Stage 3, Race Quotes from Cervelo

Thor Hushovd (NOR): “To win on this day on the cobblestones really means a lot to me. The team was perfect today. I really want to compliment them. They were really motivated and they gave me so much help to keep me in a good position. I needed to stay in the front group and avoid trouble, I knew I would have a good chance. That’s what I did and I was able to win. I am really proud to win today. It was a special stage, and a nice win. I have had my eye on this stage for awhile and it’s great that it worked out. I am really satisfied. It was nice to win in the Norwegian national jersey, but I am also happy that I know have the green jersey.” Ignatas Konovalovas (LTU): “It’s a great day for the team. We have pain everywhere, but it’s a nice day. We had about 100 km that were pretty easy. In the end, before the second cobble section, we tried to keep our team at the front. Andreas (Klier) and I went to the front after the second cobbles section, and then the other guys took over to help Thor. Victory is always good. When you win or when a teammate wins, you forget what had happened yesterday, or maybe last month. I have raced the cobbles before, but never Roubaix or Flanders. It was a big day today.” Andreas Klier (GER): “The team came together with about 80 km to go. We really pushed hard to put Thor near the front. Our man had the big motor today – not one on the bike, but in his legs! – and he had some luck. It’s a great victory for Thor and a great victory for the team. Yesterday, we had the bad luck, today we have the good luck. Today makes up for all the disappointment. Thor just rode from A-to-B, like he’s always done. This is a beautiful victory over the cobblestones.” Jean-Paul van Poppel, Cervélo TestTeam Sports Director (NED): “This is a great victory. This is the stage we wanted the most. We had to take something back from what happened yesterday. Everyone on the team knew what they had to do and we really pulled it off. The team was perfect. Thor was right at the front in all the critical cobblestones and then he made a great sprint to win. Last night, after yesterday’s stage, I have never seen Thor so angry. We don’t want to talk about it anymore. The green jersey is back on his shoulders and it came after a beautiful win on the cobblestones. The green jersey was just a matter of time, because Thor has been the best rider in the first four days of the Tour.”

www.cervelo.com

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Saxo Bank, the Jersey (and a little about the shorts)

I managed to get some pictures of the new Team Jersey, nice isn't it. Although the graphics are familiar I like it, but it is the fabric and cut that lies beneath the sponsors billboard that is really firing me up. Aero has been a buzz word on bikes for a few years and in the last 12-18 months has also been applied to kits. Timetrailing skin suits have had lots of new wind cheating technology thrown at them in recent years with Teams spending time in the windtunnel to gain precious seconds.

Now what used to be a regular road jersey and shorts have had the same process applied to them. There maybe some argument over who created it but I think that Castelli rightly earns that badge. The energy saved by applying science to the clothing benefits the rider by shaving 10 watts (at 40kmph) compared to a traditional jersey. The attention to detail is massive and all angles have been thought about. The shorts look amazing as there are no seams facing into the wind (in a frontal direction) and have been moved out of the way to the back of the garment. This must be an expensive process as the cutting of the panels must be more complicated. Dual fabrics have been used here, a tough (as in as tough as Cordura) but soft fabric has been used for the seating area. The outside edge of the shorts uses a material which mimics the benefits of a golf balls indentations. The pad itself is a completely new item which looks flat to the eye and the top section is. The riders wanted a pad that had no moulding or ridges, but with Sportfuls knowledge they knew that the pad had to be multi density to other the riders the best solution while riding in different positions. I am sure at some point in the Spring of 2011 we will see this filter through to the stand alone collection.

The jerseys employs similar fabrics, although looking the same the hexagon 'golf ball' fabric is around 30% lighter that the similar looking material used on the shorts. Again each point has been looked at to take into account where seams should be placed and how to maximise aerodynamics but at the same time to ensure that comfort has been retained. This comfort comes from the fabrics which on the Aero Jersey has up to 400% stretch in certain panels, so aiding comfort by not being restrictive in the way a rider moves on a bike.

Do Aero jerseys work? The test data backs this up but how does that translate into the real world. This would be a massive benefit in any race but those longer races over 200km as the extra energy could be used in the finish. Thor Husvold has never got over the Poggio in such a good position, and although many willl remember the dramtic finish between Mark and Heinrich, what should also be taken into account is that Thor finished third. What doesn't bear thinking (well at least for the competition) is if Cavendish was actually using an Aero Jersey. But most of all if you think about the power houses on Saxo Bank like Cancellara, Voight etc what damage are those guys going to do with an extra 10 watts for free? The mind boggles, roll on March.

Now the Dust has settled

It has been a few weeks since the Tour de France has finished. I have had time to take stock of it and here are my ramblings.

This year I have enjoyed the Tour more than any other since 2003. Of course other Tours will always have a favoured status but looking back this years Tour was great for one reason alone. The battle for the Green Jersey. So often called the "Sprinters Jersey', it really is the jersey that rewards consistency, courage and great tactics.



As an Englishman many would be expecting me to be waving the flag for Cav. Don't get me wrong, he is truly an awesome athlete (and I expect him to win it next year), my heart was yearning for a Thor win. As both athletes are great proponents of 'clean cycling', this for me was the battle that I could sit back and enjoy without those nagging questions that sometimes surrounds the GC riders.

Stage 17 produced a day that will go down in Green Jersey history. The words that a impassioned and frustrated Cavendish spoke fueled Hushovd's fire to create an epic day in the saddle. I bet that Cav wishes that he hadn't said that the 'Green jersey was tarnished'. Those words mixed with equal doses of pride helped create one of the most memorable sights at this years Tour.



A footnote has to go to Wiggin's, another great proponent of 'clean' cycling. He finished fourth which was as an amazing feat as Armstrong's first win. He has transformed himself from one of the world's greatest Track riders to a genuine Tour contender. I've met him once and he strikes me as a nice guy and I do hope he take's one of cyclings greatest prizes.



This Tour has shown that riding clean can produce the most exciting racing, be that in the sprints or the mountains. It gives this jaded fan hope for the future. I am sure PED's will always be there, but lets hope that it's use is in a smaller minority and our sport can hold it's head high.

Winter Training starts here!

What the . . . you must be thinking, we are in the middle of Summer. But bear with me as I explain my crazy thoughts. The PRO's normally start training for the Classics around the beginning of October, which frankly is great if you are paid to ride a bike and have no time constraints. I like many of you have a normal job, family and other commitments on my time.



So August is going to be base miles with a couple of long rides thrown in to lay down a solid foundation. September is a little crazy as I loose a week to Eurobike, which is a pretty cool and will provide a decent recovery block. The week before I intend to have a hard week, hitting the 320 km marker.

So once I have made my way through September it nicely leads onto October where the painful sessions begin. These will be focussed on bringing out power and some top end speed. Last time I used this through winter my speed increased by 7 km/ph which was great. Obtaining that magic number again will be the goal plus one other magic number, loosing 10 kg.



Bradley Wiggin's general Tour performance and Thor's mountain stage breakaway has inspired me to shed some pounds. It's going to mean being a little more strict with my diet and some things are just going to have to go until I can reach my goal (like the Harribos). Slow and steady will be my method and knocking a 1/2 a kilo a week is the plan. I am sure to plateau and fall off the wagon but that's the goal I'm going for. I'll keep you posted from time to time on how I am getting on. The big benefit will be when I hit the bergs at the Tour of Flanders, they might not seem so big if I am a bit smaller.