Lowlands Cycling

Welcome, Cycling friends! We have another great episode for you where the complete team discussed the last week's races. 

Both men and women raced in Belgium, and we also talked about Tour the Catalunya.

The weather was horrible this week in Belgium, which made for racing into a crosswind and lots and lots of rain. Needless to say that there was enough drama with riding in echelons, crashes, missed corners, and even chain lube was a topic of debate...

The Jumbo Visma team again showed great form taking most of the wins on the men's side. The women did not disappoint either, and we talked about a remarkable new talent from the United States who did really well in Brugge- de Panne and Gent- Wevelgem. 

Join us for this podcast so we can help you prepare for next week's Tour de Flanders!!

Welcome to today's podcast, where we'll discuss the exciting race that took place over the weekend: Milan San Remo. The first monument of the cycling season was filled with thrills, spills, and some incredible performances from some of the world's top cyclists. From the lengthy 294 km route to the infamous Poggio climb, the riders faced plenty of challenges. So, buckle up and join us as we review the highlights and take a closer look at the winners and losers of Milan San Remo.

The crew questions if you need to ride multiple disciplines now a day to win these big races.  Men and women that combine disciplines like: track, cyclocross, mountain bike road, TT etc.

Before we review Milan - San Remo, we closely examine other races, starting with Nokere Koerse Men and Women, Torino-Milan, Trofeo Alfredo Brinda, and Cape Epic. Lotte Kopecki and Shirin van Anrooij raced incredible races for different reasons.

https://www.epic-series.com/capeepic

Today the team talks about past weeks' racing in the Tireno Adriatico and Paris - Nice. 
The Slovenians ruled both races. The Tireno was won by Primoz Roglic and Paris Nice by Pogacar. Geoff, Jack and Gerry contemplate how it is possible to stay in form throughout the spring classics, rest, and be ready for the Giro (Roglic) and the Tour de France ( Pogacar and Vingegard). 
How are Wout, Mathieu and Pidcock doing? Let me tell you....they all had headliners one way or the other.

There is an excellent segment in the podcast where they talk about tires, rolling resistance, and tire width, and they reminisce about their old bikes!
A short preview of next week's races tops of this podcast. 
And yes......we kept the podcast within the hour! 

Enjoy episode 46!

Join Jack, Stewart, and Gerry for this week's Cycling news. Heads up, this is a long-form podcast cast of 1 hour and 20 minutes, but if we said so ourselves, it's an excellent podcast. Episode 45!

We talk in-depth about last week's racing, including Strade Bianche and the first stage of Paris-Nice. 

The Tech corner is fully loaded, discussing the new SRAM Force and Shimano Cues group set, new continental GP 5000 tires, and the SRAM vs Princeton Carbon works lawsuit.

We top it off with some cycling media news and introduce our future podcast guest.

Enjoy this podcast, and please subscribe and like :-)

Agenda:

1. Race Review
2. Cycling industry/media
3. Tech Corner
4. Next week + Guest interview announcement 

Paris Nice - “the race to the sun”

The 2023 Paris–Nice is a road cycling stage race that will take place between 5 and 12 March 2023 in France. It will be the 81st edition of Paris–Nice and the sixth race of the 2023 UCI World Tour.
8 stages. 2 flat, 2 hilly, 1 flat, with uphill finish, TTT, 2 mountain stages.
Ttt individual time counts!
https://www.paris-nice.fr/en/overall-route

Tireno Adriatico

The 2023 Tirreno–Adriatico is a road cycling stage race that will take place between 6 and 12 March 2023 in Italy. It will be the 58th edition of the Tirreno–Adriatico and the seventh race of the 2023 UCI World Tour.

New Shimano groupset 

https://www.cyclingnews.com/news/shimano-launch-the-cues-ecosystem-to-unify-its-mid-tier-groupsets

https://www.bikeradar.com/news/shimano-cues/

Key points about Shimano Cues: 

Shimano Cues (Create Unique ExperienceS) is a new range of 9, 10 and 11 speed drivetrain components. 
A series of current flat bar group sets, including 10 & 11 speed Deore, Alivio, Acera and Altus, will be replaced by Cues. 
Shimano has strongly hinted Cues will also replace drop bar Tiagra, Sora and Claris road groupsets
Cassette spacing, chains and cable pull ratios are shared across all components, boosting inter-compatibility
All components are based on Shimano LinkGlide technology
All of this will make the lives of bike shop owners and mechanics – and in turn, consumers – easier and, theoretically, cheaper.
Assuming Cues becomes dominant as existing mid-tier components are phased out, shops shouldn’t need to hold as many distinct replacement items in stock.

New SRAM force

https://www.sram.com/en/sram/road/series/force-axs-d2?utm_medium=social&utm_source=instagram%2Froad&utm_campaign=introducing+new+sram+force+axs

https://www.bikeradar.com/news/new-sram-force-etap-axs/

SRAM lawsuit

https://roadbikeaction.com/sram-versus-princeton-wheel-lawsuit-a-winner-loser

New Continental GP 5000 AS Tubless tire:

https://www.bikeradar.com/news/continental-gp5000-as-tr/

What a fantastic week of racing! It is starting to be very repetitive, but its true. This week it was the opening weekend for the classics season with Omloop het nieuwsblad and Kuurne - Brussels - Kuurne. Jack, Stewart Geoff and Gerry review the races in detail and share their opinions and exciting actions that caught their eyes. 

Next week Le Samyn, Strade Bianche and Paris Nice - Whoop!!

In addition to the races mentioned above we start with the UAE tour and Gran Camino in Spain.

Following global cycling news we also have an XC nationals update.

Jack and Geoff share some exciting technology like: 

• the Uno X aero helmet, which reminded us about the movie Spaceballs. https://www.cyclingnews.com/news/is-the-new-uno-x-time-trial-helmet-the-wildest-one-yet/
• new tires developed by NASA? https://www.startengine.com/offering/smart-tire-company
• updated Zwift companion app. https://www.zwift.com/news/29779-companion-leaderboards
• Shimano 3 wheel pully. https://www.bikeradar.com/news/shimano-three-pulley-rear-derailleur-patent/

Last but not least we talk about recovery. See top 10 tips below:

1. Reduce intensity and volume during your recovery week. I usually recommend a 3-1 schedule where you increase volume and/or power over the course of 3 weeks, followed by 1 week of recovery.
2. Adequate Rest: Getting enough sleep is crucial for recovery. Aim for 7-9 hours of sleep per night.
3. Proper Nutrition: Consume a balanced diet with adequate protein, carbohydrates, and healthy fats. Eating enough calories is essential for recovery after long workouts. Remember to lower your calorie intake during rest days in your recovery week. 
4. Active Recovery: Engage in low-intensity activities such as yoga, walking, or swimming to promote blood flow and speed up recovery.
5. Massage: Massaging tight or sore muscles can help to increase blood flow, reduce inflammation and promote relaxation.
6. Compression: Wearing compression socks or leggings can help to increase blood flow and reduce muscle soreness.
7. Hydration: Drinking enough water is essential for recovery. Aim to drink at least half your body weight in ounces of water daily.
8. Ice baths: Taking ice baths after a long workout can help to reduce inflammation and promote recovery.
9. Stretching: Incorporate stretching exercises into your routine to help maintain flexibility and prevent injury.
10. Listen to your body: Pay attention to how your body feels and adjust your training accordingly. Rest and recovery days are just as important as training days.

It’s still a bit cold outside, but Jack, Stewart, Geoff and Gerry got some miles in this past week and weekend. Now the crew gathered to bring you another episode of Cycling Talk!

So early in the season, but many riders, both on the men’s’ and women’s side, are already showing great form. Are they peaking too early, and why does it seem that there is now off-season anymore? Pocagar and Pidcock are already killing it, and what about Magnus Cort?!

This past week and weekend were not only about racing outside, but we also enjoyed the E-Racing world championships that was on full display using a new format. Hear all about who won and what they thought about this new format. 

Please take a look at the agenda and speaking notes below. We hope that you enjoy this episode!

Agenda:

1. Into - everyone's week (end)
2. Pro cycling update - review and preview
3. Tech corner - new and interesting tech
4. Local races and rides
5. Cycling industry updates

Pro cycling update:

Ruta del Sol - Pogacar, Mikel Landa and Enric Mas show great form. Plus riders getting blown of the road!

https://www.procyclingstats.com/race/ruta-del-sol/2023/gc

Tour de Algarve in Portugal. Magnus Cort wins two stages, and Pidcock wins the mountain stage.

https://www.procyclingstats.com/race/volta-ao-algarve/2023/gc/stages/winners

Womens Stage race Valencia. Asleigh Moolman beats van Vleuten uphill stage.

https://www.procyclingstats.com/race/setmana-ciclista-valenciana/2023/stage-4

World championships E-racing on Zwift UCI

https://news.zwift.com/en-WW/222798-your-2023-uci-cycling-esports-world-champions-are

Cyclocross

Fem van Empel win brussels. Drama at the start. Lights not working. ¾ field starts at whistle others wait amongst Celine Carmen Alverado, which probably cost her $12,500

Next races

Start UAE Tour 2/20 (tomorrow)

Big favorite Remco Evenpoel.

Pogacar not racing in UAE tour

https://www.cyclingnews.com/news/pogacar-skips-uae-tour-defence-and-shuffles-early-season-calendar/

Omloop het volk 2/27 - start list https://www.procyclingstats.com/race/omloop-het-nieuwsblad/2023/startlist

Updates on Nationals? Let's do a brief update each week.

From the MASS FB Page:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/MASSRACERS

Mountain Bike Nationals Update

I see a lot of you have some questions regarding Nationals.  What John and I plan on doing is to host a Q & A on Zoom on Thursday, 2/23 at 6 PM to try and answer your questions.  I will send a Zoom link out later.

In the meantime, if you have any questions, please ask them by responding to this post by next Tuesday.  That way I can try and have the answers.

Please join us for Episode 42 of the Lowlands Cycling podcast. We recorded this podcast Monday afternoon. "the day after the devastating Philadelphia Eagles loss". While the team is still recovering from this mental and emotional blow, they pulled themselves together and delivered a pretty good podcast :-)

Check out the speaking notes below and get a good sense of what they discussed and more!

Wahoo RGT steering
https://www.wahoofitness.com/wahoo-rgt?utm_source=organic_social&utm_medium=linkedin&utm_campaign=steer
Klunky device and how will this work with a rocker plate. We discussed pricing and the fact that there are not many users on the RGT platform.

Zwift launches new Scotland World
https://zwiftinsider.com/all-about-scotland/

We discuss the world championships E-cycling using the Scotland world. Trivia question: who won in 2020 and 2022?

Zwift price increase?
https://www.smartbiketrainers.com/zwift_adaptive_training-15500

Zwift Video capture new feature. Mac only for now.
https://youtu.be/6sd6Cv498gM

Wahoo racing mode
https://zwiftinsider.com/kickr-race-mode/
The team discusses race mode extensively. Which Wahoo trainers support race mode, when to use it, and what are the advantages of the 10x increase?

This is huge! US XC nationals at Bear Creek 2023 & 2024
The team is extremely excited about the recent USAC announcement letting everyone know that the 2023 and 2024 X=MTB XC National will be held in our backyard!
Listen when the crew share their initial thoughts and how their original 2023 plans went into the garbage bin as soon as they found out.
https://usacycling.org/article/usa-cycling-cross-country-mountain-bike-national-championships-will-head-to-bear-creek-mountain-resort-for-2023-and-2024

Fem van Empel initially decided not to race anymore after the world championships but would leave an “easy” $35,000 dollar behind. So today, she raced Lille, and next week Brussel x2o trophy is based on the time she has 1:40 minute advantage over Daphne Brand. And she did Pidcock Superman crossing the line in her new world championships jersey.

Today Jack, Stewart, and Gerry do a race review of the 2023 Cyclocross world championships cyclocross in Hoogerheide (and a bit more).

The different categories are discussed with a particular focus on the clash of Titans at both the women's and men's elite races. 

It was a weekend of incredible racing, and the crew talked about all aspects of the race. Please join us if you want to get some great insights and relive the race again!

We can't wait for the spring classics. This will be epic, ladies and gentlemen!

Show notes:
Good start Dutch team, part of the strategy. Joris nieuwehuise. Holding of Belgium team.

 vdp places and attack 3.20 in, ony WvA can follow

32mm VdP vs 33mm WvA

6;40 first lap

16 second in front

vdp show initiative

Drone shotw were absolutely amazing amazing 

Niewehuis and Kuhn good, but fall back half way into the race.

barriers vdp better, smooth and fast

Wva lead after two laps. mvdP in his wheel

22 seconds

4 wins vdp vs 6 win wva

Kuypers just quit his job in the factory. 

Wva only half a lap. Attack MvdP 3rd lap.

Wva better on stairs

24 seconds on Kuypers and van toerenhout

10 laps instead of 9, a very fast course. Dry, sun *celcius.

7th round start in 40 minutes.

VDP attack round 7 on the bridge.

VDP 51 chainring in front??…..but debunked its a 46…or not…

vd haar Iserbyt 3 and 4. van torenhout fell back

Puck Pieterse cheering on MvdP stairs!

lap 8 - 7 minutes

same cadence, mount their bike the same, 

last lap bike change?? Nope did not happen.

amazing sprint, 5 yards incredible difference. slow start sprint. Track stand..

Top 3 of all time win untill now vdP says in the post race interview.

Wva had to give everything to stay in the wheel. 

Confirms expected attack at the balks, and planks, barriers. 16.6" (40CM)

strade bianchi next race. VdP and Wva will be racing in italy

45,000 people.

Welcome to episode 40! Jack, Geoff and Gerry will preview the world championships Cyclocross in Hoogerheide, the Netherlands February 4th, and 5th. We also discuss the rivalry between Wout van Aert and Mathieu vd Poel and much more.

See the speaker notes below and find out what this podcast is all about!

Podcast notes:
Brief follow up Cycling industry news. 

1. Strava apology and acquisition. Fatmap
2. Giant get minority share in Stages.

World championships Cyclocross Hoogerheide

1. 1. Course. https://wkhoogerheide2023.nl/en/
   2. Weather
   3. Time + where to watch
   4. Favorites
      1. Marianne Vos won't ride
      2. Will Pieterse and van Anrooij ride in Under 23 or Elite?
      3. Tom Pidcock wont ride
      4. Note. Its also Jumbo vs alpcin Men and Women. Van Aerit/Van Empel vs Vdp/Pieterse

Wout van Aert vs Mathieu vd Poel

1. 1. https://www.cyclingnews.com/features/mathieu-van-der-poel-and-wout-van-aert-the-anatomy-of-a-rivalry/
   2. Q: did they make each other better, or would they have been the riders they are today if it wasn’t for the 11-year rivalry
   3. Who won more
      1. https://cx.procyclingstats.com/rider-vs-rider/wout-van-aert/mathieu-van-der-poel
   4. Pidock, vd Poel van Aert. List all races they have won. 

Vuelta de San Juan

Saudi Tour - opening ceremony was impressive. Not the highest level of international cyclists, but the scenery is incredible around AlUla - available on GCN+

Pro cycling stats:
https://www.procyclingstats.com/index.php

Encourage local listeners to participate in Chesco Trails survey:  https://www.chescoplanning.org/transportation/TrailsMasterPlan.cfm

Dynamic Cyclist is an all-in-one platform that helps cyclists treat and prevent injuries and get stronger on the bike!
https://new.dynamiccyclist.com/
Use code Lowland at check out for a nice 15% discount!

Welcome, everybody; this is the Lowland Cycling podcast; we have a different type of show today. So in the past, we did many interviews. We have done 38 episodes up until now. And with all the cycling and cycling news going on, it's probably time to change it up; we will be doing interviews because they're just a ton of fun, and there are so many interesting folks in the cycling and the cycling industry that we won't abandon that!! Still, there's a lot of cycling news. When you look at our mission statement, it's: delivering local, domestic, and global cycling news. So that's what we're going to do. I got two hosts with me on the podcast; one very familiar to you, Geoff Smith, and we have a new face and voice on the podcast, Jack Kramer! Jack, welcome.

Dynamic Cyclist is an all-in-one platform that helps cyclists treat and prevent injuries and get stronger on the bike!
https://new.dynamiccyclist.com/
Use code GERRY at check out for a nice 15% discount!

Speaker notes:

Bike Industry News:
Specialized:  8% workforce reduction globally, 120 emps in US
Strava: 15% workforce reduction, 40 emps
Strava: Increases prices anywhere from 33% to 100% based on subscription type and location. Completely botches communication and roll-out.
Wahoo: Devastating Moody’s report, 15% workforce reduction
Giant: net sales totaled NT$70.87 billion ($2.2 billion) through its first three fiscal quarters, a 14.4% increase over the same period last year.
Proscloset: got 40million in funding in 2021, 

In perspective - General tech industry layoffs:
Microsoft:  10,000  5% of workforce  largest in 8 years
Amazon:  18,000  3% of corporate workforce
Salesforce: 8,000  10% of workforce
Meta (Facebook):  11,000  15% of workforce

Bicycle Market Forecasts

Grand View Research
The global bicycle market size was valued at USD 59.33 billion in 2021 and is expected to expand at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 8.2% from 2022 to 2030

Fortune Business Insights
The global bicycle market is projected to grow from $82.50 billion in 2022 to $127.83 billion by 2029 at a CAGR of 6.5% in forecast period, 2022-2029. Grew 48% from 2019 - 2020.

Globe Newswire
Global bicycle market was valued at $59.32 billion in 2021, and it is expected to reach a value of $89.80 billion by 2028, at a CAGR of 6.1% over the forecast period (2022-2028).

Fact.MR
The global sales of bicycles garnered a market value of US$ 60 Bn in 2021 and is expected to register a positive CAGR of 8% by accumulating a market value of US$ 138 Bn through the assessment period 2022-2032.

In this podcast Gerry and Geoff speak with Jamie Anderson.

Jamie grew up in a small country town in Australia. A few hours north of Melbourne in the southeast. It was a small community, but seen as a hub for cycling. They had Commonwealth game riders and  Olympic riders coming out of that little town where he grew up. So Jamie started riding his bike too. He was about nine years old starting with BMX, and then graduated to the track, there was  a velodrome in town, and later onto the road.  Jamie raced topsport, or what we call elite level, juniors, in Australia at state national level.

We talk about his academic career and the decision at 40 years old to revitalize his cycling career and race as a master in multiple disciplines.

Jamie currently lives in Belgium with his wife and kids where he own a hotel for cyclists. We learned all about what racing in Belgium is like, how Jamie got the idea to start the Hotel and all the amazing work he's doing for the cycling community supporting young riders across the globe!

"Jamie Anderson is an academic, author, hotel & art gallery owner, husband, father and champion Masters cyclist. A multiple TED speaker, he has been named as a “management guru” in the Financial Times and has held positions at some of the world’s leading business school.
Since opening in mid-2021, his “Flandrien Hotel” has become a “home away from home” for cyclo-tourists, individual athletes, and teams in the heart of the Flemish Ardennes in Belgium. The Hotel is described as “the ultimate place to stay for cyclists” and has been featured in many of the world’s foremost cycling publications.
In addition to its for-profit activities, the Flandrien is active in bosting diversity and inclusion in cycle sport through a range of charitable projects. The business has recently launched a Scholarship Program for international Cyclocross athletes, and in spring 2023 will welcome its first group of young African riders to train and race in Flanders."

https://flandrienhotel.com/
https://teamafricarising.org/

Cyclists are often unaware of the importance of insurance until it's too late. In the event of a crash, having insurance and a good attorney can be vital to getting the compensation you deserve.

Joe Piscitello is a bicycle accident attorney who has seen firsthand the importance of cyclists being properly insured. In this podcast, he discusses the different types of insurance available to cyclists, how much insurance is enough, and what to do in the event of a crash.

He also shares his vision for the future of cycling, and how he believes that technology can help make cyclists safer.

Joe also talks about the cycling community and VizionZero initiative he's closely involved with.

Finally, he offers some advice on what cyclists can do to avoid becoming involved in a crash in the first place.

This is a must listen podcast for any cyclist, whether you're a beginner or a seasoned pro. Having the right insurance in place and knowing what to do and shouldn't do, could make all the difference if you're ever involved in a crash. So, hit play now and find out everything you need to know about insuring yourself as a cyclist.

https://www.piscitellolaw.com/
http://visionzerophl.com/
https://visionzeronetwork.org/

In todays podcast Geoff and I speak with Gareth Thomas. 

Coach Gareth has been a coach and advisor for over 25 years to top endurance athletes, including World and National champions in Triathlon, Duathlon and Cycling.

He brings elite-level coaching & sports science support to age group athletes and their coaches to help everyone reach their true potential. 

His services include custom training programs for Running, Cycling and Triathlon, blood lactate testing, swim video analysis, run technique training, nutrition programs and general endurance training consulting.

Gareth is regarded as a leading authority on blood lactate testing and its application for endurance athletes. 

Listen to Gareth talk about how he got into coaching and how eventually he took his knowledge and experience to create a coaching platform called PKRS.ai 

All in all a great podcast and we hope you enjoy it!

https://coachgareth.com/
https://www.pkrs.ai/

In this episode Gerry meets with Joram Kolf CEO and founder of EatMyRide and Lisa Nijbrook Nutritionist at EatMyride and Pro Tour cycling team quickstep.

Joram and Lisa share with Gerry how EatMyRide can help cyclists off all levels to improve their performance by personalizing nutrition plans and fueling strategy.

They explain how the app takes into account the type, duration and intensity of exercise as well as the rider's individual characteristics such as weight, age and gender.

EatMyRide has the ability to work directly with professional cyclists and pro tour teams and get first hand insights what it takes to perform at an elite level. 

This makes the app not only extremely valuable for amateur riders who want to up their game, but also for coaches who want to give their riders that competitive edge. 

Joram talks about his background in market research and artificial intelligence and how he combined his expertise in these areas with his love for cycling to come up with a solution to better prepare for long endurance rides like gran fondo's, century rides and stage races. 

It was very cool to listen to Lisa talk about what its like to work with pro tour teams like DSM (former Sunweb) and currently Quick-step Alpha vinyl. 

She shared some of the challenges riders face when it comes to nutrition such as weight management and how different riders have different nutritional needs. 

There is no one size fits all solution and that's where EatMyRide can help by providing personalized plans. 

Of course we dive into more nerdy nutrition topics like glycogen stores, training your gut, fructose/glucose ratios and much more!

Whether you're a cyclist looking to improve your performance or a coach wanting to give your riders an edge, EatMyRide can help. With personalized nutrition plans and fueling strategies.

https://eatmyride.com/

From the EatMyRide website:
Get a Personalized nutrition plan for races and training

Preparation is key when doing cycling rides. EatMyRide creates a personalized food and drink plan for every workout. Enter your ride details and your preferred food and get a detailed advice fitted to your type of ride.

Optimize nutrition around cycling rides for optimal preparation and quick recovery

EatMyRide provides you with a meal plan for every day. When you plan a workout, the meal plan is automatically adapted. We guide you to an optimal plan for enhanced performance and quick recovery.

Evaluate the effect of nutrition on your performance

After your ride your workout is automatically synced with EatMyRide. Analyse your nutrition and performance and learn how you can eat like a pro.

No smartphone needed during your ride

EatMyRide can send your nutrition plan to most Garmin devices. Use our Garmin widget or data field to sync the plan to your device and you are good to go!

Easy integrations with your other cycling apps

Do you create your routes in Strava, Komoot or Ride With GPS? Or do you track your rides with Garmin, Wahoo or Strava? You can easily connect all these apps to EatMyRide to get nutrition plans suited to your route and to manage your nutrition based on your actual performance.

Allison Mrugal is a professional road cyclist who races with Cardinal - Classic Cycling team. She got her start in professional cycling, racing mountain bikes cross country. However, after some time, she decided to focus on road racing. She's competed in many events, including the Joe Martin stage race and Unbound gravel. In this episode, we catch up with Allison to learn more about her cycling career and what it's like behind the scenes of being a professional athlete. Then, in an exciting podcast segment, Ally talks about what it is like to race your way into shape and use Pilates to develop balance on the bike.

We also touch on the impact of the global covid epidemic and discuss how some cyclists adapted and others didn't.

Obviously, we also discuss what the future will bring for Ally and any potential goals she is setting. 

Hang in the podcast because we talk about nutrition towards the end and compare making margaritas with mixing 90 grams of carbs into a bottle.

Whoop and sleep tracking devices also make an appearance in the show.

Finally, we discuss the long-overdue attention women's cycling is getting more recently and some predictions for the women's tour de France this year.

It was great catching up with Allison Mrugal and we hope you enjoy the show! 

P.s. Let us know in the comments if you agree that Ally should do cyclo-cross this year :-)

Team Cardinal - Classic Cycling

"Cardinal - Classic Cycling empowers women cyclists. Our cyclists compete at regional and national levels.  We see our role as a team to equip talented cyclists with the training support they need to transition to professional teams ultimately. Cardinal - Classic Cycling provides entry to the important races that will test their skills as riders, put them on the radar of larger professional teams, and  provide mentorship from seasoned cyclists from around the country."

https://www.cardinal-classiccycling.com/

Ally's Blog post! https://www.cardinal-classiccycling.com/blog

https://www.unboundgravel.com/

Geoff and Gerry caught up with the Sonoma Creamery ultra endurance cycling team before their Race Across America (RAAM). Listen and hear what they had to say about how they prepared for this amazing expedition.

Race Across America is the World's Toughest Bicycle Race! A classic American tradition, drawing racers from around the world. Solos racers have 12 days and relay teams have 9 days to complete the journey.

The courses of both races have varied over the years. However, in the Race Across America, the direction has always been from the west coast to the east coast of the United States, approximately 3,000 miles (4,800 km), making it a transcontinental event. More importantly, the race has no stages, i.e., it is in principle a nonstop event from start to finish, with the fastest competitors needing slightly over a week to complete the course.

Team Sonoma Creamery:

We ride to promote teamwork, physical and mental fitness and a healthy lifestyle.

We raise awareness for cycling safety and to support injured cyclists in need. 

We collaborate as a team to race safely from Oceanside, CA to Annapolis, MD.

We spoke with:

Uli Muench (Rider)

Former German Junior Cycling champion. Software executive.

Wilmington, DE

Eric Gomez (Rider)

RAAM addict. Happy man. Never met a stranger. 

Tulsa, OK

Chris Jackson (Rider)

Ultracyclist. Retired. Pacific Northwest. Unstoppable.

Eugene, OR

Randy Catron (Crew)

Crew Chief. RAW and RAAM veteran. Cycling coach. Retired Air Force.

Denton, TX

In this episode of our podcast Geoff & Gerry speak with Greg Hillson from INSCYD.

Greg shares how he got into cycling himself and explains all about INSCYD testing.
What is Vo2max and VLamax and how does i compare to FTP? How can you improve your fueling strategy for training and racing. Listen and find out yourself how the best of the best like Mathieu vd Poel and Wout van Aert use INSCYD to support their training and race plans.

INSCYD is performance analysis software. That means it is a tool that helps you to analyse your sport performance. It is not a training platform like Training Peaks or Today’s Plan and it can be used in addition to these software programs.

INSCYD is unique in its genre and has no comparison in the world of sports performance, including its precision and reliability. That is why I’m comfortable in saying INSCYD its world’s most advanced software for performance analysis.

INSCYD is not based on something they came up with through statistical analysis. It’s based on more than 150 scientific papers and studies; some are basic scientific knowledge, some are very specific ones. INSCYD has been developed through real science, and not on the extrapolation on what has worked for other people in the past through correlation. INSCYD test results are truly based on your performances and your own physiological values. Furthermore, you can perform the tests with your own equipment (your power meter, your bike, your wetsuit) and have results that are highly tailored to your own needs. Even labs are using INSCYD because the software gives them more data points and information (with less equipment) than using conventional tests and protocols.

www.INSCYD.com
www.lowlandscycling.com

Are you planning to ride the Belgian Waffle Ride (BWR) this year, or are you interested learning more about this crazy 1 day gravel race, tune in to our latest LowLands Cycling podcast soon. 

Mike, troy and Geoff will be riding the Asheville BWR, aka "The Hell of The North",  this year. In this podcast they discuss why they decided to do this amazing, but brutal event. How they prepare for the event looking at training plans, material, logistics, nutrition, and much more. What are their current numbers, weight, w/kg, FTP and what are they aiming for to be in tip top race shape?
What about their fears and ambitions? Learn all about this and more when you listen to the podcast!

Belgian Waffle Ride :
Date: May 16th [at time time of this recording, we didn't know the BWR will most likely be postponed to later in 2021 due to the pandemic.
Location: Asheville, North Carolina
Distance: 144 miles/231 kilometers
Elevation: 12,000 feet/3600 meters

https://belgianwaffleride.bike/
https://belgianwaffleride.bike/pages/asheville
https://www.canyon.com/en-us/
https://alliedcycleworks.com/
https://www.skratchlabs.com/
https://www.scienceinsport.com/us/beta
https://www.specialized.com/us/en
https://www.scienceinsport.com/us/
https://www.lowlandscycling.com/

Topics and time stamps:
Background Mike        1:43
Background Troy        5:17
Driving force behind doing the BWR  8:19
Humbling experience from road to gravel racing      10:22
How do you train for such a monster ride?   12:48
Any B-races scheduled as a lead in or prep for BWR?           21:37
Experience with similar races distance, climbing?     24:49
Speaking about nutrition        26:47
Bike setup, tell us more          33:50
Weight, height, FTP, w/kg      40:31
Logistics getting to the BWR event    45:39
Even when the race is cancelled due to covid, the guys are committed now and do it anyway.     51:20

This is the podcast Geoff and Gerry recorded with coach Andrew Harris.
It was absolute amazing to have Andrew on the show and learn all about his uniques coaching philosophy and his Edge Cycling Team. https://www.edgecyclingteam.com/

(See topics and timestamps below)

From the Edge Cycling Website:
Andrew Harris is the founder of Edge Cycling and currently serves as the Performance Director and Head Coach.  Prior to the formation of Edge Cycling, Andrew coached individual athletes and served as a Strength and Conditioning Coach to several championship teams.

As the Head Coach of Edge Cycling, Andrew applies the latest scientific research, innovative training methodology,  and unique teaching techniques, and combines this with his own practical knowledge and experience gained from years in the competitive cycling arena both as a rider and coach.

As the team’s Performance Director, Andrew continues to assemble a team of riders, experts, and consultants that are driving the success of Edge Cycling.  From psychology, to business leaders, to technical experts, it’s the Team that raises the performance and drives the success of the organization.

By assembling a winning team, Andrew and Edge Cycling have amassed 147 National Championship medals including 52 National Championships.  Six athletes have represented the U.S. at Junior World 

Championships, 5 athletes have been selected to represent the U.S. at the Pan-Am Championships, one has completed two World Cup Season and was selected to the 2016 Olympic Long Team. 

• How did you get started with cycling and coaching?  0:01:27
• Moving into coaching  0:03:29
• Edge Cycling team  0:05:23
• Unique program  0:06:37
• Elite Athletes are expected to support the younger Athletes.  0:07:40
• Geoff joins the podcast 0:08:18
• Training facility 0:09:00
• Sprinters base comes from strength training  0:10:54
• Complex system of Training  0:11:38
• Lots of monitoring of data  0:12:23
• Time crunched cyclist - Structured training 0:13:27
• Using the right tools and constant learning 0:14:09
• Very interesting times with the wealth of content and research available.  0:15:45
• Do your riders perform in different cycling disciplines 0:17:01
• Riders transitioning from one discipline to another 0:18:56
• Proper talent identification often missing 0:20:06
• Future of track cycling and possible changes 0:21:36
• Track is a great learning curve and a safe environment 0:24:04
• Sponsor opportunities   0:25:44
• Travelling across the globe 0:27:25
• The difference in altitude  0:30:12
• Gymnasts amazing track cyclists   0:34:07
• How do you find and attract new talent? 0:38:15
• Coaching philosophy  0:42:06
• 2020 from a mental toughness point of view, how was that?  0:44:47
• 2021 goals and specific event you are preparing for?  0:49:53
• Integrity 2024 initiative  0:52:03

Please enjoy the podcast Geoff and Gerry recorded with Molly and Rob van Houweling. 

In addition to her work as a Professor of Law and Associate at UC Berkeley, Molly is also a competitive bicycle racer on the road, time-trail, track, and Zwift. 

On September 12, 2015 she set a new Hour record by cycling 46.273 km in an hour. A record that stood for 12 years by the acclaimed Dutch cyclist Leontien van Moorsel

Molly is also a six-time UCI Amateur Road World Champion, most recently winning the time trial titles at the 2018 UCI World Cycling Tour Final in Varese, Italy.

Podcast topics and time stamps:
Introduction.           0:00
Synchronized swimming         3:56

Boston and marathon running           4:58

Rob introduced Cycling          5:50

Leading into doing a few triathlons    6:17

How did Rob get into cycling  6:58

World hour record and specializing in TT       8:40

Wind tunnel    9:59

Hour record change of rules...you can do this.          12:18

TT gains. Trial and error          15:58

Experimenting with for example cadence      20:55

VO2Max, Lactate, metabolic rate       22:51

Low cadence advantage and disadvantage    22:45

Power meter on seat post?    26m 46s

Rob is the mechanic   28m 32s

Logistics traveling the world with your bike  30m 10s

Managing nutrition and different times whilst traveling       33m 18s

Made many good friends in Mexico   34m 54s

Picking the right location to set your records 36m 40s

Colby Pearce coach and holder of "the ultimate hour record"?        38m 30s

Technology changes like Power meters..       40m 37s

Time Trail on the road.           42m 2s

Canyon, Leah Thomas, Movistar        44m 44s

Merckx record also know as the absolute record      45m 22s

Zwift and Dutch Diesel Ladies team   47m 46s

Dutch ancestry how far back?            49m 35s

Wintertime in Calpe & Mallorca Spain           53m 13s

Velodrome in Palma, meeting Alex Dowsett   55m 6s

Time management Work, family and sports  56m 31s

With the pandemic its hard to do goal setting.         58m 57s

Bkool and Velodrome 1:01:34

Zwift and Velodrome???        1:02:33