August 9/02 20:15 pm - Shep Report, Boucle, CCA Women's Camp & Coaching Clinic

Posted by Editor on 08/9/02
 

Shep Report

Boy has this taken a while. Traveling without a laptop sure sucks when you depend on it to update and communicate. My recent travels have taken me from Wisconsin to West Virginia up to Quebec over to Vancouver, Whistler, Kamloops, Durango and now home in North Carolina. This trip has been tough physically (as you'll see) and of course emotionally.

In a nutshell, here are the high and low lights of each race starting in Wisconsin . . .

Crashed twice on a climb during the XC. Took two times to realize that a bridge is not a suitable landing for accidents in the short track. After walking around town Saturday night we figured out that the '79 Firebird is definitely a fixture on the local singles scene...

Next round in WV: I rode well in the XC with just one bad lap. . . .DH's were fun. Short track was fast with teammate in break. Fourth sealed up then flatted with a lap to go. . . .mentally came unglued for a good five days as I had flatted there last year.

Short 13 hour trip to Saint Anne. Tons of fans and hard course.. oh yeah "poutine". Stem came loose - flatted on a DH and the next thing I know (or don't know) is that I've been knocked out. Laid there imitating a hiding ostrich with the bike's chain rings sticking into my knee. Figured I would pull the plug, lay down to bleed and thank Bell helmets for saving my life.

Grouse Mtn. . . .unreal course. . . ..fans. . . .family. . . .concussion drunk Chris blows up with three to go. Whistler for three days of kids camps. Stoked junior cross country racers having fun ripping trails and learning the ropes.

Canadian Champs in Kamloops or in my case the Canadian craps (ah ha ha ha I'm so funny). About 100 degrees everyday while it cooled to 92 for the race. Poor drug testing guy got to see a somewhat heat stroked, dehydrated racer give his best orgasm face while filling the porcelain throne. . . .. sorry about the splashed sample. . . ..

All this fun leads me to Durango, Colorado for round four of the NORBA series. . . ..

The cross country course was an old-school loop that consisted of many short climbs. Rain had reduced much of the dust while the previous days' 90 degree temperatures had long since left Dodge. The start was wide and fast with the bunch sticking together just before the entrance of the single track. The middle of the group pushed forward, elbows widened and the fun began.

Off the front JHK took a flier only to be brought back by Roland, two Costa Ricans and Brown. This group rode the front as Roland checked the course out for the first time! The chase group was pretty big from what I could see ahead of me. . . .Ryder moved off the front of it with Seamus, Wells, Wedge, Kabush and others in tow. . . .Wells would eventually flat with Ryder pressing to the lead group. I chased valiantly the entire time, but coke the whole race did a number on my tummy (maybe one should try training with coke before using it all day). On lap 3 the heavens brought forth much rain making the course surface resemble a pie and it's filling - hard mud on top and one inch deep sand underneath. Finally got to watch other people crash versus mental reruns of myself. The last lap saw Rollie push off with JHK and Brown sticking together for a third place sprint while Ryder had passed the duo and claimed second. Seamus also made moves with ten minutes left passing the two costa ricians and hitting the pode in 5th. Adam Craig worked up from the back to end up 8th, Jay Henry 9th and Canucks Wedge and Kabush in the following spots.

The next day's short track was all about mimicking a Nascar race. A typical running track with stands and a few extra corners made this the fastest short track we've done. Butttttttttttt it poured rain an hour before our race! Four muddy and one paved corner actually made life hard on everyone but I was just relieved to make it through the first few off the start. Ryder jetted hard with Shamoe and I in tow followed by everyone else. My goal was to stay out of trouble and I pretty much accomplished that although I used a bunch of energy to do it. Attack after attack was unleashed by Ryder, Wedge, Shamoe, Bonilla and I for the first half of the race but nothing was sticking. I completely slid one corner and my rear tire KO'd a tree throwing me back ten spots as Hestler, Kabush, Swenson and Wells got into the mix. Managed to get back on three laps later as the group shelled apart approaching the bell lap. With one and a half to go Ryder went for it gapping 40 yards. During the ensuing chase JHK hit the barriers hard slowing the progress of Swenson and Hestler while I snuck around the open side and hooked onto Bonilla's wheel. Seamus powered the group but was overtaken by Wedge and Rowney near the line as Kabush and I sprinted for fifth. . . . . . and he took it. Wow excitement! Ryder 1st. Swenson, Hestler and Wells sprinted for the final spots. . . .


Grand Boucle Feminine Internationale

Stage 5 - Saint-Vallier to Montceau les Mines ITT 31.2km

1 Leontien Van Moorsel (Ned) Team Farm Frites-Hartol 43:31:47
2 Zinaida Stahurskaia (Blr) USC Chirio at 0:25.16
3 Judith Arndt (Ger) Saturn Cycling 0:54.90
4 Zoulfia Zabirova (Rus) USC Chirio 1:05.42
5 Nicole Brandli (Sui) Acca Due O 1:08.14
6 Kimberly Bruckner (USA) Saturn Cycling 1:14.21
7 Joane Somarriba Arrola (Esp) Deia Pragma Colnago 1:32.24
8 Susanne Ljungskog (Swe) Vlaanderen-T Interim 1:33.52
9 Alessandra Cappellotto (Ita) Mixte Power Plate 1:35.58
10 Edita Pucinskaite (Ltu) Figurella Dream Team 1:39.20

GC

1 Judith Arndt (Ger) Saturn Cycling 15:06:22
2 Leontien Van Moorsel (Ned) Team Farm Frites-Hartol at 0:40
3 Valentina Polkhanova (Rus) Itera Team 1:46
4 Zinaida Stahurskaia (Blr) USC Chirio 2:10
5 Kimberly Bruckner (USA) Saturn Cycling 2:13
6 Zoulfia Zabirova (Rus) USC Chirio 2:43
7 Mirjam Melchers (Ned) Team Farm Frites-Hartol 2:53
8 Youlia Martissova (Rus) Itera Team 2:54
9 Joane Somarriba Arrola (Esp) Deia Pragma Colnago 3:08
10 Alessandra Cappellotto (Ita) Mixte Power Plate 3:30


USPRO Tour Standings

1. Gord Fraser Mercury 80 points
1. Mark Walters Navigators 80
3. Oleg Grishkine Navigators 63
4. David Clinger USPS 60
5. Henk Vogels Mercury 51
6. Chann McRae USPS 48
7. Zbigniew Piatek Mroz 44
8. George Hincapie USPS 44
9. Chris Wherry Mercury 41
10. Danny Pate Prime Alliance 40


National Camp for Under-23 Women Cyclists
Courtesy CCA

The post-nationals road development camp being organized in Hamilton, ON by the CCA and being run by National Development Coach, Jacques Landry will now be open to any female development riders 23 years of age and under. All interested riders should contact the CCA National Team Coordinator, Sean O'Donnell, to express their interest via email at athletes@canadian-cycling.com or see him on-site at the Road National Championships.

This is an excellent opportunity for those young women serious about their sport to learn and train in an excellent environment. Tanya Dubnicoff, former Olympic athlete, World Champion, Commonwealth Games Champion and Pan Am Games Champion, will be assisting Jacques Landry at this camp.

The camp will be held in Hamilton, ON from August 12 to 18. Athletes will be provided with room and board. It should be noted that the athlete, province or the team in which the athlete belongs should cover food expenses.

Athletes can look forward to the following topics being covered at some point during the camp:

* National Championships analysis and debriefing
* Goal setting - Planning your future as a cyclist
* Practicing and improving your technical skills
* Proper nutrition
* Proper cycling hygiene
* Lecture on training methods
* Video analysis
* Computrainer demonstration
* Testing
* Banned substances and medications to avoid
* Mental preparation
* And much more . . .


CCA Coaching Course
Courtesy CCA

The Canadian Cycling Association is pleased to host a Solidarity Coaching Course as mandated by PASO.

This exciting event will be held at the CCA National Cycling Centre located in Bromont, Quebec, over 7 days and it will be delivered by several cycling experts. The topics covered will range from :

• A sport system "How to develop athletes"
• Methodology of training applied to all cycling disciplines and specialities
• Testing protocols for maximum aerobic power and talent identification testing
• Hi-tech and training methods
• Track training

The accommodation and the course will be at the Bromont National Cycling Centre, near Montreal, Quebec. The candidates will have access to the training facilities and equipment :

• Velodrome and track bicycles
• Off-road trails and MTB bicycles
• Weight training rooms

The candidates must bring appropriate clothing and equipment if they want to use the training facilities.

The course will be delivered in English. The application must be received prior to August 24, in order to make necessary arrangements.

Accommodation at the centre and registration fee ==> 300$
Meals ==> are at candidates expenses

A detailed memo and some educational material will be mailed to the candidate after receiving their offficial registration.

For additional information, please contact Christine Lafontaine at 613-248-1353, ext. 2604, fax 613-248-9311 or by e-mail clafontaine@canadian-cycling.com.

More information can be found on the CCA website: www.canadian-cycling.com