Chris Carmichael sat down with two-time Ironman World Champions Tim DeBoom and Normann Stadler, along with their coaches, Kirk Nordgren and Lindsay Hyman, respectively. Here's your last chance to hear how these two champions are feeling before the start of the 2009 Ironman World Championship.
Ironman World Champions Tim DeBoom and Normann Stadler both visited the A2 Wind Tunnel in Mooresville, North Carolina in the past few weeks. They were joined by the CTS Coaches, Kirk Nordgren and Lindsay Hyman, respectively. Also joining them was CTS Premier Coach Dean Golich, who was a member of the F1 Group of experts that helped optimize Lance Armstrong's equipment and positioning on his road and time trial bikes.
During his European training camp, Lance spent some time in Italy and rode the nearly 60-kilometer individual time course that is sure to be a decisive stage in the 2009 Giro d'Italia. One of the biggest questions about the time trial is whether it's better to ride a time trial bike for the aerodynamic advantage, a traditional road bike because of the significant climbs and technical descents, or if it's best to create a new and special bike that attempts to combine some aerodynamic advantages with a more road-oriented geometry to improve climbing and descending performance. During this particular segment of the reconaissance ride, Lance was working on finding a good place to hold on to an aero bar setup while climbing.
CTS Premier Coach Dean Golich was traveling with Lance during his European training camp before Milan-San Remo and Castilla y'Leon. One of the workouts Lance was doing involved uphill repeats in his time trial position. We've found that repeats on a moderate grade - about 3-4% - are great for helping athletes adapt to aero positions. The grade is just enough to add some resistance and keep the rider from really getting on top of the gear. It's really too bad Lance broke his collarbone a little bit more than a week after this video was taken. His TT fitness was very good and I think he would have surprised some people with a strong performance in the Castilla y'Leon time trial.
The Solvang time trial stage of the 2009 Amgen Tour of California ran right by the location of the CTS Buellton Cycling Camp, so I took the opportunity to visit Lance and the rest of the Astana team as they prepared for the race. Since I couldn't follow the entire Tour of California, I sent CTS Premier Coach and sports scientist Dean Golich to travel with the team and gather Lance's data. It was good to catch up with Dean while Lance warmed up for his time trial, and the power files from the Tour of California - including the time trial - indicate Lance is right where he needs to be at this point in the season.
2001 and 2002 Ironman World Champion Tim DeBoom has chosen to work with CTS in an effort to return to the top step of the podium at the 2009 Ford Ironman World Championships. He'll be working directly with CTS Pro Coach Kirk Nordgren and I'll be reviewing his training and his progress. In order to get some accurate baseline information about his training and fitness, Tim came down to our facility in Colorado Springs for some lactate threshold and VO2 testing... and an interview.
My staff prepared the press release below after Katie Compton and Ryan Trebon won National Championships last weekend. I wanted to post it here because I'm so thrilled about these results! Katie is simply outstanding, and has been from a very young age. Talking with her coach, Craig, I think this year could be her best chance yet at becoming the first US woman to win the UCI Cyclocross World Championship. And then there's Ryan, who literally got knocked out during last year's race. He's had a great season, despite some lingering colds, and he powered away from a very select group of the top cross racers in the country to win on Sunday. Kudos to CTS Athlete Jesse Anthony as well. He instigated the first major attack of the race, taking Jamey Driscoll with him. Everyone else sat around and looked at each other, and that gave Trebon the opportunity to launch his winning move. And at the end of the day, Jesse Anthony held on for fourth! A great job to all, and I think we'll have more news about other CTS Athletes who competed in the age-group categories at Nationals.
Press Release:
(Colorado Springs, CO) - CTS Athletes Katie Compton (Spike Shooter) and Ryan Trebon (Kona FSA) won their respective races at the USA Cycling Elite Cyclocross National Championships on Sunday, December 14 in Kansas City, Missouri. It was Compton’s fifth consecutive victory at the US Cyclocross National Championships. The victory was Ryan Trebon’s second elite cyclocross national title; he won his first in 2006.
Compton Dominates Again
After struggling with a flare-up of a chronic muscle-cramping ailment earlier this season, Compton returned to form over the past several weeks and won the World Cup Cyclocross race in Koksijde, Belgium, before returning to the States to compete at US National Championships. Her primary competition for the title, Georgia Gould (Luna), won the US Grand Prix of Cyclocross series title in dominating fashion, but it had been a long time since Compton and Gould raced head-to-head. Compton went to the front before the end of the first lap, opened up a gap on the rest of the competition, and never looked back. Gould rode strong in second place for most of the race, and finished 45 seconds behind Compton.
After the race Compton told Cyclingnews.com, "It always feels really good to win - it gets harder every year, but it's always good to win a championship. Georgia is definitely riding strong, so I tried to keep the power on and keep pushing through it, hoping not to make any mistakes."
He coach, CTS Premier Coach Craig Griffin, commented, “Katie faced some challenged earlier in the season, but she showed a lot of poise and maturity in the way she dealt with it. She was patient and returned to the top of her form with a victory at the World Cup in Koksijde. She knew she had the power to win today, and she’s excited about going back to Europe to prepare for Worlds.”
The next step for the five-time US National Cyclocross Champion is a return trip to Europe for more World Cups and other races in preparation for the Cyclocross World Championships in January. She earned a silver medal at the World Championships in 2007.
Trebon Powers to National Championship
Ryan Trebon was within striking distance of winning the 2007 national championship, before a head-on collision with an errant rider left him unconscious at the side of the course. The 2006 US National Cyclocross Champion came into this year’s event having won both of last weekend’s muddy races in Portland, Oregon and finishing second overall in the US Grand Prix of Cyclocross series. He also won the North American Cyclocross Trophy series and is the leader in the USA Cycling Cyclocross National Calendar points series as well.
The Elite Men’s race started with 135 riders, but the lead group of contenders separated themselves from the pack early in the race. Trebon was there with other favorites including Jonathan Page, Tim Johnson, Jeremy Powers, Jamey Driscoll, and Todd Wells. Jesse Anthony, who is a CTS Athlete coached by CTS Senior Coach Gord Fraser, was also in the group and instigated the first major attack of the race. A few laps later, Trebon attacked the chasing group, bridged up to Anthony and Driscoll and went right by to win by 28 seconds over Jamey Driscoll. Anthony paid for his aggression, but held on for a strong fourth place finish.
Trebon’s coach, CTS Premier Coach Jim Lehman, commented, “Ryan had a great race. He saw that his rivals were looking at each other and went on the attack. It was a good move, but a risky one just four laps into the race because Page and Johnson are strong riders. He had the confidence and the power to take that risk and ride a smart race, and that won him another National Championship.”
Trebon leaves for Europe on Tuesday to compete in World Cups and other races in preparation for the Cyclocross World Championships in January.
