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Alison Starnes: Cycling Tribe Interview

May 2, 2010, 5:07pm

Alison Starnes

Coach: Kristin Armstrong

Manager: Emma Rickards, DS, Linda Jackson, Owner

Sponsor: Team TIBCO/To the Top Pro Cycling

Career Highlight: Tour of New Zealand, 2010

Favourite event: Stage Races

Occupation: Cyclist

Time in the Sport: 2 years

Bike: Look 585/Look 596

Cycling Tribe: Alison, Thanks for your time. You were a tennis player at college and then you switched to triathlon straight out of college. What brought on this change which eventually led to you being a pro cyclist?

As a collegiate tennis player, I was always looking for that

competitive edge against my opponents. What I lacked in experience on the court, I wanted to have in fitness and power. This passion led me to running, which I kept up even after graduation. With some knee injuries, I was unable to move laterally anymore, which caused me to pack up my tennis racquets and just focus on running. The days and miles became monotonous, until I ventured into cross-training on a bike, and eventually doing my first triathlon, an Ironman 70.3. I
loved the energy at these races, but found myself surviving the swim, racing my bike, and jogging the run. Even after a sixth place finish at 70.3 Worlds, I decided that I might try just racing my bike without
having to do a run afterwards! This was the key! Within four months of bicycle racing in 2008, Team TIBCO took interest in me, and offered me to guest ride for their team, and USA Cycling Development Foundation
invited me to a Talent ID camp. The rest is history, as these two critical events marked the beginning of a career in cycling.

Cycling Tribe: You achieved a Bachelor’s of Science in Biochemistry with emphasis on Molecular Biology and a minor in Nutrition, as well as played NCAA tennis at college. Do you feel taking on this work load and excelling as you did set you up for a career as an elite athlete?

Absolutely. There is nothing about me that settles for the easy

route. Some may call me an over-achiever, and some may just call me a nerd. However, I do think that it is the drive to succeed, and the determination to work hard and focus, that has paved the way for a career as an elite athlete. I love the challenge in the sport, and the ability to push myself to my own limits. Who knows what those limits are, but I have some big expectations and goals!

Cycling Tribe: As previously stated you have a minor in nutrition. Do you implement this knowledge base for your current diet and how seriously do you monitor your food intake?

I regularly use my nutrition background to assess my food intake and athletic performance. I think what we put in our bodies has a significant impact on the way our bodies perform. However, I try not to become too obsessive about it. Everything in moderation. If we deprive ourselves, then we aren't as happy, and I happen to love chocolate and baked goods! These are the things that make me happy!

Cycling Tribe: With the first NRC stage complete, how do you feel about yours and the teams form going into the rest of the season?

Cycling Tribe: What has been your greatest achievement in cycling so far?

I recently went to NZL for the Tour of New Zealand with the US National Team. Under the direction of Manel Lacambra, we secured four stage wins, the overall GC and the team GC. It was such an incredible experience for me to be able to learn how to protect the yellow jersey, and to succeed at the UCI level. I take great pride in the work I did there for my team, and the way we were able to come together for a victorious tour for USA. It still gives me the chills to think about it!

Cycling Tribe: Can you give us an idea of a typical training week for yourself?

Training really depends on the week and my racing schedule. A typical

week can be anywhere from 12 hours to 25 hours on the bike and range in intensity. Some weeks are higher volume than others, when other weeks are shorter in duration but kill you with intensity. I
completely trust my coach and her direction in preparing me for my
events. Each week always includes a little rest too!

Cycling Tribe: What are your goals for 2010? Do you have any long term goals for your cycling?

As I continue to grow and develop throughout this year, I look towards
Nationals and the World Championships as my goals for 2010. These are going to be benchmarks for greater goals I have such as the London Olympics in 2012. I think it is important to have lofty goals, but it is also useful to have milestones along the way to mark your progress. I am confident in my direction and those who support me to achieve these goals. Little by little. It doesn't happen overnight, but I will keep focused on my ultimate goal.

Cycling Tribe: Alison, Thanks so much for your time and best of luck this year.

Thank you!

Tags: Alison Starnes, Team TIBCO
Read more | Comments (0) | Updated on May 2, 2010, 5:10pm

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

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

Ruth Corset: Cycling Tribe Interview

April 3, 2010, 6:13pm

Ruth Corset

Coach: Jason Corset (husband)

Manager:

Sponsor: TIBCO Women’s Pro Cyclin Team, North Ward Pharmacy

Career Highlight: Winning Australian National Road Race in Jan 2010

Favourite event: Road Racing

Occupation: Cyclist, Massage Therapist and Mother

Time in the Sport: 2 years racing at International level

Bike: Look

Photo by William Meertens

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

I used to do triathlons before having my 2 girls – Stephanie and Caitlin – then tried getting back into triathlons after that. However, the training was too much – having to train for three disciplines and having to train twice a day. My husband (and now coach) encouraged me to take up cycling, so I did and entered my first serious race – the Australian Country Road Championships in 2007, which I won.

Cycling Tribe: In 2009 you finished 12^th in the World Championships. Did you surprise yourself with this result? Have you gained a lot of confidence with this and other rock solid recent results?

I had quite a successful 2009 season, coming 4^th in Montreal World Cup, 5^th in Ploauy World Cup and winning a stage in the Women’s Route de France. My team mates in the Australian National Team worked really well together to achieve these results, so we were setting our sights high for the World Championships, hoping to podium. The course was very hilly so it suited me really well and we had a strong team. However, we also had a lot of bad luck, with two of my team mates crashing in the first 2km so were out of the race. Then I was pushed into the barriers on the 2^nd lap so had mechanicals (preventing me from using the top 3 climbing gears) as well as forcing me to stop two more times and chase back on (with the help of my team mates). Having to chase back on used up a lot of energy, which was detrimental towards the end of the race when the decisive break went. I’ve learnt that anything can happen in a race no matter how well prepared you are. That’s part of racing and has motivated me to make 2010 an even bigger and better year!

Cycling Tribe: Congratulations on being the 2009 Australian Female Cyclist of the year. What does this award mean to you?

I felt very privileged to get this award, especially receiving it along side Cadel Evans (2009 World Champion). There is a lot of female talent in Australia, which makes me feel even more honoured to win the award.

Cycling Tribe: Earlier this year despite illness and tough conditions you took out the Australian open road cycling championships. Do you feel your mental toughness was the major factor in this victory?

The race was ridden in extremely hot temperatures, which made it quite tough. I think winning any race you need to have mental toughness and because I was so determined to win it , especially having my husband and two daughters there to watch me, I just put everything on the line and finished the race with nothing left at all in the tank. I think that is what it takes to win races.

Cycling Tribe: What would donning the green and gold for Australia in the 2012 Olympics mean to you?

2012 Olympics is definitely my ultimate goal, although there are still a lot of other goals I have leading up to that. At the moment my goals are World Championships in Geelong and Commonwealth Games.

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

The calibre of female cyclists in Australia is increasing. It is great to see all the talented young cyclists moving up through the ranks, which will make it quite exciting to watch for in the next couple of years.

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

This is Team TIBCO’s first ever European stint, so we’re quite excited to race in Europe. Team TIBCO finished at the top of the series in the U.S. last year, so we are quite keen to take that out again too.

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

I do all my training early in the mornings before 7.30am so I can get the girls to school and get back home by 9am to begin work massaging (I have my own massage business at home). During the week I would train between 2 to 3 hrs a day and weekends between 4 to 5 hr rides. Because I don’t have the time to ride a lot of miles, I do a lot of quality training – lots of hills!

Cycling Tribe: Ruth, Congratulations on all your success, we wish you the best in the future.

Thank you for your time, interest and support. I look forward to keeping in touch with Cycling Tribe throughout the season.

Tags: Ruth Corset, Australian Cycling, Team TIBCO
Read more | Comments (3) | Updated on April 6, 2010, 12:09am

Brooke Miller Cycling Tribe Interview

March 30, 2010, 7:02pm

Brooke Miller

Coach: Bllly Innes

Manager: Linda Jackson

Sponsor: TIBCO/To The TOP

Career Highlight: 2008 US Road and Crit National Champion

Favourite event: Stage races

Occupation: Cyclist

Time in the Sport: 8 years, 5th year pro

Bike: LOOK 595

Cycling Tribe: Brooke, Thank you for your time. In 2008 you claimed The United States criterium and road national Championships, how has this record breaking season impacted you and your cycling?

Honestly, each season has been all part of my bigger goal of the 2012 Olympics, which has been my career focus since I decided to take the sport seriously. 2008 was a great season in terms of winning the two titles, but it was all part of a bigger picture of international competition. It was thrilling to win and to wear the stars and stripes – but it just gave me more resolve to wear the flag and represent my country in world championships and in London as opposed to impacting my career in any other way. It was, I guess, just another exciting step along an already exciting path.

Photo By Logan Pierce

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

For me, my 2010 goals are nearly all based across the pond. We will be doing the spring classics and three world cups as TIBCO and that is thrilling! Flanders is my all-time favourite race and I would love to win it. It is a race that haunts me when I train and sometimes when I sleep. All the European races are big for me, but Flanders is the king. I also always have a special spot for Philly (Liberty Classic), am looking to win there, and the big season goal is to race Worlds with the US National Team. As for team goals: we have a lot, but the biggest goal is for us to make an impact when we go over to Europe. We race every race we enter to win and we have some phenomenal riders. So, we are going to turn some heads over there – and that is the plan.

Cycling Tribe: What would it mean to you to compete and challenge for a medal in London 2012?

For me, London is really everything in my career. When I was a 12 year old kid and playing volleyball, I had a dream of becoming an Olympian. As soon as that goal became a remote possibility for me in cycling, I was full bore in that pursuit. Everything I have done since I decided to take cycling seriously back in 2006 has been in the direction of working toward that one goal, that one race, that one day. I can think of no greater honour than to wear my country’s flag proudly and compete in the games… and I will race for one place only: that top step.

Cycling Tribe: You used to be a rock solid volleyball player. Do you miss the sport? Is this where you developed your competitive edge?

I would say that volleyball was most certainly not where I developed my competitive edge, but where I finally released it! I grew up a tomboy and was always racing the boys on the street and every single thing that I did was a competitive sport. I was hyper-competitive: much more so than I am today! I was so competitive that it was a detriment, as I could not turn it off! Volleyball helped me hone my competitive edge and it was my first true passion in life. I can truthfully say that I do not, however, miss it. I have moved on with other chapters in my life. Volleyball was a complex relationship for me. It was like a slightly dysfunctional love affair. I was passionate and loved it deeply, but it was emotionally, physically and mentally hard for me. Volleyball beat me up and broke me down. It was a tremendous time for me, and one of deep personal growth. Playing on scholarship through college made it a job and it really was a hard job. It is a wonderful sport, however, and I will always cherish those memories as of any first love – but I am now in a different place in my life.

Cycling Tribe: You also work on software development in your spare time. Can you tell us a bit more about this?

Haha! I am a closet nerd. Well, maybe not so in the closet in my nerdiness. Basically, I have to keep my brain active. I am always doing something. I am training full time and find things that are interesting to dabble in to keep me mentally stimulated. My mantra is that you have to exercise your mind as much as your body. I earned a Ph.D. in biology and spent a lot of time doing lab work and analysing data. I realized that there are a lot of inefficiencies in lab work that could be helped with some better designed software. Since there was nothing on the market, I learned how to do some database building and some programming to help make something that would help others be better, more efficient scientists. I have tabled it for a bit in the last year or so, but just recently dusted off one of my software packages and sent it to a friend of mine who is working with it. For me, it was a chance to work on two important mental outlets: my creative side and my analytical side. Doing the software was creative in coming up with layouts and visual presentations of the user interface that were pleasing. But it was also a fun analytical game to make it all work. Very much like little logic puzzles. You KNOW that you want it to do X, so you have to figure out how to make it do X and have it work as simple as possible. Programming in that sense really is like solving fun little games.

Photo By John Pierce

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

Sure. Sleep. Eat. Ride. Eat. Sleep. Shower in there somewhere. Sleep. I am kidding. For me, I don’t do that much volume compared to a lot of other riders. Being that I am a sprinter, I really do believe that my physiology is different. I can do a big load of intensity and walk out at the end of the week fine – but give me a few weeks of big volume, and I get tired! Most of my teammates are the other way around. My training is highly varied week by week, month by month – but for the most part, it is a combination of building base miles, basic endurance, longer sustained efforts and sprint specific work. I train my weaknesses and work on climbing and sustained efforts: 15-, 20- or even 30-min efforts, (sometimes one-hour efforts), but I always make sure to keep my sprint honed, too. My sprint work will be a mix of different sprint efforts: 5-, 8-, 15- or 20-sec, in addition to 1-, 2-, 3- and 5-min efforts. The start of the week will often be a bit mellow and I will usually have a big long day on Wednesday, and then taper back some of the volume but sub in some more intensity. But it really just depends on where I am in a training block, what I am prepping for and what time of the year it is.

Cycling Tribe: How do you feel about your form leading into the European season?

I can truthfully say that I am the strongest that I have ever been. I have never been happier before in my life and struggled with some personal challenges in the last two years. All of that is behind me now and each day seems better than the one before. For me, the bike is an extension of my happiness and my love. Even in the rainy, cold winter training days this year, I was always happy to be on my bike and never had a winter mental slump. And it shows. I am happy, I am healthy, I am strong. Being happy to the core and loving life so much makes it a lot easier to really push on the bike. I train with power and have regularly been thinking that my power meter is broken because I am doing things that I have never done before. Now I know though that it is not broken…I have just broken through.

Cycling Tribe:Brooke, Thanks so much for your time and best of luck this season.

Thanks! And it was great talking with you!

Tags: Brooke Miller, Team TIBCO
Read more | Comments (1) | Updated on March 30, 2010, 10:53pm

Miller 13th for TIBCO at Flanders

January 1, 2010, 3:51pm

Brooke Miller’13th place marks solid opening to Team TIBCO’s European campaign.

Ninove, BEL – Team TIBCO/To the Top made a solid start to its spring European campaign under extremely difficult conditions at the Tour of Flanders Sunday. Brooke Miller survived the wind, occasional rain and hazardous riding conditions created by slick cobbles and a nervous peloton to take 13th place in the race known to race fans simply as The Ronde.

“There were many big crashes and pileups in the first 60 km,” said the team’s European directeur sportif, Chris Georgas. “Brooke had a very good race and just missed being in the small lead group of nine riders, but did well in the bunch sprint to get 13th.”

Miller and teammate Ruth Corset, sporting her Australian National Champion’s jersey, finished in the main chase group of about 30 riders 1:47 behind race winner Grace Verbeke (Lotto Ladies Team).

With narrow roads and numerous difficult cobble sections and nine short, steep climbs –several of them cobbled as well – positioning was key, noted Corset, who took 4th place in the first World Cup race of the season last weekend, the Trofeo Alfredo Binda.

When the race blew apart on the infamous Muur (literally “The Wall”) climb, “I hadn’t been able to position myself earlier to be able to be there with the front group,” she said.

“The next three races in Drenthe will also have lots of cobbles but almost no hills,” Georgas said. “Again positioning will be critical especially when going into the cobbles. The team should do much better now that the early season kinks are worked out.”

Notes

Miller was the top American finisher in the race.

The team is in action next at the Drenthe 8, on Thursday, followed by the Drenthe World Cup on Saturday.

Tags: Team TIBCO, Tour of Flanders, Womens cycling, Brooke Miler
Read more | Comments (0) | Updated on April 5, 2010, 3:57pm