photo by Veeral Patel

A couple weeks ago a reader asked a question that every aspiring bike racer wonders at some point:  “How do I make the leap to A-Grade?”

Q: I’m currently a B grade rider (not placing but finishing with the bunch), and would like to be able to try and work my way up to A grade by the end of the year. I ride up to 300k a week, but this will depend on my work load.?It seems like a very broad question, but how would I be able to achieve this outcome?  A combination of the right Diet and Riding I assume – but is that it?  Some guidance in the right direction would be greatly appreciated.

I thought this question would be a good one to let Rob Crowe answer. He’s out there creating A-Grader champions every day and he’s been through this a thousand times.  Crowie has competed at the top level of the sport I learn something every time I ride with him.  He also rides a Parlee!  A very wise man indeed…

RIDEWISER ‘TIPS AS THE CROWE FLIES’’ ANSWER – by Rob Crowe, Ridewiser

The high-performance cycling racing engine is much like that of a Formula 1 car in that you need to have numerous aspects working well together to get the top-end outputs going well.

Below is a summarized list of the key elements that any training cyclist will need to be addressing in some way in order to compete at Australian Metro A-Grade Club Racing standard.

5 Key Elements to Consider:

1.      Training Structure
2.      Technique
3.      Fuels
4.      Races
5.      Strategies

Training Structure
Over the next 2 months do a phase of strength training, followed by some high-powered training efforts.  Make sure that the rest days are well placed and done properly (1 per week, 2 days before the efforts). You will need to complete 2 or 3 weeks of at least one heavy session per week of ‘strength training efforts’. This means 3 or 4 blocks of 10-12mins on big gear work. Whether it’s on the hills, going faster on the flats or grinding in the head-winds – it doesn’t really matter, it’s just got to be heavy work for 10mins minimum, then cruising for a while, then another one.

After an easier week of riding, hit the power work-out phase. These are shorter 20secs to 1min efforts of high-speed driving (doing turns for the pack), sprinting or faster climbing intervals out of the saddle. It is a maximal acceleration you’re after so the cadence should rise as well as the velocity during the surge. If you get warmed up well and then do as many as 5 or 6 of these on a short hill, bunch ride or on the indoor trainer or ergo.  You will WANT to go home by the end of these.  Full rest days once per week are critical in heavy or high-speed workload weeks.

Technique
High level riders use many of the following things to enhance their pedal-stroke technique and gain a smoother style, execution of power and constant pedaling pressure to save them during the faster racing situations like breakaways,
chases or finishing laps:

• downhill pedaling
• track bike riding (fixed-wheel)
• ergo machine training
• Mountain biking
• riding fast in tailwinds
• small chain-ring (or ‘restricted’ gear) riding in a bunch
• riding on a set of low-resistance ‘rollers’
• core workouts using Swiss-balls, Pilates, simply body-mass core exercise routines (push-ups, chin-ups & sit-ups). When the core is good, the big cycling muscles can work harder for longer. Simple.

Fuels
Keep the engine clean with regularity. The funny thing about the human body is it gets better at things if you give it consistency. This is true of training patterns, sleep patterns, work patterns & … food patterns. The key is to get into some good habits so that you’re engine is getting the good stuff: enough H2O, enough proteins & carbohydrates, enough minerals – and then leave it alone! People change things around too much with different race foods, pill supplements, times of day of eating etc and the body never settles down to become efficient. You need good nutritional fuels & hydration. The body will burn more fat than usual with cycling due to the increased volume of riding per week, but it’s not a signal to relax into more fast foods or snacks because it’s the ‘clean’ engine that saves fuel on digestion, slow-release energy production & keeping bug-free that wins out in the end.

Races
Rehearsals are just about the only element that can stand alone in these 5 listed pointers. He who rehearses but manages no other element very well can still often prosper. It is the advantage of knowing your turf, knowing the competition, knowing what happens in your body under strain & how to handle it which differentiates B-Graders from the A-Graders the most. The speed strains in A-Grade races, wherever you go in the world, will be significantly longer and faster than in a B-Grade event at the same race meeting.

Practice is absolutely necessary.  Practice racing on the circuit, practice getting nervous before the start and just before the finish too, practice during the training program – while you’re tired and while you’re rested. Because of rehearsals, a good racing cyclist will then focus not on the feeling in the legs, but on opportunities that arise in the race as it unfolds.

Strategies
The icing on the cake! While you’re in your practice race events you want to be taking note of who is doing what and why. This ranges from bunch positioning,  timing of attacks and chasing the various breakaway attempts, to the finishing laps and the sprinting pathways that riders take. Knowing how to read a race amongst the surges, the attacks, the drop-offs and the teamwork will significantly change the outcome you can aim for.

Unfortunately you cannot learn a great deal about racing strategy from the written word.  It must be experienced in full flight to really understand. There is nothing more true than the old adage: “it’s better to be out the front dying, than out the back flying” (a.k.a. nothing ventured, nothing gained). You MUST use courage, commitment, deliberation and tenacity, as much as guile, patience, persistence & wisdom in a sport like road cycling.  Go and get it.

There is no better lesson for the budding newcomer to the A-Grade field than several unsuccessful endeavors to beat the pack.

Everyone in Australia will know of the Black Saturday bushfires that killed 173 people and destroyed over 2000 homes one year ago.  Unfortunately the people who didn’t lose their homes weren’t much better off.   Whole towns were completely erased.  Only when you go into the areas you’ll gain an appreciation for the magnitude of this disaster.  I’m sure everyone who lives in Melbourne knows someone who was directly affected.

The areas that were hit by the bushfires are some of the best riding grounds in the country  (I realize how selfish that sounds in the context of what happened and don’t mean to downplay it).  I absolutely love it out there.  Since the fires we’ve been conscious to keep our distance and have only visited there a few times.  This weekend we made a point of going there to pay our respects and leave some money behind in some of the community cafes and bakeries.  Here is the route we took.  This is one of my favorite rides.

I’ll be sending Avanti and TFM an advertising invoice this month ;-)

The Kinglake climb is a terrific 7.5km ascent with a 5% gradient.  Will Walker holds the record of 15: 16mins. That’s 29km/hr!  We did it in just under 18mins which still wasn’t easy.

I was busy taking photos and got separated from my group.  Luckily I bumped into a few of my other mates James Broadway (not taking photos for once) and Sharon Laws!

Yes,  Sharon’s Cervelo kit and bike are the real deal. If anyone ever questions the competitiveness of women’s pro cycling, tell them to try holding onto Sharon’s wheel.  Oh, and as Sharon found out – don’t use babywipes to clean your rims. They’ll make a horrible screetching that’ll drive you bananas!

One year later and the community of Kinglake is still living in temporary housing

Lots of rebuilding still going on..

The vegetation is growing back but there are still charred trees as far as the eye can see.

Such a beautiful area but reminders of bad news are everywhere

Photo by OTB Photo

I couldn’t go another day without talking about 20yr old Jack Bobridge breaking the world record for the individual pursuit this week.   And he had only done three track training sessions after the TdU prior to his record.  What a legend!  To be accurate, the world record holder for the pursuit is Chris Boardman but he used the superman position which has been outlawed by the UCI.

What is the individual pursuit?  Well, it’s a deceptively short and simple 4km time trial around a velodrome.  Two riders line up at opposite sides of the track and go for it.  It favors riders who posses excellent aerobic fitness, very high anaerobic capacity and a good pacing strategy (the golden rule – don’t start too hard!).  As you can see from Chris Boardman’s 3 second better time using the superman position, aerodynamics also play a massive part.

The individual pursuit is a predominantly aerobic event and is one of the best ways to measure a cyclist’s speed and endurance.   I’ve never done a pursuit before but from what I hear it’s one of the most sharp and painful events out of all the cycling disciplines.  It’s just short enough to be able to to at a maximal effort for the duration but long enough to keep it going.  The longest 4 minutes of a cyclist’s life!

For you number nerds out there, the power required to pull off a very respectable 4:25min pursuit time is 540watts for the duration of the 4km (height=180cm, weight=75kg, and a bunch of other assumptions).  That’s almost 57km/hr!  Can you go 57km/hr for just over 4mins?

To give you an idea of how much 540watts is for over 4 mins, a good open A Grade (not club A grade) racer would be able to push about 450-480watts for 4 mins.   That’s around 16% difference, which is absolutely massive at this high level.

So why are all these Australian roadies so good?  I believe that it’s because so many developing riders have started on the track.  Track is an embedded part of Australian cycling history and culture.  If you look at the Aussie cycling greats, many of them had their start on the track.  Look at the up and coming riders. Leigh Howard, Glen O’Shea, Rohan Dennis, Cameron and Travis Myer, etc…..they’re all endurance trackies and you see all of them switch back and forth between road and track disciplines while they’re still developing.

Developing the skills required for track events are extremely valuable and are more difficult to acquire later in life. Leg speed, pedaling efficiency, handling, tactics.  Strength can come later in one’s career (the main reason you see gear restrictions in the juniors is to avoid injury while the muscles are still developing and so they learn to spin).  If you watch a roadie who has come up through the track ranks you’ll immediately notice how smooth and efficient their pedaling technique is.  It’s the most basic of skills but so important.

It’s absurd that the individual pursuit has been pulled as an Olympic event in favor of the Omnium.  Who in the general public even knows what an Omnium is?  It’s the decathlon of cycling.  The sport where the winner isn’t particularly great at anything.  The individual pursuit is akin to the 100m sprint in track and field and has a rich and prestigious place in the history books.

I could harp on and on about this issue but Matt Keenan has said it very eloquently here in his blog at Cycling Central.

Have a great weekend, ride safe and just for fun see how long it takes you to ride 4km with a strong tailwind!

• After riding through debris use your bidon to rub your wheels clean instead of using your hands.  This will save wear on your gloves and avoid getting slivers getting caught in your fingers.

• If you don’t have a tyre lever to fix a puncture try using the quick release part of the skewer.

• Instead of trying to wipe your sunglasses clean from sweat with your jersey, just pour water over them and give them a shake.  You won’t risk scratching them and they’ll dry without spots or smears.

• When riding beside someone and you need to look backwards put your arm on the shoulder of rider next to you.  This will give you a sense of reference to keep riding straight ahead.

• Tip for cleaning jockey wheels: Let the chain pull a wipe into the derailleur and when gets stuck there it’ll clean as you turn the chain. Then just push the derailleur until it is straight and pull the wipe out.

• Open your energy bars before you start your ride or race.  This way you won’t need to fiddle with them while you’re riding and it’ll make you eat more frequently.

• Use babywipes to clean your bike, shoes, chain….nearly everything.  I don’t know what they put in these but there’s no better thing on earth to keep your gear clean.

better headline without the shades?

I’ve just posted over at Fairfax  (The Age, SMH, Brisbane Times and WAtoday).    Feel free to go over there and have a look at my post “Engage With The Traffic”.   I’m keen to hear your views on this.

Cheers,

::WW

Kinglake at the crack of a sparrows ass to beat the heat.  It looks spectacular this time of the morning.  – Graeme Pereira

This weekend will mark the first anniversary of the Black Saturday bushfires.  The roads that go straight through the devastated area are some of Melbourne’s best riding areas and my favorite training grounds. Glad to see the people are getting back with their lives and the forest is starting to recover.

On another note, a fellow Canuck emailed me yesterday asking my advice.  He and his wife are making the move to Australia for a bit of adventure, riding,  job opportunities (healthcare and hi-tech) and great weather.  They’re deciding between Melbourne, Adelaide, and Brisbane.  Sorry Sydney, you didn’t make the shortlist  ;-)   Of course I recommended Melbourne if they want all of the above and more (I’m awaiting a “great weather” wisecrack.  It’s all relative…).  Anyone have any other tips for them?

The Kinglake Climb – You’ll see Cadel training here quite often  (photo Graeme Pereira)

(photo Graeme Pereira)

Patron of the Peloton – My friend Brad coined this term and it’s come up in discussion a few times over the recent weeks.  The “patron of the peloton” (POTP) essentially refers to the figurehead of any bunch ride.  He’s not necessarily the best rider, but he is the most respected and the unspoken leader.  He’s the guy who shouts “piss stop!” and everyone stops.  He is the guy who is able to say “single up!” and everyone singles up.   Nearly every bunch includes one rider like this and it’s always handy to know who this person is.

Why is this important to know?   It’s especially significant when you’re new to a bunch ride.  No matter how good a rider you are, when you join a bunch ride for the first time you should take note of who the POTP is, sit back, and follow.   When you’re on someone else’s bunch ride it’s not the time to flex your muscle and show your stuff.   This is one of those pieces of cycling etiquette that is never explicitly stated, but mess it up and you won’t be invited back.

I was reminded of this when we were riding in Adelaide last week.  A few other locals had generously taken us out on some rides around Adelaide Hills.   A gentleman named Mick was clearly the one who was leading the ride.  It wasn’t an egotistical alpha male type of thing.  He was simply the guy who took charge, led us for a cruise around his backyard, told us about the area and set a moderate tempo.  This was not the time or the place for any of us to be ramping up the pace, riding off the front, or pushing for alternate routes.  Unfortunately one of the less experienced guest riders wasn’t familiar with this etiquette and decided to break away at one point.  Not so cool – especially when there were intersections everywhere and we could have been turning at any one of them.  This just causes problems and undue stress for the group leader and subtly shows disrespect (even though I’m sure that’s not how it was intended).   If you get a puncture, crash, or take a wrong turn, the POTP will ultimately be the person looking out for you and organizing your rescue.

Moral of the story: If it’s not your ride, stay with those whose ride it is.

Of course etiquette, respect, and common courtesy get thrown out the window in the Melbourne bunch rides.   Time after time I’ve seen many people from weekend warriors to Olympic champions try to lead and talk some sense into the group rides with no success.  I genuinely think this is a problem without a solution.

I’m a huge Jens Voigt fan and love to watch him ride a bike. His affable personality off the bike and his eagerness to inflict pain on himself and others is infectious. He is a hard man who doesn’t take himself too seriously and I think that’s what we all love about him.

I laughed so hard at his “Shut Up Legs” comment and I thought it would make a great t-shirt. I’m trying to get in touch with Jens just to make sure he’s cool with it (I don’t want any lawsuits coming from him or Saxobank).

In any case I’m going to get one of these t-shirts made for myself. If anyone else wants one I’ll add you to the list. I’m guessing that these tees will be less that $60 but the exact cost will largely depend on quantities (thus the voting button below). It’s going to be a good quality t-shirt, I can promise you that. The design isn’t finalised yet but it will look something like the photo. Suggestions are welcome. Thank you to Robert Rychter for passing Jens’ quote on to me.

Do you want me to order you one too? I’ll give a selection of colors to choose from when we get to the ordering process.

State of Origin – NSW vs VIC up Willunga Hill (Photo Leigh Schilling)

My head has been left behind in “Radelaide” this past week.  I had such a great time at the Tour Down Under and I can’t take my mind off it.  In fact, we’ve been privileged to a mind-blowing past couple months of cycling here in Australia.   I know the theme of this site is “Cycling Tips”, but all the action that’s been taking place so close to home has been hard to ignore.  This blog simply writes itself during times like this!

Before TdU fever dies down I wanted to take the opportunity to tell you more about our experience in Adelaide.  Where we stayed, recommended rides, the best way to watch the race, etc.  I went to the TdU last year but unfortunately I had to come home early and missed most of it.  This time I got the full experience and it might be useful to pass on for those thinking about making the trip next year.

When We Went

Last year we arrived in Adelaide the weekend before the first stage started (the crit is on Sunday and the Stage 1 is on Tuesday).  You could feel the energy building as the PROs arrived and the fans poured in on this weekend.  You could go out for local rides and see the PRO riders out for a spin and relaxing in the cafes and restaurants.   All of the teams stay at the Hilton in the city and it’s exciting to go and have a drink in the lobby and see all the PROs mingling around and getting interviewed.  There’s also a great vintage bike museum set up in the lobby that’s worth having a look at.

This year we missed out on the weekend preceding the race.  I’m wishing that we hadn’t missed it since I would have liked to see the crit.  I also love how you can see all the teams out and about while they’re very relaxed and not in the race bubble.  It also gives you some time to get familiar with the local rides and to work out your itinerary.  Next year I won’t miss out on this weekend.

Where We Stayed

Last year when we came to the TdU we stayed in the city center.  There’s a constant buzz of energy throughout city all week long and everything is within walking distance.   There’s lots of accommodation to choose from.  We stayed at the Oaks Embassy Apartments which was about $175 a night for a 2 bedroom with kitchen.   I’d definitely stay there again.

This year we stayed in a suburb right along the beach called Glenelg.  This location was awesome.  There’s lots of cafes, restaurants and a few pubs.  The beach is absolutely stunning and there’s lots of activities like a beach volleyball tournament going on during the week.  Lots of riders stay in Glenelg and there’s no shortage of bunch rides to tag along with if you’re unfamiliar with the area.

Glenelg is 20-30min ride to the city and a 15min drive.  Most days we found ourselves going into the city at some point so I might be tempted to stay there when I go to the TdU next year.  If you’re visiting from overseas and you want beach, no doubt in my mind that Glenelg is the place to say.   Another suburb that’s just down the road from Glenelg where a lot of people seemed to be staying is called Brighton.  It’s not in the center of all the action but looked to be much more quiet. It has a beautiful beach and looked to have lots of nice houses and apartments that you could rent for the week.

Lots of action at Glenelg

All the riders going out for a spin from Glenelg at the crack of dawn (Photo Leigh Schilling)

How To See The Race

Let’s face it, if you actually want to see a bike race, it’s much better seen on TV than it is live.  However, I think most of us would rather be there in person and experience the energy of the crowd.   The way the TdU stages are set out many times you can go and see a part of the course where the riders come around multiple times.  There are also stages you can ride to one section of the course and see the race come by,  then take a shortcut to another section of the course and see the race ride by again.

I enjoyed seeing the race by riding to the different sections of the course.  This gave us a chance to ride parts of the stage such as Checker Hill and see how tough it actually was.   We quickly found that one of the best things to do was to ride to the start of the race (which was usually close to the city), take part of the festivities, have a coffee, then ride out to the the course.   Many people I spoke to, mostly the experienced Adelaidians, would opt to ride first thing in the morning, change into clean clothes, and drive to the exciting sections of the stage.  I have to admit it would have been more comfortable standing and walking around in proper shoes without worrying about a bike, however I didn’t like the looks of getting home in all that traffic after the finish.   Not to mention that we got to ride home from the finish of the stage with the PROs most of the time.  We obviously wouldn’t have experienced that in a car.  This was one of the highlights of the TdU.  All the riders would ride back to the hotel at the end of the stage and we got to join in with them.  One minute these guys are are the biggest cycling stars on earth, the next minute they’re riding home with us weekend warriors.   You can’t do that at the Tour de France!

Here’s my GPS plot for stage 2 and the route we took to see the stage:

GPS Plot Stage 2.  A beautiful ride to Williamstown via Gorge Rd.  We saw the race come by in Williamstown and then went to Checker Hill (a massively steep climb with thousands of people watching).

The ride up Gorge Road was stunning

Massive crowds having a great time on Checker Hill

Rides in Adelaide

I was fortunate to meet with some local Adelaide riders took me on a couple of the most beautiful rides I’ve done in Australia.  There’s no doubt in my mind that Adelaide wins the title of being the best cycling city in the country.  The only thing that needs to be fixed is the taste of their tap water!

The thing that makes Adelaide unique and perfect for cycling is it’s geography and size (yes, I’m stating the obvious).  Adelaide isn’t a huge city, but it had all the amenities you’d every want.  The fact that the city center is only a few kilometers from beautiful beaches and endless coastlines makes it a cyclist’s dream.  In the other direction there’s windy roads carved through some of the most spectacular hills I’ve ever seen.  It’s paradise.

This ride through Adelaide Hills was absolutely phenomenal.  All I wanted to do was take photos during our time out there but at the same time I didn’t want to ruin it.

Kym Howard, a local Adelaidian sent me some great ride suggestions which I’ve listed below for next year when I go back.  Check out his Legacy clothing. Awesome looking stuff.  It was always a head turner whenever I saw someone wearing it.  Kym also wrote a very good article for RIDE magazine (issue #44) about the fantastic cycling scene in Adelaide.

- The quintessential Adelaide Hills ride.  Lobethall loop via Norton Summit and returning via Gorge Road – PLENTY of alternative routes through this region to really build the strength of the athlete and also just to enjoy SUPERB scenery!

- This profiles the route from the city to Goolwa via Strathalbyn.  This would be a good ride to incorporate into watching Stage 4.

- This one probably can’t be incorporated into watching a TdU stage, but if you’re looking for an EPIC 160km around the Fleurieu Peninsula look no further.  Some great roads and climbs and plenty of effort required! Perfect for a training camp based out of Goolwa or Victor Harbor.

In Summary

Lots of people emailed me from overseas asking what I’d recommend if they were to choose between coming to Australia for the World Championships or the Tour Down Under.  Since I haven’t experienced the World Championships here I can’t say for certain, but my gut feel is that the TdU is the event to come and see.  The riders are relaxed and just starting their race season so they’re unbelievably accessible.  You’ll be able to incorporate some of the best riding you’ve ever done into watching seven stages of exciting racing.  If you’re into wine and food you can visit some fantastic wineries in the Barossa Valley and Mclaren Vale where the race passes through.  The weather is guaranteed to be good in January in Adelaide. The list goes on and on.

Hollywood is like a little schoolgirl at a Britney Spears concert the whole week.

I don’t want to downplay how great having the Worlds will be in October.  The racing will surely be more intense than the TdU, there will be a deeper field, and the course is very tough and spectator friendly.  The main downside of the Worlds could be weather.  Early October is the beginning of Spring here and it could either be mid 20’s and or 10C and blowing rain.  The riding isn’t nearly as easy to find nor as accessible in Melbourne as it is in Adelaide either.

There you have it.  I’m by no means a TdU expert but I got a great feel for how to see the race and have a good time.  It would be great to get other people’s suggestions and recommendations in the comments.

Until next year I leave you with a few final photos from Leigh Schilling.  He does a great job at capturing the pain, suffering and fun of the TdU. Who says these guys aren’t taking this race seriously!?

Notice Hollywood nearly jumping over the fence to cheer on his new mate

SHUT UP LEGS!

Can someone please explain this to me?

And last but not least, go over to fyxomatosis and read about the other TdU. Extraordinary!

TC rides from Melbourne to Adelaide to catch the last 2 stages of the race.

by Justin Coulson (School of Psychology, University of Wollongong)  You can also read his personal blog here.

Cycling Tips readers have enjoyed two top-notch interviews with PRO riders in recent weeks. The first was with Simon Gerrans, and the second was with Koen de Kort. A really interesting commonality appeared in each interview that I’d like to address from a psychological perspective.

Gerro stated:

“I wish that I focused more on what I was good at earlier on. As a young rider you try to be good at everything. You’re trying to be sprinter, a climber, in the breakaways…everything. It has taken me until the past couple of years to figure out what I’m going to be good at. It was eating at me that I was a jack of all trades but master of none. Then I realised that there’s a career in being a jack of all trades…and its in the breakaways. You have to be able to climb, sprint, and spend the day up the road. So basically find out what you’re good and you’ll develop as you get older.”

This was echoed by Koen:

“Focus on what you’re good at… Just choose one thing.”

Traditionally those who coach others to improve have often promoted a deficit-based approach. For example, a rider might say to his or her coach, “I’m no good on hills.” Then the coach will provide training to strengthen climbing ability.

While it is important to manage all aspects of our performance, Gerro and Koen are tapping into a different approach. Rather than focusing on improving weaknesses, they’re suggesting that building on strengths will make you a better rider.

The name of this process is “appreciative inquiry.” Appreciative inquiry links in neatly with goal setting to provide a powerful platform for positive outcomes in any aspect of life you want to make better. Originally developed for the benefit of business, appreciative inquiry is built on the idea that if you focus on what works, you are able to build and improve that rather than forever focusing on fixing what is not working. (As an aside, there is merit in addressing weaknesses. However constantly working on weaknesses can often be demotivating. Progress is often slow, and the work is laborious and rarely fun. Working on strengths tends to enliven, and lift).

There are four steps to effective appreciative inquiry, and they apply as much in cycling or personal life as they do to businesses and organisations.

1. Discover

The discovery phase of appreciative inquiry is where we identify what is working well. The sport of bike riding and racing makes our strengths readily visible and we can generally see quite clearly what is working and what is not. In Gerro’s case he saw that while he was not a true climber or sprinter, he was a handy rider at both, and with great endurance he is good at getting away in a break and staying out there. Talking honestly with other riders about your performance, and carefully considering it yourself, will give you perspective on what your strengths are while you’re on the bike.

2. Dream

The dream process is where you begin to think about what your strengths will allow you to do. I bet Gerro’s heart starts pounding whenever he merely thinks about riding away from a bunch only 5kms into a 180km stage. And Greipel or Cav would be forever envisioning the moment they dart off Renshaw’s wheel for the final 200m. When you dream, enjoy the feeling of being out in front on the climb, or riding hard for your team at the front of the bunch for kilometers on end (a la O’Grady). An important note: the dream phase must be specific. It has to be precisely what you want out of a given race, be it a particular placing or time, or some other result. No airy-fairy dreaming.

3. Design

This is the planning phase. Once we have identified what is working and worked out what the end goal is, we need a plan. Too many riders try to win every race. While that’s a great thing to be able to do, it’s really not feasible for most of us. Good coaches will encourage you to pick a handful of races that matter most to you, and then develop your strengths to enable you to succeed in those races. You’ll see the PRO riders do this all the time. Lance wasn’t sure about Geelong’s world championship circuit because he heard it was too flat (which he now knows is not the case). Cadel missed key races in 2009 to concentrate on getting his rainbow jersey. Riders deliberately target specific stages of a multi-stage race because of their strengths. A good plan can only be developed if we know a) what we’re good at, and b) what we want. So design specifically for what you are good at.

4. Deliver (or Destiny)

This is the stage of appreciative inquiry when you go and get what you planned for.

As Koen de Kort said:

“Now, even though I live close to the mountains in Spain I don’t train on the long ones because I’ll never be a climber. As long as I can survive the long ones I’ll keep in the race.  I’m better off spending my time in the short climbs where I can win races.

Koen still climbs, and he still undoubtedly has sprint work included in his training schedule. But like most PRO riders, Koen knows what works and he spends his time developing the specific strengths that will bring him the best results.

Where to from here?

Consider and discover your strengths. Have a look at your upcoming race calendar and choose a couple of events from the upcoming season that suit your strengths. Dream about your results. There should be a couple that you think you can win with the right plan. Design that plan by focusing on what you are good at. Do the work. Then go and take delivery of what you’ve worked for.

Here are some more photos from James Broadway showing what you may have missed on the Willunga Hill stage.  How good are those colors that jump right out at you!

BTW, if you want to go to the best wine bars in Melbourne visit James’ Enoteca (229 Gertrude St, Fitzroy).  He’ll talk your ear off about photography, cycling, food and wine!

Funny how James had a knack from being at the right place at the right time.  Notice the media frantically running behind when they see Lance get out of the van.  James could always get a smile out of the riders because he always smiled at them back.  I noticed some of the other photographers just shoving the camera in the riders’ faces then walking away.

Here’s me getting kicked out of the media area for “causing confusion”. They thought I was gate crashing their party.

Nope – not even the media pass would keep me in there unless I lost the lycra and the bike.   Yes…a cyclist and a fan of cycling can indeed also be part of the “media”.  Try explaining that to them though…

Samantha Lane from Channel 10 was always very pleasant.  Not all media are evil  ;-)

I remember a couple years ago sitting with a friend of mine who was taking care of Stuey’s son Seth while we watched him race a criterium.  Every time Stuey rode by Seth would yell “GO DADDY!”.  Then he stomped his foot and said “Daddy has only won one race!”

James even got the big serious German to crack a smirk!

No smiles from Pat McQuaid.   Adelaide was worried that Melbourne would try to steal the TdU like they did with the Formula 1.  Pat assured Adelaide that there would only ever be one Pro Tour race held in Australia.  Apparently this is great news???!!!

Dave Brailsford – manager of Team Sky.  I see a little grin hidden in there.

When Mike Tomalaris said to Cadel in an interview after the race “Cadel, you had all of  Australia sitting on the edge of their seats in that break away up Willunga!“  Cadel said “Yeah, well good for them. I was on the edge of my seat also“.   Cadel in one of his fine media moments thinking Tomalaris was having a go at him!

Cadel Attacks!Valverde bridges! We have ourselves a race!

This woman was nicely color coordinated with the lamp posts today

Why would you go to any other Pro Tour race when you have this?

What does Jens say to his legs when they’re hurting?