
Albany does have an interesting downtown though. A bit small, but it does have some good character.

I have been to Albany, Leige, as well as Gent and no matter what you would like to present, the greater metropolitan area of Albany-Schenectady-Troy is neither of those two places in Europe.
Nope, sorry.

22 mill. huh?
We’ll see commitment the state makes to this race 3-5 years from now.
’Cause I would not stake any long term confidence in New York politics.

As for horse racing.
Saratoga, population about 5,141 is basically the minor league track for Belmont and Pimlico and really not worth bragging about.

Again, your logic is very optimistic, yet highly flawed.

by Ryan_Liles on Dec 3, 2008 10:26 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Well...

If your Euro standard is “within 100K,” I don’t think you should turn around and claim that 40 miles is too far. And the Tri-City area is indeed one metropolitan area—just ask the Office of Management and Budget, which designates it the Albany-Schenectady-Troy Metropolitan Statistical Area). I used to live there, and if you can easily tell where Albany ends and Troy begins, I take my hat off to you.

I’m not saying Battenkill can become the American Classic we’d like, just offering some info to suggest it’s not completely impossible.

by majope on Dec 3, 2008 2:18 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

The only road race I ever rode...

was the Murrysville Cycling Classic near P-burg!

Man, that was out in the sticks!

Racing for Victory and Free Beer!

by DemonCats on Dec 2, 2008 10:43 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

heh

I did that race once. Rolling, not too deadly.

CQRanking.com, you complete me.

by Chris... on Dec 3, 2008 12:22 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Hey East Coasters!

Is there a Team PdC in the making here?

The amateur race is only 100 kms!

Racing for Victory and Free Beer!

by DemonCats on Dec 2, 2008 10:42 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

dude

I’m in if you are

(but I’m still waiting for that chutiya Drew to check in on it)

by Sui Juris on Dec 2, 2008 11:54 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Shit - gotta work that day (and the next)

we’ve got two of our bigger charity events happening on the 18th/19th.

"I have come here to chew bubblegum and kick ass... and I'm all out of bubblegum."

by Drew... on Dec 4, 2008 12:46 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Two so far?

Maybe we can coax the Rock Racing kits out of management and go in disguise!

Racing for Victory and Free Beer!

by DemonCats on Dec 3, 2008 11:03 AM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Paging Drew . . .

by Sui Juris on Dec 2, 2008 11:51 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

so lame when I post without reading upthread . . .

but anyway, Drew, where are you?

by Sui Juris on Dec 2, 2008 11:52 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

Battenkill rocks !

This year was the first hot day 80+ deg. and riders just wilted. Big strong dudes weren’t ready for the heat.
The roads are good quality dirt, hard packed, heavily crowned. The incidence of flats is high and the wheel vans are nowhere to be found. It becomes a race of attrition with the climbers putting the hurt to everybody on the innumerable short sharp climbs.
As a ProAm race it reminds me of the Saturn Classic, Boulder to Breckenridge. No elevation issues and no super long climbs though.

by MavicMoto on Dec 3, 2008 1:27 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

It does rock!

I raced it for the first time last year, and man it was hot. No super long climbs, but those short ones were a killer. I also agree that its location isn’t ideal. It isn’t near very much and accommodations are few and far between. It is beautiful countryside, but you won’t get to enjoy very much because of the agony you will surely be experiencing. I can’t wait until April

by botch on Dec 3, 2008 2:15 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs