The Benefits of Track Racing

Besides the fun atmosphere and fast racing, the velodrome provides many benefits that translates to road racing. When looking at the 2014 Tour of California results, many of the pros that did well in the TT, GC, and sprint stages all come from a track background. The velodrome helps riders with their sprints through the speed of racing and the pursuit helps riders with pace for time trials and even road races when they are off the front. Developing speed and sprints on the track is key because it is translated directly to road races in the last few kilometers of a race. In this years Tour of California we witnessed 2x Madison world champion, Mark Cavendish win two stages. Mark Cavendish comes from a strong track background winning multiple national championships as a junior. In the pursuit, pacing is key for having a fast time. Riders have to find a good pace where they are going as fast as possible but still have to finish strong. Developing pace on the track is translated on the road in time trials, as seen by multiple world track world champion, Bradley Wiggins, winning the TT and eventually GC at the Tour of California. Former pursuit world champion, Taylor Phinney also displayed his pacing effort on stage 5 of the TOC winning solo and also at the USA time trial national championship winning by about 51 seconds. Track racing is fun and it has many benefits that helps racers on the road. 

-Matt Valencia 

Nationals- Approaching Quickly

           As Nationals is only a little over a month away everyone is making sure they're good and ready for the biggest races we will look forward to in our seasons. Being part of NCCF/ Team Specialized Juniors I understand how important these couple races in LA and Wisconsin are to myself and the whole team. We train all year, doing races and races and these are merely just practice racing for the real thing in early July. As a team we've rode strong all season and proven that we are major contenders to beat at this years Track and Road National Championships. I am proud to say I am part of a team that brings their A-game every time they pin on a number. Whether you're having a bad and you communicate with your teammate that you want to work for him, we always seem to have at least one rider contending for one of the podium slots. This year I say willing that our team has greatly developed, with better communication, great sacrifices, furthering the ability to push ourselves, and overall having a great time.

Overall I'm very excited for Nationals this year! I think everyone on our team will accomplish their goals and we'll have a great time.
Grant McElroy

Keep Calm and Carry On

Every race you start, you should have a plan.  You should be able to envision how the race is likely to play out and what you can do to maximize your chances to win.  However, bike racing rarely goes to plan.  In the end, you need to stay calm, read the race, work with your teammates, and take advantage of opportunities as they arise.

Last week we raced the Berkeley Hills Road Race.  Baker, Buckley and I went up against several teams with larger numbers, so the plan was to be attentive with the breaks and wait until the final lap as attrition should dwindle the field.  However near the end of the second lap our field got mixed in with the field in front of us and a small group of riders from the main teams got away without representation of our team.

My first thought: 'damn, I missed it.  Now I have to go.'  So I got to the front.  I attack.  I pull.  It really doesn't get me anywhere.  As the field regrouped, Buckley and I checked in and worked our way near the front.  It was unlikely that the two of us would be able to pull back the break and still finish well, so the goal became creating an advantage for us.

On the back side of the course, Buckley was the first to go, lining the field out for about a km.  I was able to slot in about 10th wheel and as the paced slowed, I hit it.  With other teams busy reacting to my teammate, I was able to get away solo and work on bridging to the break up the road.

Fortunately I had the legs to make the catch and out climb the breakaway riders on the final hill.  But what made the day was how we worked together to turn a disadvantage into our advantage.

Carry on,

Jeromy

 

 

State Road Championships

 

 

       This years state road champs was definitely something to remember. I came into this 50 mile road race with a ton of confidence with the intension of winning or helping my teammate Jules win. Each lap being 25 miles each I knew going solo would be something very difficult, especially on this course. Every lap had a fair amount climbing in it, so I guess you can say it was a course for the climbers.  

 

        About 20 minutes into the race we finally reached the first of the few hills and as soon as the group settled into a rhythm, I attacked. Distancing my rivals I got about a minute gap until the cable to my shifting snapped off leaving me in the small ring for the remainder of the first lap. I was eventually caught by the field and trying to hang on the back spinning my brains out trying to keep up. As I started the climb to the finish I stopped on the side of the road and Mr. Castellano stuck a rock in my derailleur so that I can get into my big ring.

 

         I eventually got back into the group and as soon as we started to ascend on the second lap, I attacked with anger because I don't find it cool to attack someone when having a mechanical and I was definitely going to finish what I started. I quickly opened up a 3 minute gap and it continued to grow from there. As I approached the finish I took a quick look back and I was finally able to relax. I sat down on the hot pavement totally exhausted waiting to see how my teammate Jules would finish and he came away with an excellent 3rd place. I must say Jules helped me a lot in this victory by pushing the pace on the steep grades. Jules and I celebrated with another win for the team.

 

             

                                 See you next time, Sean



Growing

In the last year or so I have grown about a half a foot. Let me tell you, body size makes a big difference for cycling. For one, it means a new, larger size of all equipment. I have gone from a 49 to a 52 frame size bike and my regular shoe size went from a mens 7 to 9. I've put on roughly 20 pounds since last season and at first it really affected my climbing. But, as I've started to fill out my new body size, I've noticed an increase in something I've barely ever had. Power. I can push bigger gears up climbs and sustain hard efforts for longer. I never knew how much power mattered in climbing because I had mostly been good at it due to my small body. But now as I am growing and my weight has been increasing, power is the only thing keeping me with the leaders on the climb. I've been doing a lot of velodrome and criterium racing this month so when I started climbing again a few days ago, I didn't expect to be fast at all. Well, thanks to the power I've received from the velodrome, hard criterium racing, and my growth, I actually climbed like a beast. Of course to get better at climbing, you have to climb; but, training my power really helped my ability to do so. Growing can be a bit of a burden with all the new things that follow it, but with cycling it means more power. That is why I am so glad to be finally growing and hope that my power never stops growing as well!

To the benefits of growth!
- Jules

Early Season Teamwork

Coming off of a big block of racing with San Dimas, CCCX, Sea Otter, and Copperopolis now is a good time to reflect on the highs and lows of these races. Each race has its own story, and one of the main themes that prevailed was the importance of teamwork.

At San Dimas, with Nick, Matt, Sean, and our masters teammate Jeromy, I rode the cat two race. The first stage was a roughly 4 mile uphill time trial that took the fastest cat two just under fifteen and a half minutes to complete. I warmed up and was feeling good. The adrenaline and excitement of racing pumped through my veins as the starter was holding me. 5…4…3…2…1 and I was off. I went out too hard and paid for it in the last few kilometers. I ended up 19^th, about a minute and a half down on the leader.

The next day was the road race. Without anyone in contention for GC our plan was be aggressive in the first two and a half laps of the seven-lap race, in hope of forming a break that would shake up the GC standings. We did exactly that. The second time up the feed zone climb I followed a move initiated by Gavin Hoover. The two of us rotated for a lap and then were joined by three other riders. One of the riders quickly attacked our group and I followed. The two of us continued for another lap until we were joined by three others, including Nick and second place on GC. This group of five buried ourselves until we were brought back; just as we heard the bell for one lap to go and Dave Towle screaming his trademark ONE TO GO, ONE TO GO, ONE TO GO. Nick and my efforts had set up Sean perfectly to follow the counter attack and outsprint his companions for the win. After the stage he was tied with me for the sprint competition (I picked up points while I was off the front). The day could not have gone much better for us as a team; we set a plan, executed the plan, and won the race as a team; I was happy to have played a supportive role.

In the crit, the team goal was to maintain Sean’s lead in the sprint competition and hopefully lead him out for another stage win. We remained aggressive and keen for breakaway opportunities. Both Nick and I followed various moves, allowing Sean to sit in and save for the sprints. In addition to covering moves Nick, Matt, Jeromy and I led Sean out and he picked up points in the intermediate sprints, adding to his lead. For the final sprint we started our lead out train too early and were unable to deliver another stage victory.

Sea Otter saw a different side of the teamwork coin. In both 17-18 races we were on the receiving end of well-executed teamwork with five HotTubes riders running the show, trading turns attacking and counter attacking until they formed a break that they liked. Unlike San Dimas, we were not the dominant team, and on this occasion we learned the importance teamwork from the receiving end. However, the my 15-16’s teammates proved that they are a force to be reckoned with, going 1, 2, 3, 4 in the circuit race and 1, 2 in the road race with impressive shows of teamwork.

These early season races have been great learning experiences and have prepped us well for the rest of the season. We now turn towards the build up to Nationals, which is ten weeks away.

Thanks,

Jason S.

My Limits

A lot of times I hear people talking on group rides or even in races about their "limits." And a lot of the time I hear the excuse that they didn't want to go past their limits so that they still have enough to finish the race etc. I believe that staying within your limits is just saying that you didn't suffer enough. As big of a statement this is and as much as it can offend some people, it is simply the truth when it's go time in a big/important race. These are the races you train all winter for to win, these are the races where suffering is key, and these are the races where "not going past your limits just to finish the race" just doesn't cut it. For me, if I was asked the question "what are your limits?", I would honestly have to say that I don't have limits. I race and train to a point where I can no longer push the pedals, and even to a point where I am vomiting my guts out. Whether I am off the front of a race or just trying to hang on the tail end of the field, I know deep inside that I pushed myself way past my limits and poured out every bit of energy that I had left. The sensation of pulling yourself inside/out may not feel the best at the moment, but it will feel bittersweet after you've recovered and reflected on what just happened. It will make you that much better as a cyclist, whether you're a "racer" or just a recreational rider that loves the joys of bike riding and the pain that comes along with it. You won't regret the satisfaction that comes along with suffering.

Pictured below is at the SCNCA Elite District Road Race Championships at Castaic Lake. I apologize if it grosses you out but it shows someone really going past their limits just to hang in there with the big boys.

Photo Credit to Dan Munson of Cycling Illustrated

Keep pushing,

Nick Castellano