It’s that time!
Coming off US National Championships and the 8-day Tour of California… Criterium time!
If you are anywhere in the vicinity, get out to The Winston-Salem Cycling Classic and stop by and say hello.
Freddie Rodriguez | Johnathan Freter| Gavin Mannion | Angus Morton | Alex Braico| Nicolae Tanovitchii
Memorial Day in the U.S. marks the traditional National Championship Road Race.
The Team will have three cards to play in Chattanooga, Tennessee.
Johnathan Freter rode a great race at Amgen Tour of California after an unfortunate mishap on Stage 1. The tenacity that Freter displayed in California will serve him well at Nationals, and he should be carrying over some form.
There are a number of World Tour riders taking the start. All will be wary of taking any group to the finishing circuits that includes Freddie Rodriguez.
Wily is an understatement. Freddie got through AToC comfortably in the last season of a legendary career. Four (count ’em) titles makes him a perennial threat, and we are certain that he wouldn’t mind retiring in the Stars And Stripes.
Gavin Mannion was a contender for GC at Tour of California. It didn’t play out that way, but his move on Mt. Baldy got 14th on The Queen Stage and left many notables straggling. That sort of form will tackle Lookout Mountain handily and Mannion’s tactical nous and dark horse status should allow him some freedom as the selections are made.
U.S. Pro Nationals is always a unique dynamic and the coverage has been better every year. Tune in via VeloNews at 1:30 Eastern on May 25th.
We will be doing what we can to stream updates at www.instagram.com/jellybellycycling
Steve Fisher made the break on Stage 1 at the 2015 Amgen Tour of California. It was to be his longest bike ride ever, and the file from his Cateye computer and Stages power meter provided insight to both Team Performance Director Larry Foss and Coach Chris McGovern.
“Early in the race you can see the big spike in power to get the break established. You can also see the rest that Steve gets by looking at the power and heart rate information,” said Foss, a Level 1 USAC Coach.
“The change in heart rate during his pull and then the rest starts to change less, yet the changes in the power output start to become wider. Going into the 4th hour of racing it really becomes noticeable.
“Once the break is caught there is a big spike in power and heart rate as Fisher tries to stay in the peloton. At this point his day is over and he rides in to the finish. Excellent job!
Steve Fisher’s coach, Chris McGovern of Cycleution Coaching, has measured a higher FTP for Fisher, but largely agreed with Foss’ analysis. Not known for being a purely data-driven coach, McGovern attributed the performance to one particular block of training called “Storm the Castle” where this kind of intensity/recovery cycle was enhanced.
In text messages immediately after the stage, McGovern asked, “Are you surprised?”
“I’m not,” he continued, “Steve is on point and well-prepared.”
We hear the questions, at the race and on-line, about medical care.
The Amgen Tour of California is such a large-scale rolling production, with more than 20 separate groups going from one town to another everyday – how could medical care be structured?
The second car behind the race is a convertible with a doctor in the back. There are several other cars in the caravan and behind it with doctors or nurses in them. They stop at any crash, and the doctor right behind the field can hold consultations with riders either as they rejoin the race after a crash, or when they drop back to talk. Think of it as having an on-call doctor at your work, a few feet away at all times, and available without appointment.
In each city that we visit, this same team sets up a medical suite. Its location is communicated via the Technical Guide that all teams receive before the start of the race. These are, to a normal doctor’s office, what the Jelly Belly Cycling Team’s trailer is to a normal bike shop. Everything is there and it is staffed by the best. This is where allergies are treated, follow-up visits happen, and less urgent matters are dealt with.
After Johnathan Freter’s tumble on Stage 1, his elbow was examined while he rode alongside the medical car and immediately after the stage. At the start of Stage 2, it was Freter’s wrist that was more painful. During the transfer after the stage, team staff were in contact with the medical team making the same journey. On arrival, the doctors let us know where they were set up.
The exam is a little different than at your family doctor, only in that it is very matter-of-fact. There isn’t a lot of time, and the doctors understand that the athletes know the general vocabulary of sports injury. In Freter’s case, the doctor said, “You are most tender here, and I’m not concerned about that at all. You are a little tender here, but that’s a more likely location for a chipped bone or fracture…”
Calls were made to local hospitals and urgent care facilities and one was located that could get the correct x-ray done and return the results fastest. Team staff took Freter over and came back an hour later with a disc of x-ray images. All the while, the medical team are tending to other riders and their own logistics, including dinner. Three doctors came back out to the suite to read the film, and it confirmed their suspicion.
Freter’s injury is not one that mandates stopping – the doctors will only force a rider to stop in the case of concussion or more severe head trauma. He started stage 3 and rode through a great deal of pain, unable to brake with his left hand on some of the most technical and fastest descents of the entire race.
Johnathan has had a restful night and will have a follow-up visit with medical this morning. At this point, the rest of the season is as important as the rest of the race. His pressing onwards yesterday should earn him The Team’s MVP award this morning – we will see.
Stage 3 was climbing from 0km, so The Team prepared on Kinetic Trainers.
The four-man break on Stage 1 that rolled an advantage of over 6 minutes at times contained Steve Fisher.
Steve stayed clear of the field coming into the final circuits in Sacramento.
Team mechanic Dom Cantin adjusts Steve Fisher’s shifting mid-race.
Johnathan Freter did some un-planned off-road riding and took a tumble. After the stage, he was “sore.. but good” and rode back to the hotel with the team.
The gravel section at mile 50 was picturesque and helped the break stay away. There were many flats in the peloton, where riders were unable to choose their line.
Steve Fisher takes a feed in the breakaway from DS Larry Foss.
The route was flat on Stage 1, rolling along the Sacramento River for much of the day, and exposed to wind from all directions.
Saturday before the race is given over to local and national media for riders and management alike. Danny van Haute is talking to Outside Magazine here.
Brian St. Amant racks car one for Stage 1.
Ralf Medloff chases one of the many punctures during the gravel section.
