BlueRubyRider

The Hollywood Spin

2011-10-29T04:26:00.000-07:00

It’s always good to see Patrick “McDreamy” Dempsey on two wheels. Being a cyclist is part of his brand. He aligned with Specialized and Amgen a few years ago for the “Breakaway from Cancer” initiative and annual "Dempsey Challenge" to benefit the cancer center he founded in honor of his mother, who is a survivor. (BTW, the 2012 Dempsey Challenge will be held October 13-14 in Lewiston-Auburn, ME. http://www.dempseychallenge.org/)

Dempsey’s proved to be the consummate celebrity endorser for the Specialized brand, a cause close to his heart, and the sport in general. For one thing he is believable. He looks like a true cyclist riding along Pacific Coast Highway on a Tarmac complimented by S-Works shoes and Specialized kit. Cool! And very HOT!

On the other hand we have Gwyneth Paltrow tangled in a scripting nightmare during the filming of “Thanks for Sharing” in New York’s Central Park. One look at the photos below leaves cycling purists gagging on their Gu Gel. If you’re going cleat-less in shoes meant for cleats, with yoga tights and a t-shirt, don’t put someone on a Serotta with aero bars and flat pedals. Put her in sneakers, call Trek and get a hybrid for the scene. And isn’t it ironic to see such a bad fit on a brand that makes custom bikes? Generally, when a brand is used in a script, it is either a paid product placement or the production company requests permission from said brand to use it and allows control over how it's represented in a scene. Maybe Serotta should have given them some tips? Cut!

Should Cyclists Run in the Offseason? | Active.com

2011-10-26T17:27:00.000-07:00

Winter is just around the corner for most of us in the US. We're all trying to figure out the best way to stay in shape and keep our aerobic engine in good form when it's too cold or snowy to ride.

Here's an informative article about cyclists and running.

Should Cyclists Run in the Offseason? | Active.com

New blog post re: social fitness and Strava coming soon!

Use Your Head

2011-10-19T08:55:00.000-07:00

A recent article in The New York Times debates the use of bike helmets. http://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/16/nyregion/bike-helmets-arent-required-for-new-york-share-program.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=helmet&st=cse.

Topics related to cycling are covered almost daily in New York media as Mayor Bloomberg’s administration and the Department of Transportation continue to push their urban cycling agenda which includes a bike share program in 2012. This particular article contends that share bike participants will not be required to use a helmet. The article also says the DOT supports helmet use. However, in the case of bike share required use may dissuade participation for a myriad of reasons: "inconvenience," “costly” and “implies cycling is dangerous.” And if helmets were provided with the bikes, it would be a "hygiene" issue. OK, that's understandable. But the other reasons. No.

Helmet laws vary from state to state and primarily apply to minors. For example, in New Jersey anyone under the age of 17 is required to wear a helmet. http://www.bhsi.org/mandator.htm

Thankfully, everyone I ride with wears a helmet. Regardless of local laws, it’s generally a requirement for cycling teams, clubs and shop rides.

It drives me crazy when I see a cyclist without a helmet. Oftentimes I will call-out someone who isn’t wearing one by either pointing to mine as I ride by or even yelling “HELMET.”

I’ve always been an advocate for helmets and a few months ago I was reminded why when I crashed into another cyclist while riding at a speed of about 29 mph. My head was the first thing to hit the road. I shudder to think what could have happened had I not been wearing a helmet. I was very fortunate to come out of this with nothing more than a headache and a cracked helmet. And of course road rash and bruises but I was most concerned with my head. I kept my cracked helmet as a reminder that it did its job.

I respect free will but there is also something to be said for common sense. What happened to me can happen to anyone, anywhere at any speed.

The rest is up to you.

The Peloton & The Podium: That’s Bike Racing

2011-07-12T12:01:00.000-07:00

Johnny Hoogerland crowned King of the Mountains despite flying into
barbed wire fence earlier in the day.

Anticipation for the 2011 Tour de France led many of us make predictions, hold assumptions and build fantasy teams based on conventional wisdom. As the Tour moves into its second week, how’s that working out for ya?

Lesson #1: That’s Bike Racing

Tyler Farrar (Garmin-Cervelo) blurted out “That’s Bike Racing” after Stage 7 (Friday, July 8) when he crashed with about 25 miles left to the finish. He wasn’t hurt but it did cost him a potential stage win on a day he was regarded as one of the favorites. Granted, That’s Bike Racing is totally clichéd. But it’s become an easy out clause that encompasses all that can and will go wrong in the sport. Sadly it sums up what we’ve seen so far in this year’s Tour de France. Let’s just say the 98^th edition will become another cliché: Tour de Crash.

Heading into Stage 10, 178 riders of 198 remain in the Tour. Only two teams are still competing with the nine members they started with.

US based Team RadioShack has undoubtedly suffered the hardest hits. The latest casualty is Yaroslav Popovych, who crashed twice in Stage 5. We found out this morning he has left the Tour with a fever.

Personally, I am crushed by their fate. I was hoping to see both Levi Leipheimer and Chris Horner finish high in the GC, possibly even a podium spot for one of them. Both were having great seasons so far. But That’s Bike Racing.

Overall, RadioShack started the Tour in great form with their luck beginning to run out in Stage 5 when a crash led Jani Brajkovic to abandon with a broken collarbone, concussion and, as Brajkovic said on his blog, “no skin on the ride side of the body.” http://www.livestrong.com/teamradioshack/news_jani-brajkovic-writes-blog-with-left-hand/

RadioShack’s problems mounted in Stage 7 when Horner went down in a crash that also sent Team Sky’s GC hopeful Bradley Wiggins home. Horner ended up in a ditch with a momentary loss of consciousness yet somehow managed to ride 30kms to finish the stage. When he reached the team bus, Horner incoherently and repeatedly asked “did I finish?” and didn’t seem to remember anything about the crash. I find it alarming that he was allowed to finish the stage and question the judgment of team manager Johan Bruyneel and the Tour doctor. What were they thinking? Regardless of how important Tour de France is to a team and an individual there is never a good reason to take risks and put someone in potential danger – especially when signs of head trauma are present. In the end, Horner suffered a concussion, broken nose and a calf hematoma. He was last seen at McDonalds and is on a plane back to the states. He is lucky. I hope we see him in Colorado in August.

Levi Leipheimer is now riding against a deficit that started with a solo crash near the finish of a rainy Stage 6. The following day, he lost more time and is now holding at #36 in the GC. The overall winner of Tour de Suisse and #2 in Tour of California, he’s joined the ranks of Shack riders working to protect and shepherd Andreas Kloden – their last hope for a spot on this year’s podium. Kloden was tangled in a crash on Sunday and was evaluated yesterday for a back injury. He started Stage 10 this morning and remains #8 in the GC. Let’s hope he stays healthy. But with the back being so crucial in riding, it’s hard to say what will happen from here.

Stage 7 also resulted in the exit of Tom Boonen, one of Quick Step’s key riders. He suffered a crash in Stage 5 and managed to ride through the pain for two more days before pulling out.

Stage 9 started with an early crash for defending champion Alberto Contador (Saxo Bank) but he was able to draft enough team cars to get back to the pack under the shadow of a time deficit. Contador also crashed in Stages 1, 5 and 7. Never at a loss for words, commentator Phil Liggett called him “hapless” and Contador is denying rumors he’ll abandon the Tour with a sore knee and bruised ego. I doubt he’ll make an early exit. Like him or hate him Contador has unmatchable mental fortitude and cannot be ruled out with the true mountain stages coming up. Even with the challenges, he was able to rise to #16 in the GC.

A second crash in Stage 9 happened on a wet descent, bringing the first round of real carnage to the day. Attack specialist Alexander “Vino” Vinokourov (Astana) along with American Dave Zabriskie (Garmin-Cervleo) and Omega-Pharma Lotto teammates Jurgen Van den Broucke and Frederik Willems flew off the road rounding a curve. Vino emerged from the ditch with broken thigh bone and exited what was slated to be his final Tour at age 37 in a helicopter. Zabriske exited with a broken wrist; Van den Broucke, a shoulder blade and Willems, a collarbone.

The most heinous incident happened when a French TV vehicle plowed into two riders in a five-man breakaway. The driver swerved to avoid a tree and instead plowed into Juan Antonio Flecha (Team Sky), who ricocheted into Johnny Hoogerland (Vacansoleil). Flecha miraculously got back on his bike and finished the stage, wounds and all. Hoogerland plowed into a barbed wire fence and suffered horrific gashes on the lower part of his body. Yet – in another miracle – not only finished the stage but managed to capture the King of the Mountains jersey. The video is gut-wrenching. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JMjSZhXHiHo.

Looking at the causes of most of the accidents, common sense should guide some of the changes that need to be made for next year to better protect the riders. They obviously can’t control the weather but they can be more selective about the routes and try to avoid some of the narrow roads that contributed to some of this year’s crashes. This goes for all Tours. If you recall there were a lot of grunts and complaints from the peloton about some of the descents in the Giro d’Italia.

Officials also have to find a way to impose stricter guidelines over vehicles in races. I thought Mark Cavendish had one of the best responses to the Flecha-Hoogerland accident . He more or less demanded a crackdown on anyone operating a vehicle in a bike race. Cavendish said: "Anyone involved with a bike race (including riders) should take written and practical tests before getting licenses."

The spectators present another issue. They've contributed to few accidents this year as well. While it's tradition to have spectators up close, personal and dressed in wacky costumes, officials need to make an effort to keep them further from the road’s edge. And by that I mean logic and a matter of inches.

The mainstream media also seem to be feeding on all the crashes. Most of the coverage I see outside of the cycling press shows riders on the ground bleeding, limping and cradling broken body parts. They especially like showing the Flecha-Hoogerland accident. It’s kind of sad that the sport is being portrayed this way. They are doing nothing to elevate the sport for what it really is; a fun, healthy pastime that just about anyone at any level can do. But rather they are providing bike widows and widowers with nag-fest ammunition.

Lesson #2: Cyclists are the Toughest Athletes on the Planet

Maybe I’m a bit biased, but I don’t see any other sport requiring the strength and stamina displayed by cyclists. The sport in itself is grueling. They sign on for repeated days of hard riding at long distances with very little rest over 21 days. Even with all the adversity, physically and mentally these riders continue to display tenacity and unflappable commitment to the sport. Most of them make every attempt to ride through the pain and oftentimes succeed. Flecha and Hoogerland somehow managed to continue after getting slammed by a car in a high-speed breakaway. Today Hoogerland, with 33 stitches, managed to keep the KOM jersey that he earned on Sunday after the accident. Even amidst the tears of having to leave the Tour Jani Brajkovic was able to take a breath and say: “OK, I’m alive and have more than six weeks (to recover) to the Vuelta d’Espana.” Chalk that up to the thick skin and mental toughness required in this sport.

To be a cyclist (and that means me and you, too) you have to be able to suffer, sometimes fail, always suck it up and move on.

That’s Bike Racing.

Road Rage: I'm Surprised We Don't See More of This

2011-07-12T06:58:00.000-07:00

We deal with irate drivers all the time so this doesn't surprise me. A few months ago in Mountain Lakes, NJ a crazy lady pulled up next to me and yelled for the span of about a mile. I ignored her for the most part, but at one point had to respond with "please shut up and keep going." I think we all have at least one road rage story.

The Peloton & The Podium: Cavendish Shines on a Day Marked by Crashes; Stage 5 recap with Stage 6 UPDATE

2011-07-07T08:02:00.000-07:00

Mark Cavendish aka “Manx Missile” (HTC-Highroad) landed a big stage 5 win in a dramatic sprint he engineered in a span of :10 over the final 50 meters. Phillipe Gilbert (Omega-Pharma Lotto) and Joaquin Rojas (Movistar) followed Cavendish over the line in that order.

Stage 5 (Wednesday), which marked Cavendish’s 16th Tour de France stage win, is being pegged as “one of Cav’s best wins ever.” It was quite impressive to watch him engineer the winning sprint from what looked to be about 10th place position. At this point in the stage he had no help from teammates for the lead out; he just ripped forward by himself. I like Cavendish and everything about yesterday's win is why I’m OK with his so-called “attitude.” In other words he can back it up. I like that he riles up enough emotion to get people talking. He adds a lot of personality to a sport that needs more of an identity to break further into the mainstream. With only a few stages left to match his talents, look for him to fly on all engines and bring home a few more wins. Update: Cav won the Stage 6 intermediate sprint; with Rojas and Farrar close behind.

Stage 5 was marked by crashes and carnage due to narrow roads and windy conditions. There were 10 crashes throughout the day with the biggest casualty being Janez Brajkovic (RadioShack) having to abandon the Tour with a broken collarbone and concussion. The Shack’s Chris Horner, Levi Leipheimer and Yaroslav Popovych also went down in crashes but were able to escape with minor injuries. Alberto Contador (Saxo Bank) was involved in two crashes, escaping with nothing more than a ripped jersey. But still remains far back in the GC at #39. Tom Boonen (Quick Step) was also impacted by a crash. Despite a painful ride to the finish, he was able to finish within 4:00 of the time required to stay in the Tour.

Some thoughts

Andy Schleck sits comfortably in 10th place. He is poised to move up further once the Tour heads to the mountains. I still call for him to be in the center of the podium when the Tour rides into Paris. I also still see either Levi Leipheimer or Chris Horner on the podium with him. Contador – I am not sure about anymore. He seems to be marred with obstacles this year including being surrounded by a team appearing to be sporadic when he needs them. However, I’m waiting for the mountains before ruling him out of a top spot.

Today (Thursday) is the longest stage of the Tour, stretching 226.5 kms/140.7 miles from Dinan to Lisieux. Flat with some climbs and made for the power sprinters. With Cavendish already winning today’s intermediate, this is the type of stage that he can wrap his massive legs around. My guess is today becomes #17 for Cav. (I was wrong...see below)

I love that Gamin-Cervelo shares team ride files on GarminConnect. Here’s Tyler’s Stage 3 win http://connect.garmin.com/activity/97231307 and Thor's Stage 5 ride to stay in yellow http://connect.garmin.com/activity/97337723.

These files are tangible proof of just how grueling this sport is and the conditioning required for this level of stamina and endurance. Those who don’t “get it” are probably thinking “it’s all drugs.” And this is the most ignorant and stereotypical perspective that anyone can bring to the sport. It becomes dangerous when an outlet like the Chicago Sun Times assigns a sports columnist who knows nothing about cycling – in this case Rick Morrissey – to cover the Tour. He came up with this gem: “Drug-Stained History Turns Tour de France into Pathetic Joke.” The only pathetic joke is the Sun Times for letting something like this run. http://www.suntimes.com/sports/morrissey/6360320-452/drug-stained-history-turns-tour-de-france-into-pathetic-joke.htm

I don’t want to make this about doping. That’s another blog post for another day. But rather call attention to his ridiculous assumption that the entire sport is tainted and in his mind cycling shouldn't be covered as a sport. Rick: don’t watch it and surely don’t accept an assignment like this if you can’t produce a well-researched piece that shows you have at least a basic command of the sport. Not to mention he contradicts himself by indicating that “Besides the Contador case, the last two tours have been free of positive drug tests.” As a “journalist” he should have some realization of how risky and stupid it his to base an entire rant on old news.

Rick: You are clearly experiencing more oxygen debt than a sprint finish. Stick with the bad buffets and cheap beer in the press room Wrigley Field. It’s much better suited for your lazy approach to “journalism.”

Stage 6 UPDATE

A rainy Stage 6 ended with a surprise win by Sky's Edvald Boasson Hagan, followed by Matthew Goss (HTC) and Thor Hushovd (Garmin-Cervelo) who will remain in yellow. This is the first 2011 Tour de France stage win for Sky and a career first for Boasson Hagan. (Fun fact: Sky changed their colors to green to recognize the disappearing rain forest.)

More trouble for RadioShack with Levi Leipheimer crashing close to the finish and losing over a minute and pushing him back to #31 in the GC.

The GC going into (a flat) Stage 7:

1. Thor Hushovd, Team Garmin – Cervelo

2. Cadel Evans, BMC, at 0:01

3. Frank Schleck, Leopard-Trek, at 00:04

4. David Millar, Garmin – Cervelo, at 00:08

5. Andréas KlÖden, RadioShack, at 00:10

6. Bradley Wiggins, Sky, at 00:10

7. Geraint Thomas, Sky Procycling, at 00:12

8. Edvald Boasson Hagen, Procycling, at 00:12

9. Jakob Fuglsang, Leopard-Trek, at 00:12

10. Andy Schleck, Leopard-Trek, at 00:12

The Peloton & The Podium: Big Win for Cadel Evans; Thor Stays in Yellow

2011-07-05T22:00:00.000-07:00

Cadel Evans (BMC) claimed victory in stage 4 of the Tour de France, edging out Alberto Contador (Saxo Bank) in a thrilling photo finish. This is the second career Tour de France stage win for Evans who also grabbed the King of the Mountains jersey today. George Hincapie (BMC) once again proved to be the consummate leader, working tirelessly to help shepherd Evans to the finish line including an epic pull into the final steep climb.

Alexander Vinokourov (Astana) followed Contador to claim 3rd place in the stage. Thor Hushovd (Garmin-Cervelo) executed a 6^th place finish to retain the yellow jersey and hold as the leader in the GC. Evans follows Hushovd in the GC and Frank Schleck moves up to 3rd place.

Contador’s 2^nd place finish prompted “El Pistolero” to prematurely celebrate a 1st place win with what appeared to be a partial finger point vs. a full pull of the trigger. He executed an attack on the final stretch but where were his teammates to help when everyone around him countered? Regardless, today’s ride propelled him a bit in the GC where he now stands at #41. Contrary to what some are speculating, I don’t think Contador is “emotionally drained." But rather I think he is too mentally tough to let any external factors impact his performance. Let’s see what happens in the mountains.

An actual 1/2 page article with a photo..next to an ad

The US still holds strong with both teams and riders represented in the top ranks of the Tour. I keep hoping the US media will embrace the sport beyond Lance Armstrong – and I am finally seeing signs of life. The Associated Press (AP) wrote a few stories that seem to be gaining widespread pick-up in major media. One article specifically calls out the “record tying” number of American cyclists (10) in this year’s Tour and a “growing fan base” in the US. It also cites a great quote from Hincapie: Ten Americans at the Tour de France just shows you how much the sport has grown in the U.S.,” he said. “You know people are really starting to realize what a grueling sport this is, and starting to respect it.” Another AP article highlights Tyler Farrar’s (Garmin-Cervelo) stage 3 win pointing out (1) the significance of a US win on 4th of July, (2) Farrar’s first Tour de France stage win and (3) the first American to win a stage since Levi Leipheimer won the Individual Time Trial in 2007. http://tinyurl.com/6hs5h26

Speaking of Farrar….he went head-to-head with Mark Cavendish (HTC-Highroad) for the points in today’s intermediate sprint and solidly beat him in his continuing hunt for the green jersey.

Speaking of Cavendish….Sprinter Romain Feillu (Vacansoleil-DCM) told Cycling News that Cavendish is “arrogant like (Ricardo) Ricco.” Really?? Ricardo Ricco is a former teammate of Feillu’s who was banned from the sport for doping. While the article may make some valid observations about Cavendish, please don’t compare him to Ricco. Ricco isn’t smart enough to be arrogant. In other words he's an idiot. The 27 year old almost died in February 2011 as a result of a self transfusion with 25 day old blood. Sure Mark Cavendish may be arrogant but he’s considered by many to be the best sprinter in the world. To an extent he has earned the right to call himself “the best.” Ricco on the other hand is done as a pro cyclist and will never attain anything close to what Cavendish has accomplished so far in his career. Not to mention that according to UCI doping ranking, Cavendish is classified as a 2 on a scale of 1-10; 10 being the highest risk.

Stage 5 (Carhaix - Cap Fréhel) is one for the sprinters. Maybe another win for Tyler???? I hope so!

The Peloton & The Podium: A Win for the US and a Win for Wouter

2011-07-04T10:32:00.000-07:00

I didn’t call for Tyler Farrar (Garmin-Cervelo) to win today’s stage but I am thrilled he was the first to cross the finish. How cute was is it that he lost his balance doing the no hands victory dance? (And I mean that in a most affectionate way). This is the American sprinter’s first ever Tour de France stage win and he delivered it to the USA on the 4^th of July! More importantly, he dedicated the win to Wouter Weylandt, his best friend and member of Leopard-Trek who was tragically killed during stage 3 of the 2011 Giro d’Italia. Teammate Thor Hushovd led him in for the win and will also retain the yellow jersey. Romain Feillu (Vacansoleil-Dcm) and Joaquin Rojas Jose (Movistar) followed Farrar on today’s podium. Andy Schleck moved up to #8 in the General Classification and Alberto Contador is still far behind at #69, putting him at 1:42 behind the race leader.

So an American rider from an American team delivers a win on the 4th of July. Here's my question: How will this be elevated in the US? I hope this gets some attention beyond the usual places. I would love to see this sport get more recognition in the US, especially considering we have some of the most talented and enduring riders the sport has to offer. We also have four US based pro teams and 10 American riders competing this year - the most in 25 years. I am anxious to see how it all plays out in mainstream media.

Mark Cavendish (HTC-Highroad) and Thor Hushovd both lost points today after being penalized for a "tussle" during a high speed sprint. Initially Cavendish was seen nudging Hushovd with his helmet but it was later determined by officials that both committed infringements. Hushovd apparently left his line. Cavendish has a career 15 stage wins in the Tour de France and is competing for points needed to get the green jersey. There is no question he is one of the best sprinters in cycling. But...he's also a bad boy. There are certain things about his persona that I like and find - well - hot. He keeps things interesting. But today it cost him points toward the green jersey.

Tomorrow takes us to Lorient - Mûr-de-Bretagne for Stage 4. It’s considered a flat stage with a tough 2km climb to a summit finish in Brittany. Not suited for a true sprinter but rather may work in favor of Phillipe Gilbert.

The Peloton & The Podium: Go USA!!

2011-07-04T04:35:00.000-07:00

Looking at the standings after yesterday’s Team Time Trial and US based teams are showing dominance in Tour de France.

Boulder, CO based Garmin-Cervelo showed their depth by winning a brilliantly executed Team TT that put world road racing champion Thor Hushovd in the yellow jersey. Though this is a relatively new team which formed last August through a merger, they have amazing talent and strength in all areas. It will be fun to watch them over the next few week. Plus cool new kits.

George Hincapie, who just turned 38 and is riding in his 16^th Tour de France, captained BMC racing into 2^nd (:05) and keep GC hopeful Cadel Evans in the strongest possible position going into stage 3. Hincapie is also now the highest ranking American (#13) rider in the overall standings.

HTC-Highroad, though disappointed in yesterday’s Team TT, sits at #5 in team rankings with five riders in the top 20 (Tony Martin, #14; Peter Velits, #15; Tejay Van Garderen, #16; Lars Bak, #17; Mark Cavendish, #18). Look for Mark Cavendish to push very hard for a stage win today. His hopes for a stage 1 win were dashed as a result of a crash and bent wheel.

Team Radio Shack rode in at 6^th place as a result of a slow start but a late surge put them in the top 10 to keep their GC riders in strong contention.

Also of note in the big picture: Leopard-Trek led by Fabian Cancellara dug very deep to capture 5^th place and put Andy Schleck at #10 in the GC. (Contador is currently standing at #75)

Today is a sprint stage. The strongest contenders will be Cavendish, Gilbert, Hushovd. I am calling for a Mark Cavendish stage win today.

Did you know Dave Zabriskie is riding the Tour as a Vegan? (with an occasional piece of salmon) http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052702304314404576414124184873028.html

The Peloton & The Podium: It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year

2011-07-03T07:46:00.000-07:00

Stage 1 of the 2011 Tour de France (Passage du Gois - Mont des Alouettes) is now in the books.

No big surprise that Phillipe Gilbert (Omega Pharma Lotto) won this stage since it was suited for the talents of a sprinter who possesses the power to finish on a climb. The big surprise of stage 1 was Tour favorite Alberto Contador (Saxo Bank) losing 1:20. This was mainly due to a crash that broke up the peloton with around 10kms left to the finish. But a deficit is a deficit. Doesn’t matter how it happened. Oh well; that’s bike racing – with a little poetic justice in this case. Andy Schleck (Leopard-Trek) leads him by 1:14. Oh well; that’s karma. Look for today’s Team Time Trial to help Andy Schleck even further heading into Stage 3.

Cadel Evans (BMC) followed Gilbert across the finish line :03 later, putting him in the best position as an overall contender. If BMC rides strong enough today in the Team Time Trial, we could see Evans in yellow at the start of Stage 3.

From a team perspective, the US should be proud. In the current Top 10 we have BMC Racing (Cadel Evans, #2), Garmin-Cervelo (Thor Hushovd, #3), Team Radio Shack (Andreas Kloden, #7; Chris Horner, #8) and HTC-Highroad (Tony Martin, #10).

Some of my thoughts looking ahead:

- I’m watching the Team Time Trial unfold as I write this and think HTC-Highroad or Garmin-Cervelo (Can you say Zabriske and Hushovd?) stand the best chance of winning but Leopard-Trek with Time Trial extraordinaire Fabian Cancellara leading the team will ride strong enough to give Andy Schleck a solid time heading into Stage 3.

- Team Radio Shack will have a banner Tour. It’s a new era for the Shack! They are on fire and are already having a terrific season. Levi Leipheimer’s victory in the Tour de Suisse, Chris “you had me at hello” Horner’s unstoppable climbing to win the Tour of California, Andreas Kloden delivering Tour of the Basque Country and numerous other stage wins so far in 2011. Last year it was hard to see some of this talent because everyone had to work for Lance Armstrong. That was generally how a team with Armstrong on the roster operated. He called the shots and more importantly drew the sponsors.

- Contador will likely lose more time today. He started stage 2 with a deficit and based on what I am seeing as the Team Time Trial unfolds the gap will get bigger for “El Pistolero.”

- Should the Tour come down to another Schleck-Contador battle, Andy Schleck will win the mental game and thus the Tour. This is a big “IF.” I’m just playing along with the early expectations.

- Anything can happen over the next three weeks. And THAT’S WHY THEY CALL IT BIKE RACING.

UPDATE: Team Garmin-Cervelo won the Team TT and Thor Hushovd is now in yellow. He may hold this for at least another stage since tomorrow (Monday) is another day for the sprinters. Garmin-Cervelo was followed by on the podium by BMC, Sky and Leopard-Trek. Team Radio Shack delivered a solid ride to grab 6th place. In the GC standings, David Millar (Garmin-Cervelo) and Cadel Evans follow Hushovd in that order. Fabian Cancellara (Leopard-Trek) is in 7th place and Andy Schleck now stands at #10. Alberto Contador is now #75 in the GC, putting him at 1:14 behind the leader. Those mountains are gonna be tough!

Maplewood Athlete Fights Diabetes in More Ways Than One

2011-06-16T14:49:00.000-07:00

My byline in Patch recognizing NJ resident Jai Westwood and his commitment to the fight against diabetes.

Maplewood Athlete Fights Diabetes in More Ways Than One

MOOO-VE Over

2011-06-13T12:31:00.000-07:00

This is what you may call a natural disaster....imagine all the training these guys endure and you get taken out by a cow. Guess it could happen anywhere.

What's your most bizarre encounter on the road or on a trail? I encountered a bear in Far Hills, NJ. I just kept going -- fast.

New York City Absurdities

2011-06-10T08:54:00.000-07:00

I'm A Guest Blogger @ BicyclingHub.com!

2011-06-07T04:23:00.000-07:00

SPRINT TO THE FINISH BUT KEEP THE MIND RACING: that's what guest columnist Maryanne Caruso advises when it comes to cultivating a mental state of patience, persistence and determination. Read her full article on our Blog: http://bicyclinghub.blogspot.com/2011/06/sprint-to-finish-but-keep-mind-racing.html

I'll Never Race Again...The Saga Continues

2011-06-06T05:54:00.000-07:00

Once again that’s the sentiment that stayed with me for about an hour after yet another sobering and confidence blowing Criterium. I fell off the pack and made a huge mistake in assuming a free lap to try to get back on. I should have just kept going but I didn’t and that’s what I have to live with.

My initial resolve: “This is it; I’m done. I should just go back to being a cyclist for the sake of riding a bike and continue to ride strong on long rides. I also thought about the New Jersey Gran Fondo on August 28. It’s 103 miles and about 10,000 feet of climbing. Maybe that should be my focus instead of the ongoing humiliation of crit racing.” (http://granfondonj.com/home.html)

Once the dust settled I came down from that infamous ledge I perch on after every race. I realized I am not really ready to walk away from racing. For me, there is nothing worse than giving up. I committed to racing several months ago and need to honor my decision. Collective wisdom (and hugs) from friends and teammates also continue to help me see light at the end of the tunnel.

Most new racers experience a tough start and must put things in perspective if they want to stick with it. Based on the advice I am given, you have to commit to more than one season in order to achieve any level of success. And by success I mean hanging with a pack; not necessarily getting on a podium. Unless you are a natural talent and/or born athlete who turns everything to gold, you can’t call yourself a “bike racer” after one season of racing. As our coach Cyndi yesterday, “if racing were easy more people would do it.”

Mentally you have to bring yourself back from failures and try not concern yourself too much with others who are stronger, faster and more experienced. They don’t care that you don’t finish or get dropped from the pack; they are only concerned with how they did in the race. After a race, talk to your coach and identify what you need to accomplish to be better in the next race, e.g., sustained intensities, accelerations, cornering. Make this part of your training and part of touring rides.

Give yourself credit by finding at least one thing you did better than the last race. Dig deep enough and you’ll find something. That’s where the realization of improvement begins and that’s the beginning of the road to the next race.

Feel free to share your race stories.

"These riders, once not even considered worthy of a training ride...are about to steal the day." – Phil Liggett

Pedaling for the Greater Good.....Sometimes You Just Have To Ask

2011-06-02T07:04:00.000-07:00

I’m not a natural talent or a born athlete. I basically work hard to attain most of the small successes I’ve enjoyed. That goes for cycling too. It took a long time but I can finally say I fall in the category of being “strong” for my class.

Every once in a while I will use my cycling endurance to ride for a cause I believe in. I generally self-support these rides because I don’t particularly enjoy asking for help. In some cases I will. http://main.diabetes.org/site/TR?pg=personal&fr_id=7556&px=1171058

On Sunday, June 5, I will ride 75 miles in the American Diabetes Tour de Cure. I’ve been doing this event since 2003 and this year I made the last minute decision to raise money for the cause; primarily because this is the only event I will do for diabetes in 2011.

I ride for my 12 year old niece Samantha, who was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at age 3, and for everyone else affected by this disease. It’s 24/7/365 and has essentially defined her life for the past 9 years. Nonetheless, Sam manages her condition with patience, courage, determination and resilience. She is an inspiration for what can be accomplished in the face of adversity. 75 miles is the least I can do in an effort to bring us closer to a cure and improved treatment options.

Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease that destroys the pancreas’ ability to produce insulin, which is required to metabolize glucose throughout the body. As a result, someone with type 1 is dependent upon an external source of insulin for the rest of their life. Insulin is not a cure, nor is it a perfect science; but rather life support. And even though someone with diabetes looks “normal” on the outside, there is an unpredictable monster wrecking havoc behind the scenes which can cause blindness, kidney disease, amputations, and many other severe and irreversible complications that in the long term cannot be prevented by insulin. Type 1 affects about 3 million people in the US; most of whom are children.

If you would like to help with a donation, please visit my link at http://main.diabetes.org/site/TR?pg=personal&fr_id=7556&px=1171058 or send me an email at maryanne.caruso@gmail.com.

THANKS!!! And as always THANKS for visiting!

Juvederm Puts the Rubber to the Road

2011-05-06T10:52:00.000-07:00

Juvederm, an injectable used to treat the signs of facial aging, recently signed on as a title sponsor of the UCI Women’s pro cycling team Juvederm-Specialized-Mazda. I discovered the team a few weeks ago when they participated in the Tour of the Battenkill. It’s fun following them and seeing Juvederm branding emblazoned on cycling jerseys and signage as they pedal across thousands of miles throughout the US and Canada.

More importantly it’s promising to see a broader range of sponsors embrace the cycling audience. Allergan, the company that markets Juvederm, is being both creative and strategic by going beyond the cookie cutter advertising mold that defines marketing for anti-aging products. They are smart to come out of the box and realize the desirable demographics delivered by cycling.

*According to recent statistics, cycling is the second most popular recreational activity behind sport walking and, unlike walking; it lends itself to commercial sponsorship. An estimated 17 million bikes are sold annually in the US, with the mean price of a road bike being around $3,000.

*The audience profile for cycling is affluent, educated and upscale. There are more than 64 million cyclists in the US; 55% are adult females and their average income is reported at more $60,000. The demographics for licensed amateur racers, the likely audience to follow pro racing, are strong as well. The average age for this group is 45-49, the average income is $95,000+ and 70% are college graduates. Cycling spectators also offer desirable demographics. This audience base is estimated at 11 million, 50% female, a median age of 37, average income $75,000+ and 60% hold college degrees. Another interesting statistic I found in my research shows that cycling is the #1 fitness and health activity among doctors and lawyers over the age of 40. (Cha-ching)

While the quantitative profile is very attractive, there is also a strong qualitative case for a partnership between Allergan/Juvederm and cycling. My assumption is that their marketing team looked deeper at the psyche of the 35-49 year-old female market that cycling delivers and saw an audience that is proactive about health, fitness and looks. Most importantly she is defying age with every mile and will make an investment in the promise of younger and fresher looking face. Not to mention that a thin (and most of us that ride at intermediate and advanced levels are thin) middle age woman pays the price in her face and Juvederm can reverse this by putting fullness back into the cheeks. All very good reasons to invest in this market.

And they're winning!

Considering some of the major sponsors who have committed long-term to the sport such as Mercedes Benz, Cadillac, Nike, international investment houses such as Saxo Bank and numerous pharmaceutical companies including Amgen putting their name on the Amgen Tour of California,” Juvederm is in good company. I am curious to see the brand’s return after its first season as a title sponsor.

*Source: Simmons, MRI, USA Cycling Membership, Bicycling Magazine

Mental Toughness

2011-04-28T13:54:00.000-07:00

“Mental toughness” is a term often associated with cycling (for a lot of us it comes from the whole sufferin’ thing.) Mental toughness is a necessity. You usually have to dig deep to find it, it’s unique to the individual and it’s difficult to explain. I find it to be the most elusive concept in cycling.

Chris Carmichael, founder Carmichael Training Systems and personal coach to Lance Armstrong, defines mental toughness as “the mind and body working together to achieve goals.” Of all the research I’ve done on the topic this is by far the most tangible explanation. Take a closer look and mental toughness is associated with: motivation, desire, goals, dealing with adversity, focus, planning, confidence, determination, commitment, resilience and control under pressure; just to name a few.

For elite pro racers, mental toughness can represent 90% of what gets them to the finish line. It equates to everyone in the field being at their peak in physical performance and the one with the mental edge – the one who can endure the most pain without distraction while being strategic about every move – rides to victory.

For those of us who use every ride to improve as cyclists and compete in local races, it’s about the mental and physical states continually trading off with each other. When a new milestone is reached, we must draw from mental strength to reach the next level of physical performance. During races and challenging rides the physical and mental work together as one.

More importantly, it’s an individual state that relies on self-motivation in order for it to play out in the most effective ways possible.

For example, crashing out of a race and not dwelling on what went wrong but rather what needs to be done differently the next time. The mentally tough rider thinks in terms of “the next time” rather than “that’s the last time I’ll attempt that.” There are no “I cant’s” or regrets when exercising mental toughness.

It’s also about taking on challenges you know are painful but you do it anyway because it’s going to result in some form of improvement. I strive to be a better climber and know the only way to improve is to incorporate as many hills as possible into my rides. Two weeks ago I rode the Hills of Attrition and treated it as a training ride. It’s a popular route in New Jersey and whoever put it together is a genius. The ride captures some of the most challenging hills in Morris and Somerset Counties; one right after the other covering 55 miles and close to 5,600 feet of climbing. Keeping true to its name, hill after hill one can be tempted to find an alternate route home. But I was determined to finish this ride despite several chain drops and a leaky back tire for the last few miles. I found the mental stamina by reminding myself of situations I am angry about and people who – let’s say – are not in my good favor right now for various reasons (feel free to insert a stronger word here.) PS: I can’t wait to do this ride again – great ride.

I see tremendous sparks of mental toughness in my friends and teammates. Julie Jones of Montclair Cyclists is just hammering through the 2011 NJBA Time Trial Series and has been on the podium for every event including last weekend’s Long Beach Island TT, where she placed #1 under treacherous weather conditions. In her race report she shared that she kept reminding herself of how badly she wanted to win this and repeatedly told herself to PEDAL HARDER. Julie also communicated the importance of avoiding distractions by sharing how she ditched a pair of expensive lenses along the route because the weather was causing them to fog her visual ability. She did whatever had to be done to quickly eliminate a factor that could impact her goal of winning.

Stacey Barbossa of Team Cosmic Wheel placed first in her category in this year’s Tour of the Battenkill Pro Am. For those not familiar with Battenkill, it is considered to be one of the toughest and most challenging road races in the US. While Stacey is one of the most talented cyclists I know, it was evident in her race report that she had a plan for Battenkill and was prepared at every turn and every hill. She trained smart, took advantage of a preview ride and strategically executed a ride that led her to be the first to cross the finish line.

This is one of the most difficult and time-consuming posts I’ve ever written. I’ve been researching for a week and trying to find the most resourceful way to approach the topic. There are so many elements to mental toughness including carrying these qualities over into other areas of your life and vice versa. That’s for another post.

Additionally, I have been drawing from external influences including Sydney Becker, a 12-year old girl from Livingston, NJ who is being treated for a rare form of bone cancer. Sydney is a friend of my niece’s and you can read her story at http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/sydneybecker/. I was on the fence about racing this season but Sydney’s courage through her surgery and treatments made me realize that if a child can face this, I can’t chicken out of racing. I now wear a Team Sydney bracelet on every ride and race.

"Mental toughness is many things and rather difficult to explain. Its qualities are sacrifice and self-denial. Also, most importantly, it is combined with a perfectly disciplined will that refuses to give in. It's a state of mind-you could call it character in action." – Vince Lombardi

Feel free to share the role mental toughness plays in your riding.

NOTE: The Peloton & The Podium will be back next week with coverage of Giro d’Italia.

First Race (First Crash)

2011-04-13T20:18:00.001-07:00

The focus of my racing season is the New Jersey Bicycle Association’s (NJBA) Category 4 Women’s Cup Series. The series includes Criteriums, or “crits,” Road Races and Time Trials to provide a broad range of experience to new racers like myself. This is a good way to find your strengths and determine what you like and don’t like about racing.

The first race was the Cherry Blossom Challenge, a crit held last Saturday at Branch Brook Park in Newark, NJ. Even though I’d spent the past eight months training to improve on speed, sprinting and pack skills, I was at a bit of a disadvantage having missed the organized training in early spring. This left me going back and forth in my mind as to whether I was prepared for this race.

Turned out I was more prepared than I thought. We had a field of about 14 women and once the race started I felt comfortable. I had no problem keeping the pace and hanging in the pack. There's one turn on this course and while I tend to be cautious with turns, I can generally make up for lost time by standing and sprinting to recover. By the second lap around, I knew I’d be able to finish this race. And therein lies the reason why I was so PI^&ED at how things turned out.

Most people who really know me would not be surprised to hear I crashed in my first bike race. (I have a history of being somewhat of a klutz). To be fair, if this had anything to do with my “rep,” I’d probably be laughing about this. And therein lies another reason why I was so PI^&ED at how things turned out.

The race was seven laps around a flat (approximately) two-mile loop. On the third or fourth lap, someone two bikes ahead of me was not holding their line though the left turn. As a result, the rider directly in front of me went down. There was no way to avoid getting tangled in her bike. So that is what ended my first race.

Or maybe it shouldn’t have.

I didn’t go down on the ground which is a testament to my ability to respond to some degree. However, if I had more of a racer’s instinct, I may have reacted quicker to get out of the mess and sprint back to the pack. Instead I struggled a bit and went to the starting line hoping for a free lap. No dice. Game over and I was furious with myself. Special thanks to Cyndi Steiner and Stacey Barbossa who helped talk me down off a ledge so I could get my thoughts together and come to a few valuable realizations.

What did I take away from this? For starters I need to react quicker in this type of a situation. If you’re not down and the bike is rideable, let your sprinting skills take over and exert some energy to get back to the pack. Not doing this caused me to not finish…or if I had I made a late attempt I would have been chasing for the remaining laps.

If anything, being as comfortable as I was in the race made me hungry for more so it was an easy decision for me to commit to the rest of the Cat 4 series. I also realize that I am probably a bit more competitive than I appear to be and ready to get out there again. Not to mention my mental toughness just went up another notch.

All in all, first race jitters over and done with. But I still can’t accept the fact that I could have easily finished this race. And therein lies the reason why I was so PI^&ED at how things turned out.

I would be irresponsible to end this post without recognizing the true risks of bike racing. You’re usually in a close pack holding an aggressive pace with people you don’t normally ride with. If you race enough, you will likely experience a crash and oftentimes it is out of your control. When racing, make vigilance and safety part of your strategy. Above it all, the most important thing is that you are physically OK and I hope that is the case for the other girl who was involved in Saturday’s crash. Same goes for a few of my teammates who were also impacted by crashes in other races at the Cherry Blossom Challenge. Health and safety ALWAYS comes first.

“Cycling is like a church - many attend, but few understand." -- Jim Burlant

The Peloton & The Podium: Pro Cycling Update for 4/11/11

2011-04-11T20:39:00.000-07:00

What can you say about Paris-Roubaix? It was exciting, intense and just plain brutal watching the world’s best cyclists suffer through 258kms/160mi defined by 27 sections of cobble. The wild ride ended with two laps around the Roubaix Velodrome where someone claimed the highly coveted cobble stone trophy weighing twice as much as the bike he rode in on.

That someone was dark horse Johan Van Summeran of the US based Garmin-Cevelo team. The Belgian domestique emerged as this year’s winner by hammering through the final kms of the grueling race known as “Hell of the North” to clear the finish :19 seconds ahead of favorite Fabian Cancellara (Leopard-Trek). Maarten Tjallingii (Rabobank) followed Cancellara with a 3^rd place finish and Gregory Rast (Team RadioShack) finishing at a close 4^th.

In his biggest career win, Van Summeran kicked up a lot of dust on the famed cobbles and left many of the elite riders scratching their heads. Pretty good for someone who didn’t even finish the race in 2010. The first thing he did when he crossed the finish line was propose to his girlfriend. This was a very real moment for pro cycling and important enough to be the first words out of Van Summeran’s mouth in the post race interview. Yet Versus completely ignored this and just asked the next (predictable) question. Stupid move; this could have been a perfect Drew Brees moment for cycling. Remember Drew Brees interacting with his son after leading the New Orleans Saints to a Super Bowl win? This became the game’s defining moment because it was a rare opportunity connecting a human emotion to the perfect fairytale victory. At a time when cycling is trying to emerge from the shadow of a retired Lance Armstrong, we need to show these defining moments to create relatable excitement around the sport. Hey Versus: I’m available to cover Tour de France and I’ll ask the right questions.

Fabian Cancellara rode strong and once again proved to be the man to beat. He executed brilliant attacks with about 45 kms left and then again in the final kms which led him to a 2^nd place finish. But he had absolutely no support from his Leopard-Trek teammates. Most of them including Stuart O’Grady were DNFs. He was kept in check during the race's crucial moments by the Garmin-Cevelo squad who basically neutralized Cancellara to help shepherd Van Summeran to victory. No strategy, no support, no win for Fabian. Cancellara, who in my opinion is one of the classiest guys in cycling, told Velonation that he was happy to see unexpected and deserving domestique stand above him on the podium, stating: “I think to have a winner like Johan [Van Summeren] is great for cycling, great for this day; it had a lot of drama, a lot of spectacle," he explained. "He maybe woke up this morning and thought: ‘I’m going to ride for the team, I’m going to help,’ but in the end he won this race and that’s just amazing, and I’m really happy for him.” Regardless, the UCI WorldRankings were released yesterday and Cancellara's performance so far in the Classics as well as top three placings in Milan-San Remo, Flanders and Paris-Roubaix have earned him the #1 spot on this list.

For Quick Step, “Hell of the North” was just plain HELL. The team’s three time Roubaix winner Tom Boonen was plagued with mechanicals and a crash that ultimately resulted in his pulling out of the race. Sylvain Chavenel was also ended up in the DNF category resulting from two punctures and a crash.

On Saturday, the Tour of the Basque Country crowned Andreas Kloden (RadioShack) as this year’s overall winner. Kloden, who hasn't won Basque in 11 years, held steady throughout the Tour and sealed the deal in the Time Trial. The final stage also ended with Kloden’s teammate and the US’ own Chris Horner in 2^nd place overall. Team RadioShack is amassing some big wins this year including Team Classifications in both Catalyuna and Paris-Nice. Team RadioShack is having an impressive season. In the UCI WorldRankings, Kloden jumped to #3 with Horner in 6th position. As a team, RadioShack has catapulted to #1 in the UCI rankings as a result to strong showings this season in the Tour of the Basque Country!

Also today Garmin-Cevelo announced that Heinrich Haussler will miss Tour de France and focus on preparing for the World Championships in the fall.

The Peloton & The Podium: Pro Cycling Update for 4/8/11

2011-04-08T10:14:00.000-07:00

Another hot day in the Basque Country as Stage 5 of the Vuelta al Pais Vasco ended with a victory for Spain’s Francesco Gavazzi (Lampre-ISD) followed respectively by Jurgen Van De Walle (Omega Pharama Lotto) and John Gadret (Ag2r La Mondiale). Oscar Freire (Rabobank) was actually the first to cross the line, but disqualified after race officials ruled that teammate Luis Leon Sanchez gave him a push in the final km. Freire was dumped down in the rankings to #48. (And you thought pro cycling would be boring without Lance). If you look close enough in this video you may be able to see the push by Sanchez. It's beyond me why Universal wouldn't attempt to post a video that clearly shows the move. http://www.universalsports.com/video/assetid=6370a9fd-bc5e-4749-b366-e25c0b1e77fc.html

Chris Horner (Radio Shack) is the leading US rider in the Tour, finishing 8^th today and holding steady at #4 in the GC. The GC holds remains the same: Joaqiun Rodriguez Oliver (Katusha), followed by Adreas Kloden (Radio Shack) and Sammy Sanchez (Euskaltel). Basque wraps up tomorrow with what promises to be a very exciting Time Trial. Shout out to Horner for the TT!

Italy’s Daniele Bennati (Leopard-Trek) delivered his third victory this week with a sprint win in today’s final stage the Circuit de la Sarthe in France. Bennati also won another sprint stage and the Time Trial in the five-stage, four-day event. Anthony Roux (FDJ) is the overall race winner.

And Sunday brings us to the Hell of the North with cycling’s most elite riders competing for bragging rights in the 2011 Paris-Roubiax. More on this tomorrow!

The Peloton & The Podium: Pro Cycling Update

2011-04-07T09:09:00.000-07:00

Sammy Sanchez (Euskaltel) picked up a win today in a mountainous Stage 4 of The Tour of the Basque Country, with Adreas Kloden (Radio Shack) and Alexandre Vinokourov (Astana) following on the podium. Sanchez attacked during the final km of a very tough stage which included seven graded climbs. GC remains the same as yesterday (see below), and USA's Chris Horner holds on to 4th place. Overall, this is a close one that is expected to be decided on Saturday with the Tour's Time Trial finish.

Yesterday’s Stage 3 of the Tour of the Basque Country was won by Alexandre Vinokourov (Astana), followed by Oscar Freire (Rabobank) and Paul Martens (Rabobank). Vinokourov staged a brilliant sprint in the last 5kms and crossed the finish line with an: 08 gap in the field. In the GC, Joaqiun Rodriguez (Katusha) leads, followed by Adreas Kloden (Radio Shack) and Sammy Sanchez (Euskaltel). Italy’s Ivan Basso (Liquigas-Cannondale) had to drop out due to illness and has returned to Italy for tests. It's being reported that he will take a break from racing in order to assess his health issues. Fellow Italian Danilo Di Luca (Katusha) and Basso’s teammate Mauro Finetto also dropped out during Stage 3.

Van Scheldeprijs 2011, a one day sprint fest among the Spring Classics, took place yesterday in Antwerp. Mark Cavendish (surprise, surprise) (GB - HTC-Highroad ) was victorious with a first place finish. USA’s Tyler Farrar (Garmin-Cevelo) couldn’t defend his title for this race. He was one of the race's DNFs, along with Wouter Weylandt (Leopard-Trek) who went down with Farrar in a high speed crash during the final sprint. Farrar suffered road rash and bruising on his left side. Look for him in Sunday's Paris-Roubaix. USA’s George Hincapie (BMC) also dropped out due to two crashes earlier in the race. He reportedly bruised his right hip and banged his left knee, but does not expect the injuries to affect his riding in Paris-Roubaix. He had a great Tour of Flanders, finishing in 6^th place.

Cavendish now has his sights on Paris-Roubaix. This will be a career first for him.

Let’s hope he changed his shoes before taking the podium yesterday. Check out what happened in 2007 after his last Van Scheldeprijs win.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I3_Yy4d8s9w&playnext=1&list=PL901D606875CB3FCA

Fear & Loathing in the Small Chain Ring: Turning Back to Sprint Forward

2011-04-05T03:47:00.000-07:00

This past Saturday was probably one of my worst days on the bike in a long time. I struggled to keep pace with the team even outside of the peak jams. This was not the GOOD SUFFERING. This was just suffering. I felt fatigued and labored in my breathing. Thirty miles into the ride when it appeared they may go longer than the usual 50 miles, I just dropped myself and headed back. I spent the rest of the day beating myself up and trying to understand why my body and mind were not on the same wavelength.

Then I looked at my cadence (number of pedal revolutions p/minute) and noticed that both the average and max for the ride were the highest they’ve been since I put a meter on the Ruby. I have been very conscious lately about trying to build a higher cadence and I realized the fatigue and lack of efficiency were my body’s response to this change in riding. And well, just an overall bad ride – really bad.

In essence I will have to endure some growing pains to break the habit of riding in the big ring, a.k.a. “mashing.” Mashing requires more muscle power than pedaling at a higher cadence, or “spinning.” I think a lot of us get in this habit and it’s a tough one to break. Sure, there are benefits to having and using strong leg muscles. But I am so far into this style of riding that it's become second nature; I even got used to climbing hills in the big ring. With the increase in cadence I am now using more aerobic capacity. The adjustment in transitioning from muscle power to greater use of my heart and lungs is setting me back to a weaker level of cycling. And it hurts.

I hear different schools of thought on this. A majority of cyclists believe it is to one’s advantage to ride at a higher cadence in order to be efficient and sustain longer rides sans the early onset of muscle fatigue. But if you read Ken Mierke’s (fitness coach, ITU World Champion) take, he supports a theory of riding according to your physiology. If genetically you have more muscular than aerobic capacity, ride at a lower cadence. According to Mierke, “Each cyclist brings a unique set of genetics and training to the sport. The basic rules are, if your legs hurt more than your lungs, increase cadence. If your lungs hurt more than your legs, use a lower cadence.” (The if it’s not broke, don’t fix it approach)

For me it’s about being both strong and efficient in the saddle (and fast, I want to be really fast.) In the long run I may end up favoring the big ring but at the very least my goal is to finish most rides at average cadence of 80 – 85. Right now I am averaging at around 78/79 for a moderately hilly ride, with a max cadence to date of 133. A few weeks ago my average cadence was in the high 60s.

It helps to see improvement in cadence and I want to keep working towards this even if it means suffering (not the GOOD SUFFERING) through a few more bad rides until my power and aerobic abilities join hands and live happily ever after. Then I can go back to the GOOD SUFFERING.

When asked if it was better technique to mash a big gear or spin a small gear, Eddy Merckx thought for a moment and said “It’s better to spin a big gear.”

Driven: Episode 2: Glory - Fabian Cancellara, LEOPARD TREK, and the Spri...

2011-04-04T08:17:00.000-07:00

New blog post coming soon. In the meantime enjoy the wisdom of Spartacus! Hot, hot, hot!!

E3 Prijs: Fabian Cancellara annihilates field in Harelbeke

2011-03-26T09:37:00.000-07:00

E3 Prijs: Fabian Cancellara annihilates field in Harelbeke

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2yAQDy3eX_Y