Bradley Stroberg

Silence

2013-01-20T22:11:00.001-08:00

Hello all,

I trust everyone has had a good rest and is ready to attack the new year!

Sorry, I've been very quiet. Hopefully we can fit all that's been going on into one to the point post.

December with the family, a trip to Mozam, a week with my Kirsten in her home town and a fair amount of riding has been going down.

Lets not forget that Christmas has hardly stopped since early December: Scott bikes, Scott helmets, Scott gloves and loads more, USN, Decca Kit, Gaerne shoes, Linebreak compression gear, Nike eyewear, just to name a few.... Lots more on its way, Fedgroup-ITEC is styling for 2013 and 2014.

The training is going well and we are certainly on track for later in the year. Just off training camp which was a really good vibe. We trained hard and played a little to!

KZN road champs was the race of choice after a fairly big week on the bike at training camp, we arrived with little expectation.

The plan was for me to attack from the gun and the rest to sit in for the ride. I established an early break with two others crossing over, they weren't scared to put in the hard yards. By the 45km mark, we had 4mins 30. By the turn at 58km with the big climb out the way, we had 6mins but it was just me with a rider about 20 seconds off. I kept riding but slowed a little to see if he could come back across. He came straight past me and put his head down on the front, impressive. The way home was quite nasty with solid headwind but we continued sharing the workload! 10km to go and 5 minutes to spare. In the end, it was a great feeling to lift my arms in the Fedgroup-ITEC kit, overall and u23 KZN Road Champ.

Brandon sprinted home for 1st elite and 3rd overall with Neil in 4th. Kev coasted home shortly after.

The previous years holder of the KZN overall trophy was the late Burry Stander. RIP Burry, may his family find peace and his legacy stay with us forever.

Now it's off to chase some golf balls around with the team.

Off to Barberton Ultra Marathon on the weekend. Eina!

Cheers,
Brad

Thinking for two people

2012-11-06T11:12:00.001-08:00

Hi all,

Our final goal for the 2012 season saw us take part in the Fedgroup Berg & Bush. With Fedgroup being one of our title sponsors, it gave us a platform to announce the new team member for 2013 and 2014. Brandon will be partnering with Neil MacDonald, an experienced ex-roadie with a very impressive CV.

The Descent is where all the racing snakes congregate to have 3 days of magnificent riding. Brandon had teamed up with Neil while Bridgette and I would tackle the mixed category.

Racing in the mixed category brings in a very interesting dynamic. As the stronger partner, you have to think for two people, choose lines that make it harder for yourself in order to help your team mate spend as little energy as possible without killing yourself in the process.

Bridg was on antibiotics and so we knew we were on the back foot but her never say die attitude saw us give it a good go.

Day 1- 3rd Mixed, 10th overall: lots of district roads meant that I could help Bridg along and my roadie knowledge came into play. We lost some time on the two strongest mixed teams but also put valuable time into another.

Day 2- 3rd mixed on the day, moved up to second mixed overall: A tough day saw one of the strongest mixed teams losing considerable time with mechanicals, we also lost 3 minutes of the 7 minute lead we had over Jeanie and Martin Dreyer. By this time Mariske Strauss and Justin Porteous had a comfortable lead in the mixed category and were almost certain to take the title.

Day 3- 4th mixed across the line: Martin and Jeanie got away from us early in the race and having only 4 minutes to play with meant that we had our work cut out. Being stuck further back in the field makes it hard not to lose a lot of time especially when there are sections that many people have to walk. The last 10-15km were on district and tar roads, Bridg gave it everything and dug deep. We pulled back critical time. Martin and Jeanie had finished by the time we got in and it was a nervous wait to hear if we'd held onto our position. The news came that we'd managed to keep 2nd mixed by a minute.

Bridg was fantastic and despite not being at full strength, didn't let the team down. She gave it everything.

A race to put on the calendar for sure. Don't miss it!

For now, time to rest up before we start the training for 2013. Big things to come for us.

Cheers,
Brad

Back to how it started

2012-11-06T11:11:00.001-08:00

Hi guys and girls,

My dad has always been the biggest supporter of my riding. The early mornings, the expensive equipment, the moments of success and the times when I've let him down.

Back in 2010, I did my first Sani2c with my dad. Needless to say, I jumped at the chance to partner with him at the Fedgroup Berg & Bush 2 Day, the original event.

Two days of brilliant riding, time to have a look at the views and enjoy some of the best riding in the country.

Due to the fun nature of the event, we didn't have to turn ourselves inside out to be near the front, free runs down the single track!!!

Nothing better than having a couple beers with good company, listening to how the battle took place on the top of Spionkop.

6th on Day 1, 1st parent/child
6th on Day 2, 1st parent/child

5th overall, 1st parent/child.

Will be back to do the event every year. Something completely different!

We have fantastic sponsors on board with the team and seeing them involved in events like this, makes it easy to be proudly associated to their company image. Their involvement on a personal level is second to none.

Thank you to all those that made it possible.

Off season now, time to do some different things. It was sad to say goodbye to my Momsen today and I can't wait to get onto the new 2013 bikes.

Ciao,
Brad

Living the life

2012-10-07T21:43:00.001-07:00

Been a while,

The past 2 weeks have been busy but unforgettable. A fantastic trip along the Wild Coast where the Fedgroup-ITEC Connect riders got to host the Kathea Polycom Wild Coast Adventure. 4 days of sun, good company, beaches and bicycles. Unfortunately, I had to cut it a day short in order to get Mankele for the Isuzu 3 towers. Brandon stayed for the extra day as he was designated tour guide. (The joke was on him though, the last day turned into an epic 9hr adventure)

Tim Stark and I made the trip home from the Transkei, little bit of time to pack and get to Mankele for the Isuzu 3 towers. Kallen Williams of the Toyota CSA U23 Academy had asked me if I'd like to ride. Silly question. Another first for me.

Rourke Croeser and Brandon had teamed up. The riding was out of this world, a big change from the perfectly manicured trails and the fast style of racing of Sani2c. Each day had lots of climb to set your legs alight. Day 1 and 2 were 72km each with 1800m of climbing. Day 3 was a shorter 45km with 1200m.

Some bad luck for both Fedgroup-ITEC Connect pairs meant that we were on the back foot, Brandon and Rourke being the biggest losers. Deemed the favorites from the start, serious mechanicals lead to the pairing losing a massive chunk of time on the first day. The overall win was a far reach away. The two kept fighting on. A puncture and crash/mechanical on day 2 made it clear that it wasn't meant to be. Day 3 was almost hassle free and the pair took a comfortable stage win. Inspirational never say die attitude.

Kallen and I suffered several punctures spread across all the days but our overall position wasn't really affected. The issue was more a lack of horsepower as a team. We were fighting for the scraps. Our stage positions were: 8th, 8th and 6th. Finishing up in 7th overall. A good result but certainly a lot of room for improvement.

Day 1 and 2 were good for me, day 3 saw me start well and lose steam towards the end. We all have those days. There is a saying: Somedays you are the pigeon, somedays you are the statue... So, 2 days of flying, 1 of being the statue.

I had good legs all the way, bar the last day and definitely am feeling positive that I can make success of my opportunity. Looking forward to what the future holds. The vibe within the team is great, the mentality is even better!

Cheers,
Brad

In the money

2012-09-24T07:55:00.001-07:00

Hi all,

Another week has passed and some more firsts. Most importantly, raced my first Ultra Marathon and a first time being in the money for Fedgroup-ITEC Connect.

After riding Hill2hill and seeing that the Hilton Ultra Marathon had even more climbing, I knew I was in for a hard day.

The rain had come down the day before and another muddy ride was a certain. We set off and the pace was solid from the start. Onto the first climb and I rode my own tempo, slowly losing contact with the lead group. From there it was a long ride to the finish. The legs felt good after 4hrs, after that the lights went out. Nutrition is a big part of these races and its a rough learning process to get it right.

There is a new found respect for the Ultra Marathon riders, it's certainly no easy ride to finish.

11th overall, progress in the right direction. Brandon took 5th overall with Bridg taking 7th in ladies race.

Cheers,
Brad

Fun in the mud

2012-09-17T06:51:00.001-07:00

Hi all,

Here's an update from a proper MTB outing. The Hill2hill.

The rain started on Thursday evening and didn't let up until Saturday evening. We were in for a wet ride.

A mix of excitement and nerves started kicking in on Friday evening.

Saturday saw Brandon and I take a look at the course in the pouring rain, an easy 1hr30 ride from the start and down into town.

A nice early start for the 105km mud bath. 6am sharp. A call was made to cut out the loop at the top of Worlds View and go straight into town, skipping out a section along the river. From there we were back on the normal route. This meant that looking the course didn't help and Brandon's plan to force the pace on the descent was somewhat nullified.

Anyway, we set off and the ride down was solid fun. Was pleased to only take one fall, many fell a lot more. By the time we got into town, I was a bit off the back but a little dig and I was back in the front group. About 20 riders strong. Tapping out a steady tempo on the front meant that Brandon could sit on and save some energy. As we hit the Friesland climb things got a little hard and I paid for me effort. From there, it was a relatively lonely ride but a good one nonetheless. A 3rd overall from Brandon was welcome news when I crossed the line.

My first big outing for Fedgroup-ITEC Connect was a memorable one. A lot of positive to take from it and room for improvement as always. The legs are getting better and better. For now, it's time to cleat in and enjoy the experience, learning the tricks and putting in the hard graft along the way.

Next up is the Hilton 50 Miler, another big day, another exciting first.

Until next time,
Brad

Stepping Stones

2012-09-06T13:39:00.001-07:00

Hi guys,

So, many of you have asked how the race went this past weekend. The answer is: lots of positive but a less than ideal start.

The race started at a steady pace and it wasn't long before things split up. My legs took a little while to get going but that was to be expected after the training block. I started making progress and by the top of the 1st climb, I found myself in 5th place.

By the time I got to the bottom, things had gone pear shaped, I'd broken my seat post. Having to pull out of a race is the hardest thing to do.

On the positive side, the power file that I got from the race shows that the training is paying off and the numbers are better than ever. Yes, I know, numbers aren't everything!

This week is the last hard week before Hill2hill and the 50 Miler.

Cheers,
Brad

Starting the motor

2012-08-28T00:04:00.001-07:00

Hello again,

The last week was very hectic. We hosted many international riders that were here for the UWCT finals. It was a nice experience being in the backup vehicles for a change although, I'd much rather be the rider.

Didn't really get the training in that I'd hoped for but since it was a rest week, no real concern.

This weekend will be my first race, the Stihl Umkomaas Classic. My first one in the colors of Team Fedgroup- ITEC Connect. It will be a part of my building block for Hill2hill so wont be 100% fresh but I'm going to give it my all. Time to thank the people that made this opportunity possible.

As some of you might've seen, I got my Momsen SL929 built up. Can't wait to take it for a burn in the bush.

Cheers for now,
Brad

Miles in the bank

2012-08-18T09:52:00.001-07:00

Hi all,

So, I'm starting to come to terms with how big the opportunity is that I've been given really is....

I've had a solid 3 weeks of training. The last 2 have had some 6hr rides and totaled just on 1700kms. Feeling better and better.

Been trying out the new Biogen Cytopro RS on the longer rides and it's really impressive! Keeps you going for a long time.

We have a lot of international riders in PMB at the moment for the UWCT final which happens this coming week. It's been great to show them some of our country and hear about theirs.

Rest week this week, start racing on the 2nd of September at the Stihl Umko Classic.

Cheers,
Brad

PS: Apparently I'll be getting a belated birthday present from Fedgroup ITEC Connect... Look out for a picture later in the week

A new focus

2012-08-02T01:45:00.001-07:00

Hi all,

So, I did tell you to keep an eye out for an announcement. Well, here it is.

http://t.co/duICCemS

Big thanks to everyone involved, especially Brandon Stewart for the opportunities that I have been given.

Thank you for all the messages of support. Looking forward to the future.

Cheers,
Brad

Self inflicted

2012-07-26T13:41:00.001-07:00

Hi all,

Exciting times, the knee seems to have been scared into action with the threats of Accupuncture from Garth at EAP Active... Lots of scar tissue to get through but we're making progress.

Managed a massive total of 2 and a half hours on the rollers, 2 hours in the pool and 4 on the knee itself in the last 3 days. All pain free. Back to normal load next week.

The point of this was to tell you about my new love-hate relationship that I bought back from USA. I love the results, hate the pain. It's called a Rumble Roller. Basically, you can give yourself a Myofascial release (read massage)... It hurts!!! Using your body weight to help hard bumps push into your muscles isn't exactly fun but the results are immediate. Definitely saves on those massage bills if you can inflict that pain on yourself day after day.

Will post a photo in the morning. Check out www.RumbleRoller.com

Cheers,
Brad

PS: keep visiting for some exciting news coming soon;-)

Time off

2012-07-18T14:40:00.001-07:00

Hi all,

Got back on Tuesday from a great trip to the USA with my family. Blessed to have the family I do.

Took my bike with the idea that I would do some racing while were away. Gave it a go but my knee wasn't impressed with life. So, I rested, kind of. Walked what felt like thousands of kms but stayed off the bike.

Went to the orthopedic surgeon today and an MRI revealed a near total tear of the Vastus lateralius Tendons. (joins Quad to the bone)

Off the bike for another 2-3 weeks. Time to do some serious core work and get some lengths in at the swimming pool to keep the fitness levels up and stay sane.

Thanks for the messages,
Brad

UWCT 96km Route Profile

2012-06-19T22:44:00.004-07:00

UWCT Final, Pietermaritzburg, August 2012, 96km Route Profile

Recorded on my Bryton Rider 35, fueled by Biogen Cytopro-RS

http://www.brytonsport.com/mapTrackView?id=653586

Took Brandon Stewart and Mike DeVilliers along for company.

Brandon commented on the course via Twitter: "Rode the Vet worlds champs course today with @Brad_Stroberg going to be a tuff little circuit for some!! A little hint!!#packclimbinglegs"

Good luck to all those riding, hope it helps,
Brad

Hanging onto Trees

2012-06-17T06:02:00.001-07:00

Really enjoying riding my MTB more often....

Safire Baynesfield Classic. 65km 1600m climbing.

It's always good to race in KZN, the MTB scene is super strong. Travis Walker, Andrew Hill, Carl Calverly, Grieg Knox, the boys were out to play. 15km to go in with a shot at 2nd overall but the lights were starting to dim, my upper body isn't used to taking the beating you get on the MTB. Loss of concentration and the trees tend to jump out at you. One wrong line and I found myself clinging to a tree, with the wind knocked right out of my overworked lungs. Checked for damage, bike first.. Always!! Little finger was dislocated, popped it back in and got going again.

6th overall, 4th elite. Really good fun, legs are coming right.

Cheers,
Brad

Winter Racing

2012-06-11T22:49:00.001-07:00

I hope your winter training is going well?

4ever Cycles (Previously Cycle Lab PMB) is here to help you. We will be starting a weekly road bike event at the Alexander Park track. We would like to invite you to race Every Wednesday night, the time is yet to be decided so any feedback would be greatly appreciated but we were thinking of starting at 5.30?

The plan is to race for an hour or less to keep the workout from going into your reserves and doing damage to your body during the winter months. This will keep your system going, ensuring that come summer you have a head start for Amashova, 94.7 etc. The lights will be on and it will be warmer than the early mornings. If you do not want to race, feel free to come and ride at the top of the track.

Entry will be free for the first few events and will run on an honesty system. We will look at introducing a small fee which will be handed out at the end as prize money.

This is the difference between us and the guys in JHB, we don't race enough. Let's lift our game and show them what we made of.

The bmx club will be practicing as well so maybe it's time to get your youngsters a bmx and let them do some bmx training while you do your bit.

Let's get the ball rolling,
Brad

Lucky turn

2012-06-11T05:08:00.001-07:00

It seems like things are getting worse on our roads, drivers are more impatient with cyclists than ever. Cyclists should get danger pay.

Was bumped this morning on my ride, luckily it wasn't too bad. Just a reminder that you always have to watch your back and keep concentration at all times.

Thanks to the driver for the apology and the lift home...

Subscribe to HelivacEMS, it's worth it.

Stay safe

A start

2012-06-10T22:58:00.002-07:00

Welcome to my blog,

Everyone has to try it, let's see how it works.

Hopefully there will be some stories to share and interesting inside views from the life of young cyclist trying to make it into the big world.

This year hasn't been one to remember, the results have been few and far between, a mix of getting sick at the wrong times and simply horrible luck has often left me pondering as to why we put ourselves through all the hard times, it's only when it's all going wrong that you realise how tough the sport is. It's then that you realise how great the feeling of achievement actually is and what emotions come about when you stand on the podium.

On the up side, life with the team has been memorable, Willie Smit keeps us guessing as to what his next comment will be with sparks of brilliance taking others by surprise. We have this group on Whatsapp where the team members prefer having a dig at each other rather than discussing anything of relevance, often finding ourselves smiling at our phones like complete idiots. Promise to post a conversation at some point.

We are in the winter months now and the temperatures have certainly dropped substantially in the last few days, Pietermaritzburg gets below 0•C but warms up quickly once the sun is out. The early morning club rides are characterised by packing the layers on and racing each other in the dark, followed by a compulsory coffee before getting on with the day. Luckily, these rides are few and far between as I have the luxury of training a bit later in the day thanks to the flexibilities of Unisa.

Anyway, off to JHB today for my last exam tomorrow, sad to be missing some big training days with Brandon Stewart and Darren Lill this week. Brandon stays just up the hill from me and we do a fair amount of training together, Darren is staying here to get some longer climbs in before his next overseas trip.

Cheers for now, Brad