Training with the Pros
Training with the Pros, it sounds like fun but it can’t be. Pros are genetic freaks; they put more kilometers on their bikes than any of us civilians do on our cars each year, they ride around whole countries at an average speed greater than 40km/hour and they can dish out such Rule V style day-after-day-after-day. We all dream about it but we don’t have it.
In an earlier life I came close to landing my dream job in Monaco with the IAEA. Serious people counseled me not to take the job, they said it was a bad career move. How could I explain to them I didn’t give a shiet if it was a bad career move, the chance to live, and more importantly to be a cyclist near San Remo and La Madone was all I cared about? Yet I knew if I even saw Tom Boonen or one of the many Aussies who call Monaco their home out on a training ride, I would only be seeing their lycra-clad asses disappearing up the road. Could I at least catch up to Stuart O’Grady to chat him up for a minute before my inability to talk and breathe would force me to lie and say I was turning right HERE? Maybe I could drink beers with the Aussies, I could keep that professional pace, actually no, I would get dropped there too.
Oh that job fell through and my dreams of commuting into work on Merlin on the Cote d’Azure disappeared like those watery mirages on a hot highway, but I digress. I have some good and funny direct video evidence why training with the Pros would be a cruel lesson in our mortal failings. One such Pro is Ted King, an American racer living the dream; he is based in Lucca, riding for Liquigas, riding in support of Ivan Basso and Peter Sagan. He is tough, he has finished every Giro d’Italia he has started. He broke his collarbone this summer racing in Philadelphia when his front wheel dropped into an inexcusably lame drain grate (thank you very much, oh third-world infrastructure that defines the USA).
To bring his training back up to speed he did the 200 on 100 with fellow Pro Tim Johnson and amateur racer Ryan Kelly. The 200 on 100 means 200 miles on Route 100, riding North to South from the top to the bottom of the state of Vermont, the Green Mountain State. Unless you are Marcus, 333 km seems like an impossibly long ride to do at once, I would be in broom wagon long before the end of such madness.
And by madness I refer to the 338 km at 34.1 km/hr average speed with 3,197 meters of climbing thrown in for good measure.
[vimeo width=”620″]http://vimeo.com/27367910[/vimeo]
Video credit to Chandler Delinks
@Buck Rogers
Buck, King, that is fricking EPIC at 163 miles the real climbing starts in East Jamaica VT. Yea baby I hope the locals are selling something to get me over that 11 miles!
@Dr C
Thanks,
I was also a 25 y/o Cat II at the time. Now I’m in my 40’s, not sure how that’d play out.
@Buck Rogers
I am a university student so anything after mid may is fine for me all the way to september. And if its the same as here, weekdays are a better option to have the least amount of traffic compared to weekends
Nice one, Gianni!
Sometimes I ride with a local former domestic PRO. He’s a nice dude & definitely loves to ride his bike. I also feel pretty damn cool chatting with him as we ride. Closest I’ll ever be (which is very, very far) from anything PRO on the bike.
@Marko
YouTube is blocked at work (and a nice little email gets sent to my CEO every time I hit this article) so I can’t see it. What was the question?
By the way, I did 330km race three years ago – the LOTOJA Classic – with 2938m of climbing with at an average speed of 29kph. I need to find 5 more kph in these legs.
@All @USAiiiii Just wondering how many of you hardmen out have attempted, thought about attempting or know people who have done this little gem….
Looks like a lot of fun I have to say!
@Godsight
I’m thinking the same thing, esp if people are coming into the area for the ride, a weekday would not hurt their schedule and the roads would be better than the weekends for sure.
Definitely starting to feel the ol’ “V-tingle” about this one!!!
@Rob
A big ride this early in the year will just get the motivation going early; you’ll put down the fork in Feb instead of April, and start swinging the leg over the bike while its still on the trainer instead of when the roads clear out. You’ll be fit by June, and destroy your previous personal records by August.
So Ted King is doing some CX racing this year. He was at the Gran Prix of Gloucester and an official asks someone else, who’s the poseur in the Liquigas-Cannondale kit? As told here at 12:50 – http://www.behindthebarriers.com/season-2-episode-4
@scaler911 @frank
Not sure I’ll be able to swing a trip out east for this ride (though I do have friends just outside of Boston, so it’s always possible) but after doing my first century a few weeks ago and flogging myself through the cogal last weekend, I have decided that I am going to try a one-day solo STP run this coming summer as my next personal goal.
I am DETERMINED to not lose fitness this winter like I did last winter, when I took something like two months off from riding, because I was too lazy and undisciplined to ride inside on a regular basis or make more of an effort to ride outside on the weekends, even in shitty weather.
I’m not a big fan of riding at night so I’ve already started my trainer work, with a bit of structure built in this year. Hopefully with that 2x a week and a ride outside on the weekends, I won’t slide backwards too far.
@All @UK Anyone interested in riding with Cavendish take a gander at this
Hi everyone, join me for a 20km #HolidayInncycle in London on Monday 31 October at 8.30am. Register at http://tinyurl.com/3rnjbm6 for more details
@Cyclops
I’m guessing it’s not the chocolate milkshake but Ted King mentions that he was chatting to his friends on the start line of the last stage of the Giro d’Italia (as you do…) and someone says “How much money would you have to be paid to turn around now and do the whole thing again ?”
Apparently the consensus was about 100 grand.
So for the 200 on 100 Tim Johnson says he’d do it for 10 grand.
And Ryan Kelly just looks like someone has asked would he mind donating a kidney without anaesthetic. In fact I think he would probably have regarded that as a better option. Man he was whacked, but chapeau for finishing.
@frank
Frank, That is it, you hit the nail on the head, as usual. I accept this June epic ride for the experience of it and the focus it will bring to the dark hours coming. It is great to have goals. In the day it was easy to stay “on” through the winter with roller racing, some speed skating and X-country skiing. These days out in the hinterlands it is all about how to amuse myself to make the motivation.
Another reason to go for the June date is that it will only push the boundaries out further and how often in our little lives do we get to do that? This is legal and not hurting anyone, it is just another kind of trip.
In truth I have never been a fan of long distance and I am not going to start doing RAGBRI (what ever that is). My m.o. was to finish what ever ride as fast as possible not sit there slowly enduring discomfort and pain and long training miles were the medicine that made that work. This, because it is couched in terms of “a long training ride” works for me. Yes in august I will rip up a couple of centuries – as long as the little bump at 163 miles does not kill me!
@brian
Thanks for the CX link, that looks like fun to race and watch.
@All
I’m glad to have lit a fuse here. That ride will only be “enjoyable” if fit so people have a nice incentive for April peaking-in-two-months training.
@Buck Rogers
Weekday would work best as I work weekends, and they don’t like to give us weekends off very often. Plus Sundays in New England is church day, which means at least in the morning traffic will be heavy anyways, and in summer the weekends in New England are plenty busy in general. I would like to see a weekday for those reasons personally.
@mcsqueak
I vote you should still come out. My longest has been a century, and I’m sure your just as good a cyclist as I am. Plus the more people that come the shorter the pulls and the more draft, which makes it easier for everyone. If you force yourself to put on some long but easy miles this winter your endurance will be well prepared for the ride. The hard part is obviously putting a lot of miles in on the trainer.
@Godsight
Just curious, which university? I recently finished school myself.
@frank
Another +1 for the calendar idea.
@Marko
Ha…I was thinking the same thing. “Jeez, Ted king of has a round, fleshy face for a EuroPro.” Considering his height though, I probably wouldn’t point this out if I met him.
kind, not king…Hmm, wonder why I made that mistake!
@King Clydesdale
Cool! Now we have the route (mapmyride link), the time of year (early June) and the time of week (weekday).
Now I’ll try to hammer out a few days that will possibly work for everyone and we can finlaize the date.
My trainer and I are going to get even closer than normal this winter! :)
Keep me in the loop re. Vermont. I’d definitely like to make it over for that one. June works for me. Make sure you have your passports for the border crossing…
@Steampunk
Steampunk, looks like you’ve been demoted to a Level 4 Velominati. How’d you piss Fronk off this time?
As for the border, we actually start at the border but do not cross into Cananda, do we? (if you were jesting, please excuse me, subtly in humor often escapes me).
@King Clydesdale
Stop trying to tempt me! This is how it always gets started. Then before I know it, I’m 50km into some crazy ride, hurting like fuck, and wondering how I’m going to finish.
@Buck Rogers
I dunno. I’ve really been trying to behave myself. On a group ride today, I even had a guy remind me that my bike actually had an inner ring.
Hmm. Seems I got logged out. That happens a fair bit, but it’s never relegated me back to Level IV before. Not to worry, it’s the virtual version of hill repeats.
We have already thrown down the gauntlet and plan on “one-upping” the famous 200 on 100 trio with our 202 on 101 here in Southern California. We’re using it as a fundraiser for our non-profit organization. 202 on 101
@hawkesworthm
Good on ya. February in California, what could go wrong? Maybe SoCal is safe from the rain the ToC used to get every February.
@Marko
You are correct sir. Going anaerobic on a long-ass ride will come back and haunt you later on. Tempo, tempo, tempo.
@Buck Rogers
I’m getting a trainer for sure now. I have to convince my ass to sit on a bike for 200 miles, and my legs to go around in circle more than I usually spend sitting at work…
@Buck Rogers
I’m not sure if we have to cross the border for the thing to be official, But I kind of want to see the look on customs when we roll up on bikes. I’m afraid not everyone that may want to ride would have a passport, which may make things difficult. The map my ride trip i made started right at the border.
@King Clydesdale
uLaval
And what about doing the same as the pro did, start right at the border so americans dont have to cross it and me, well i already need my passport if i want to come so no big deal.
@Godsight
I’m for this idea, personally. Really do not want my passport in my jersey pocket for 12+ hours!
@King Clydesdale
I’ve got a KK Pro, which, for a trainer, I love. I have literally over 300 hours on it in the last two years (10 months in Iraq with no outside riding added up fast) and I killed a Cycleops Fluid Trainer before that with over 200 hours (all the fluid drained out of it). Trainers make you tough! (although I’d ride outside any day over the trainer, but with five kids and a full time job, not to mention three deployments, not always possible).
@King Clydesdale
@Buck Rogers
If you have to make a choice, I say go rollers over a trainer (a proper bike ergo is even better).
If you haven’t used them before, rollers will make you a better bike handler (and therefore faster) and you can use your gears for varying resistance. Whilst you can’t replicate really hard hill-type gearing like on a trainer, I reckon you will use rollers a lot more as they are far more fun to use (and much nicer to your bike). I have no problems hurting myself on rollers – and that’s not even counting falling off!
The thinner the roller diameter, the harder the roller.
Get Kreitlers – the only choice. And theyre from the States too!
@Marcus
+1. Also will help you develop a smooth and Magnificent Stroke.
As for resistance, you can get a wind resistance unit for Kreitlers if you really need it.
@Marcus, @Nate
I discovered that my left leg is weaker than my right. I have therefor initiated my winter training: starting with 1 3km climb with my right foot unclipped. Next I will move into 2 3km climbs, and so forth, until my left leg is stronger at which point I switch and so forth until eventually I become a mutant, because I don’t foresee stopping in time to be balanced.
Pedaling like that will teach you one thing very quicky: I can’t pedal round for shit. Getting rollers. Must work on my stroke.
@Gianni
True that. However, tempo for me (and most of us mortals, even Cat II’s) is very different than tempo for Ted King, or anyone that’s finished Giro’s.
When I was young, cool and “fast”, Bob Roll came out to our local Tuesday night circuit race (PIR). Race officials let him get into the Cat I/II/III field with his mountain bike (he is Bob Roll after all). So he’s riding up and down thru the field chatting us up, while we’re going 27-28mph, Zone 4/5, on Ti road bikes. That’s why I respect all those guys. Talent.
@frank
POWERCRANKS
@frank
I’m telling you dude, you have no choice but to pedal round with those things. When it starts to suck (and it will suck, trust me), you apply your will to suffer, to get better, and push through. A lot of people think they’re gimmicky, and maybe they are, but I do notice a difference when I get on the plastic bike. Just sayin’…………..
Good stuff Gianni, thanks for posting. Ryan’s look when they are stopped with 6 miles to go is very familiar to me…
Made me laugh out loud at the very end when he says “…oh chocolate milk”
@frank
@Nate
@scaler911
Forget all that crap. Only one thing you need to know, 7 minute abs
“step into my office. You’re fired.”
@scaler911
@frank
Rollers. You really want to ruin a perfectly good bike with a medieval torture device?
@scaler911
Oh yes, I’m talking 33km/hr tempo. I wouldn’t last at Pro tempo for three minutes.
And yes, Rollers will give you the magnificent stroke, tedious as they may be.
Question for my fellow Velominati:
Is there a Velominati approved equation that one can use to compare meters climbed to absolute distance to attempt to compare the relative difficulty of 2 rides? (For simplicity, assume the rider applies the same level of the V on both rides and the weather is constant)
Ride A: 200 on 100: 333km with 3200m of climbing
Ride B: Stage 18 2011 TDF 200 km with 5000m of climbing over Agnel, Izoard, Lauteret/Galibier
Which ride requires more V to complete (mentally and physically)?
For me I would look much more favorably on Ride B as there are incremental goals along the way in the cols. Ride B seems like a true mental test in addition to the signficant physical challenge.
@frank
Elite’s Varion rollers have variable resistance, although no resistance is plenty for me at the moment. Just broke the milestone of riding them no-hands which is testament to the rollers having improved my stroke. One pedal is tough but I think it may get you the result you want.
I think the only way to compare would be to use Watts to calculate and average and total output.
But that would not address the mental effort.
Hi everyone, as the man behind the camera and wheel of the truck, I have to thank all of you for sharing this video again. Look out for a feature on it in an upcoming edition of Bicycling Magazine.
A few things I noticed on that day:
1. Tim Johnson did a proper CX remount at mile 206.
2. Ryan Kelly said many more odd things in his delusion that couldn’t make the “cut”
3. These guys rolled in a paceline the ENTIRE day, trading pulls every few minutes. On the flats they were going anywhere between 25-30mph and didn’t slow down much below 20 on the hills…
4. Ben and Jerry’s ice cream at 9am is still delicious
5. Ted King’s face was a little round because he was just coming off a broken collarbone, so he wasn’t quite “race weight.”
and finally…
I see some of you discussing doing this ride. We have been discussing the same, and we have been discussing involving other groups, so maybe we can all do something together. cdelinks at gmail dot com
Thanks again for all the shares and comments, it was a blast to do this project and we can’t wait to do it again.
@cycloWHAT?
Thanks for making it. Was fun to watch.
@cycloWHAT?
What’s your going rate for a support vehicle? :) jk.
Oh yeah, next 12, 13 or 14th of June, 2012, is the date that I think it will take place. We’re going mid-week as it works for most of us better than the weekend and will avoid weekend traffic as well. Just a bit of traffic at 8-9 am and 4-6 pm.
Also thinking that it will take me and possibly the others around here, SIGNIFICANTLY longer than it took those boys. More like 12 to 15 hours. And we will most likely not have a support vehicle on the route so will need to be stopping for food and water refills.
I grew up in VT and raced USCF all over New England in the late 80’s and early ’90’s and know those roads a bit. It will be an EPIC day to say the least.
By the way, great video, mate!
@cycloWHAT?
Nicely done man! It’s a “dump truck of AWESOME”!
This looks absolutely AWESOME!
I now have all the motivation I could possibly need this winter. Just threw away half my breakfast since I seriously need to HTFU as I’m more like 6 months from peaking right now. Gonna be a brutal winter on the trainer!
@MJMoquin
Amen, Brother! LOVE it. Can we count you in for the June, V-sponsored Dumptruck of Awesomeness?
@mblume
I’ll try to do both in the next few years and let you know! :)