Blogs by Professional Cyclists - Professional Cycling Unplugged™

Wow time is flying by. June has been a busy month with lots of racing and travel. For the first weekend I opted to do a local Ontario Cup race at Boler Mountain, aka Boler Bump, a ski hill built on top of a garbage dump in the middle of a subdivision in London, Ontario. Top to bottom is 25seconds with a couple turns in there, I’m sure it is great for learning to ski but it is more of a bump than a hill. However, the race course was a ton of fun with fast and twisty trails and hard packed course conditions. After an interesting night of missed hotel reservations, driving the wrong way on one way streets, lost motel room keys and being very happy to have remembered a sleeping bag for the sketchy beds, it was off to the races. The fields were relatively small but they were competitive. In the women’s race three of us stayed together for the first half of the race but a steep climb early in the lap split things up and we all ended up riding in solo. I had a great race to finish up second.

From there I headed to Edmonton where I spent a couple nights out of the city, camping in Elk Island National Park. I got in some cool rides there and saw some great wildlife including a herd of bison that did not want to move off the road, I’m glad I wasn’t on the bike at the time.

 Edmonton was a really cool race. The venue was right downtown in a river valley. The course was awesome, not a lot of climbing but they took us up every hill they could find. There was some fast technical single track, bike paths, roots and a scary drop that many top pros weren’t riding. The best part about being downtown was all the spectators that came out and were exposed to cycling.  I had a good race start but went a bit too hard, faded in the middle, but then recovered to finish 4^th. The organizers put on a great post race party as well, though I opted to spend the evening in the emergency room with fellow racer Jean Ann McKirdy (Local Ride/Xprezo) who crashed on the drop Matt Hadley (Xprezo) is riding in the photo below.

Next up was another Canada Cup in Canmore, the site of the 2010 nationals. This is another neat place to race. The race venue is within riding distance of town and is surrounded by mountains. Really I just like mountains! It was pretty fun to spend the week there and enjoy some of the great riding in the surrounding area. The course itself is pretty solid. After a steady 8+ min climb there is some fun technical single track and lots of steep chutes including the famous coal chutes which turn crash victims black.   I was pretty tired for the Canmore race, but still rode well to finish 8^th, putting me 4^th overall in the Canada Cup series. 

From Canmore I headed home to Kamloops for a much needed break from racing.  I had a pretty easy week but kept myself entertained playing fetch with the cat, reading by the river and watching fire bombers put out a nearby forest fire. The week went by quickly though and I’m already packing up and preparing to head back east for Canada Cup Finals in Bromont, Quebec next weekend.

(2 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)

 Loading ...

This post has no comments. Leave a comment.

Posted under MTB: ENDURANCE, NON-BIKE

I finally figured out why I couldn’t get out of my own way for over 2 months, I had mono.  Well I still have mono, and the only way to get over mono is to wait it out.  I’ve been resting for over 4 weeks now, riding a little bit, but not really training at all.

In the meantime I’ve accomplished a few things.  I bought a car, don’t have a pic yet, but I got at 2008 GTI and I’m loving it.  I also got my taxes squared away, and tied up some other loose ends.  Looking on the bright side of being sick and having to rest a lot, I get to hang out with my girlfriend a lot, so that’s been awesome.

I think I’ll be back racing again sometime in July, it seems like forever though.  I was recently reminiscing about training camp back in January.  I was riding really well and climbing better than I ever have before, but that was the last time I felt really strong on the bike.  At the Tour of Taiwan I had a few good moments, but still wasn’t feeling great that entire week.  Ever since Taiwan in mid March I’ve been sick.

Well, I’ve had the chance to exercise patience and spend a lot of time at home, soon enough I’ll be back in the mix and I really can’t wait!

(2 votes, average: 4.50 out of 5)

 Loading ...

This post has 1 comments. Leave a comment.

Posted under ROAD BIKE

Jut got home from the Nature Valley Grand Prix.  I really need to thank my team for this one!  I was in second place throughout the week and it was very difficult to gain any time over the Bissell team.  Those guys are super strong and protected their leader well.  Seven seconds seemed like seven minutes at certain points in the week!  It all came down to the last stage and everyone on our team worked so hard.  I felt stronger as the week progressed, but the last few laps of the race were incredibly tough.  I just gave it everything I had and managed to make up the time I needed take over the lead.  It was great to repay the team after all the hard work they had done.  Minnesota is a great place to race and I look forward to going back next year.

I am back home in California for a bit of rest and training before Cascade.  This is a fantastic race and I love going to Bend for a week of racing.  It is a fun town and I really need to go back there for an actual vacation at some point.

It is definitely summer in California.  All of the tourists are back and the Del Mar Fair is now in full swing.  I guess it is called the San Diego County Fair now, but everyone I know who is local to the area still calls it the Del Mar Fair.  Anyway, getting anywhere is nearly impossible because there seems to be so much more traffic.  It took me forever to get home from San Diego yesterday.  The weather is improving (is it ever really bad here?) and the beaches are becoming more crowded.  I have to be honest, this time of year is not my favorite, as the crowds are just a bit much.

I am off to do the infamous Wednesday Ride.  I usually do this ride whenever I am home.  The ride leaves Carlsbad and goes through Camp Pendleton towards San Onofre.  We then turn around and come back.  I wonder why all of these people do not need to be at work at 8am on a Wednesday, but I guess that is none of my business.  It is a good workout for me and it is nice to ride with the group.

Cascade is up next!  

(5 votes, average: 4.00 out of 5)

 Loading ...

This post has no comments. Leave a comment.

Posted under ROAD BIKE

Nature Valley Grand Prix
June 14th, 2009
Stage 6
Stillwater, MN

The Stillwater Criterium is the infamous final stage of the Nature Valley Grand Prix, and it is so for a reason. This “crit” can make or break the race with a 20ish% climb every lap. After Webcor’s disasterous day 2 and miraculous day 4 we were beyond fired up to help Alex hold on to anything and everything she had gained for the team. We knew it would be a challenge as Alex had put out a serious effort the previous day (only loosing 1 min on four laps of a hard circuit with Kristin Armstrong chasing HARD) but we were up for the challenge to try and keep our girl in contention.

The start line for the crit is at the base of this legendary hill, and being the nice day it was, the crowds were out in full force on the road screaming and waving flags. Awesome. Amped. Ready to go! The first hill probably hurt worse than any other time up, but we were off and doin well. Armstrong was gone by the second lap with 2 other riders–Dovorak and Olds–but that was the least of our worries. Making sure that Alex and Powers (3rd on GC, only a second behind Al) were in the same group with out gaps was the goal. With Nikki, Katheryn, Erinne and I all looking out, damage control was fairly easy to monitor. The pace stayed high everytime up the climb however and nearing the final 1/4 of the race, the previous day’s efforts took their toll on Alex. She gave everything she had though and there is no way you can give up on someone willing to give so much. Erinne and I were the last ones remaining to try and keep the time loss to a minumum and we did our best. Even though we couldn’t hold onto the gains we had incurred the previous day, we went down fighting and it was one of those days that you are really proud to be part of such a great team.

To better luck for the future. We are all already psyched for Cascade!!!

(2 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5)

 Loading ...

This post has no comments. Leave a comment.

Posted under ROAD BIKE

Hokay, So… it’s been a long time since I wrote anything about anything, but a lot has happened.  Here’s the quickie, for me but also mostly for you, my American ADD-followers.  I’m not insulting, I watch the news sometimes, and I, like many others enjoy the quick informative stuff, here goes:

•    The last stage of Gila straight sucked.  I had to take an emergency pit stop on a descent and lost lots of time.  Drove back to Boulder and ate an entire bag of gourmet Aussie Licorice along the way.  Talked to some Docs, found out I have Giardia, its been hiding since Tour of Mexico, flaring up occasionally when I go really hard.
•    So I have two choices: don’t go hard or take meds.  Seeing as the former is out of the question, I hop on the antibiotics and some medical grade pro-biotics (that good stuff in yogurt).
•    Finish the meds the day I fly to Europe and go train in Luxembourg, beautiful country.  Julian makes it over here finally and we go to France.  But first I get a stomach virus and 5/6 guys for the French race have diarrhea and cramps.
•    Set up shop in the Pyrenees with great weather and lots of toilet paper.  Find a sweet church with the stairway to heaven footpath leading up the mountainside through 7 sanctuaries.  I pray to the climbing gods.

•    My prayers are answered!  First win in Europe!!!! I won a mtn top finish at the Ronde de L’Isard, a prestigious u23 race heavily scouted for climbing potential.  I must have been light from all the poopin’… To the victor go the spoils.

•    The poopin’ has left me with no reserves, get dropped on the next mtn day. Bummer.  Oh well I won something! Finally!
•    Fly home and promptly catch a cold.  I now have 2 sicknesses in 1.5 weeks.  And all form has left my body.  Crap.
•    Dyanna loves me though and makes me a huge cheesecake, I eat it all, save for a few gratuity slices.  Boy do I love cheesecake.
•    I come to Quebec for the u23 nations cup and Tour de Beauce.  10 race days (12 races) in 11 days.  My own mini grand tour.  This should get the system shocked back into racing after being under right? Not, I have no “pop,” my legs feel like gnarled tree trunks and it hurts to just sit in the field.  I have a decent ride in the TT and get 7th and come to Beauce.
•    Legs still aren’t coming around but I’m not getting worse every day, actually I’m getting ever so slightly better.  Maybe by the final stage Sunday I’ll feel like a bike racer again.
•    I suffer like a dog and got into the break of 3 on stage 2!  We worked super well together and stayed away until the end! Success!  I got third, no “pop” still and the field was nipping at our heels so I sold out and rode hard to get 3rd instead of getting caught inside the last kilometer.  I’m happy and proud considering my lack of form now.
•    Really wanted to try and win the TT this morning, however I went off course 300m in.  A car was on course right in front of me, going my speed with their lights flashing.  So naturally I thought it was a race official.  Wrong.  When the course marshal signals for the car to turn I turn with it.  Suddenly I’m in traffic and stopped.  Motivation=dead.  2 days left.  I am pretty pissed right now but will transfer that into my racing.  Eyes will bleed!

Think that’s aboot it eh?  I can’t wait to get home and take a much-needed mid-season break.  Drink some margs at the Rio, brew some brews, cruiser ride, and train smart and be flying in July.  I got 5 weeks off travel until Cascade, and I know I can find those legs I had to win in those French mtns.

Despite setbacks with sicknesses, I am optimistic!  I find strength in the fact that I’m still finishing back to back stage races even with my form on a season-low, and now believe that once this is all figured out I will be that much faster and tougher.

um… yeah… quebec. haha.

Ever seen a real life oompa-loompa?  she thought i was taking a pic kuz she was hot.  I guess I managed to keep the willy-wonka song mute til after she passed. no one should be this tan, in Belgium!

-Pete

(6 votes, average: 3.67 out of 5)

 Loading ...

This post has no comments. Leave a comment.

Posted under NON-BIKE, ROAD BIKE