by Ryan Baumann, Trek-Livestrong U23 Team

Back during the first week of February the team was in Santa Rosa, CA before the Tour of California for a training camp. Lance joined us for the first ride of the week, and we did two solid efforts on the day, especially for the early season legs!

First we climbed up Warm Spring Mtn Road, a fairly steep 25-minute climb on narrow winding roads. Lance set a powerful tempo from the base and was dropping the team one by one. I got a little excited and pulled through with Lance for the opening 7 minutes at 430 watts, ouch. I dropped off after 17 minutes when he accelerated on a steep pitch of the road, after 400 watts average for the first part of the climb. I then rode tempo up the rest of the climb. Lance was out of sight long before I reached the top.

The second climb of the day was a shorter, steeper road where we rode tempo up the first 10 minutes of the climb before Lance attacked in the first steep sections. It was a really tough effort at over 430 watts average until I was dropped again! It’s humbling but awe inspiring to see the raw power a top rider like Lance can put out. It’s great to have the Powertap hubs to document these hard efforts and use them to set our training zones for the rest of training camp.

by Jesse Bartholomew

The 2009 Tour de France is right around the corner, and we're preparing just as much as the Garmin-Slipstream and Silence-Lotto teams. Starting with a stop in Girona, Spain to check in on the Garmin-Slipstream service course and the PowerTaps that will be sent to the Tour. The service course, or team warehouse, is where the teams prepare all the equipment and manage the logistics of a grand tour. In some cases, the teams put together concurrent race programs in different parts of the world, so it can be a very busy place.

Obviously this time of year the focus is on the Tour. Fresh tires are glued, parts replaced, new clothing issued to the riders and buses and trucks packed. Meanwhile, the riders are putting the final touches on their preparations. Garmin-Slipstream riders finished things off with a tough day climbing the local test bed climb called Rocacorba. Slipstream riders weren't the only ones with this plan, Girona residents Michael Barry and George Hincapie were also spotted testing themselves on the climb.

The team departed Girona on Monday for Montpellier and a short reconnaissance camp in Montpelier, the site of this year's Team Time Trial. A couple of laps on the course proved beneficial as the course is technical. Another ride on the course Wednesday with some efforts was the last training ride before heading to Monaco. CycleOps will make the trip with them and, once there, check in with Cadel Evans and the Silence-Lotto boys.

Nutrition on and off the bike is an integral part of a cyclist's success. This is no secret to Dr. Allen Lim and the Garmin Slipstream team. A few years ago, when CycleOps Power asked Dr. Lim to share some tips on training and racing, we had no idea he had such culinary prowess. However, Dr. Lim revealed some secret recipes for race foods he prepares for team Garmin-Slipstream. The recipes weren't secret for long, with one of those recipes, Allen’s “rice cakes” becoming wildly popular.

Nutrition off the bike is just as important. Not every cyclist has a gourmet chef at home, but fortunately for Garmin-Slipstream rider Christian Vande Velde, his wife Leah has quite the repertoire of culinary skills due to her background in the restaurant business and fondness for fresh ingredients. Her unique philosophy on food preparation as well as a few of her recipes were recently featured in VeloNews.com.

You don't have to be a professional chef or a PhD to understand the benefits of good nutrition, so we want to know: is there a favorite recipe you turn to when racing or training? Do you create your own granola bars? Cook the same pasta dish the night before every important race? Blend the same smoothie upon return of your Saturday morning group ride?

Submit your favorite recipe to our Facebook page, CycleOps Power, by July 6 at midnight, CDT. Post a video, written instructions, or a link to a recipe onto our wall.* CycleOps will determine the best five and will send them overseas to none other than Leah Vande Velde herself for careful review. On July 10, Leah’s decision will be revealed by video as she prepares and enjoys the winning recipe in the kitchen of the Vande Velde's Girona, Spain home.

Here is another look at Allen's step-by-step instructions for creating his delicious rice cakes to inspire you. Remember, in order for your recipe to be considered by Leah Vande Velde to be prepared in the Vende Velde's kitchen in Girona, we need to get your recipes by Monday, July 6th, so GET COOKIN'!

*In order to have access to posting on the CycleOps Power Facebook wall, you need to be a Facebook member and become a Fan of CycleOps Power. A free Facebook account can be created at facebook.com.

by Chris McDonald

The Rockman Half in Rockford Illinois on June 8 was week one of the double. [ed. note: Chris raced Eagleman 70.3 this pastweekend]. On all accounts my travel to the race was very uneventful, and I arrived in Rockford on Friday afternoon for a Sunday race. The weather man was telling me 75 and sunny for the weekend...well, Saturday it rained 60% of the day, and then Sunday was not a whole lot better.

Race morning dawned dark and ominous. I went about my duties and got all things organized. Then lined up in the water for the 7am start, found my position, and we were off. As we started, there was one lady who dropped us like a dirty shirt; within 200 meters she had a 20 meter gap??? what the? I was later to find out she was a gold medalist in the 4 x 100 relay for the USA.

Onto the bike. This is really where I wanted to hit the front and get a gap on the field. However my body didn't exactly agree. I did get to the lead and get a small gap, but I just was not really able to push like I wanted to. This was my first race riding with my new Zipp 900 PowerTap disc, so it is interesting to look back and see that I really was only able to ride an Ironman effort for the entire duration of the ride. I came in with a split just over 2:10 and avg power of 296 watts. Although I did manage to break the old bike course record by some 5 min.

When I hit T2, I had roughly a 1:40 lead on 2nd. I decided I would run 4 miles hard (the first turn around) and then re-evaluate. I did just this and managed to get the gap out to 3 min. With racing next weekend I wanted to leave as much in the tank as possible. I was able to shut it down a little and hold my gap to 2nd and come in with my 3rd win of the season.

Next up: look for my race report on Eagleman 70.3 in Cambridge, Maryland.

The Tour de Beauce is a long-standing mainstay of North American stage racing, and 2009 marked the 24th year for this event. The 6 day, 7 stage race attracts an international field with its UCI 2.2 ranking. Winners from prior editions of the classic race include some well-known riders, including Tour de France contender Levi Leipheimer and Garmin-Slipstream team manager Jonathan Vaughters. This year, the young riders from Trek Livestrong tested their mettle against the challenging course south of Quebec City. Team member Ryan Bauman shared his power files and race notes from each stage to give us some insight on the demands of the race.

Stage 1 - Hard day in steep hills. 170km. Crosswinds and on the rivet all day long. Rode in a groupetto for last 50km. Legs not good today!

Stage 2 - Hard start to stage going in breakaways and up the climbs. BMC controlled the race after 50km when the breakaway was let go, and we had a much easier ride until the final 10km of finishing circuits. Finished mid pack in a bunch sprint.

Stage 3 - Hard day. 160km with a mountain top finish on Mt Megantic, a very steep 6km climb. Today I helped cover the many breakaways on the day and helped position my GC teammates leading into the final climb. After that I rode in as easy as possible up the final climb.

Stage 4 TT - 20km TT in the rain. I made sure to take it really easy in the corners but also felt pretty sore so kept it easy in the mid-170's heart rate zone to save my legs for the rest of the race.

Stage 4 Criterium - A tough short crit with a steep hill each lap. 60km and 1.5 hours of racing made the legs feel sore on our easy day today. Rode the Cervo, so no power data.

Stage 5 - A tough circuit race in Quebec city, 14km long with a 2km steep climb each lap up to the finish. Felt better today and made the lead group selection many times up the climb. 4 minutes at 490-500 watts today up the climb maximum.

Stage 6 - An even more difficult circuit race in St George. 12 laps of a tight 11km circuit with another tough 1.5km climb to the finish. The Columbian team took an unusual approach to the race and attacked relentlessly from the start. On one lap I had to bridge to the lead group on the climb, and it was very hard: 520 watts for over 3 minutes. After an extremely hard 6 laps trying to help our team leader Bjorn Selander, I was dropped and rode in with a groupetto with 3 others. So many riders dropped out today I moved up from 89th on GC to 36th place today. Only 37 riders finished the race!

Matt Hart is an experienced cycling coach who works with TORQ fitness. TORQ was one of the first Fitness Consultancy companies in the UK to embrace the use of power meters on bikes, specifically the PowerTap. When riders spend a day at their facility, they don’t just get a fitness test, they receive a comprehensive day of ‘education’ on the fundamentals of training theory, the energy systems that an athlete's body uses, performance nutrition, and periodization (how to structure training over the year).

by Matt Hart, cycling coach, Torq Fitness

An idiosyncrasy common to practically every rider we see is that when we gather information from them and find out what kind of training/riding they’re doing, it’s all being performed at what we call ‘mixed pace’. Even if they’re aiming to go out and do low intensity base training, when it comes down to it, their power output is highly variable. It seems to be human nature to drive hard up the climbs, sit up over the top and soft-pedal down the other side and we see it all the time (and I notice it when I’m riding with people).

Does this matter? Yes it does. Without taking you through an entire TORQ seminar, if you want to encourage changes in your aerobic system, you need to keep your base rides at constant power (we call this Zones 2 and 3, but I realize that different coaches use varying systems). If you don’t keep these rides constant, every ride you do becomes a loose interval session, which has a couple of negative implications. Firstly, your anaerobic system gets tired, because it never gets to rest, and secondly you’re constantly switching your aerobic system on and off, so you’re not targeting this either. All your sessions become a poorly targeted mess. Unlike heart rate (HR), power provides instant feedback, so it will tell you straight away if you’re increasing/decreasing your pace. HR has a very sloppy response to changes in pace, which is why so many people train so badly with them. By using a power meter you can fine-tune your base rides, and within a short space of time you’ll be gearing down and spinning gently up the climbs and driving harder on the levels and descents.

If you take a look at the Power/HR trace above, the yellow line represents power during an interval session and the red is HR. Notice how the rider is able to switch immediately from around 100 watts and hold a constant 350 watts, yet there is a very blunt response in HR by comparison. This represents the crux of the matter and why riders who don’t use power meters struggle to hold a constant pace. They think they are, because their HR doesn’t shift much, but in fact the power trace is all over the place.

So finally, back to why keeping ‘constant power’ is such a good thing. You shouldn’t replace all your mixed paced rides with constant power sessions, because you’ll detrain your anaerobic systems, and quite frankly, any romance that cycling has to offer in your life will quickly be lost, because it can be pretty dull. That said, an increased focus on constant power training will develop substantial power from your aerobic system, and you will certainly notice the difference. In the winter months (the off season), you can really get your teeth into prolonged constant power sessions in Zones 2 and 3 to build your aerobic base. Zone 2 sessions tend to be the pace you’d sustain for 4 hours plus and Zone 3 is the more like a 2-3 hour pace – you will need to be fitness tested to get these zones properly established. During race season, providing you’ve done enough in the winter, they’re not so critical, but you should try to maintain one Z2 and one Z3 session per week to keep your aerobic system primed. If this kind of training is alien to you, that’s what you should start with, two sessions per week.

Once you’ve got your base rides in order, you can then structure in some disciplined interval sessions to properly develop your anaerobic system, but more about that next article…

Matt Hart has been cycling since 1993. He currently coaches and advises a number of riders at all levels on the UK Mountain Bike circuit, as well a few a little further a field. He has also written fitness articles for a number of publications including Madformountainbiking.com, Singletrackworld.com, Dirt, FHM Bionic and Men’s Fitness.

If you would like to find out more about TORQ (www.torq.ltd.uk) and what we do, we have a special offer for CycleOps newsletter readers. TORQ has a 52-page Performance Resource which we usually retail for £5 GBP on our website, but we’ll send you an environmentally-friendly electronic version out to you FREE OF CHARGE if you e-mail us at enquiries@torq.ltd.uk and enter “Free Performance Resource” into the subject header.

Cartago, Costa Rica. Sho-Air/Specialized Manuel Prado took the Costa Rica National XCO Championship this Sunday against all local favorites. The California based racer came forward from 3rd place with only one lap to go and defeated the local favorite Federico “Lico” Ramírez (BCR-Pizza Hut-KHS) who has won 6 National tittles, including the past two titles in a row and was holding a consistent lead of 50 seconds at that point. Nevertheless, Manny managed to overcome Ramírez and Carballo after battling with them for more than two hours on the very technical trails of the old National Horse Race Track, located at the province of Cartago “Lico’s Hometown”, some 20 kilometers east from the capital city of San José.

“Lico”, the 34 years old “veteran” best known for his unmatched record of five victories at the most famed Costa Rican race La Ruta de los Conquistadores, finally finished third after being passed by Jonathan Carballo (CitiBank-Economy Rent a Car-Blue) as well, 5Km before the finish line.

“I dreamed of this so many times and now it is true!”, exclaimed Prado. “I thought I would need at least two more years to win my country’s National Championship it certainly was on my “things to achieve” list; it is just that I wasn’t expecting to get it this soon”, he said. Prado put special emphasis on the fact of having beaten a rider considered as a Costa Rican legend and one of his personal idols.

“I respect ‘Lico’ Ramirez so much. He is not only my colleague but my friend as well; this is so unexplainable… What I’m feeling right now is something I can’t describe”, added this 27 year’s old from Mission Viejo who will be turning 28 next Thursday.

This triumph reminded him the old times when he was a BMX Freestyle rider and first went to the United States following his own star.

“There was this ‘flatland’ rider that I admired a lot and always tried to follow his steps. When I left Costa Rica to enter the X-Games in the States I faced him at the finals, and I won that race and the sense was pretty alike”, he remembered.

“I can’t let this pass without thanking my team manager Ty Kady and Company owner of Sho-Air International, Scott Tedro. He has helped the sport out a lot, specially my goals and dreams, he simply does it because he loves the sport. Now Sho-Air is also supporting the US Cup, and that’s something we all have to thank Scott for”.

“Besides, I would like to send a big kiss and a huge hug to my wife Amalia for all the comprehension, support and the love she gives me”.

This victory will definitely push Manny to aim higher for the rest of the season and for the upcoming years. Next boxes to check on his list are a podium at the US Cup and to achieve another dream he has had since he started racing mountain bike races five years ago: get the title of La Ruta de los Conquistadores for his own.

This is something that we might consider pretty achievable at this point taking in account that his career has been closely related to the history of this event.

Manuel was 37th at his first La Ruta; then he climbed to the 21st place; 11th the year after; and finally step up to the podium with his 5th position last year. However, as a pro racer and a dedicated athlete who has nothing but a promising future, Manuel has no doubt to point to what he considers as his major goal before finishing his cycling career: Representing Costa Rica at the Olympics.

Costa Rica XCO National Championships
1- Manuel Prado (Sho Air-Specialized) 2:37:51
2- Jonathan Carballo (CitiBank-Economy Rent a Car-Blue) @ 1:30
3- Federico Ramírez (BCR-Pizza Hut-KHS) @ 3:20

In this video, Robbie Ventura from Vision Quest Coaching covers questions about VO2 intervals. What are they? Why should we do them? How should they be done? What benefits will they yield? Watch the video to find out.

While most of the updates were technical in scope, two in particular stand out. One new feature is that PowerAgent is now able to periodically check in with the CycleOps website (on its own) to see if there have been updates to the software. So, from here on out, you should never be without the latest version of PowerAgent!

The second update pertains to importing files from a Garmin 705. Some customers were experiencing difficulties during the import, but, with this update, that should now be a thing of the past. Actually, while we're talking about importing data from a Garmin 705, we should mention that quite a few people have been confused about the download capabilities of a Garmin/CycleOps hub. While a Garmin 705 can only display a fraction of all the power data from the hub, it can show all captured power data in PowerAgent once the data has been imported. Here's how you do it!

In PowerAgent, click File-->Import Activity Data. A dialogue box will pop up. 

At the top, change the “Look in:” drop down to the Garmin drive (it shows up just like a hard drive would look) and, at the bottom, change the “Files of type:” to Garmin TCX. 

Click on the Garmin drive-->Garmin-->History. Click the ride date and then click “Open”.

It will now save like a normal power file within PowerAgent. 

Download the latest version.

Over the weekend I participated in Montana's Cow Country Classic bike race. Dubbed the "hardest road race" in Montana. I just finished up a big block of cycling-focused training, so I knew the opportunity to do a hard and hilly race would be right up my alley.

I woke up an hour before my alarm clock went off on Sunday like a kid on Christmas morning. I could not wait to race!! It has been since April 6th since my last competitive event, and let me tell you --- I had some pent up energy ready to burst at the seams!! It is good to know that my passion for racing is still there. In a big way. I just love it.

Since I don't do too many cycling races, I raced for myself - linseycorbin.com. I had 3 goals for the race: first was not to wreck, second was to get in a great workout and make the other girls hurt, and third was to get a decent result.

I donned my race number - 747 and was ready to work hard like an airplane for all 56 miles of the hilly and challenging race. I did more than my fair share of work at the front of the race and had a lot of fun putting in a few too many attacks and watching the field get smaller and smaller with each climb. Headed into the final climb with 6 miles to go, it was down to just three of us.

I made a tactical error at the top of the climb as I had made about a 30 second break on the other two women, but one of which was one of my training partners from Missoula. We had talked about my being her "domestique Corbin" so I slowed at the top for her to catch back up. I should have known that as a triathlete I can TT with the best of them, but I for sure can't sprint with the best of them. With an uphill finish I ended up 3rd in a painful sprint finish. My big prize purse was a $20 bill. I think I better stick to triathlon.

After the race I donned my Saucony kicks and went for a run to let everyone know that I am a runner at heart. A big thanks to Scott for my sexy CR-1, SRAM for the all-star components, FSA for the speedy brakes, Clif for helping me not bonk, Zipp for the fast wheels, CycleOps rocks as I got to race with power for the first time, my Coach Lance for letting me race and taking my cycling to new levels over the past few years, and to the rest of you for your continued support in sport. I love you all!

See you in Boise - Billy the Kid is back. :)

Linsey Corbin
Montana Made: www.linseycorbin.com

Bart Dockx - born September 2, 1981, a Belgian rider on Silence-Lotto.

The next batch of power files from Bart Dockx are from stages 14, 16, and 18 of the 2009 Giro d 'Italia. These stages featured hilly profiles that challenged the riders stamina and strength.

Stage 14 served the riders 5 climbs over 172 kilometers: the climb to Passo della Colina, the climb to Valico di Mediano, the climb to Valico di Tole, the climb to Mongardino, and the final ascent to the finish in Bologna.

	Time	Distance	Avg Watts	Avg Watts/Kg	Avg Speed	Work
Climb 1	0:30:38	13 KM	307	4.81	25.3  Km/Hr	565 kJ
Climb 2	0:29:43	14 KM	295	4.62	28.0  Km/Hr	526 kJ
Climb 3	0:58:55	14 KM	292	4.57	28.5 Km/Hr	508 kJ
Climb 4	0:14	7 KM	261	4.08	26.09 Km/Hr	235 kJ
Climb 5	0:08:47	2 KM	290	1.54	12.85 Km/Hr	153 kJ

Stage 16's route from Pergola to Monte Petrano featured rolling terrain with three major climbs in the second half of the race, including an uphill finish. It is easy to pin point these three climbs in the power data at the segments where power stayed consistent and speed stayed low, followed by periods of high speed indicating the descent over the other side of the peak.

State 18 of this year's Giro was predominately down hill. It started with a 22.5 kilometer climb to its highest point of the day, the Piano Delle Cinque Miglia. From there, the route featured many rollers on its way down to the finish in Benevento. The first climb can easily be spotted in the power graph, and the rest of the stage is a typical race graph punctured with surges, sustained efforts, and some coasting. On this day, a break of 25 riders got away from the main group. Silence Lotto was represented in the break by Jonas Ljungblad, so the power data from Bart Dockx reflects the efforts of riding in the main group.

Stages 7 through 9 of the 2009 Giro d' Italia featured everything from long arduous climbs, to rolling terrain, to flat, technical circuits. Bart Dockx's power files reveal some insight into the demands of each stage and the efforts of the riders each day.

Stage 7's course from Innsbruck to Chiavenna provided the riders a long uphill grind for the first 200 kilometers and a downhill race to the finish for the final 40 kilometers. For the uphill portion of the stage, the pace stayed high, with an average of nearly 40 km/hr. Bart averaged 182 watts (2.85 watts/kg) for this section of the stage. The pace lit up for the final downhill kilometers of the stage, with the speed averaging over 52 kilometers per hour for the 40 minute descent. Bart saw a max speed of 87.2 kilometers per hour and averaged 156 watts (2.44 watts/kg) for his descent to the finish.

The main challenge of Stage 8's route from Morbegno to Bergamo was the 36 kilometer climb to Culmine di San Pietro that started 30 kilometers into the race. After a tame start for the first 3 kilometers (Bart averaged 87 watts), the race began to heat up with riders launching attacks to break free from the main field. Bart's data shows several surges over 700 watts in the first 30 kilometers of the stage, and the average speed came out to over 50 kilometers per hour with Bart's average watts at 280. The pace on the climb became more steady, but effort stayed high. Bart climbed this ascent in 1 hour and 10 minutes; he averaged 299 watts (4.68 watts per kg), and maintained an average speed of 30.67 kilometers per hour.

Stage 9 featured a 10-lap circuit through the city of Milano. With so many twists and turns throughout the city, the riders deemed the course too dangerous to race, and the race organizers agreed to neutralize the race - GC standings were not to change after this stage. It is interesting to look at Bart's power file for this stage. The speed and power remain relatively constant for the first half of the race, and Bart averaged a mere 107 watts (1.67 watts/kg) for this portion of the race. The pace gradually ramped up in the second half of the stage, and Bart's power file shows an average power output of 201 watts (3.15 watts/kg) for this half of the stage. Could this have been due to riders feeling warmed up? Riders getting more comfortable with the course? Or maybe just the riders getting antsy to race and being taken over by the spirit of competition?

Silence Lotto rider Bart Dockx provided his power data from Stages 11, 12, and 13 of the 2009 Giro d'Italia. Have a look at his summary data and graphs below.

In Part 1 of our Wheel Overview, we looked at the Mavic Open Pro PowerTap wheel that is available from CycleOps Power and the PowerTap wheels available from Zipp Speed Weaponry. In Part 2 of this series, we introduced our wheel partners American Classic and Mavic. In Part 3, we will highlight our last two wheel partners, Hed and Bontrager. As always, you can get more information on all of our wheel partners at their websites:

American Classic: amclassic.com
Bontrager: bontrager.com
Mavic: mavic.com
Hed: hedcycling.com
Zipp: zipp.com

Since 1985, Hed has been designing and building high-end, aerodynamic wheelsets. Owner Steve Hed is credited with designing the first ever aero wheel and is considered one of the leading aerodynamics experts in the sport of cycling today. Over the past two decades, Hed has led the industry in applying the principles of the aerodynamics and the wind tunnel to its entire line of aero products.

Hedcycling.com states, “Aerodynamics is the study of how a solid body moves through the air. So when we relate that definition to the sport of cycling, it's about how a rider and machine overcome air resistance created by forward motion and the prevailing wind. At HED, we design and manufacture wheels and associated products that reduce this resistance. The lower the resistance, the faster you go.”

Hed Cycling has also led the industry in their carbon fiber expertise. Carbon fiber has the best strength to weight ratio of any material used to make aerodynamic wheels. Carbon can also be molded into many shapes and structures. Its versatility, strength, and lightweight properties allow Hed tremendous design freedom. Every Hed wheel is handmade in the USA.

Hed offers several wheel builds with a PowerTap. The models Ardennes, Bastogne, Kermesse, Jet 4, Jet 6, Jet 9, Stinger 6, Stinger 9, Scorpio, and their Jet Disc (tubular or clincher) are all available with a PowerTap SLC+, SL+ or the Pro+. All models are available only as pre-built wheels.

The Hed Ardennes C2 road wheelset is more “traditional” than Hed’s aero, carbon offerings. The rims are 24mm deep, made with scandium/alloy and have black, bladed stainless steel spokes. They are compatible with clincher tires. What sets the Ardennes apart from other road wheels? The rims are 23mm wide as opposed to the standard 19mm. The tire’s sidewalls therefore are fairly straight, and the width of the rim spreads out the contact surface of the tire. The Ardennes can then be run with a lower tire pressure, offering the best features of running a tubular tire, but with the ease of use and convenience of a clincher. Cyclingnews.com’s review of the Ardennes concludes they “offer a much-improved ride quality, a smoother feel overall and vastly improved grip.”

The Hed Bastogne C2 and Kermesse C2 models also offer the benefits of the wider, 23mm rim but are built with alloy. The rims are also 24mm deep, and just slightly heavier than the Ardennes. The Ardennes, Bastogne, and Kermesse wheelsets are great options for everyday riding. Their lower profile isn’t necessarily as aerodynamic as the deeper rimmed carbon wheels that Hed offers, but they are still lightweight and stiff.

The Hed Jet series offers three carbon models. The primary difference among the three is their rim depth. The Hed Jet 4’s are all condition wheels. They are seriously fast carbon wheels, and the 45mm rim depth is a great option for riders who don’t want to commit to a full-on 60mm or more aero set. Their lower profile will also keep lighter weight riders from being blown around easily. The Hed Jet 6’s have a 60mm aero section. According to Hedcycling.com, “it takes a strong crosswind to stall them out.” Light enough for efficient climbing, this wheelset is an appropriate option for riders looking to get an aerodynamic wheelset, but still wanting to be able to race their wheels on a windy day. The Hed Jet 9’s have a 90mm aero section. The Jet 9 is an excellent race wheel. Deep section wheels are fast because they streamline the airflow as it passes over the wheel surface. The Jet 9 wheelset is a good choice for riding 25mph or faster in light and medium wind conditions. Riders riding slower than 25mph should reserve this wheelset for days when the wind is light.

The 2009 Hed Stinger series offers a more aero tire-to-rim interface when compared to the Jet series. Paired with a PowerTap, each Stinger model provides a smooth and aerodynamic ride, designed to reduce resistance. The 2009 Hed Stinger 6 had a substantial redesign from its 2008 predecessor. The new shape is such an improvement that the 60mm deep Stinger 6 handles more like a 45mm deep wheel in a crosswind. The Stinger 6 is the wheel of choice for many Pro Tour riders. The Hed Stinger 9 is the 90mm rim depth version. Where might you see the Stinger 9 wheel in action? Last year Stinger 9's were used on the professional level to win Ironman races, criteriums, and road races. As a testament to their durability they were even used in the cobbled classics of Paris Roubaix and the Tour of Flanders without a single failure.

Hed designed its Scorpio wheel to be optimal for climbing. However, in the process, Hed created a wheel that is also stiff enough for full-on field sprints, and aerodynamic enough for motoring over flat roads. Because it comes as a tubular, it is best suited as an all-around race wheel for criteriums and road races of varying course profiles.

Hed’s roots lie in the Hed Disc wheel. Hed Jet Discs are a hybrid wheel, built with spokes for strength and durability. When the base wheel is finished, disc sides are bonded to the hub rim and spokes. With the Hed Jet Disc wheel with PowerTap, cyclists get the all the benefits of a completely aero disc wheel for time-trialing or triathlons. It’s available as a tubular or clincher model.

For pricing information and more details on all of Hed’s wheels, visit their website at hedcycling.com.

Keith Bontrager has been designing bicycle components, wheels, frames and more since the day he built his first frame in 1980. When Trek acquired Bontrager in 1995, the innovation and ingenuity did not stop. Bontrager introduced a full line of road wheels to the market in 2002. Since then, they have developed many options for cyclists that range from “traditional” alloy rims to ultra-lightweight, deep profile carbon aero wheels.

The PowerTap 2.4+ is available in the Race X Lite Aero rim, the Aeolus 5.0 rim and the Aeolus 6.5 rim. Bontrager uses a proprietary 16-hole PowerTap hub shell for its wheels. The Bontrager PowerTap hub is unique in that it uses paired-spoke technology. Paired-spoke wheels have two spokes attached to the rim directly across from each other to balance out the forces that are placed on a wheel during motion. With paired spokes, a wheel can use less spokes without sacrificing strength. Less spokes means lower weight and better overall aerodynamics.

The Bontrager Race X Lite rim is a standard profile alloy rim that uses Bontrager’s paired-spoke technology. The Race X Lite’s ideal uses include road riding and racing cyclocross with PowerTap.

The Bontrager Aeolus carbon aero wheels are an option for those who want the benefits of a deeper profile rim. Aeolus wheels are designed in collaboration with aero-guru Steve Hed and manufactured with Trek’s patented OCLV carbon fiber. OCLV (Optimum Compaction, Low Void) is a proprietary carbon fiber manufacturing process that yields one of the strongest, lightest carbon fiber materials on the market.

Aeolus wheels are the ultimate choice for anyone who wants to maximize their advantage in triathlon, time trial and road racing events where aerodynamics is crucial to success. The Aeolus 5.0 with PowerTap has a 50mm rim depth and the 6.5 boasts an impressive 65mm rim depth. Both Aeolus models are available in clincher and tubular options.

To learn more about Bontrager, visit their website at bontrager.com.

Rain, snow, sleet or hail may not stop the postal carriers, but it drives most of us inside – or it brings out your inner Belgian persona. The good news about riding inside is you can bring the outside in by simply using an outdoor ride file and then breaking down the wattage demand minute by minute or section by section and riding the same ride inside.

As I was riding by an old Vermont barn this morning, squeezing in a ride before the impending rain that loomed over the Adirondacks across Lake Champlain, training related principles came to mind. It was a recovery day, so it gave me the time to focus on this approaching dilapidated structure. What I noticed was the tilt in the weathered barn, and I wondered how did it survive another Vermont winter? I then tried to figure out the why and the how of its impending collapse. Looking closely I noticed the foundation had some large cracks, and it had shifted the whole structure closer to the inevitable.

Training is just like building a structure (a physiological structure). You can make it grand by starting with the foundation (the form, neuromuscular pathways, mitochondria and capillaries). Some call this the Base, or Aerobic Base Building. Generally this involves exclusive work in Z1 and Z2 and can last as little as a month and as long as many months depending on your starting point. Knowing your thresholds allows you to determine your training zones, starting point, tentative duration, and it also allows you to monitor your adaptation to your training. Once you’ve built your foundation, you can then go into a Build or Anaerobic phase of your training. This is just like putting the walls up of your house, and in general this phase lasts for weeks or a couple months. In general the mix of training is 80% aerobic and 20% anaerobic in this period. From there some people put the roof on in what is known as a Peak phase, this is where volume (time) drops and intensity comes up.

So, what are you building when you ride? A better and stronger you? Or a structure, like that barn with a weak foundation? Are you building something that will collapse in injury, illness or burn out? It is only in a structured and balanced training program that we arrive someplace better – someplace stronger. Yet, structure takes planning, discipline and patience. Too many people want it NOW and try to shortchange the body or process. Each ride and workout represents a brick in the foundation or part of the wall. Each is dependent on the others, they are not exclusive entities to check off a “to do list”.

The great news about riding inside (outside from being in an indoor cycling class or in your house catching up on infomercials that month after month promise a quick fix that does not exist) is that you can bring more structure and discipline to your routine. You don’t have to climb a big hill or yield to the temptation of out-sprinting the child who passes you on his tricycle and heckles you. Remember, when riding outside, there is a plan to follow and that plan doesn’t include hammering the next person who passes you in a group ride or racing to that next sign. A plan brings clarity and reassurance--just like a blueprint to a great building--that there is a better outcome to follow…as long as you are strong enough to follow that plan. So the next time you ride inside take the opportunity to bring more structure, to work on foundational skills and “fix” or tend to what needs attention in your fitness foundation. If it is rest, rest…sleep in, sometimes that is the best training, if it is a Z1 day enjoy it. If you’re the kind of person who likes to live on the edge try this ride:

Time (minutes)	Zone	RPM	Purpose
10	Zone 1	80-100	Active warm-up, challenge yourself to stay in Z1 with cadence changes every couple minutes!
tbd	Zone 2	90+	Aerobic stimulation, gradually ease up to the upper side of Z2 in a higher than normal cadence range over the course of a couple of minutes.  Then hold the top of your Z2 wattage while focusing on form, and breathing.  Once HR starts to drift up or wattage goes out of control (becomes inconstantly choppy) do a 5 minute interval in Z1.  Repeat this process for the duration of your workout focusing on each time trying to hold the Z2 interval a little longer.  As you improve your base you will notice that soon you will be able to hold this interval for an entire ride!
5	Zone 1	Normal cadence	Recover, and think – take stock in what can be improved in the next effort!  Then repeat the previous zone.
10	Zone 1	varied	Cool down, you earned it!  Download your file and learn from your effort!

So the next time it rains enjoy a moment to reflect on the mission and purpose of building the best you possible.

Here’s to more spring showers, and to the rain on your roof that keeps you dry.

Joey Adams, M.S.
CycleOps Master Training Specialist
Owner of Intelligent Fitness @ intelligentfitness@comcast.net
(C) shared with permission to Saris and Intelligent Fitness customers

by Menuel Prado

The Warrior’s Society is made up of a huge group of avid riders, runners and hikers dedicated to maintain and defend our rights to ride and be able to use the local trails here in Southern California, they are the ones that each passing year put together the famous Vision Quest Endurance Race. Each time you find yourself enjoying the nice well maintained single-track in Orange County is because of the hard work this organization and it’s volunteers do for us to enjoy.

With all the knowledge they have about the local trails, you can be sure to have events with all kinds of terrain and different routes. The Traverse event starts in Black Star Canyon and travels along the Main Divide fire-road in the Santa Ana Mountains and finishes at the Trabuco and Live Oak road intersection. With over 41-miles of great riding and lots of awesome vistas, The Traverse is sure to show you what the Santa Ana’s has to offer.

The first Climb to the top of peaks place is about 7.8 Miles long and ascends 2,200 feet. With a easy start at this year’s event, Prado had the time to check out the competition, and by the time they started to hit the steeper slopes of the Black Start Climb, Manny decided to put a heavy tempo pace at the front of the race and see what the other riders had. A small group of 4 riders formed at the front of the race, but Prado was not going to do any work for the others, so he decided to continue the hard tempo and rode away from the rest. So hard was the pace at the front that the little Costa Rican rider reached the top of the climb in 41:27, almost a record time for this local climb.

This year the weather was really nice with a average of 85F. The next leg of the course was from Beeks Place to the top of Motorway, a famous local single-track trail that the Vision Quest uses to take you to the bottom of Maple Springs, The Traverse bypasses this trail and continues on the Main Divide road all the way to Four Corners. Prado rode this leg of the course in 46:12.

The next section of the Course doesn’t look very long, but it has some of the steeper parts of the race. Prado decided to run the Prototype Specialized S-Works Renegade 2.1 tires for this event, this new tire allowed him to have a very low rolling resistance while having great traction and shock absorption due to it’s high volume; the soft compound on this tire also helped Prado maintain traction on the loose parts of the race.

By aid station one at the Four Corners junction Prado had a large advantage over the rest of the field, his PowerTap computer was telling him that he was at 2 hours and 29 minutes into the race with an average power of 235 watts. After filling his two 22oz bottles with E2 Hydro, Prado went on to continue and climb all the way to the top of Saddle Back Mountain. This climb reaches an altitude of 5400 feet. From there you can see most of Orange County all the way to the ocean, and on a clear day you can see Catalina Island. What follows from there is a long rocky fire road descent, followed by rolling short but steep climbs all the way to the top of the Trabuco Single-Track. Prado rode smart and smooth down this loose and exposed trail all the way to the finish with a time of 3:58 to claim the win in the Open Pro Category. Prado also owns the course record of 3:43, which he established in 2007.

If you are a local rider and have not yet challenge yourself with an Epic race, Prado encourages you to try one. With the great support of the Warrior’s Society it is a lot easier to be able to accomplish such task. You will be provided with E2 Hydro at the aid stations at all the Warrior’s Society events. Along with that they will be providing energy bars, fruit and much more. Prado will meet you at the starting line at the 2010 Traverse Race.

Thanks for reading.

Bart Dockx - born September 2, 1981, a Belgian rider on Silence-Lotto.

Silence Lotto rider Bart Dockx provided his power data from Stage 2 of the 2009 Giro d'Italia. Have a look at his summary data below.

It is also interesting to see the max peak power outputs that he achieved throughout the stage. Absolute power and watts per kilogram for different time spans are listed in the table below.

Peak Power Data for Different Timeframes
	Peak Power Output	Peak Watts/KG
5 sec	844 watts	13.19 watts/kg
30 sec	538 watts	8.42 watts/kg
1 min	471 watts	7.36 watts/kg
5 min	339 watts	5.3 watts/kg
10 min	294 watts	4.6 watts/kg
30 min	262 watts	4.1 watts/kg
60 min	216 watts	3.37 watts/kg
120 min	175 watts	2.74 watts/kg