So competitive was the selection process that the director sportif  lost sleep. Here’s the team.

After a year of careful consideration, Yours Truly has picked the ultimate roster for the 2012 Crybaby Classic Team Competition. In 2011, the Sovis team fell apart, mostly because there were too many Sovii on it. With careful consideration, kolo t.c. will be represented by 5 riders capable of taking the team win…and maybe even a few category wins, too.

Facing not one but TWO Einstein Racing teams as the lead dogs, the kolo t.c. Gentlemen’s Club will have to have amazing performances by all of those involved. Fortunately, the team has enough firepower to threaten at a Tour of France or Italy. Either one. No problem.

After being snubbed (that’s right, snubbed) by Einstein’s selection process, 2011 State Road Race Champion Chris Fisher was feeling low and blue. So far the mighty had fallen…until a fat contract and a Facebook message reached Fisher. Verbally committing to a $12 million contract, Fisher signed with kolo t.c’s team on a one-day, win-or-don’t-get-paid contract effective September 29th.

Fisher will be backed by current BISSELL pro and Greek-wunderkid (don’t know the Greek word for that, so went German) Alex Vanias. Vanias has been dedicated to the dirt after a summer on the road, including his first action at the Tour of Utah. He had a great showing at the Battle at the Burg earlier this month and will look to throw his hat in the Jorden Wakeley-Mike Anderson bare-knuckle brawl all the way to the Iceman Cometh. He finished second in the team competition last year alongside Gietzen with PriorityHealth, and nothing but total victory will be enough.

In the Expert class, Craig Gietzen will ride with just one gear, but with a complete and total lack of fear. The GR-man showed his ascending capabilities at the Burg this year and will be the favorite in the SS category this Saturday at nub’s nob. The team’s director says Gietzen’s Burg performance earned him a spot on perhaps the fastest and by far the best-looking team in the State.

Also in the Expert class, and the only women hip enough to join the Gentlemen’s Club, Melissa Ryba will face her singletrack demons and rely on her Elite-level power on the climbs to challenge in the Women’s Expert division. A veritable workhourse on the road, Ryba will be riding for the Expert win and the team glory for kolo t.c. as she ramps up her fall program with the Iceman circled in red…twice.

Under the team rules, every team needs a Sport and Enthusiast rider, and kolo t.c. was insanely lucky to snag the infamous Joe “Giuseppi Guirini” of GTMTBA. In addition to living in kolo t.c. HQ and doing most of the cooking, cleaning and decisions therein, Joe is a great cyclist that returns to Crybaby for the third time. Last year, he finished third in his age category and will look to repeat a podium performance. He’ll be battle Gary Chastain from the Einstein team, and the difference between these two may well decide the overall victory in the Team Competition, and maybe even in the Sport 50-55 division.

Best of luck, everyone, and feel encouraged to join the Gentlemen’s Club on Strava to be eligible for the Crybaby Climb KOM Challenge. It’s gonna be fun.