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Posts Tagged with "Australian Cycling"

Sarsha Huntington: Cycling Tribe Blog

April 29, 2010, 5:04pm

Hi Guys,

Just to introduce myself and give you a bit of background on my current results, my name is Sarsha Huntington and I race 4X for Australia. I am the current 4X Oceania Champion & National Series Champion and I came 2^nd at the Australian Championships in Adelaide behind 4X World Champion, Caroline Buchanan. I am currently ranked 7^th in the World and hope to improve that this year by 6 spots. J

This year I am off overseas to compete in the 4X World Cups. This will be my first year in which I have gone to all the rounds so I am excited about this and the experience I will get from each race. Most of you might know that I am married to another Australian 4X rider, Randal Huntington (Randal is also 2^nd in Australia and ranked 20^th in the World). And for the past 2 years, Randal and I have been traveling doing some of the World Cups and World Champs together. However this year I have to do the trip without my hubby, and to me that will be the hardest part about going away.

So my flight is this Sunday over to Frankfurt, Germany. I was starting to get a bit nervous at the start of the week about this volcano and flights being cancelled, especially when the 2^nd eruption happened. But things are looking up at the moment and it looks like I will be able to make the first World Cup round next weekend in Houffalize, Belgium.

I wouldn’t say that I have had the best lead up to this years World Cup circuit, but I feel like I am ready to race well and to be honest I feel like I am riding the best I ever had.

I had some bad luck after coming back from the Oceania Champs in NZ and got the flu along with Randal. So both of us were sick, lying in bed trying to look after each other...this wasn’t too successful. A week and a half later I finally was starting to feel better and was able to start riding my bike again. But after 2 days of training injury struck and I was struggling to breath, cough, laugh etc as I had put one side of my rib cage out. I must say it was a horrible week of pain while I tried to relax the muscles and get the rib cage back in line. My physio worked and worked and worked until finally I started to be able to breathe without stabbing pains. This was only a few days ago. During this whole time I was unable to ride my 4X bike and had to settle with the stationary bike each day. Man I am over that thing!!!

It feels SO GOOD to be able to ride my bike, jump, do gates again. I feel the happiest when I get to ride my bike (apart from when I am with my husband J). My last few sessions I have just had a massive smile on my face. I was also happy to see that I hadn’t lost my bike skills, which is always a big bonus. Although my fitness might be slightly lower then normal I feel that I can get this back up within a few weeks.

So in all I am pretty excited about the trip and feel that although I haven’t had the lead up I would have liked I am passionate about riding and racing and feel that I am ready to ride the best I have ever ridden on the World Cup Circuit.

Thanks for reading guys and keep a look out for my next blog entry after the Houffalize World Cup round.

Tags: Sarsha Huntington, 4X, Australian Cycling
Read more | Comments (0) | Updated on April 29, 2010, 5:09pm

Alex Morgan: Cycling Tribe Interview

April 26, 2010, 3:56pm

DOB: 18/7/1994

Sponsors: De Ver Bikes & the Victorian Institute of Sport (VIS)

Coach: I’mcurrently in a transition between coaches. (Simon Quick (QuickCycle Coaching) and Dave Sanders)

Bikes: Road: De Ver Carbon Road Bike with the new 3R Racing Groupset

Track: De Ver Eclipse

Favourite Movie: Saving Private Ryan

School: Vermont Secondary College

CT: Alex, thanks for your time. You had a great summer. What was the highlight for you?

AM: No worries, I’m more than happy to support such a great website. The highlight of the summer was definitely winning the Gold Medal in the Men’s Under 17 Team Pursuit with my Victorian teammates at the National Championships. Not only did we win the gold by passing NSW just after the half way point but we kept going and broke our own Australian Record (3:21.589) by setting a new time of 3:20.439 in the 3km event.

CT: At only 15 years of age, the future looks promising. How did you get into cycling to begin with?

AM: I started riding my bike to school at about the age of 9 and completely fell in love with the sport. After a few years of riding for leisure I begged my parents to start cycling competitively and my Great-Uncle (President of Preston Cycling Club) sent them in the right direction. I went down to the local club and did a few novice clinics and before I knew it I was competing in (and winning) my first track race, which was in January 2008.

CT: Lets talk about the Australian Under 17 Team's Pursuit Australian record that you broke just over a month ago now. How regularly did you and your team-mates (Jack Cummings, Evan Hull and Tom Hamilton) train together during the lead-up?

AM: We started with one session every weekend then as we got closer to the event we did 2 sessions a week, one on the weekend and one at night in the middle of the week.

CT: What sort of training did you guys concentrate on?

AM: We did a lot of high cadence work on little gears as we ride on a restricted gear. Just to give you an idea of the gear we have to ride – the average cadence (rpm) for our current record is roughly 140rpm with an average speed of 53.88km/h.

CT: How did you all get along?

AM: We are all good mates. We have spent a lot of time together and get along very well. We still try to train together when we can find the time.

CT: How did race day itself unfold? Did it all just fall into place?

AM: Both the qualifying and final were in the evening so as teenage boys; we aimed for bit of a sleep-in. We then organised most of our clothing, equipment etc for that evening and went back to one of the rooms for an inspirational movie (Overcoming) and some lunch. The night itself was a blur. The qualifying round was all about saving as much energy as we could for the final, we were a bit up and down but qualified first with a time of 3:25.298. We came straight off the track and onto the rollers to get the lactic acid out of our legs, then a dry off and a drink. With that out of the way, our focus turned to the final. As the final came closer we started warming up on the rollers and put on our race kit (aero booties, aero helmets etc). Before we knew it we were in the gate and counting down to the start. A lot of thoughts run through your mind as you sit staring at the clock as it counts down. My mind turned to the hours and hours of training that we had done in preparation for this one moment. The clock hit 0 and we were off, but not for long, it was a false start by NSW and we had to roll around and start again. Once we were set again and took off it was just like clockwork. Every member knew his job and we were in control the whole way. As we passed NSW (about half way through) our starter dropped off as planned and myself and the two other boys gave it everything we had for the remaining distance. As we came through the line – completely exhausted – our eyes turned to the scoreboard, and there was 3:20.439 staring straight back at us. It was the happiest moment of my cycling career so far. All of the late nights and early mornings, every single training session devoted to that one moment, it couldn’t have turned out any better,

CT: What are your goals for this winter and into next year?

AM: I’m hoping for a good road season and to make the podium in the Road Race and Individual Time Trial at the National Junior Road Championships in September. After that I go into the Under 19 Men Category and hope to be selected for the Australian Junior Road Team next year.

CT: It is quite impressive how fast your have risen to where you are at currently. What do you put this down to?

AM: I put it down to a variety of things that have all combined together. The main ones are setting goals and achieving them, determination, focus, a great coach and a tremendous amount of support from my family.

CT: What are your plans post-school days? Where do you see yourself at when you are in your mid-twenties?

AM: I plan on completing my VCE and then hopefully riding for a professional road team in Europe, which would be my ultimate dream.

CT: In terms of your training. Could you take us through a typical week of training during your winter base period?

AM: It changes all the time because I’m still growing and getting stronger but a typical week would consist of a few light road rides, a light gym session, an ergo session (indoor trainer) and then a couple of bunch rides on the weekend.

CT: And a typical week in Summer?

AM: 3 track sessions, a weekly criterium and a few light road rides.

CT: Do you have a favourite ride or training session?

AM: There are quite a few rides that I enjoy – particularly around the Bright region – but my favourite training ride is the Myers Creek Ride. We ride from Ringwood to Healesville, turn left just after the Beechworth Bakery then up the steep 8km climb to the top of Myers Creek Rd. We then go to the bottom of Chum Creek Rd, turn right and head down the Healesville-Yarra Glen Rd to Yarra Glen, then home on Maroondah Hwy. It’s a 100km+ ride and is full of different types of terrain, coffee shops and weather conditions. It’s best to head out early as Maroondah Hwy can get busy on the weekends.

CT: Thanks for you time and all the best.

Tags: Alex Morgan, Australian Cycling
Read more | Comments (1) | Updated on September 3, 2010, 12:18am

Molly Nichols-Pavy: Cycling Tribe Blog

April 25, 2010, 4:09pm

Hi there, my names Molly Nichols-Pavy and I’m a 16 year old BMX racer from good old Adelaide. I have been racing now for around two years and I am a first year junior elite and I love it. I spend the majority of my time hitting up all the skate parks and trails as training. At this point I have been trying to prepare myself for the final round of the National series and National titles which are just two weeks away. My goals for this year consisted of winning the state titles, finishing in the top three for the national series and finishing in the top three in the Nationals.

The State Titles were held at the Hallet Cove track in early February, the weather was perfect and sunny with no wind which is a real change for the cove which usually has really strong winds. I always approach events relaxed, I don’t like to do much training other than riding skate parks and trails because I find I over think events. I was happy and having a good time and just cruising through the mottos to make the final. In the final I didn’t get the best start but I was still only half a bike length behind the leader, heading into the first corner she left the inside wide open so I went up the inside to take the lead. We battled it out down the next straight but because I had the inside I passed her and from there nobody could quite catch me. I was pretty stoked to win as it was my first official win in racing.

This is my second year competing in the national series. Last year I was disappointed with myself after I finished in fourth place overall when I really wanted to make the podium. So this year I set out to make my podium dream come true ha-ha. The first round was held in Ashmore, Queensland where I came second, I was pretty happy with the result; it was good to start off with. Although the good result I was a bit spewing since I cracked my frame that same weekend. The second round was held in Eastfiled, Victoria where again I came second. Rounds three and four were held in Nerang, Queensland where I came Third one round and the other I had a crash in the first corner and came last. The fifth and sixth rounds were held in Canberra. It literally rained the entire time we were racing making the tracks slippery and heavy. Although the conditions I still felt I rode alright coming second one round and the other third.

The seventh and final round of this series is held at the nationals in two weeks time. I’m pretty excited for the nationals although I must admit I haven’t really trained but I never really do any training. The competition in junior elite should be really good this year I think. With girls like Kirsten Dellar, Melinda Mcleod, Lacey Oliver and Leanna Curtis it will be interesting to see who has put in the hard yards. Well that’s about all I have been up to lately and what is coming up for me in racing but for now I really have some English homework that needs to be done.

Molly.

Tags: Molly Pavy, Australian Cycling, BMX
Read more | Comments (0) | Updated on April 26, 2010, 6:26am

Josh Carlson: Cycling Tribe Blog

April 23, 2010, 3:10pm

Hi Cycling Tribe!

My name is Josh Carlson, I'm 24 and from Wollongong, NSW. I race cross country mountain bikes for the GIANT Factory team in the elite division and this year I am planning my first trip to Europe to race 2 rounds of the World Cup cross country series in Switzerland and Italy in July of this year.

In the meantime I'll be posting up some blogs to let you guys know how the preparation and training is going, the rif raf involved in a race season and anything else I can think to write to interest you guys.

The season started off last weekend at Lithgow and here is my report about it. Enjoy!

Well the 2010 season has begun with a whole lotta fun, some fast laps, and one of the funniest tracks in Australia!

On Sunday 18th, I raced at the first round of the newly formed series; 'Single-track Minded NSW Enduro series' presented by chocolate foot's Joe Ward and Fiona Dick. Held at Lithgow’s, Lidsdale state forest, it was an ideal location to get the newly formed series started and definitely left everyone with massive smiles, great stories and a hunger to attend the upcoming 3 rounds of the 4 round series.

I raced in a male pair with my mate, Pete from Wollongong, and went to Lithgow with the attitude of enjoying such a great event, getting some good training done and having a whole lotta fun.

Tick, tick and massive tick! Mission accomplished!

With the event being held over 8 hours and on a 10km punchy, technical single-track course, a fun little 8 hour was definitely going to have its fair share of sweat and pain involved.

I did our first lap and got us off to a great start. Pete was up next and we would continue to do single laps for the first 2 hours, until double laps seemed to be the order to provide each other with a bit more rest in between. Lap times were approx 27min for me and 30mins for Pete. W e then went into the double laps after approx 2 hours until the 6hour mark ticked over and singles war back on the menu!

Man...Doubles were good idea at the time....NART!!

The first lap was sweet, and all good intentions of taking it easy and bringing it home on the second were all going to plan. until a little thing I like to call 'Red mist' started to descend on the course and I couldn't help but pin the D's and smash the punchy climbs!!

It was my first ride/race on my brand new GIANT Anthem X sl1 team bike with full shimano XTR...man what a weapon!!

This shiny new bad boy tipped the scales at 10.6kg and lived up to all expectations and more on the awesome Lithgow trails!

like I said, with the techo decants that demanded concentration and rewarded good line selection and momentum and the punchy single-track climbs and dreggy fire road hills, this bike was the ultimate bike of choice for the weekend's fun filled racing!

After getting threw our double laps with more than a bit of whinging from both parties, we were back to single laps and loving smashing laps again!

After 8 hours and 16 laps completed by my team-mate and I, we ended up finishing in 3rd overall behind the SWELL/REDSHIFT young guns and the eventual winners YETI/GU who rode super consistent all day to take the win.

All expectations had been met with this race and more. The sponsors that came on board for the event provided some fantastic prizes, the general vibe on the track was awesome and the attitude in the pits reflected how good of an event this turned out to be. With a great turn out of all kinds of riders, from elite to first timers, hardened (and later tired) solo riders to a couple of guys and girls having some fun, every one left the event fulfilled and excited for the next!

My team-mate and I were stoked with third and after some recovery egg and bacon rolls and cans of coke, stories and laps were being compared and laughs were had.

Its now back to training, and with a few weekends off from racing, I’ll have some time to knuckle down and get some solid training done in preparation for my trip to Switzerland and Italy in July for a couple of cross country world cups.

Thanks to my coach, Mark Fenner of ftptraining.com, the prep is fully underway and heading towards hopefully some great results for 2010.

In 2010 I’ll be riding for the GIANT Factory team on a GIANT Anthem X sl1, and a GIANT XTC Advanced sl in selected upcoming enduros, 2 world mountain bike cross country cups and the 2010/11 Australian mountain bike series held over summer.

Also on board for the 2010 season are Spearman Cycles and FRS Health drinks.

I'm looking forward to posting up some blogs for you guys to read over the year, and with the overseas racing and my upcoming races, hopefully I’ll provide you guys with a laugh and something interesting to read.

Until next time, hold it on and I’ll see you at the races.

Love your work!

Josh Carlson.

Tags: Josh Carlson, Cycling Tribe Blog, Australian Cycling
Read more | Comments (1) | Updated on May 27, 2010, 12:08am

Emma Mackie: Cycling Tribe Interview

April 19, 2010, 3:34pm

Emma Mackie

Coach: Ian Melvin

Manager:

Sponsor: Team TIBCO/To the top

Career Highlight: 2005 Australian Club Champion, Worlds rep 2009.

Favourite event: Road racing

Occupation: Cyclist

Time in the Sport: 5yrs

Bike: Look

Cycling Tribe: Emma, Thanks for your time. To begin with, how did you get into cycling?

No problem, thanks for asking. I always played a lot of sports in high school and did a little triathlon and a bit of track during that time. But didn’t really take up the sport ‘til after High school. My sister’s boyfriend Rhys Pollock is a pro cyclist from where I live so he helped me get into the sport in the early days and we have a really good cycling club in Albury. My Pop was also a very good cyclist and had a big influence on my cycling career; I looked up to him a lot.

Cycling Tribe: You started the year off with a Salmonella bug taking you out the National team for Qatar. How hard was it to come back from this? How do you view your current form?

Yes, It wasn’t the best start to the year! I had some really good form after Australian Nationals and it wasn’t long after I got home I became very sick with Salmonella! It defiantly knocked me around; I was in and out of Hospital on drips and had a good month off the bike! Even once the bug had gone I was struggling with the recovery, esp. my weight as I lost at least 5kgs in at least 7 days! So it’s been difficult but I’m just trying to stay positive and look forward. I’ve been feeling better and better since I joined my new team TIBCO in the states and my form is slowly coming back to where I would like it to be.

Cycling Tribe: What are your team and individual goals for 2010?

Well at the moment, I’m with my team in Europe for the spring classics and the Tour d’Laude. This has been one of my biggest focuses this year as I’m not in Europe for the whole year. So I am really wanting a good performance here Individually and team to help set me up for the Worlds in Australia. I want to be a strong team member and contribute as much of my strengths as possible, so hopefully that means winning a lot of races with the team in the USA. But my biggest individual goal would be the Commonwealth Games at the end of the year!

Cycling Tribe: Can you describe a typical week of training?

A typical week of training for me before I left for Europe was a mix between racing and training. So I was trying to get some solid long rides in with some intensity. A lot of strength efforts and intervals! Around 400-600km weeks.

Cycling Tribe: What would it mean to you to don the green and gold for Australia in the Commonwealth Games in Delhi?

I could not even describe what it would mean to me to be a part of the Commonwealth Games. It’s been a lot of years building up to these events and to represent your country is the best feeling in the world. It’s a way I can say thank you to everybody who has followed and supported me for so many years.

Cycling Tribe: How do you view the state of women’s cycling in Australia at this point?

This is a hard question for me as I haven’t really raced in Australia for some years now! But it seems to be getting bigger and bigger with more girls wanting to come over to Europe to race! So I think it is diff on the up!

Cycling Tribe: In what ways have you grown as a person and a cyclist since competing in Europe for the first time in 2006 to now?

Well the first time I came to Europe was in 2006 when I was 20 yrs old! I’ve now raced on three pro teams, am 25 yrs old , have raced all around the world and in nearly every country in Europe; competed in my first worlds last year and now gone to the USA for the first time! I am a much stronger cyclist and person today. I have made so many friends and seen so many places it’s unbelievable. I have achieved a lot in my cycling career but still have so much to come so it is exciting!

Cycling Tribe: Emma, Thank you for your time and all the best this year.

Tags: Emma Mackie, Australian Cycling, Team TIBCO
Read more | Comments (0) | Updated on April 19, 2010, 4:09pm

Simon Gerrans Interview – Eyeing Le Tour

April 13, 2010, 9:57am

Team: Team Sky
DOB: 16/5/1980
Favourite Movie: The Godfather
Favourite TV show: Entourage
Height: 170cm
Weight: 64kg
CT: Simon, thanks for your time. How are things?

SG: Well thanks. I am currently in Holland, Belgium. I am racing here tomorrow. I have a few other Spring Classics planned before another training phase.

CT: Are you going to a training camp after the Spring Classics?

SG: Yeah, I will be spending most of May in Boulder, Colorado, training at altitude. It will be a vital step in the process of getting as ready as possible for Le Tour.

CT: Do you have some training partners to help you?

SG: I will train a bit with fellow Aussie Chris Legh, a good mate. There are always other Aussies in Boulder too, which makes it a fun place to live and train. Last year I trained in Colorado too and I was lucky enough to be able to spend some time with Lance Armstrong, Chris Horner and Levi Leipheimer.

CT: Did you learn much from them?

SG: Yeah for sure. They are three statesmen of the sport and I learned a lot.

CT: Let’s talk more about the training camp in Boulder. Do you train once or twice a day?

SG: Just once but they are long rides, anywhere from 3 ½ to 5 ½ hours per day I spend on the bike.

CT: Does the altitude take much time to get used to?

SG: Yeah I take it quite easy the first week. The intensity is low. After this initial week is over I train harder for a few weeks, that is when the main training is done.

CT: What sort of training will you be focusing on during the camp?

SG: Mainly just strength work with minimal amounts of higher intensity stuff. I tend to do 2-3 days of hard training followed by a day of easier riding for recovery.

CT: Talk us through a typical day on camp.

SG: Since I am only doing the one ride per day I don’t get up all that early or go to bed all that early either. I wake up at a reasonable hour, have some breakfast, then hit the roads around 9:30am. I ride for 3 ½ to 5 ½ hours. During the afternoon I might get a massage. On the easy recovery days I often go to the gym, but the gym workouts are quite light.

CT: What do the gym sessions consist of?

SG: Mainly just core work consisting of glutes, lower abdominal and stabilisation exercises. I don’t lift heavy weights, especially at this time of the year.

CT: What are your thoughts on Le Tour? You are no doubt expecting a start for Team Sky?

SG: The final team won’t be announced for quite some time. But I am confident that I will be on the team.

CT: What is your form like at the moment compared to previous years?

SG: In training the past few months I have been doing a lot more longer threshold rides and longer climbs than previous years. I haven’t done much high intensity explosive work. I think that this could disadvantage me in the Spring Classics, but in terms of my preparations for the Tour de France, I think that I am without a doubt fitter and stronger than ever, and that this year will hopefully be my best tour to date.

CT: Do you ever sleep in an altitude tent? simon gerrans

SG: Yes, I sleep in an altitude tent on and off. I think they work well and are obviously the best substitution for when I can’t be physically at altitude.

CT: How is life on the road treating you?

SG: Not too bad. I am still really enjoying living out of suitcases and spending most of the year travelling.

CT: There seems to be some very talented young Australian’s on the rise, what are your views as the reasons behind this?

SG: Cycling in Australia is indeed looking strong. It is a credit to the system as a whole. From the grassroots levels to the state institutes. It is great to see.

CT: Thanks for your time, good luck for the remaining Spring Classics. Hope to see a big Tour.

Tags: simon gerrans
Read more | Comments (0) | Updated on April 14, 2010, 7:35am

Meredith Miller: Cycling Tribe Interview

April 12, 2010, 11:28pm

Meredith Miller

Coach: Corey Hart

Manager:

Sponsor:

Career Highlight: 2009 US National Road Champion

Favourite event: Liberty Classic

Occupation: Cyclist

Time in the Sport: 12 years

Bike: LOOK 595

Cycling Tribe: Meredith,Thank you for your time. First of all 2009 was a huge year for you winning the US National Road Championships in July. What did this victory mean to you?

It was such a surprise to win this race. Any one of my teammates could have won the race that day and I was excited that I was able to pull off the win – for myself and for my team. It’s a great honour to be able to wear the stars and stripes this year.

Cycling Tribe: How do you view the current state of women’s cycling? Do you feel more could be done to promote it?

Women’s cycling is definitely on the rise. It keeps growing year after year, but there is a lot that needs to be done before we are on par with men’s cycling. Women are great ambassadors of the sport and we need to continue pushing forward to make our voices heard. As it is right now there are only a handful of women who can support themselves in the sport. We need to keep pushing for more support so that more women are able to focus on the bike full-time. Kristin Armstrong, Linda Jackson, and Nicola Cranmer have been wonderful for the growth of the sport, but we need more motivated people like them to continue promoting the sport so that the upward momentum carries on.

Cycling Tribe: What are your individual and team goals for 2010?

My individual goals are intertwined with the team goals. I want to represent the stars and stripes to best of my ability for myself, my teammates and my sponsors. We have a young team this year and I want to be an inspiring mentor and strong leader for all of them, but really a solid teammate all around. This team has a lot depth and strength and I hope that I can help bring it all together for a very successful season.

Cycling Tribe: You had a 2.5 year stint living in New Zealand. Do you ever get a chance to go back there?

Unfortunately, I haven’t been back since I left at the end of 2006, but my husband and I are always thinking about the day when we can retire there.

Cycling Tribe: Can you describe a typical week of training?

This time of year I tend to focus on recovery more than hard training days. When I come home from a long stint on the road, I need the downtime to recover both mentally and physically. During the off-season, my training days tend to be longer and the intensity picks up as I get closer to the race season. However, this past year my “typical” off-season was thrown for a loop when I decided to race ‘cross. My training was focused less on duration and more on intensity, meaning my overall training volume was much less than usual.

Cycling Tribe: How is your form leading into the European season?

As of right now I don’t have plans to go to Europe with TIBCO this year, but so far the U.S. season has started off pretty well.

Cycling Tribe: You also compete in cyclocross. What do you find appealing about this and how did you get into it?

Two years ago I decided to give ‘cross a try and started with Cross Vegas. I finished the race with a grin on my face ear to ear. It was so much fun – the crowd, the vibe, the scene. I have been racing on the road for 12 years now and cyclocross brings so many new elements to the table, such as skills on dirt/mud, new people, and new races which raise my motivation and excitement for the sport. I have a lot to learn yet about racing a ‘cross bike but it’s the new challenges that I crave. What I’m most excited about is the possibility of representing the U.S. right here on U.S. soil when Worlds are held in Louisville, KY, in 2013.

Cycling Tribe: Thanks for your time Meredith and best of luck this year.

Thanks to Larry Rosa for the fantastic pictures and thanks again to every one at Team TIBCO who do a brilliant job.

Tags: Meredith Miller, Cycling Tribe Interviews, US, Team TIBCO
Read more | Comments (1) | Updated on April 13, 2010, 12:59am

Australian. Argentinean. Canadian. Italian: By Cody Stevenson

April 10, 2010, 2:39pm

By Cody Stevenson

Australian. Argentinean. Canadian. Italian.

What on earth do these countries have in common? Riders from these 4 nations have won every stage and the overall GC, in the past three stage races in California, USA. Murrieta, San Dimas and Redlands. Day, Menzies, Sutherland, Cantwell, Clarke, Routley, Borrajo, Bazzana. Why are foreign riders dominating the early season? Is it because some have spent the Winter, in Summer, in the other hemisphere? This can't be true for all. Are they hungrier for victory because they have given up seeing family and friends for the next 8 months? Is it because they have no option? Win, or go home and get a 9-5? I'm sure it is different for each and every rider. And every rider, no matter what nationality, wants to win. So why the success from foreigners in 2010? Is it that the backgrounds and culture of riders have more to do with their success than originally thought?

From an Australian perspective, as I can't comment on the perspective of those from other countries such as the ones mentioned above, I am led to believe it could be a few things. (These are just assumptions, ideas and musings.) There is a lot of the basics that cross over from culture to culture, training methods, equipment etc, etc but some are a little different. For example, some of the differences in the US are, cycling is generally more of an upper middle class sport. It is something that many athletes pick up in their college years, more so than from having a relative who was a rider back in the "good 'ole days", or transitioning from BMX or Track racing as a young tike, as is more common in Australia. It is not uncommon for a US rider to have only started racing at the age of 22, moving into cycling due to injury rehab from another sport, such as athletics, is a common occurrence. Because they are starting later, do they not have that absolute desire, that first passion, or is it simply that they have only begun endurance training in their mid-twenties, so others have an advantage of a few more years base training? A lot of US riders are also college educated, most have something else to fall back on if cycling doesn't pan out for them. Does this create a sense that they could "take it, or leave it"? An option that some Aussie riders do not have? And certainly something that in the past ('80's and '90's) was not really an option. Either you go overseas and succeed or you stay home, get an education or get a job. (Due in part to timing, as an Aussie who wants to "have a go" in Europe or America needs to do it in their early twenties, a time when most of their peers are still at University.) Also, could it be that some US riders get caught up in the "Lance Factor", by which I mean, young guys who need all the equipment, carbon this, titanium that, and are told by all and sundry that they can win Le Tour, even if they have never left their state, let alone country? Is it that the work ethic is different?

Aussie's have a reputation for being tough. Mentally and physically. It doesn't matter what wheels you have, what colour your socks are, because really... who gives a shit? You still have to pedal the bloody thing! Is that it? Is it as simple as that? That we need not think about all the rest of the "accountability factors"? That it's simple, you go out, train hard, race hard, get the job done and have a barbie and a beer afterwards?

Tags: Cody Stevenson, Australian Cycling
Read more | Comments (0) | Updated on May 13, 2010, 5:23am

Kaarle McCulloch: Cycling Tribe Interview

April 8, 2010, 4:09pm

Sponsors: NSWIS, AIS, Casco, Bates Bikes

Team: Jayco

Career Highlight: 2009 and 2010 Team Sprint World Champion

Favourite Quote: “You can’t have the rainbow without the rain”

Cycling Tribe: Kaarle, thanks for your time. How have you pulled up after the World Champs?

Kaarle McCulloch: I am currently enjoying some time off, I have pulled up reasonably well, I was pretty exhausted last week sleeping mostly every night for well over 12hours. The Worlds week is a massive week both physically and mentally and it certainly does take its toll.

CT: Were you disappointed with your 6^th place in the 500m time trial on day 1?

KM: Yes and no, I think there were a few factors contributing to my performance, of which my coach and I will sit down and evaluate when I get back from my break. I gave it everything I could in that particular moment and the result I got was what I got and I can’t really ask much more of myself. I know from my results from the rest of the competition that my 500m result was not indicative of my form. I was definitely on track for a sub 34.0 times, but it wasn’t to be in Copenhagen – next time!

CT: You turned it all around in the team sprint though. Did it all just come together for you and Anna?

KM: Anna and I have something special that is a little indescribable. We know how each other works and we don’t have to say a word to each other in order to go out and do what we do. We each have a job and we go out and we do it to the best of our abilities. We don’t over complicate it, we just do it. I was glad to have a good result in the Team Sprint, I think it was much more reflective of the amount of hard work I have done this season. As for it coming together, yeah I guess it did, but all the work had been done well prior to that event so it was just a matter of us doing it – and we did. I think the exciting thing for us is that there is a lot of room for improvement.

CT: It marked your second world title and world record in the women's team sprint. Was this victory sweeter that the first?

KM: I think every result has a special sweet moment. This year’s sweet moment for me came with marking my territory as Australia’s best second lap rider – no one has ridden faster than me for a second lap! Last year I have to say that Anna definitely had the special moment riding an 18.6 and for me this year riding a 14.1 was absolutely incredible – but both times couldn’t be achieved without one another. Also of course being the first women to ride sub 33 was pretty special and you can even hear me on the video footage on euro sport screaming when I saw the time!

CT: How do you find spending so much time with Anna (Meares)? Have your learnt much from her?

KM: Of course, Anna has a wealth of experience that supersedes my experience by a long shot. I learn from her every day and I like spending time with her both on and off the bike. We have a good friendship in that we can go to the movies, go shopping etc off the bike but on the bike we can either team up or use each other to get the best out of ourselves. It’s definitely hard at times because we both want to be the best and we do have to ride against each other, but at the end of the day we both train hard and the best athlete will always win and I think we are both professional enough to recognise that.

CT: Were you disappointed with your 6^th placing in the individual sprint?

KM: The sprint was a bit of a mixed bag for me. I qualified well and initially I raced well until I suffered from severe cramps just before the quarter finals – I don’t want to dwell too much on that experience, it was quite heartbreaking on my behalf because I knew I had the goods to be a true contender for the World Title. My goal was a top five finish so I was just off that, next year I will definitely have my eyes on the finals though and that rainbow jersey. I think for me the biggest thing I take away from this meet came from the sprint day when I figured out the best way to approach it mentally. You can’t be hyped up all the time because the sprint is such a long day so the moment I go to the area where we draw for positions I am switched on and the moment I hop off my bike I am switched off – sounds easy to do but it’s harder to put into practice.

CT: Talk us through the 4^th place in the Keirin?

KM: It was my goal to make the major final of the Keirin. Previous to this year I had never even made the second round at worlds and struggle quite a bit at World Cups, so I was pretty stoked to make the second round, despite doing it the hard way through the repechage. For me I knew my best chance at winning the Keirin was to ride from the front, but coming off someone’s wheel. In the final I was sitting 5^th wheel and with so many big hitters in front of me I knew I had to make a move to the front, which I did. I then let Simona Krupeckaite slip in front of me and I tried hard to protect the wheel. I have little experience in Keirins and I needed to be a little more aggressive with the attacks around the outside and protecting my wheel. As they say though you live and you learn, come London I expect to be able to lead out Keirins and win – I think that is the best way to go and I would expect that that is how the gold will be won in London – but then again anything can happen in a Keirin!

CT: What are the main take home leaning experiences from the World Champs?

KM: I can bounce back; no matter how hard I fall I know I can pick myself up even in a matter of minutes sometimes. I have taken yet another step forward to becoming the best in the world. I would put myself realistically in the top 5 in all events at the moment. I walk away only half satisfied though having met only half of my goals so I will be out looking to improve this year at the Commonwealth Games and again in Appledorn for the 2011 Worlds.

CT: You’ve stated that in a few years from now you aim to be the best in the world. What changes to your training regime do you think you will have to make in order to achieve this?

KM: No matter how good you are, or if you are 20^th best in the world or the best if you want to stay there or get there training needs to be dynamic. It doesn’t have to be drastic changes but if you want to be better you must be ever evolving, learning, adapting, taking chances. I sometimes think I am my coach’s worst nightmare because I am always throwing suggestions at him, asking why we do things etc. But at the end of the day I know us Aussies are on the right track because we are never complacent or satisfied. I have a few things to work on off the bike like the psychological side of racing and even just balancing everyday life at home.

CT: So what’s on the cards now for you for the rest of 2010?

KM: Commonwealth Games take full priority now. I have made a commitment to treat it as a dress rehearsal for the Olympics in terms of soaking up the atmosphere and the actual pre race prep that we will be doing. I am unsure yet as to what sort of form I will be carrying into the Games as our focus is largely on the selection process for the Olympics but either way I will be going into Delhi with an individual win as a major goal.

CT: Before you go. Do you have a favourite training session that you regularly do which you feel really helps get you into the sort of form that you are seeking?

KM: Any type of speed work always helps bring on form; however the form won’t come if the base work has not been done. My favourite time of the year for training is definitely the last 4weeks leading into a massive competition and my favourite sessions always involve the motor bike at high speeds but I also thrive off the endless hours spent slogging it out on the road, or on the cold track in winter and in the gym prior to the season beginning. As the famous saying goes by Muhammed Ali:

“The fight is won or lost far away from witnesses - behind the lines, in the gym, and out there on the road, long before I dance under those lights.”

CT: Thanks Kaarle.

Tags: Kaarle McCulloch, Australian Cycling, World Championships, 500m time trial
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