Cervélo

Feature: Reconnoitering Flanders

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 17:50:56 GMT

Allan Peiper and Geert Van Bondt took the Classics crew out in Flanders to recon the race changes for this year and sent this report.

Today was our second attempt to get an early glimpse of the Tour of Flanders course. We had a recon planned for late December but the weather was too bad so we had to cancel.

Today was not much better at minus two (Celsius) and light snow falling at daybreak. We met at the Tour of Flanders museum in Oudenaarde. Our Classics director sportif Geert Van Bondt planned well for the weather and also had the course logged in on the Garmin 800 of three of the six riders so even though there was no signs up we could follow the course using our Garmins!

Geert brought Tyler from Gent and Johan Van Summeren came with Thomas Dekker. Maaskant brought Haussler who came yesterday by train from Germany. Sep Van Marke lives 10kms from Oudenaarde where we started the ride at the museum. So six seasoned pro’s and me, the 52 year old Sporting Manager. (Luckily Geert was behind in the car!)

The boys went out of the blocks for the last 150km of the course because of the cold and after 5km we hit the Taaienberg followed by the Eikenberg. We did six climbs and four sections of cobbles before a long 35km section which is normally head wind before we started on the final three laps. Three times over the Kwaremont and Patersberg with a variation of other climbs each lap and 10kms flat to the finish.

I climbed off after 80km to get out of their way! Most said it would be a lead heavy race with so many hard climbs in the final. We had spaghetti at the museum after showers and a talk about the race but mostly Summie and Dekker were telling silly jokes. It will be fun with those two clowns this year!

All in all it was great to see the course, to talk about the changes and how the race may go — but best of all was hanging with the boys on the bike for some time because that’s really what its all about, just riding!

Slipstream Sports partners with with AA Drink/Leontien.nl for women’s team

Sat, 28 Jan 2012 03:29:33 GMT

Slipstream Sports today announced that it has entered into a partnership with AA Drink/Leontien.nl whereby AA Drink/Leontin.nl will operate the Women’s Pro Cycling Team at the races and the team will continue to be maintained by Slipstream. As part of the partnership, Emma Pooley, Lizzie Armistead, Lucy Martin, Sharon Laws, Carla Ryan and Jessie Daams will ride for the AA Drink / Leontien.nl Cycling Team and the entire team will ride Cervélo bikes, competing at the highest level of women’s professional cycling.

“We are pleased to partner with AA Drink / Leontien.nl,” said Jonathan Vaughters. “Michael Zilaard has built a strong organization and we are excited to work with him to combine our strengths. The 2012 team looks strong and we believe it will be a great year ahead.”

“We are excited to work with Slipstream Sports and to add group of outstanding riders. Looking ahead to the big events in 2012, I am convinced that we will be competitive on all fronts, from the Olympic Games to the World Championships to the Tour of Italy,” said team manager Michael Zijlaard, AA Drink/Leontien.nl. “Superstars Emma Pooley and Lizzie Armistead add huge firepower to an already strong team and we are excited to start the season.”

2012 AA Drink/Leontien.nl Cycling Team Roster:
Elizabeth Armitstead (UK)
Chantal Blaak (NL)
Lucinda Brand (NL)
Jessie Daams (BEL)
Sharon Laws (UK)
Lucy Martin (UK)
Shelley Olds (USA)
Madelene Olsson (SWE)
Emma Pooley (UK)
Carla Ryan (AUS)
Isabelle Söderberg (SWE)
Marijn de Vries (NL)
Marieke van Wanroij (NL)
Kirsten Wild (NL)

Aaron wins Challenge Wanaka!

Sun, 22 Jan 2012 16:57:25 GMT

Aaron Farlow showed his winning ways of 2011 were no fluke with a win at Challenge Wanaka!

TeamTBB Germany athlete Aaron Farlow won the Challenge Wanaka with an amazing performance topping the men’s elite field with a cushion of about ten minutes to cruise through the run. Aaron was behind super swimmer Kieran Doe out of the swim but quickly lowered the deficit and took the lead during the 180K bike. Then, he maintained and grew his lead over the marathon run. In 2011, Aaron burst onto the scene winning Ironman UK and following it up with a podium at two other Challenge races. Aaron has shown that under Doc’s coaching and the team’s support he is continuing to work hard and improve. It is a great omen for the rest of 2012 where Aaron will be a threat for the win at every Irondistance event he enters. Congrats Aaron on a great start to 2012!

Scottie battled through the strong field at Challenge Wanaka to finish in a close race for 7th place. He had a great run but had to make up time after his swim and bike. Scottie is excited to use this race to build on his strength and fitness for the rest of the season. He is planning to continue to improve after his crash in mid-2011. Congrats Scottie on a great run to finish off the race!

Way to race Aaron and Scottie! You have set the standard for teamTBB helping us start 2012 with a bang!

Pro Men

1. Aaron Farlow (AUS) 8:41:53
2. Jamie Whyte (NZL) 8:51:43
3. Kieran Doe (NZL) 8:57:17
4. Courtney Ogden (AUS) 9:08:42
5. Jimmy Johnsen (DEN) 9:09:05
6. Petr Vabrousek (CZE) 9:15:21
7. Scott Defilippis (USA) 9:16:00
8. Simon Cochrane (NZL) 9:23:15

Find out more: http://www.challenge-wanaka.com

teamTBB is excited to start off 2012 with a win! We hope this is one of many to come for the year.

Report: Young argyle riders impress – Tour Down Under, stage 5

Sat, 21 Jan 2012 22:24:49 GMT

Today’s stage was a show for the young guns of the argyle armada — Nathan Haas and Jack Bauer. Sporting Manager Allan Peiper and Director Sportif Geert Van Bondt sent this report.

Today we had three flat laps of 40km and then two times up Willunga, all with a strong wind and 25C.

From the start six got away with Nathan Haas. First time up Willunga Haas attacked from the break and had 1min20 at the top.

In the bunch Bauer, Heino and Ryder in a group of forty. Movistar drilled it and the group split with Bauer making it in the front group of 25.

They caught Nathan going to the bottom. Jack hung on for 9th. Valverde beat Gerrans by a tire and both equal on GC. Jack 5secs out of top 10 so he sprints tomorrow for bonuses!

Andreas was tired today but did a lot of work yesterday. Martijn was in the second group over the top but its early days for a classics guy. Robby and Ryder rode the 50km back to the hotel.

The young riders impressed people today which is the way forward.

Tomorrow a criterium to finish before 100.000 people.

Race preview January 21st

Fri, 20 Jan 2012 23:30:43 GMT

The 2012 tri season is now upon us and the first race to start off the new year is courtesy of New Zealand.

Challenge Wanaka, New Zealand
Saturday January 21st
Distance: 3.8 km swim • 180km bike • 42.2km run

teamTBB - Germany athletes racing
Aaron Farlow
teamTBB - USA athletes racing
Scott DeFilippis

Scottie and Aaron are kicking off 2012 with a big Challenge at Challenge Wanaka. This Irondistance event is one of the hardest of the year and definitely one of the most scenic set in the beautiful south island of New Zealand. The course starts with a two lap fresh water swim in Lake Wanaka. The lake will be a cool 18 degrees and is usually choppy from strong winds. Onto the bike, it will be a hard one lap bike on rough NZ chip seal roads. The boys will face strong winds and some significant climbing that will make it hard day on the bike. The run is a jewel with two laps that run along the roads and trails through town and the river. It will be a beautiful end to the day and hopefully the boys can enjoy it.

The competition facing the boys will be tough as several top Ironmen athletes are on the start list. The contenders include Brian Rhodes, Kieren Doe, Jimmy Johnson, Peter Vabrousik, Jamie White, and Courtney Odgen. With this solid field, the boy's goal is simple: test their fitness, execute a solid race, and go for the win. Brandon will focus on taking care of all the little details that can derail a fit and strong Ironman athlete like fueling and pacing. Brandon't training leading into this event has been great and this will be his final race for 2011. He plans to put it all on the line.

Scottie is very excited for his first race of 2012. Coming off what was probably the best camp of his career in Gran Canaria, he is anxious to get his season started early. Back in July a few days after his crash, Scottie set his sights on this race and hopes to have a crack here at starting his 2012 season off with a bang. He is looking forward to racing what is supposed to be one of the tougher and most beautiful Irondistance races in the world!

Like Scottie, Aaron is also very excited for this race, his first of 2012. After a good year last year he said he was looking for improvement and always chasing the win. Aaron reported that he has sorted his nutrition problems from IM Busso and has had some good preparation leading into the race, being based at altitude in Thredbo for the past three weeks with Dave and Caroline. Once again this year Aaron hopes to continue to improve over the year leading into the Hawaii Ironman World Champs. Challenge Wanaka will be a great way to start his 2012 seaon and build form for the rest of the year. Aaron hopes to see where he is at now and continue to build his momentum. Follwing this event, Aaron plans to continue his racing domination with Ironman New Zealand, Ironman Melbourne, Ironman Port Macquarie, 70.3 Singapore, and Challenge Cairns.

Good luck Aaron and Scottie! Get after it and bring home a podium for teamTBB!

Race report: Tour Down Under, stage 2

Wed, 18 Jan 2012 22:59:39 GMT

Team DS’ Allan Peiper and Geert Van Bondt sent this report from the second stage.

148 kms today with start in Lobethal in the Adelaide hills. Two riders got away early and the bunch let them go. They got a good lead and there seemed to be no trouble.

Vacansoleil rode for the GPM sprint and the gap came down and after the second bonus Kohler who was in front dropped back to the bunch leaving Will Clarke from Uni SA with two minutes. The bunch eased and he got nine minutes which went out to 11.30 at 60km to go.

Lotto did not take responsibility and so the teams were waiting for each other to chase. We did not need to ride as other teams were the teams with the best GC chances.

Rabo, Sky and Leopard chased from 40km to go and Green Edge and Movistar started at 20km to go into the last lap but it was too late as Will still had 8.30. At the finish he got the stage and just missed the jersey.

Heino was boxed in in the sprint but Nathan Haas and Jack Bauer helped him well in those last kilometers.

I think Martijn Maaskant cracked a little from yesterday as he was not recovered from the excessive heat. Hopefully he is better tomorrow. Ryder was good and we keep him in mind for Willunga Saturday.

Tomorrow is the stage to Victor Harbour and a strong southerly wind is expected so echelons could happen and that’s what we like :-). Its a tricky run in for the sprint so good for Heino. Let’s hope he can bag one!

Garmin-Barracuda Team Members to lead out the Echelon Sonoma Napa Gran Fondo

Wed, 18 Jan 2012 20:49:23 GMT

For the third year, the Echelon Gran Fondo is back in the wine country announcing a new start/finish in Sonoma, just 21 miles from the start of the Amgen Tour of California (ATOC). In honor of Sonoma Valley Hospital and Charity of Choice, Team Garmin-Barracuda will support the event including passing near the start of the Amgen Tour of California (ATOC) that begins in Santa Rosa the next day.

The Gran Fondo will start at 9 AM on May 12, 2012 with 11 (super mini kids fondo), 50 and 75 mile ride options that include parts of the Napa Valley. “We are really excited about having Team Garmin-Barracuda team support the event this year as well as our Sonoma start,” said Echelon’s event director, Michael Sexton. “The new course is outstanding and includes northern parts of Napa Valley that we could not get to last year such as the Dry Creek, Mt Veeder and Trinity grade.”

The Garmin-Barracuda team, which captured the Best Team classification at the 2011 ATOC and placed Tom Danielson on the podium with 3rd overall, will be there for the ceremonial start and will lead out the fondo just a day before they begin the 5th annual ATOC. At the ATOC, 18 professional bike teams including Garmin-Barracuda will compete in an eight-day stage race that finishes in Southern California.

Team Garmin-Barracuda is the top American professional cycling team dedicated to ethical sport and developing the next generation of cycling champions. Since its inception the team has placed riders in the top 10 of the Tour de France, and in the 2011 edition, the team placed the top American in the race (Tom Danielson, 9th overall), won the Team Time Trial, captured a total of four stage wins, held the yellow jersey for eight days, and won Best Team Overall.

“We look forward to the Amgen Tour of California every year, and this year is extra special because we are excited to take part in the Gran Fondo to raise funds for local community partnerships and Charity of Choice,” said Jonathan Vaughters, CEO, Slipstream Sports.

Garmin Corporation has been a title sponsor of the Echelon Gran Fondo series since its inception and donates merchandise including the Garmin Edge 500 and 800 GPS cycling computers to top fundraisers.

Report: Crash limits sprint chances – Tour Down Under, stage 1

Wed, 18 Jan 2012 08:04:47 GMT

A crash in the final kilometer took the argyle sprint crew out of the running, with Heinrich Haussler looking otherwise strong for the finish. DS’ Allan Peiper and Geert Van Bondt sent this report.

Temperatures hit 42C yesterday and everyone suffered. Four riders were away after 5km and after 15km we turned right into the head wind and our boys hit the front. The peloton split into four groups and it was battle stations for many.

After the feed we put one into the chase, interchanging with Bauer and Maaskant.

Into the final and the boys tried hard to make position. Nathan came up to Robby and Heino at 2km to move them up. He got hooked off the road but did not crash.

At the km to go mark a big crash occurred. Robby and Heino were on the wheel of Greipel who just missed a crash but both our guys went down. Robby hit the back part of his bike on a car but is otherwise ok. Heino went down too so game over for us on stage 1.

Heino has a stiff wrist and a little skin off but is ok. Everyone really suffered in the heat.

Wednesday is a hard stage with four times around the finish in Sterling (3km false flat climb). That should be the best stage for Heino and temperatures should be mid 30′s.

Preview: Starting 2012 Down Under

Sun, 15 Jan 2012 23:21:22 GMT

The first race of the 2012 season is finally here, the Tour Down Under. Team Garmin-Barracuda’s always smiling Chiro Matt Rabin sent us this preview of what has happened so far, what’s to come, as well as what his role will be this first week.

The new cycling season is on the doorstep. We are here in Adelaide the Tour Down Under which begins later today with a criterium through town. While this has no effect on the General Classification outcome of the race, it’s the first opportunity for the teams to race together against each other and test lead-out trains at a WorldTour standard.

Our riders arrived in Adelaide a week ago or so and have bad a steady block of good training since then.

This is the first opportunity I’ve had to get my hands on our riders since we gathered for our training camp in Boulder in November. Each season see’s some riders come, and some go, so the November training camp is always the first real opportunity to meet the new riders, get their histories from an injury perspective and start to optimise their function biomechanically.

Typically as a chiro this involves a lot of hands on stuff, while giving riders pointers and direction on things to work on over the winter if it’s necessary. My view is that it doesn’t take a long time necessarily to see change when you are on the right track but finding that track for the individual is the key to getting the most improvement.

I saw on a poster out here, “Don’t dream of winning, train for it”. This made me think of exercises our riders do before they go out to train. On dropping into their rooms you will often see them going through a warm up routine involving core stability, coordination work, and dynamic stretches.

In other sports such as football or rugby these warm-ups are obvious as they’re typically done on the pitch in full view of the crowd, here they are done in hotel room floors with the beds pushed back! I guess this is just one of the small things that being a Professional is all about.

Also, the general consensus amongst those of us that have been with the team a few years is that this is one of the best looking kits we’ve had, and the boys are keen to show it off.
So with our team here in Australia kicking-off the new season in a modest but sunny 25 degrees, with its great blend of youth and experience, a dapper new kit, everyone being acclimatized and with jet-lag gone here’s to starting as we mean to go on, and wishing the boys all the best for this afternoon.

Crank Length

Sun, 15 Jan 2012 03:17:42 GMT

Hey Engineers, I’ve heard many triathletes and time trialists are switching to shorter cranks: 170, 165, even 160mm. I’m thinking of changing to shorter cranks on my Cervélo P3. What do you recommend? What do Cervélo pros do? Thanks in advance, - Mike Miller, L.A.

Great question Mike.

It is true that many top athletes are switching to shorter cranks for timed racing such as triathlon and TT. This is relatively new, because traditionally longer cranks were thought to be better since they give more leverage. However, crank length is just one lever in a drive train composed of a system of levers that transmit your foot’s force on the pedal to your tire’s thrust on the ground. The other levers in this system are the chain ring radius, cog radius and wheel radius. We vary two of these (chain ring and cog) at will whenever we shift gears. So we don’t need a small difference in crank length to change the leverage available to us.

What does Dr. Martin say?

Figure 1 Test rig used to measure maximum power at different crank lengths. The lengths tested were 120, 145, 170, 195 and 220mm.

For many athletes, the idea “longer is better” has changed in part because of Dr. Jim Martin’s 2001 study titled “Determinants of maximal cycling power: crank length, pedaling rate and pedal speed” (Eur J Appl Physiol (2001) 84: 413-418). Jim’s study involved 16 bike racers of various heights doing maximal sprint power tests, typically less than four seconds duration. During the study, they repeated the efforts while systematically testing the following crank lengths: 120, 145, 170, 195, and 220mm. Believe it or not, the test results showed no statistical difference in maximum power among the three middle crank lengths (145, 170 and 195mm). The saddle height (measured to the pedal) was maintained throughout and the researchers did not adjust fore-aft saddle position or handlebar height despite changes in pedal-to-knee relationship and handlebar drop with the various crank lengths. For years crank length tests had been inconclusive and the general working knowledge came more from experience and intuition than science. Now athletes can choose the crank length they like without worrying they’re affecting power.

What does the Wind Tunnel say?

Figure 2 Change in CdA as a result of changing crank length. Each athlete’s saddle height to the pedal (not BB) was maintained.

With the leverage-dependency myth debunked to a certain degree, it was the application of these lessons which really drove the value of this study. The figure above graphically shows how the aerodynamic drag area (CdA) changed when four pro athletes tested multiple crank lengths in the wind tunnel. (Keep in mind lower CdA is better.) Rider1’s CdA increased (from 0.271 to 0.277 m²) when he changed from longer to shorter cranks (from 180 to 175mm), but the other three riders’ CdA stayed the same or decreased slightly when changing from longer to shorter cranks. The crank length and CdA data for each athlete is listed in the table below.

Wind Tunnel Run	Rider	Crank, mm	CdA, m²
LSWT 0908 Run 756	Rider1	180	0.271
LSWT 0908 Run 757	Rider1	175	0.277
LSWT 0908 Run 806	Rider2	170	0.270
LSWT 0908 Run 807	Rider2	172.5	0.272
LSWT 0908 Run 805	Rider2	177.5	0.277
LSWT 0908 Run 701	Rider3	175	0.213
LSWT 0908 Run 702	Rider3	170	0.213
LSWT 0908 Run 707	Rider4	170	0.207
LSWT 0908 Run 708	Rider4	165	0.205

Table 1 Crank and CdA data used to generate the Figure above. Only CdA pairs with adjacent run numbers are comparable; other position changes were made in between non-adjacent run numbers which make them non-comparable.

As you can see from wind tunnel test data, changing crank length by itself doesn’t always have a predictable effect on aero drag (CdA). But for each of these pros, the change to a shorter crank solved a range of motion issue at the hip that allowed them to comfortably make other changes to reduce their aero drag without decreasing power.

What is the application?
With maximum power essentially unaffected by a wide range of reasonable crank lengths, athletes are now free to choose crank length based on other criteria. Convenience (your might already have a serviceable crank on your bike), comfort, pedal clearance (to the ground), toe overlap; all of these are affected by crank length. However, what is now understood is that, especially in an aero riding position, shorter cranks can sometimes alleviate a common fit problem: if the hip angle is too tight at the top of the pedal stroke, the athlete can be uncomfortable, or is unable to produce maximum power at the top of the pedal stroke.

Even in athletes with no existing fit problem, some choose shorter cranks in order to further lower the torso by lowering the arm pads. Perhaps this is not a surprise, but the hours of wind tunnel testing we’ve done with various Cervélo-sponsored pro athletes over the years confirms that for nearly all athletes, a lower bar means lower aero drag.

Keep in mind that hip angle isn’t the only limiter on lowering the torso. Saddle discomfort, digestion and vision are other common limiters. If an athlete is limited in these ways then shorter cranks won’t help get them any lower.

Some athletes keep their long cranks and still perform well. Some try short cranks, aren’t happy with the results and switch back again. Others keep the short cranks and tell us the following:

They pedal faster. The effort and foot speed is about the same, but the RPM is higher, typically about the same percentage higher as the change in crank length. For example, the difference between 165 and 175 is about 5%; some athletes find themselves in a gear about 5% easier than before, with a matching cadence about 5% higher. Coincidentally, the difference between a “compact” 50 tooth chain ring and a 53 is close to 5%. Likewise 20 and 21 teeth are about 5% different.
They adapted immediately. The leg muscles operate over a slightly shorter range of motion with shorter cranks, so no “new” muscle training is needed. Also the faster cadence doesn’t need to be learned or trained, because the foot speed (and thus the muscle fiber shortening velocity) is the same as before.
They feel more similar between aero and road bike positions. The typical idea is to rotate your road position into your aero position, but usually the torso rotates farther than the rest of the body. This closes the hip joint, and shorter cranks on the aero bike can maintain a hip angle more similar to that of their road position.
They can run better. Triathletes say the initial part of the run feels better coming from shorter cranks.

What does the Race Engineer say?
As Team Garmin-Cervélo’s Race Engineer, I advise athletes to choose whatever crank length they like. Those who are interested may try shorter cranks on the TT bike; in that case I usually recommend a 5mm difference: longer on the road bike than the TT bike. In all cases, regular training on the TT bike is important to promote adaptation to all aspects of the aero position. The main thing is to realize that the choice of crank length doesn’t significantly affect power, so any length is now free to choose for any other reason. This lets the athletes relax about crank length, knowing it’s not as critical as we used to think.

Dr. Martin’s results are not widely understood yet, so crank length is still controversial, and many athletes have strong preferences on crank length. Let me know what you think in the comments section below.

Cheers,
Damon Rinard, Cervélo Engineer

Announcement - Updated

Sat, 24 Dec 2011 03:30:00 GMT

Cervélo has entered into a financing arrangement with PON Holdings BV. In addition, Cervélo and PON have signed a Letter of Intent that enables both parties to agree on a sale of Cervélo in exclusivity.

Updated information: Thanks to everybody who commented on our message that we're contemplating a sale of the company. To answer some of your questions, here is a bit of background. Cervélo has experienced exceptional growth and success since we started 16 years ago. A potential sale of the company allows us to continue to grow Cervélo without changing any of the things that make it special.

Cervélo will continue to be based in Toronto, with the same team of people, with the same desire to engineer the best bikes on the planet. It will stand by old products and create exciting new ones, starting with the new P5 which will be launched next month. Stay tuned.

The winter solstice approaches

Sun, 18 Dec 2011 18:28:49 GMT

Well, the winter solstice is just a few short days away and soon the daytime will start to get longer again. It also marks pretty much the end of the cycling season and the start of the next. Soon, the Tour Down Under will herald in the New Year along with the new pro season. While some of you will definitely take time off the bike, I will be trying to ward off the annual weight gain by tackling the mountain in the living room. Having done just a couple of rides on the trainer this weekend, I know I am way off my fitness as the last previous run in the spring was 7 minutes faster. Ouch! Now I just need to suture the mouth shut for the next couple of weeks and I should be good.

When I got the R3-SL in 2007, I was able to try it out within a fortnight on a real mountain. Can’t say that with the R5ca. Unfortunately, it hasn’t seen a mountain or a serious climb of any nature which is too bad. Not being able to get away for any stretch of time is the real culprit here.

Since building up the bike in early August, I have been able to put just over 4,000 km on it using pretty much the original components used on the initial build except for the replacement SRAM cassette and the 3T seatpost. Unlike a standard bike components, lightweight components are definitely not designed with the same wear characteristics and as a result tend to be a wee bit more prone to having issues with longevity. When they last longer than you expected, that is when you know you got really good components.

I have been riding the Reynolds RZRs even into December with the near freezing conditions of some of the rides. This is the longest I have ridden tubulars and the first time in such conditions. A couple of the pictures are from the last couple rides when I have started out in the morning. Almost makes you want to go back home and jump back into bed.

All the components seem to be working well even when the temperature is just north of that magical frigid point. If it is below freezing or wet, you won’t see me out on the road; my hands just don’t take very kindly to the freezing temperatures especially with the wind chill. In about a third of the time I would normally do a Donut Ride, I can get the same workout on the mountain in the living room.

People have asked what I do when riding the trainer, do I watch the television or what? Well, basically, I just set the bike up at the window and look outside or the computer screen to see how I am performing. Looking out on the poor dog owners taking out Fluffy to nature break in the really cold weather is sometimes comical. Watching some of the owners trying to get their animal to do its business while they stand there freezing their heinie off, well, is just priceless.

It also affords me the opportunity to work on pedalling technique. I pretty much try to pick a cadence to go with and a heart rate to match. If I can do that for the distance I have picked for the ride without going into the red zone, I will have done a good job. That picture of the computer screen is what I am focusing on. I am not doing one of the pre-programmed classic rides but a given slope over a given distance.

Now, how close the resistance of the trainer is to a real 8% climb, I am not sure. I really need to find a good climb to create some baselines again. What was a baseline in 2007/2008 wouldn’t apply now as my weight and fitness are radically different.

So, what is up for 2012? I am really interested in getting my hands on the Brim Brothers power meters. It sounds as though they are getting closer to getting them out the door. And, we will have to take a look at the new 2012 SRAM Red components to see if they offer any performance/weight benefits.

Thanks for following along and hopefully I will be able to get away, maybe even on one of the Cervélo Travel trips. All of us here at Cervélo would like to wish everyone a safe and happy holiday season and great 2012!

Looking for Clues: Looking for a European Winter teamTBB Home Base

Thu, 08 Dec 2011 18:09:38 GMT

It has been a while since I've written. I know I owe all you readers an overview of the racing in Hawaii at this year's world championships. But I have nothing much positive to say about it so have not yet been able to find the motivation to put pen to paper.

But what I have been doing is listening. And I have heard the calls for teamTBB training camps. The over whelming success of our online coaching patrons this year has made our next move a necessity. So over the next year,we will be looking to establish winter home bases in Europe, Asia, and the USA which will serve as our camp headquarters.

With this in mind, I have been taking the time to road test possible winter venues around Europe. Most European triathletes have heard and visited Lanzarote, Majorca, Ibiza, Tenerife as great training grounds for Europeans during the winter months. But at teamTBB, the team and I have a philosophy of family needs to be included in one's triathlon journey for it to be a wholistic success. With this in mind, I set out to find somewhere that has brilliant riding, great running, and a good climate within summer to be a possible simulation of Hawaii. But that also has a wide range of other activities for family members. Being with the Swiss federation has afforded me the opportunity to visit Gran Canaria for a short camp last year. (This was the secret training location of one Natasha Badman) After exploring the island, I was amazed to find not many triathletes at all on the island. So I decided to come back this November and organized a little Swiss and teamTBB Camp to fully road test Gran Canaria as a possible place where we will put up the teamTBB flag to call home not just for pros but all European age groupers.

We think we have found a low key warm training getaway from the harsh European winter. The camp has been an overwhelming success. So much so that the Doc has sent for his boss Fifi to give it the once over for the family aspect. In addition, all the athletes are so pleased with the venue, ease of travel, and price to get here from all over Europe. The two biggest budget airlines fly from all over Europe to Gran Canaria. So I can say confidently if the real boss Fifi gives it the thumbs up then teamTBB will work to establish its winter base providing camps from September as a Hawaii camp to winter break camps in November and December and then from February to April for early season preparation.

The best announcement I have left to last. This camp won't be staffed by anybody with a sports degree but a line-up of great current and former athletes that will help guide you in training every day. We are thrilled to announce that the Iron-couple Stephen and Bella Bayliss will be rejoining teamTBB and will set up base in our winter camp. Stephen and Bella will provide their years of experience to all the Brits and Scotts wishing to get away from the harsh weather up north and do some training with legends from our sport. Likewise, Lisbeth Kristenson former World long course champion after the birth of Jacob will in 2012 be taking up coaching position with our online team. She will be leading and coordinating the winter camps for the Scandinavian countries. Over the next few months, we will be adding established coaches from Germany, Switzerland, and France to our team. They will cater to the athletes from their countries and work to coordinate camps to best serve those countries athletes.

Further details will be coming in the new year once we have made the necessary arrangements. I am very excited as this will be a further step for teamTBB to again add value to the age-group triathletes' experience. From training to racing, we want to offer age-group triathletes the best coaching at the best venues in the best weather at the best price.

I will keep you posted on Fifi's verdict (she is the real boss) as every triathlete and the Doc knows, a happy wife and family makes for great training, fast racing, and a happy Doc.

Cervélo S5 wins cyclingnews.com best team bike

Wed, 07 Dec 2011 22:12:37 GMT

For the seventh year in a row, Cervélo has won the "Best Team Bike" in the cyclingnews.com annual reader poll.

More details can be found on cyclingnews.com. For more details on the Cervélo S5, click here.

Race preview December 3rd-4th

Fri, 02 Dec 2011 17:14:44 GMT

With the northern hemisphere settling in for winter with Rum and Eggnog, the southern hemisphere is getting into full swing now with their race season. Like the migrating birds, the athletes of teamTBB are now focusing their attention to the races below the equator.

Ironman Busselton, Australia
Sunday December 4th
Distance: 3.8 km swim • 180km bike • 42.2km run
teamTBB - Germany athletes racing
Aaron Farlow

Aaron is racing Ironman Busselton this weekend off his dominating win at Wagga Triathlon last weekend. Aaron is very excited for the race and has recovered well from his win. He is eager to test his fitness against a very strong men's field. He is hoping for a fast time as this course is very fast with a flat salt water swim, flat bike, and run along the coast. He hopes to be at 100% so that he can bring home the win. This is Aaron's first time racing in Busseltown and he hopes to get a win at home. The athletes Aaron will face off against include last year's winner Coutney Ogden, Luke McKenzie, Timo Bracht, Maik Twelsiek, and Leon Griffin. Aaron will be challenged but I think on his best day he can take all these top pro men in a head to head competition.

Best of luck Aaron; hope you have a win to start your Aussie racing season!

Find out more: http://www.ironmanwesternaustralia.com

Asia-Pacific 70.3 Championships, Phuket Thailand
Sunday December 4th
Distance: 1.9km swim • 90km bike • 21.1km run
teamTBB - Asia athletes racing
Dave Dellow
Dan Halksworth

Dan and Dave will take on each other and a stellar field at the Asian Pacific 70.3 Champs in Phuket this weekend. Both Dan and Dave are hoping to start their 2012 seasons with a great race here at the end of this year. Dave is planning to shoot for Kona this year and is looking at this race as an opportunity to start earning KPR points. His goal is to finish atop the podium. Dan is coming off a great training camp in Gran Canaria and is ready to produce a great race. His training camp was disrupted a bit when his Cervélo was stolen as he had to fly home to procure a new bike. However, Dan has put in the work and is raring to race hard and test his fitness. The course is challenging as it has many hills and technical sections on the bike and will serve up hot and humid conditions making for a hard run. However, the ocean swim will help both Dan and Dave get a solid start to the day. The main competition includes Matt Reed and Justin Granger in addition to many other top professional men.

Go fast Dan and Dave, get atop that podium, and start off 2012 with a sizzle

Find out more: http://www.ironmanphuket.com

Aaron Farlow dominates the field winning the Wagga Triathlon!

Wed, 30 Nov 2011 17:57:35 GMT

TeamTBB Germany athlete Aaron Farlow won the Wagga Triathlon with an amazing performance topping the men’s elite field by more than 25 minutes in the event. He lead on the 2K swim, continued to extend his lead on the 120K big, and even brought it home with the quickest run. Leading from the wire, Aaron has shown that he still has the form that lead him to a win at Ironman UK earlier this summer. It is a great omen for next weekend where Aaron will battle for the win at Ironman Busselton in Western Australia. Follwing Ironman Western Australia, Aaron plans to continue his racing domination with Ironman New Zealand, Ironman Melbourne, Ironman Port Macquarie, 70.3 Singapore, Challenge Wanaka and Challenge Cairns.

Congrats Aaron! Get a good rest and get ready to bring home a win at Ironman Busselton next weekend!

At the Ironman Cozume in Mexico, Brandon Marsh came in 7th at Ironman Cozumel battling hot conditions and wind on the bike. He reported that he was happy with the result but not satisfied as he is confident that on the right day he can go even faster. Brandon had a great swim followed by a solid bike, and a good run. Despite this, Brandon knows that he has an even better race in him. Overall, he was pleased with the 7th place but looks forward to battling it out again next time.

Congrats on a great race and now get home to have a late Birthday celebration with that fast wife of yours!

Race preview Nov 27th

Sat, 26 Nov 2011 04:32:52 GMT

This weekend sees the Ironman and tri season slowly migrate to the warmer climates from the chilly northern hemisphere.

Ironman Cozumel, Mexico
Sunday November 27th
Distance: 3.8 km swim • 180km bike • 42.2km run
teamTBB - USA athletes racing
Brandon Marsh

Brandon Marsh is skipping the US days of gluttony otherwise known as US Thanksgiving to head South of the Border and compete at IM Cozumel. Brandon is excited and this will be his first trip to Mexico for a race longer than an Olympic distance. He is excited for the swim in the warm beautiful water off Cozumel, the flat but windy bike, and will finish off the day with a flat and spectator friendly run. The weather should be hot and humid but nothing this Texas boy can't handle.

The competition facing Brandon will be tough as several of the top-10 from last year as well as numerous top Ironmen athletes are on the start list. With this solid field, Brandon's goal is simple: test his fitness and execute a solid race. Brandon will focus on taking care of all the little details that can derail a fit and strong Ironman athlete like fueling and pacing. Brandon't training leading into this event has been great and this will be his final race for 2011. He plans to put it all on the line.

As a side note, Brandon missed Amy's birthday, so he has strict orders from her to make this a great race! This is the 2nd year in a row that Brandon has been planning on or racing an Ironman about the same time as Amy's birthday!! Word on the street is that Amy wished for him to have an amazing race. For Brandon, he'll have to wait to have his cake until after the race on Sunday.

Good luck Brandon get that PR and get home to have a late Birthday celebration with that fast wife of yours!
Find out more: http://www.ironmancozumel.com

Wagga Triathlon Festival, NSW Australia
Sunday November 27th
Distance: 2km swim • 120km bike • 20km run
teamTBB - Germany athletes racing
Aaron Farlow

Aaron Farlow is back racing to kick off his Australian season. He'll test himself at the Wagga Triathlon Festival (Ultimate Triathlon) this weekend. This is just a shorter event to help Aaron work out the kinks in preparation for Ironman Western Australia next weekend. Aaron is excited to be back racing as he has had interrupted training since arriving home due to sickness and various other commitments. Aaron expects to face a small but tough men's pro field with his biggest competition being fellow Aussie Tim Berkel and Michael Fox. This event is just a short drive for Aaron from his home in Canberra. It will be a great way to start his seaon and build form for the rest of the year. Aaron hopes to see where he is at now and continue to build his form for the rest of the year. Follwing Ironman Western Australia, Aaron plans to continue his racing domination with Ironman New Zealand, Ironman Melbourne, Ironman Port Macquarie, 70.3 Singapore, Challenge Wanaka and Challenge Cairns.

Good luck Aaron! Get a good race under your belt and get ready to bring home a win at Ironman Busselton next weekend!

Find out more: http://www.eliteenergy.com.au/wagga/index.html

Team Garmin-Cervélo unveils 2012 men’s Pro Team roster

Fri, 18 Nov 2011 21:08:59 GMT

Team Garmin-Cervélo went back to its roots for the unveiling of its 2012 roster with a gala team presentation in Boulder, Colorado. Hundreds of fans packed the Boulder Theater to meet the newest additions to the team and celebrate many argyle veterans.

The goals for 2012 continue to derive from the ethos of the organization, that of team achievement over that of the individual. This philosophy saw the team reach new heights in 2011, from the Classics to the Grand Tours and beyond.

“We had our strongest season in the history of the team in 2011, and we’ll be looking to build on that success in 2012,” said Jonathan Vaughters, CEO, Slipstream Sports.
“Our roster has an outstanding mix of new and returning riders, with both veteran and young talent excelling in all disciplines of the sport. This will allow us to continue to do what we do best, win as a team.”

The team is once again highlighted by sprint sensation Tyler Farrar who this year became the second American to win a stage in all three Grand Tours, David Millar, one of the team’s founding members and an exceptional time trialist, general classification phenomenon Dan Martin and team leader Christian Vande Velde.

Also returning to the team is Paris-Roubaix champion Johan Vansummeren, Tour de France top-ten Tom Danielson and current US Professional time trial champion David Zabriskie.
Slipstream Sports is dedicated to developing the next generation of cycling champions. As such Alex Howes, Raymond Kreder and Jacob Rathe are all moving up from Team Chipotle, the organization’s Continental development squad. Peter Stetina, a graduate of the program, returns for another year while neo-pro signings Jack Bauer and Nathan Haas continue the development tradition.

Veteran additions to the team include Koldo Fernandez, Fabian Wegmann and Sebastien Rosseler, while the return of Robby Hunter will give a boost to the team’s lead-out train.

2012 Team Garmin-Cervélo Pro Men:
Jack Bauer
Tom Danielson
Thomas Dekker
Tyler Farrar
Koldo Fernandez
Murilo Fischer
Nathan Haas
Heinrich Haussler
Ryder Hesjedal
Alex Howes
Robby Hunter
Andreas Klier
Michel Kreder
Raymond Kreder
Christophe Le-Mevel
Martijn Maaskant
Dan Martin
David Millar
Ramunas Navardauskas
Tom Peterson
Jacob Rathe
Alex Rasmussen
Sebastien Rosseler
Peter Stetina
Andrew Talansky
Christian Vande Velde
Sep Vanmarcke
Johan Vansummeren
Fabian Wegmann
David Zabriskie
Directors:
Johnny Weltz
Bingen Fernandez
Eric VanLancker
Geert Van Bondt
Charly Wegelieus

Owned and managed by Slipstream Sports, LLC Team Garmin-Cervélo is dedicated to promoting ethical sporting and developing the next generation of cycling champions.

Race Preview Nov 19-20

Fri, 18 Nov 2011 04:55:17 GMT

As the year winds to a close, we are cloing in on the last few Ironman races of the year. This weekend's race sees teamTBB in Arizona.

Ironman Arizona, Arizona USA
Sunday November 20th
Distance: 3.8 km swim • 180km bike • 42.2km run

teamTBB - Germany athletes racing
Christian Nitschke

Christian is traveling from his home in Germany to race Arizona Ironman this weekend. He is really looking forward to the event. Christian has been training hard and the volume during the last 8 weeks was the most he has ever done. Christian's goal is to go after it and break his personal best of 8:27. Even though the course is not the fastest in the world, he is confident that it should be possible. Christian did the preparation at home and was really lucky with the weather conditions. At the end of September Germany has a very mild average temp of 25° C (15°C is normal) and even at the end of october he was able to train outside as it was sunny and mild. He is eager to head out now as just the last few days were a bit chilly (-3° to 6°). But after the last cold Christian is excited to see 25° C and sun in Phoenix!

Christian will face a tough field at this year's Ironman Arizona. On the start list, there are more than 60 Pros including the German überbiker Sebastian Kienle (sub 8 in roth), Dirk Bockel (4th Hawaii), Eneko Llanos (podium in Frankfurt 2009), Michi Weiß (X-terra world champ), Jordan Rapp (IM Canada champ), and so many more top athletes. Christian will have plenty of athletes to swim with and chase on the bike. Then on the run, he'll do his best to work through the field and get a top finish. Christian is confident that he is in a fantastic shape right now and hope to be mixing it up and beating the big name athletes!

The course in Arizona is flat and fast with a one loop swim, three loop bike and three loop run.

Good luck Christian get that PR and take down some of the big boys!

Find out more: http://www.ironmanarizona.com

James' Surgery And Resurgence

Mon, 14 Nov 2011 19:20:46 GMT

“Man, I love riding my bike!” We had just crested another climb on the final day of a week full of climbing. We were riding back to Leysin, Switzerland from Albertville in France, through Chamonix-Mont Blanc. It must be some of the best riding in the world and I was enjoying it as only someone who has experienced cycling and has a serious addiction to exercise can understand. The weather was amazing, the scenery stunning and the exhaustion-induced grumpiness of my riding partners only served to bolster my good mood – it takes a lot time and energy to get that tired and always seems a waste to me to not revel in the feelings… There was only one thing bothering me. My knee was sore. I’ve had sore knees before, and all sorts of other overuse injuries - no doubt somewhat linked to the same enjoyment of fatigue – but this was different. (Hindsight is always full of obvious observations, but I really should have taken more note of this uniqueness.) Regardless, I had to get home and riding was the only way. And the discomfort was bearable and not getting worse (another clue!).

Once back in Leysin a more thorough assessment was done, but seeing as it bothered me running and biking and rest wasn’t helping, it wasn’t long before I sought some expert advice. I was referred to Patrik Noack at the Swiss Olympic Medical center, and he diagnosed Medial Plica Syndrome and gave me a cortisone shot, saying if that didn’t work then an arthroscope to remove the offending cartilage was the next step. The diagnosis, once I had learned about it as I had never heard of it before then, fit perfectly with every symptom I had and intuitively I knew it was the correct diagnosis. And, of course, Patrik was completely correct, and as I sit here now I have been mostly confined to the couch for the past week as I had my Plica removed in a quick operation last Friday. But 12 weeks passed between the cortisone and that ‘next step’… Before I could get the op done in Switzerland my 90-day visa was to expire, and besides, I had medical cover in South Africa.

It was a simple procedure and could be done anywhere I was told. So I flew home to South Africa and got the advice to see a Dr. Willem van der Merwe at the Sport Science Institute - apparently one of the best knee guys in the world. A week-long wait to see him and then I was hopeful my injury would be well on its way to being history. As I met him and started telling him the history of the injury I got the distinct impression he was only half-listening. And when I told him it was diagnosed as Plica Syndrome he all but laughed at me and told me it definitely was not Plica (having not yet even looked at my knee!). He said it’s probably tendonopathy and we’ll get an MRI there and then to confirm. The MRI confirmed nothing, but he said, “I can see your Plica, but it definitely not the problem here.” I was prescribed a program on the Grucox eccentric cycle ergometer to ‘balance my muscles and get my knee tracking correctly’. Two weeks of this and my frustration was mounting – there was no discernible improvement and the standard line was “These things take time”. The Grucox machines certainly work and I imagine they would help enormously if a muscle imbalance was your issue. But muscle-imbalance was not my issue.

Another expert was sought, through a friends’ reference and this time I went to a ‘guru’ in muscle activation. He worked his magic and I have to say that it certainly made a difference to my well-being and made my body, feeling out-of-sync after 6 weeks of not training, feel happier. But this will only help you if your issue was an alignment or balance issue. But muscle activation was not my issue. I sought another Orthopedic knee guy as the manner of the first guy was still irking me – I felt he had been arrogant and not given my situation the time it deserved. I went to Spike Erasmus in Stellenbosch. He was far more concerned and determined to get to the bottom of it. But he was also adamant that he would not do anything dramatic like operate until I had tried complete rest for 4-6 weeks, thereby ruling out any inflammatory conditions.

So Jodie and I went on holiday and I resigned myself more waiting. After the holiday I saw a great bio/physio in Stellenbosch, Francois Retief who applied his expertise to my problem. But he too was at a bit of a loss in my case. Eventually my zen-like calm ran out and my frustration got the better of me and I went for a run to see if the then 4 week of rest had helped… I got to two minutes. Intense frustration! I immediately went for a new MRI, and booked in to see the Ortho again. The MRI confirmed immediately that I had an enlarged Plica. As it turns out, the MRI I got previously at the SSISA and on the direction of ‘the best knee guy in SA’ was a low resolution MRI and completely missed the Plica. How the ‘best knee guy’ uses MRI’s that don’t show the problem to rule out said problem is beyond me… The new MRI was conclusive, but there was still a small chance that either the Plica was not pathological, or that it could be solved with cortisone. We tried the cortisone, but it was obvious that it was making no difference and so, 12 weeks after it was actually diagnosed instead of 1 week, I had the op.

Apparently once in the knee with the camera it was very clear that the Plica was pathological and it was actually bleeding, something which is very unusual. It was removed a week ago today, and my progress has been rapid. I am still limping a bit and no running or biking yet, but I am sure that after a few more days for the stitches and bruising to heal I will be back on the road to full fitness and racing again. I learned many lessons from this injury (mostly that ‘the best’ doctors don’t know your body half as well as you know you!) and I am sure that I will come back from this injury well-rested, wiser and a whole lot more motivated! Look out 2012… Onwards and upwards…

Race Wrap Nov 5

Wed, 09 Nov 2011 16:04:06 GMT

This past weekend saw teamTBB participating in races in the US and Taiwan with mixed results.

Ironman Florida, Florida USA
Saturday November 5th
Distance: 3.8 km swim • 180km bike • 42.2km run
teamTBB - USA athletes racing
Scott DeFilippis

Scott raced his way to a top ten result at Iroman Florida. Scottie had a well balanced race with a 56 min swim, 4:36 bike, and 2:48 run. Overcoming his disrupted season due to the broken collarbone in July, Scottie showed he is back to top form and even better than before. Scott bested his time of 8:43 from 2010 by over 15 minutes finishing in 8:27. Way to race Scottie! The entire team is so proud of Scott's hard work and can't wait to watch as he continues to improve. Please keep an eye out for Scott's blog to be posted later this week where he will elaborate on his race both positives and negatives in more detail.

Top men
1. Ronnie Schildknecht (SUI) 7:59:42
2. Maxim Kriat (UKR) 8:10:43
3. Justin Daerr (USA) 8:18:02
4. Mads Vittrup (DEN) 8:21:31
5. Frank Vytrisal (GER) 8:21:48
8. Scott Defillipi (USA) 8:27:13

Find out more: http://www.ironmanflorida.com

ITU Long Course World Championships, Henderson, Nevada
Saturday November 5th
Distance: 4 km swim • 120km bike • 30km run
teamTBB - Asia athlete racing
Dave Dellow
teamTBB - Germany athlete racing
Caroline Steffen

Dave and Xena didn't have luck on their side in Vegas. Keep an eye out for their blogs to hear what happened and get some of the wisdom they garnered from their experiences. It is often said that after a diffcult race you learn more about yourself than after a win. Dave and Xena will recover and get ready to race the 70.3 Asian Champs in Phuket. I wouldn't beat against them avenging their race in Vegas and achieving a pair of podiums next month in Phuket.

Find out more: http://www.triathlon.org

Ironman 70.3 Taiwan, Taiwan
Saturday November 5th
Distance: 1.9 km swim • 90km bike • 21km run
teamTBB - Asia athletes racing
Maki Nishiuchi

Maki concluded her season with a 2nd place finish at the 70.3 race in Taiwan. Maki has had an amazing season and was very happy to finish her season at Kenting in Taiwan. She lead out of the swim and fasced hot windy conditions on the bike and run. Maki came up with an amazing finish.

Top women
1. Michelle Wu (AUS) 4:31:55
2. Maki Nishiuchi (JPN) 4:56:17

Find out more: http://www.ironmantaiwan.com/index.php?language=en

Race Preview Nov 4-5

Fri, 04 Nov 2011 17:12:18 GMT

This weekend sees teamTBB testing the waters in Florida, Nevada and Taiwan in three different types of races.

Ironman Florida, Florida USA
Sunday November 5th
Distance: 3.8 km swim • 180km bike • 42.2km run

teamTBB - USA athletes racing
Scott DeFilippis

Scott will be racing on the Florida Panhandle this Sunday. The race will be flat and fast and perfect test for Scottie. He has raced this Ironman last year and hopes to improve on his result from 2010. After a disrupted season with his bike crash and broken collarbone, he is excited and ready to race this late season Ironman. The swim will as a solid, and Scottie will test all the hard swim training he has been doing in the pool. On the bike, Scottie will try to work with the other professionals to keep up a hard pace on this flat windy course. Then on the run, Scottie will unleash his killer run speed and unleash the fast split we all know he is capable of doing. Scott will have his work cut out for him with a very strong competitive field of professional men including Dirk Bockel, Eduardo Sturla, and Christian Brader. Good luck Scottie bring home a podium!

Find out more: http://www.ironmanflorida.com

ITU Long Course World Championships, Henderson, Nevada
Sunday November 5th
Distance: 4 km swim • 120km bike • 30km run

teamTBB - Asia athlete racing
Dave Dellow
teamTBB - Germany athlete racing
Caroline Steffen

Dave and Xena are on a roll and will roll into Vegas to take test their speed and skill against a strong field at the ITU long distance world champs this weekend. Just down the road in Vegas, oddsmakers will be wagering on sporting evets and in this race the smart money would be on our teamTBB power couple of Dave and Xena. The course will be very challenging with a lake swim, followed by a very hilly bike, and tough hilly run. The strength of Xena and Dave will give them a big advantage over the other athletes. The field is stacked on the womens and mens side. Xena will face Erica Cosmor, Nikki Butterfiield, Leanda Cave, Rachel Joyce, and many more top women. Dave will line up and race Michael Raleart, Joe Gambles, Jordan Rapp, and many more tough professional men. Dave has strong momentum afer his win last weekend at the Noosa Triathlon in Australia , while Xena had an amazing effort in Kona where she took risks and led the race for the majority of the run. Dave and Xena are excited to race and will lay all their cards on the table and throw all their chips into the pot this weekend in Vegas! Go get a pair of podiums!

Find out more: http://www.triathlon.org

Ironman 70.3 Taiwan, Taiwan
Sunday November 5th
Distance: 1.9 km swim • 90km bike • 21km run
teamTBB - Asia athletes racing
Maki Nishiuchi

Maki will finish her season this Sunday at the 70.3 race in Taiwan. Maki has had an amazing season with top ten finishes around the world in Ironman and 70.3 events. Maki will test herself at Kenting in Taiwan located on the southern tip surrounded by lush vegatation and beautiful beaches. The race will be hot and humid and should be flat and fast. Maki wil lead the women out of the swim with a hard effort. On the bike, Maki will try to maintain her lead over the other women. Then on the run, Maki will put it all on the line. As of right now, Maki will get a podium as there are only three professional women starting the event with Michelle Wu being the top competition for the win. Maki is going to give it her best effort and go for the win.

Find out more: http://www.ironmantaiwan.com/index.php?language=en

The myth of modulus

Sun, 30 Oct 2011 23:35:02 GMT

My wife’s bike has a decal on the top tube that reads Super High Modulus so I am assuming this refers to the Carbon fiber used. My Cervélo R5 doesn’t say anything about the material in any of the literature. Is my wife’s bike better than mine?

The myth of modulus
That’s a great question….

Recently we have seen bikes advertising 100%High Modulus, Super High Modulus, Aerospace grade Carbon… and list goes on and on. The truth is that we are now often being asked what modulus our frames are made of, and the answer is both very simple, and very complicated.

The easy answer is this: We use all kinds of fibers in every frame we make.

The answer most people are looking for is far too complicated to sum up in a frame sticker or fancy marketing name. Whereas the term high modulus has become a symbol for the idea of ‘light and stiff’, it fails to address other important characteristics like, ‘strength and comfort’. To start with, it’s important to understand that all bicycle companies have access to the same carbon fibers as any other industry using carbon fiber. Because just three Boeing 787 Dreamliners use more carbon fiber than the entire bicycle industry in a year, no one in cycling gets special fibers made for them. (Unfortunately, in the global economic hierarchy, bicycle production does not take precedence over the production of jumbo jets.) What does differentiate one carbon fiber frame from another however, has everything to do with HOW and WHERE in the bike’s frame and fork carbon fibers are used, and only to a lesser extent, to do with WHICH fibers are used. One very real problem with using carbon fiber modulus as a marketing tool, is that there is no consistent modulus scale. One company’s ‘Super High-Mod’ may very well be another’s midrange.

Basic lesson on carbon Fibers
To understand the myth of modulus, we must first think about two characteristics which direct material choice. They are Strength and Stiffness. Strength is defined here as the amount of force that can be applied to material before it breaks (fails). Often mistakenly interchanged with strength, think about stiffness as the amount a material deforms when a given force is applied. A stiffer material will deform less under the same force compared to a less stiff material.

Figure 1: torsion and bending loads

Modulus (more specifically Young’s Modulus) is the engineering term for stiffness of a material. When asked to explain the idea of modulus, or stiffness, we often employ some basic household items: a rubber band, and a length of dry spaghetti. Using the terms above, the rubber band is very strong because is it easily bent out of shape without yielding (permanently deforming), and will return to its original shape when the force is released. A rubber band is very hard to break, but is very flexible as it takes very little force to deform it. The uncooked spaghetti noodle however, is the opposite. It is very stiff as it resists deformation until it ultimately snaps suggesting that it is not very strong. Think of the rubber band as low modulus and the spaghetti as high modulus carbon fibers. The bragging rights associated with the use of high modulus fibers suggests that the bike is super stiff. However; remember what happened to the spaghetti noodle? High modulus carbon fiber may be stiff, but it is not very strong and thus--like the pasta--breaks with less force than lower modulus fibers. Simply put: fibers that are higher modulus (stiffer) are also weaker, and ones that are lower modulus generally offer higher strength (harder to break). It is also important to note that higher modulus fibers cost much more than lower modulus fibers, over 10 times more in some cases.

The Frame
When engineering a frame, there are a series of factors to consider, and each of these affect fiber selection for any given location on the frame. Stiff fibers may be required to resist bending (flex), strong fibers may be employed to resist failure (breaking), and the cost of fibers chosen impacts the overall production cost. Different areas of the bicycle require different mixtures of fibers. The front of the bike, for example, experiences different forces on different planes than does the bottom bracket junction. This is the same story for the down tube, the seat tube, the drive side chain stay as opposed to the non-drive side chain stay and so on. Because each of these locations demands a unique mixture of stiffness and strength to resist the numerous unique load cases, at Cervélo we utilize location specific laminations (layers of fibers at different angles) of high strength and high stiffness fibers to achieve the desired performance.

The basics of lay ups
For most of us who have been around a while, the image we have of carbon fiber is a sheet of woven fibers often seen through the clear coat of earlier bicycles. Although still around and sometimes used for their high strength, woven fibers are less stiff than the unidirectional fibers used more commonly in newer frames. Using layers of unidirectional fibers (all the fibers in one layer are aligned in the same direction) allows engineers to make the most of the high stiffness and light weight of carbon composites, however doing so requires much more detailed knowledge about composite materials. It is easier to design a frame using all woven material, but it will not be as stiff or light as one designed properly with unidirectional material. For frame engineering, knowing which fibers to place where and what directions to put them in is critical when attempting to reduce weight, maintain strength and still provide a stiff bike which is comfortable to ride. An advantage of composites is you get to place each fiber where it belongs; the challenge is that you have to place each fiber where it belongs! Here is where good engineering takes over from simple material choice. The key is that we need to select different types of fibers and carefully position them in the correct locations and orientations to best exploit their properties. Using advanced engineering software tools like Finite Element Analysis (FEA) and Ply Draping software allows us to better understand exactly how each layer of carbon fiber is working and if it is being used properly. Of course, all of these tools would be worthless without the in-house engineering knowledge to understand how they work and correlate them with real world testing. The more critical the relationship between strength, stiffness, and weight becomes, the greater the number of precisely placed and carefully chosen layers are required. This is one of the reasons that, currently it is only possible to make a frame as light and stiff as the Cervélo R5ca in our Project California facility. There, we have the ability to very precisely control the ply size, shape, and position tolerances. (Yes, there is no bicycle frame as light and stiff as the Cervélo R5ca.)

Figure 2: woven carbon fibers often used as top sheet

The long and short of carbon fiber engineering
When a bicycle company pays better attention to the engineering details, they build a better bike. The process of choosing correct fiber modulus is not driven by marketing, rather it is the result of detailed FEA and lamination analysis which allows engineers to understand load cases and optimize performance. Only after we know the differences between real world riding vs. tests vs. design, can a much higher performance frame be produced using the right fibers in the right place. No fancy marketing names required.

Figure 3: FEA results comparing different layups under head tube impact load

Dave Dellow wins Noosa

Sun, 30 Oct 2011 15:27:48 GMT

Congrats to Dave Dellow! He won the Noosa Triathlon today upseting a strong field of men to run away with the win. Dave took down triathlon standouts including Courtney Aktinson, Chris McCorkmick, Paul Matthews, and Jimmy Seear. Dave has been training hard all year and racing strong building momentum with each event. Finally, all his hard work is strarting to pay off with this big win. He had a great swim, strong bike, breakaway, and devasting run to steal the win. Dave will have a race report up soon. Dave was excited to race at home and have an amazing win against the top Australians in the world. Next up, Dave and Xena will race next weekend's ITU Long course World Championships in Vegas. I am sure Dave will be ready to lay it all on the line again next weekend!

Race Preview Oct 29-30

Sun, 30 Oct 2011 02:35:07 GMT

Even though the Ironman World Championships have come and gone, that doesn't mean there is some racing to be done. This weekend sees teamTBB participating in races above and below the equator.

Ironman 70.3 Miami, Florida USA
Sunday October 30th
Distance: 1.9km swim • 90km bike • 21km run
teamTBB - USA athletes racing
Brandon Marsh

Mr. Marsh will be racing the 70.3 Miami this Sunday as a solid event on his plan for Cozumel at the end of November. Brandon will face tough competitors as many of the top men will be there. The course should be flat and fast so expect there to be some strategy for the men on the bike to save energy for the run. I am sure Brandon will be focused on putting together a great race that will reflect his strong fitness on his way to the end of season Ironman. Brandon will be ready to unleash a fast swim, smart hard bike, and fast run. Good luck Brandon bring home a podium!

Find out more: http://www.ironmanmiami.com

Noosa Triathlon, Queensland, Australia
Sunday October 30th
Distance: 1.5km swim • 40km bike • 10km run
teamTBB - Asia athlete racing
Dave Dellow

Dave Dellow had an amazing summer of racing in Europe with some great results in Ironman and half ironman events. Dave has been back in Australia for several weeks and will test himself against a great field in the Olympic distance Noosa triathlon. Dave is excited to race at home and will race a strong field of fellow Aussies. Dave is using this event as a warm-up for next weekend's ITU Long course World Championships in Vegas. I am sure Dave will be ready to lay it all on the line this weekend and next!

Find out more: http://www.usmevents.com.au/

Good luck guys, we wish you all the best mechanical luck!

The P4 Fork - a Prodigious Father

Sat, 15 Oct 2011 21:43:46 GMT

With the P4, Cervélo introduced a new aero fork: the FK25. Since the P4’s launch in 2009, that fork has fathered several children that benefit from its great aero genes. This article explains the differences between those forks.

Cervélo Internal Engineering Codes
FK25 is Cervélo’s internal engineering project code for the P4 fork. “FK” stands for Fork, and 25 means this is the 25th design. FK numbers are assigned at project initiation, not completion. This is why FK numbers don’t always match the order in which they were released. In several cases, different alternatives were tried to improve performance but the quest for speed always lead back to the FK25. In the end, all the forks in this article ended up having a common parent in FK25.

The Cervélo P4 fork: FK25
The P4’s FK25 fork represents the culmination of three years of aero engineering research, which is a whole story in itself. With the help of MIT aerodynamicist Dr. Mark Drela, we started with the Wolf series of forks and performed multiple CFD analyses to benchmark existing aero forks both UCI legal and not, both new and old. (Some of these forks are 3T, Blackwell, Carbonaero, Edge, Hotta, Lotus, Oval, Reynolds, Trek, Wolf, etc..)

Testing new fork concepts required the creation of a series of specially made prototype forks constructed with a Rapid Prototyping process called stereolithography (SLA). SLA allows us to start from a computer design and build a complete fork for windtunnel testing in a few hours (as opposed to days or weeks to machine a mold a build a production sample). We made many trips to the wind tunnel to understand the multitude of parameters affecting a fork’s aero performance. We studied the effect of spinning wheels and how the drag was affected by fork blade spacing, crown width, how the fork & wheel matched the frame, dropout offset, fork blade airfoil cross section shape and how they should vary along the blade length, variations in thickness and chord, as well as various degrees of trailing edge truncation. We also designed, prototyped and tested and patented several forks with integrated brakes of various designs.

At each stage we tested, analyzed, and selected the lowest drag combination of features and dimensions. The resulting FK25 fork is the lowest drag fork we’ve ever measured, with an improvement of 15-20 grams less aerodynamic drag than the previous generation of aero forks (including UCI non-compliant forks), which results in 1.5 to 2 Watts power savings at 40km/h. This is the FK25, the fork used on the P4 and the “father” of a family of super-aero Cervélo forks.

Figure 1 Cervélo’s P4 aero fork, project code FK25

Figure 2 The leading edge profile of FK25’s fork crown matches the P4’s aero head tube profile exactly.

Cervélo P3: FK26
With so much technical effort invested in the P4’s FK25 aerodynamics, it was obvious we needed to pass that advantage on to other fork models. Starting in 2009 we designed those aerodynamics into a fork for the 2010 P3, and in 2011 the P2 got it as well. FK26 has exactly the same aero shapes as its father including the dropouts, the blades, and the sides and back of the fork crown. The only shape difference is the front of the crown, which matches the P3’s round head tube, whereas the FK25 leading edge matches the P4’s. There is no measurable difference in aero drag between these two forks since the front brake caliper obscures this part of the fork. This fork is highly interchangeable and makes a great aero upgrade for any bike. Ask your Cervélo retailer to order one for you!

Figure 3 Cervélo’s FK26 aero fork. Note the front of the crown has a normal round shape, not the P4 frame’s shape.

Figure 4 Cervélo’s FK25 (left) and FK26 (right) differ in the crown’s leading edge: FK25 matches the P4’s head tube, and FK26 matches round head tubes like the Cervélo P3, P2 and many other bikes.

Cervélo S5: FK26SL
The Cervélo S3 aero road frame had established itself as the gold standard in aero road bikes against which all others were measured. So when we came to design the next generation aero road bike, it had to be a significant leap forward in aerodynamics but still had to be laterally stiffer and lighter than the last generation. It is no surprise that we used the more aerodynamic FK25 fork we had as the starting point.

The S5’s FK26SL fork shares the same mold (and therefore the same aerodynamics) as the P3’s FK26, but the type of carbon fiber and layup are tuned to save weight (SL = Super Light) while still retaining the same stiffness. With the SL, we created a 53mm offset fork used on the 48 and 51cm sizes of the S5. The 43mm offset is still used on other frame sizes.

Cervélo S5 Team & S5 VWD: FK26UL
Like the SL, the Ultra Light version also shares the same mold (and therefore the same aerodynamics) but uses further material and layup developments to create the lightest fork in the series, still with no compromise in stiffness compared to the standard FK26. Just like the SL, the 53mm offset is used on the 48 and 51cm S5.

Figure 5 Cervélo’s FK25, FK26 and FK24: P4, P3 and T1 forks. FK24 (far right) is for track bikes, so has no brake hole.

Figure 6 Another detail trackies appreciate: the aluminum dropouts on the T1’s FK24 fork (far right) are tough enough to survive multiple wheel changes and big enough to fit 22mm diameter washers on track axle nuts.

Cervélo T4: FK27
For the Cervélo T4 carbon track frame, we again designed another derivative of the P4’s FK25. This one keeps a “standard” 43mm fork offset to match the T4’s head angle and has an aero leading edge on the crown to match the T4’s aero head tube (but there’s no brake hole in this fork). FK27 also uses aluminum dropouts (to survive multiple wheel changes) and has enough room for large 22mm OD washers on track axle nuts. And like FK24, it features the same laterally stiffer lay up as the T1’s FK24.

Interchangeability
Since the steerer tubes of all these forks are the standard 1 1/8” diameter, they make a great aero improvement to virtually any bike. If you are upgrading your Cervélo, you only need to know that because the back of the crown is the same shape as the P4’s FK25, they can all be installed in the P4 and S5 frames with no mechanical interference and perfect aero integration.

Summary
The original FK25, which was designed for the P4, has now spawned a family of 6 different forks which share its super-aerodynamic design. The family’s aero performance advantage is sizeable--approximately 2 Watts versus the last generation of Cervélo aero forks. That advantage was achieved through years of work in the wind tunnel and behind the computer using CFD modeling. All of the designs are UCI legal, and are still faster than any other fork we have ever measured, legal or not. The result is that this family of forks has dominated competition in all levels of triathlon and most recently helped Team Garmin-Cervélo to 3 stage wins at the 2011 Tour de France. Certainly, a design for the ages!

Summary Table

Fork	Aerodynamics	Model	OFFSET, mm	Brake hole?	Max. axle nut diameter, mm	Crown Leading Edge Shape	Crown Trailing Edge Shape	Layup	Dropout
FK25	Optimum	P4	43, 650Cx40	Yes	20	P4 aero	P4/S5	P4	Carbon
FK26	Optimum	P2, P3	43	Yes	20	Round	P4/S5	Heavier	Carbon
FK26SL	Optimum	S5	43, 53	Yes	20	Round	P4/S5	Super light	Carbon
FK26UL	Optimum	S5 Team, S5 VWD	43, 53	Yes	20	Round	P4/S5	Ultra light	Carbon
FK24	Optimum	T1	35	No	22	Round	P4/S5	Stiff	Aluminum
FK27	Optimum	T4	43	No	22	T4 aero	P4/S5	Stiff	Aluminum

Table 1, List of FK25-derived Cervélo fork technical attributes

Written by Damon Rinard

Giro di Goodwood

Mon, 10 Oct 2011 03:00:51 GMT

Three years ago, I was in Italy preparing for the Gran Fondo associated with the Giro di Lombardia which is commonly known as the race of the falling leaves. It being fall here in southern Ontario, we were treated to an amazing day for riding with the temperature soaring to 27°C (80°F). We decided to do a civilized version of the race of the falling leaves except we left out the race part.

While we didn’t have the Madonna del Ghisallo at the top of one of our climbs, we still were able to do about 1,100 m of climbing today and that is without any mountains. Not as much as you would have with the Giro di Lombaria Gran Fondo, but about 300 or 400 m more than a typical donut ride.

We started out as usual from Jet Fuel and of course, Thorben and Ireen were late. I’ll bet an espresso that Thorben will be late submitting his PhD thesis when the time comes. We were joined by Mike, who was on the previous Goodwood trek, and by Mo, who is a regular on the donut ride and who lives in nearby Cabbagetown. We did our usual exodus out of the city via Kingston Road and were joined by Joe again near the Toronto Zoo. At least this time we didn’t have to stand around waiting for him to find us.

When we finally got outside the city, we had a quick conference as to what route to take to Goodwood. Mo bid us farewall as she needed to get back to the city and we finally agreed to head east along Whitevale Road to make our way over to Westney Road North which is a hardpacked gravel road. Unlike the previous gravel road adventure back from Goodwood a month ago, this one was well travelled and had no boulders, just a few pot holes. Another major difference was that it was all uphill. While not 7 or 8% in slope, more like 2 to 3%, it was still up hill for 10 km. This will probably be the closest I get to a long sustained climb this year. Although I am tempted to email Francesco to try to get me into the Giro di Lombardia Gran Fondo and fly over for a weekend to really try out the bike, I don’t think I can quite pull that one off.

Yes, as you can tell, I really would like to be able to test the bike out on some real climbs. Having straightened out the issues with the head set (a missing washer) and the seat post (well kind of, I got myself a 3T DORIC LTD seat post for the time being while I get the Schmolke seatpost hopefully sorted out), the bike is doing really well. Since the original build, I have put 2,500+ km on it according to the Garmin 500. I have close to 2,000 km on the Reynolds RZR wheels and am having a hard time taking them off the bike. No, it isn’t that kind of hard time as in a problem; it is that they have performed so nicely that I don’t want to take them off! Even with the heavier Vittoria tires, the wheels perform really well. Yes EVO Corsa CX tires add an extra 150 or 160 g to the bike but I would rather have the durability over the weight while pedalling around this berg!

One of the more interesting developments in the last month is that I will probably pull the trigger on getting a power meter. Damon has been pestering me to get a meter almost from the time he started with Vroomen•White•Design except that I have always balked at the weight of these animals. Mike was even complaining that when Thorben gave him his old PowerTap wheels, it added a whack of weight to the bike.

I know the Garmin folks have announced their Garmin Vector pedal-based power meter but that may require a switch from the Speedplay pedals I have which have allowed me to dial in a position which works almost perfectly. It is a very clever wireless system which from the looks of it doesn’t add much weight to the bike.

However, I did stumble across a system which is still in development from a small group of engineers based in Dublin, Ireland. Brim Brothers have come up with a brilliant system which adds zero grams to the bike! Yes, zero! Me like that! It is a shoe based measuring system which has the sensor located between your cleat and the sole of the shoe. A wire from the sensor runs on the outside of your shoe to the meter/battery/transmitter which then transmits the data to an ANT+ device such as the Garmin cycling meters.

They showed off the meters at Interbike this September and hope to have the system ready for some time in 2012. The beauty of this system is that if you have multiple bikes with the same pedal system, you just clip in and go. No swapping pedals, wheels or cranksets. So, from my perspective here, it would be neat to be able to use these to compare the R3-SL with the R5ca on a couple of really unpleasant climbs.

Now, one of the more pleasant surprises so far is that PowerCordz are doing really well! While we were not able to use them with the THM Fibula brakes (which by-the-by are doing quite nicely in their own right), the shifting is doing nicely both front and rear. The cassette on the rear is the KCNC Ti cassette and it doesn’t always play nice with the SRAM rear derailleur. Mind you, I have never been able to get any non-SRAM cassette to play nice to date. Down shifting, no problem, but up shifting, that is a different story and depends on where you have the chain on the cassette when you do try to up-shift. I will be swapping out the cassette soon for the normal SRAM cassette which does have the special grove in the cassette to aid in the shifting.

And finally, the overall look of the bike does garner stares. Tuesday while trying to get in a late ride before the sun went down, I decided to try to do a ride on the Leslie Street spit. Little did I know that they were filming along Unwin Avenue so I was held up for a few minutes waiting for them to finish a car scene. When they finally came to our waiting point, the film crew pulled over to the side of the road and the car being filmed had a female driver who upon stopping looked over to where I was waiting and noticed the bike. I was very surprised to see the expression on her face as she nodded in approval the bike I was riding. Well, I didn’t make it to the spit as I shortly discovered they had repaved a horrible section of the road and decided to do loops which many cyclists used to do before the bridge was closed (and since replaced) and the just paved section in question previously beaten into submission and made horribly un-ride able. So, doing loops of Commissoners, Cherry Street, Leslie and Unwin, I encountered the filming a few more times and only afterwards realized it was Piper Perabo who is the lead actor in Covert Affairs.

Kona preview Xena

Sat, 08 Oct 2011 00:12:47 GMT

Q & A with teamTBB athlete Caroline Steffen on racing at the Kona Ironman World Championships this weekend.

Caroline Steffen
Birth Date: 18 September 1978
Hometown: Spiez/Mooloolaba
teamTBB Team Member since: 2010

1. What is your goal for Kona 2011?
Top 3

2. Have you raced Kona before? When and how did you finish?
2006 Age Group 25-29 3rd, 2010 Professionall 2nd

3. Best race in 2011? (so far- we know Kona will be great)
2010 IM Langkawi 2nd

4. What is your favorite race?
No question, it is Hawaii. Love the course, the crowd, the magic of this race.

5. What is your favorite training location?
Like the mountains in Switzerland, the conditions at Mooloolaba but also the fast roads at Krabi. Where ever I train I just love it.

6. What is the best race-related advice you’ve received?
Whatever happens just stick to your own race plan and execute..

7. What tip would you give to first-time Ironman Kona competitiors?
Just enjoy every single second of the race.

8. What is your favorite thing to eat on the bike and run during an Ironman?
Favorite or what works? There is a big difference between. Sometimes I feel like a “Zürichgschnätzlets mit Rösti” but then I stick to my usual Sponser gels and Mars bars

9. What is your favorite thing to do when not training and racing?
Sleeping, spend some money on my phone bill aka chat away on phone, shopping

10. Last great song you downloaded and the last inspiring book you read?
“King of the mountain” from Midnight Oil and “Fabian Cancellaras World”

Find out more: http://www.ironmanworldchampionship.com/

Kona Preview Hiroyuki

Fri, 07 Oct 2011 23:51:30 GMT

Q & A with teamTBB athlete Hiroyuki Nishiuchi on racing at the Kona Ironman World Championships this weekend.

Hiroyuki Nishiuchi
Birth Date: 13 Oct. 1975
Hometown: Hyogo Japan
teamTBB Team Member since: 2008

1. What is your goal for Kona 2011?
Top 20

2. Have you raced Kona before? When and how did you finish?
2005 54th 2007 42nd 2009 49th 2010 47th

3. Best race in 2011? (so far- we know Kona will be great)
2010 IM Langkawi 2nd

4. What is your favorite race?
IM Langkawi

5. What is your favorite training location?
Osakai

6. What is the best race-related advice you’ve received?
Brett said to me that don’t go hard, go smart.

7. What tip would you give to first-time Ironman Kona competitiors?
Should prepare for heat and humidity.

8. What is your favorite thing to eat on the bike and run during an Ironman?
Rice ball

9. What is your favorite thing to do when not training and racing?
Kitchen garden

10. Last great song you downloaded and the last inspiring book you read?
Music: Hey ya / Outkast Book : Kobo Abe / Woman in the Dunes

Find out more: http://www.ironmanworldchampionship.com/

Kona preview Maki

Tue, 04 Oct 2011 15:37:40 GMT

Q & A with teamTBB athlete Maki Nishiuchi on racing at the Kona Ironman World Championships this weekend.

Maki Nishiuchi
Birth Date: 23 Apr. 1975
Hometown: Hyogo Japan?i
teamTBB Team Member since: 2008

1. What is your goal for Kona 2011?
Top 10

2. Have you raced Kona before? When and how did you finish?
32nd 2009

3. Best race in 2011? (so far- we know Kona will be great)
2011 IM Korea 2nd

4. What is your favorite race?
IM Korea

5. What is your favorite training location?
Osaka

6. What is the best race-related advice you’ve received?
Don't give up until the finish line even if you have to run slow just keep going.

7. What tip would you give to first-time Ironman Kona competitiors?
Be prepared for the wind, heat, and humidity. Enjoy the race and don't be scared.

8. What is your favorite thing to eat on the bike and run during an Ironman?
Gummies

9. What is your favorite thing to do when not training and racing?
Watching Korean Movies

10. Last great song you downloaded and the last inspiring book you read?
Music: How gee Book : Keigo Higashino

Find out more: http://www.ironmanworldchampionship.com/