JaRow

Sorry old men, not talking about your favorite European pastimes.

What I am talking about is 40 miles and 6100 vertical feet of suffering in Asheville, NC.

I'm in for cat 3. Any other takers?

https://www.frenchbroadcyclingclassic.com/

VA_Esquire

Looks like fun, where is it?
nvm, figured out where (western side of NC)
That would be a 7 hour drive or so for me.....no thanks.

currand

This was a great race btw. When it comes around next year, and if you're within a few hundred miles, do it! The road course was ridonculous. And the TT is one of the best courses around. The crit was pretty good.

erichkopp

I didn't do the race, but I've ridden those roads and climbs before. I wish I could ride up there everyday.

patentcad

I nominate this thread for Misleading BF Thread Title of the Month.

JaRow

This race was obscene. It was a lot of fun. I will drive up again next year for sure.

Got you a bit too excited?

substructure

It was a good race. Nice, nasty climbs. Especially the climb to the finish. Glad to see you guys show up from the flatlands.

One of the funniest moments was when this guy in our race crossed the yellow and a bunch of guys started pissing and cussing, crying fowl. One guy went directly up to him to give him a piece of his mind. Then we hit the first major climb and those guys weren't speaking their minds then. The pack got real quiet - besides the heavy breathing and grunting.

Always amazes me how guys in an amature race act all bad-arse and flex their muscles like an ape pounding his chest. Then later in the race find them off the back.

kensuf

Come to the flatlands and we'll introduce you to some apes. The weekend of September 19th will be classic -- Saturday is the Sugarloaf Mountain RR (several laps over a 300' tall powerclimb), then on Sunday we've got the Swampman Century (flattest 99.9 miles you'll ever see, we did it in 3:47 last year).

You're welcome to crash on my couch, but you'll have to contend with a very whiny dog.

wanders

No need to come down there, they seem to be migrating up this way to introduce themselves.

This is in no way a flat route.

https://www.bloodsweatandgears.org/bsg/main/start.htm

****************** Century Ride Results ***************

BLOOD SWEAT AND GEARS RIDE
BOONE, N.C. June 27, 2009
Results compiled by Race Management Systems(RMS), www.rmssports.com
Place No. Race S Name City St Chiptim Time Pace
===== ===== ==== = =================== ============ == ======= ======= =====
1 141 FULL M Mauricio Henao Hollywood FL 4:49:15 4:49:17 2:51
2 81 FULL M Charlie Brown Salisbury NC 4:49:15 4:49:18 2:51
3 566 FULL M John Durango Tamarac FL 4:49:29 4:49:32 2:51
4 169 FULL M Victor Herrera Hollywood FL 4:51:27 4:51:28 2:52
5 262 FULL M Steven Griffith Boca Raton FL 4:51:25 4:51:29 2:52
6 405 FULL M Kevin Lisska Charlotte NC 4:51:31 4:52:11 2:52
7 414 FULL M Ladd Lumpkin Columbia SC 4:53:44 4:53:46 2:53
8 389 FULL M John Laramie Boca Raton FL 4:53:59 4:54:17 2:54
9 537 FULL M Darrell Prillaman Boone NC 4:56:52 4:56:56 2:55
10 352 FULL M Karl Kaiser Columbia SC 4:56:18 4:56:58 2:55

kensuf

Six gap is the mountain century most of the florida hammerheads go for.

damocles1

Yeah, take the 'WIN' with a large grain a salt. Henao is a pro...Charlie Brown is a 45 year old guy with a job and a family. Henao also tried to hook Charlie at the finish of a freaking century ride so he could get the W. It was universally accepted as a DB move.

substructure

Charlie is a local judge with a family. He works and trains and maintains a family life, yet races like a Pro. I don't know how he does it.

Last night at Orr Rd, he'd attack off the front with such ferocious speed that hardly anyone could hold his wheel to go with him. He's a beast. I'm fortunate enough to ride with him and his partner, Ryan, on occasion.

Phatman

I'm glad french broad doesn't suck anymore. I did it two years in a row a while back, and I'm still not sure why I did it the second time. The first time included a tour of the flattest roads in western north carolina, combined with narrow lanes and the resulting sketchy riders. I've never seen so many crashes in a road race, there were 6 or so (in ~40 miles) in the cat 4 road race. The second time was similar, and the year after that, they decided to just make the race weekend crits, and I stopped going for a couple years.

It sounds like a good race now though, I might give it a try next year if the course is the same.

crispy010

I did the 4 race. Amazing course. The race was not that sketchy - only had one moment where I was on the brakes and swearing at someone. The pack even dealt with an overly friendly black lab very well.

My legs still hurt and I'm not going up hills nearly as fast as I did before the race.

JaRow

Other than a few dogs that tried to murder us, it was a great race. They need to make those climbs less difficult.

currand

You mean the black dog apparently named "gravel"? Because all I remember is someone yelling "gravel!" and then a large dog appeared in front of me...

truckin

Glad this already got posted so I didn't have to mention it.

Phatman

You joke (I think), but french broad without climbs and the resulting selection makes for a crash fest. Those roads are too narrow for a cat 4 field to ride through without a selection.

crispy010

Correct (sorry Botto)

As for the dog's name, no idea. But 50 angry men screaming at him shut him down pretty quick. Currand, you made me lol

JaRow

I do. I wouldn't drive 9 hours for a flat race. This state is already full of them.