BTW: I follow Obree’s world speed record attempts with interest – blog at Cycling Weekley

The Obree way is Graeme Obree’s unique and distinctive approach to training. It is an approach to training Obree developed himself over many years of his own successful cycling career. The book is worth reading just from the perspective of gaining an insight into the training and mentality of a World Champion, you also gain the feeling the author really put is heart and soul into the book. I think every cyclist will be able to pick up something from this training manual.

One thing I liked about reading the book is that I always felt Obree was just sat across the room talking about his training. It was like listening to an old club hand share his training secrets. But, in this case the old ‘club hand’ happens to have held the prestigious world hour record on two occasions and also is a former world champion. Obree’s pedigree definitely is important. If some of these training principles were explained by Tom, Dick or Harry you might be tempted to brush them off as being too obvious or too simple. But, if they worked for Obree, you give them much more importance.

Essential Aspects of the Obree Way.

Turbo Trainer To Obree, the turbo trainer is a key element of his training. It’s not something just to use when the weather turns icey, but even in the middle of summer. Obree wants to have the ability to very carefully monitor his progress and make sure a training session actually stretches his previous effort; the best way he feels is to use a simple turbo training carefully calibrated to measure exact performance. At this point, in the book I did think perhaps the same could have been achieved from power-meters. But, Obree’s way is largely to ignore computer data. (He says the only time he really uses a heart rate monitor is to make sure on a recovery ride, you stick to a recovery ride.)

Training Sessions

Obree doesn’t believe in intervals. To him the best training is to replicate the kind of race you will be doing.

“Specific training for specific events. Everything else is peripheral and less effective than the base truth of athletic performance enhancement.”

- G.Obree

If you are doing 10 mile time trials, a key training session is to do a 20 minute ride on the turbo as go as fast as you can. Later in the training cycle, after a sufficient time period to recover (could be several days). You have another go at this 20 minute ride, but aim to improve on your previous performance. The simple aim is every time you do one of these ‘key’ training sessions you push your limits and go faster than before. This is the simple training principle of ‘stress and recovery‘ You keep pushing your limits, give yourself chance to fully recover and then push your limits again.

It is beautifully simple. There you won’t find any  ’30 seconds at 95%, 1 min rest; 30 seconds at 95% type training sessions.‘

Another important training session for Obree, is the ‘glycogen ride’ This is a two hour ride, where you adapt the body to riding with low sugar levels to improve the body’s use of glycogen stores when racing. He says you should finish this training session really exhausted and ready to devour food (which you have prepared beforehand)

Obree also advocates incorporating a session of strength training. This involves pushing a huge gear on a gentle hill at a very low cadence.

Recovery

One of the most difficult things I found in book was the length of time Obree was willing to devote to recovery. He says some training sessions might take him 4-5 days to recover from. On these recovery days, you can go out and spin your legs. But, it is important to keep it at a recovery level. Obree mentions (without a trace of false modesty) that on one of these recovery rides, he was dropped by guys on mountain bikes. That takes something to be a world champion, but to have the inner confidence to get dropped by some overweight guy on an MTB doing 15mph. That is another element which comes through the book – A single minded determination. To Obree most of your training has to be done on your own, otherwise you won’t be doing the kind of training that you need to gain optimal performance.

Obree even suggests that to get to the peak of your form, you have to be willing to sacrifice a program of racing every weekend as this seven day  race cycle can interfere in your optimal training program. If you are always racing, you inevitably taper for race, and this prevents the training and sessions which really improve your performance.

Single-Minded Purpose

Whatever you think of Obree’s training methods, his thoughts on the mental approach to training are very illumining. You gain a very clear insight into the mentality and approach of a world champion. Obree makes the very astute observation that many people enter sport with the Corinthian ideal of giving it a good shot, and enjoying the social aspect. We may try very hard at times, but we hold back from giving it 100% because we can’t quite get into the mentality of striving to be our absolute best. As Obree says:

“Learn to challenge the option that says. “I have tried hard enough’ – there is always, regardless how small, some gas left in the tank.

To Obree, there is a strong correlation between our mental approach and thinking in the right way and also our physical performance. I found quite a few similarities with an article I wrote on pushing the limits.

Simplicity

One thing I like about this book is the simplicity and honesty. I’d read it in two days, partly because I found it very interesting, but also because it is short. From a commercial perspective, it might have made more sense to pad it out with a few usual things you find in most cycling books. But, you feel Obree only wanted to put in what worked for him. And if it wasn’t relevant – he wasn’t going to put in. There are quite a few personal anecdotes like several references to the benefits of mashed sardines and toast. (though no reference to the ubiquitous marmalade sandwiches which were often touted around world hour record) He doesn’t hold much truck with commercially packaged recovery drinks and food. Obree suggest ‘real food’ as he calls it, can’t be improved upon. He’s also quite honest about equipment making observation, you can spend a lot of money but only make a very minimal difference to your speed.

Generally, I like the shortness and simplicity. It helps to highlight the essentials. However, one area where I would have liked more details is the training chapter. After reading the chapter, I felt like wanting to ask more specific questions. An example of an actual monthly training diary would have been interesting.

Stretching

Obree makes a strong case for stretching everyday. He believes that stretching plays a key role in re-energising muscles and help a smooth pedalling action.

Pedalling Action

This is another area Obree believes is important, and Obree gives tips on developing a smooth pedalling action. Also, Obree says crank length is very important, (which made me feel a bit embarrassed for having no idea what crank lengths I ride. I can tell you how much my saddle weighs to the nearest gram, but not something important like my crank length.

Breathing

There is a whole chapter devoted to the ‘Obree breathing technique’. This is perhaps the most interesting part of the book. I’ve never come across the idea of trying to improving your breathing technique, which is perhaps surprising given that breathing must be pretty important in an aerobic sport like cycling. I will be trying this.

What will I take from this book?

• A commitment to do the four simple stretches he mentions every day.
• Some greater confidence to really rest and recover when necessary.
• New simple training sessions.
• Another look at small things about race to get maximum equipment. e.g. using a bigger front chain ring like 58 rather than 53 to get a better chain line.
• I will try the Obree breathing technique. More than anything I like the idea of concentrating on breathing during training and racing.
• I can’t see myself training on the turbo in the middle of summer.

Ray Booty was most famous for riding the first 100 miles in under 4 hours in 1956  A considerable achievement in the days before tribars and aero equipment (most of Ray’s rides were done on a fixed gear too). The record breaking ride was set on the A4 Bath road, running through Pangbourne, Shillingford and Abingdon. His time for 100 miles was 3hr 58min 28sec, more than 11 minutes ahead of the second-placed finisher, Stan Brittain. In those days, there was considerable interest in amateur time trialling.His record breaking ride reached national headlines, The Daily Record saying:

“Booty the incomparable, the incredible, the indomitable”

Ray  Booty said of his record breaking ride:

It was one of those lovely sunny summer mornings you crave for when you are time-trialling. It was calm, as I remember, and eventually it became very hot. And I was really having to hang on in the last half hour. I remember it was a real struggle. I knew I was on to a good ride if I could hang on. The thing I remember about that particular event was at the finish, and I was absolutely shattered at the finish. And I sat down. And, of course, when I finished I realised just how hot it was. I was desperate for some drink and somebody came with all they’d got, which was a bottle of milk. And it was sour. And he said it was sour. It was all he’d got. It was really sour. But I drank it all. That was the thing I remember mainly about that event.

The first sub 4 hour 100 mile record was often thought of as cycling’s’ equivalent of Roger Bannister’s four minute mile.

A few weeks later, he broke the 100 mile straight out (i.e. with tailwind) setting a time of 3hr 28min 40sec. A record which stood for 34 years.

Always considered a great gentleman of the sport, he was always modest with his achievements. His wife Shelagh, of Allestree, said of Ray Booty:

“He was the most marvellous man you could ever meet. He was lovely. He did not shoot his mouth off about his achievements at all. He always praised other riders and would always say what a great ride they had.”

Many felt Ray had the potential to make a professional road rider, but he choose to stay as an amateur and didn’t pursue a career on the continent. His greatest road racing success was in the 1958 Commonwealth Games in Cardiff, where he won the gold medal.

His sister, Susan said:

“He loved going out on his bike. He enjoyed it so much. He didn’t want to become a professional, even though he was given the opportunity. I think this was because he didn’t want to spoil his enjoyment of the sport.

Booty won the season-long British Best All-Rounder competition three times from 1955 to 1957. The BBAR is based on averaged speeds over 50 and 100 miles  and for 12 hours. He was 100-mile   champion from 1955 to 1959 and 12-hour champion from 1954 to 1958.

Related

• Ray Booty Obituary Guardian

Victoria Pendleton, born 24 September, 1980; British track World Champion

Once described by her French Canadian coach as being unsuited for cycling; on meeting her, he said “You’re too skinny, too puny to be a sprint cyclist.”, Victoria Pendleton has gone onto win 3 world Championships, and is currently one of the world’s leading female track cyclists.

Born in Stotfold, Bedfordshire, her talent in cycling was first recognised by a national coach at the age of 16. However, before devoting her time to cycling full time she completed a degree in Sport and Exercise Science from Northumbria University, Newcastle upon Tyne.

As a child, Victoria was interested in playing many sports, but without any particular excellence. However, her father Max (a keen cyclist himself) , noted her athletic prowess on the bike and also the desire to win – essential to make it to the top of any sport. Her father, played a key role in her early development, encouraging her to train and aspire for continual improvement. It is clear that Victoria appreciates the effort and support of her father, even if the early training was not always easy.

‘I didn’t love it some of the time. Some of the time I hated it and wanted to give up. But I’m so glad I didn’t, because otherwise I wouldn’t have had the opportunities I have now.’

Victoria began cycling full time in 2002, after finishing her degree. Her typical training regime includes two training sessions per day; one in the morning of 2-3 hours and another in the afternoon 2-5. After her first 2 years of full time training and top level competition, Victoria had become a realistic contender for the 2004 Olympics. However, as Victoria admitted, the stress of the occasion got to her and to her great disappointment under-performed at the Athens Olympics. Speaking in an interview to the Guardian she described the unique atmosphere of the Olympic village and the underlying stress that the athletes faced.

‘I was totally under-prepared to be in a competition at that level, psychologically and physically. I’d been basically thrown to the lions.’

At one stage she was so demotivated by the experience that she considered retiring from the sport. However, Victoria decided to persevere and with the benefit of experience and a more detached perspective went on to become world champion at the 2005 World Championships.

Life as a professional cyclist.

Despite being a triple world champion, Victoria does not exaggerate the glamour of being a pro cyclist. As she modestly states ‘My life seems quite dull – I ride around in circles’ Like any professional athlete, the lifestyle is intrinsic to success on the track. It means a careful diet, no alcohol and no late nights.

In a sport that is noted for masculinity and bulging muscles, Victoria perhaps makes an unexpected track champion. Her slimline athletic figure has helped glamorise a sport, not always noted for feminine qualities of beauty. For example, in a sport where competitors can become encouraged to goto obsessive lengths to improve performance (One thinks of Chris Boardman shaving his arms when going for the world hour record.), Victoria is one of the few seemingly happy to keep her long hair (despite the minor aerodynamic drag) – However, whatever image Victoria may portray off the track, nothing should detract from her dedication to the sport which enabled her to become a triple world champion in the 2007 World Championships.

In 2008, Victoria will be defending her world titles at the UCI world Championships before taking part in the 2008 Beijing Olympics. This year the world championships will be held at Manchester – her local track.

2008 World Track Championships

Victoria Pendleton won 2 gold medals and 1 silver medal. She won gold in the individual sprint title (setting a new British record of 10.904secs) and also gold in the team sprint with Shanaze Reade. In the final event, the Keirin, Victoria narrowly missed out finishing in second place. Video at BBC

Off Track Career P

As well as gaining recognition on the track, Victoria has gained a high profile through numerous a couple of photo shoots. The first photo showed her in an attractive black dress on her bike. It was certainly a different perspective on a track cyclist, where tight fitting lycra and bulging muscles are more common. Speaking about the photo shoot, Victoria said:

“I knew when I did the shoot it would stir up opinion, people would be for or against, but I don’t regret the picture at all… Actually I was quite please with the picture, people could see what I am about, that I am not just a track cyclist.” (Daily Telegraph interview 26/03/08)

More recently, Victoria agreed to pose for the Guardian newspaper magazine in a shot reminiscent of a former photo of Lance Armstrong. – Wearing no clothes, but strategically taken.

It’s no surprise that at the 2008 World Championships, Victoria receive more media inquiries than all the other British Athletes put together.- Glamour, beauty and gold medals, an appealing combination.

2008 Beijing Olympics

In the Beijing Olympics, Victoria Pendleton  won her first Olympic gold in the individual sprint.

Victoria Pendleton after 2008 Beijing Olympics. Photo Suede Bicycle [1]

2009 / 2010

Victoria Pendleton photo Dulhunk, Flickr [2]

Victoria Pendleton 2012 London Olympics

Victoria Pendleton has said that London 2012 Olympics will be her final major track final. Changes to the Olympic schedule, mean she competed in three track sprint competitions – team sprint, Kierin and individual sprint.  Pendleton told BBC Sport.

Team Sprint

In the team sprint with Jess Varnish, the pair were relegated to 8th place after making an illegal changeover. It was unfortunate because they had just set a record time and would have qualified for the final

“We were probably just a bit too eager. It’s one of those things. “It was very unfortunate; it was a mistake made in a fraction of a second.”

Keiren

In the Keiren, Pendleton won the gold medal after beating a challenge from Anna Meares and Guo of China. Lee of Hong Kong finished 3rd.

1. Victoria Pendleton GBR 10.965 (final 250metres)
2. Shuang Guo CHN
3. Lee Wai Sze HKG

Links

• Interview with Victoria Pendleton on Woman’s Hour at BBC (6mins)
• Quotes from Guardian interview with Victoria Pendleton
• Victoria Pendleton.co.uk including image gallery and palmeres

photo top: johnthescone from Sheffield

photo middle: Tim Redgrove (c)

Chris Boardman’s Early Career

Chris initially rode for one of the UK’s top amateur clubs – The Manchester Wheelers. On the domestic time trial scene he won over 30 national titles including National 10, 25, 50, and National Hill Climb Championships. Only Scotland’s Graeme Obree was able to challenge Chris in domestic time trials. The media helped to create a sense of rivalry between the two top cyclists of a generation; I think this rivalry was exaggerated and I think it’s fair to say they both respected each other.

Although Chris specialised in time trials he also turned his attention to road racing and competed in track disciplines, In the 1992 Olympics Chris was a gold medallist in the 4,000 metres pursuit. It was this Gold medal performance that launched Chris into the public light

Chris Boardman riding to Olympic Gold in the Barcelona Olympics

In 1993 Chris Boardman broke the World Hour Record. Initially he had been planning to break F. Moser’s mark of 51.1 KM. However Graham Obree managed to beat this record just before Chris’ attempt. Undaunted Chris broke both Moser’s and Obree’s new record setting a mark of 52.2 KM. This led to an unprecedented increase in the World Hour Record. Both Tony Rominger and Miguel Indurain set new records taking the record to 55 KM. Then in Manchester 1996 Chris set a new World Hour adding over 1 KM to the mark set by Tony Rominger. The New World Hour record now stands at 56.375KM – a mark that has not been broken

Chris Boardman’s World Hour Record of 56.375 KM

In this photo Chris is riding a position known as the “Superman ” Position this is because his arms are outstretched. This position is particularly aerodynamic. Although, Chris (like other cyclists, took every aerodynamic advantage) this should not detract from the spectacular athletic performance of this record.

Chris Boardman – Tour De France

Chris devoted the last 5 years of his professional career to try and succeed in the Tour De France. Chris experienced mixed fortunes. 3 times he won the opening prologue time trial, enabling him to wear the coveted yellow jersey. However in 1995 Chris crashed in the opening prologue, breaking his ankle and missing most of the rest of the season. He also crashed badly in the 1998 Tour (after winning the prologue. (1998 the year of the Festina crisis)

The Hour Again

After he set this remarkable record the UCI decided to change the rules about technology that could be used for setting an hour record. Basically they reverted back to 1970s technology when E.Merckx set the record. Rules included no tribars no disc wheels e.t.c. Chris decided to try and break this record as a final swansong to his professional career.Riding at the Manchester Velodrome (at Sea Level) Chris just managed to break E.Merckx record setting a mark of 49.441

In 1998 Chris Boardman was diagnosed with a form of osteoporosis, making it difficult to train for long periods at high intensity. This needed treatment with drugs prohibited by the UCI therefore Chris decided to retire.

Chris Boardman says he always rode without the use of performance enhancing drugs because he didn’t want to damage his health. Some commentators have suggested this is why he struggled relatively in the Tour when it went into the mountains. Of course this effect is impossible to quantify but Chris always maintained a degree of honesty and integrity when many other professionals resorted to the use of drugs (e.g. Festina team 1998).

As a British time triallist, I gain a lot of inspiration from Chris Boardman’s career. Chris began his career racing in the same races we still ride today. Chris won many national titles including 3 hill climb championships. It was a combination of exceptional ability and great determination that enabled Chris to make the jump from a British champion to a world champion and continental pro. It is a jump very few British cyclists have made. Also in a time when drug taking was rife, I always felt great sincerity when Chris Boardman said he didn’t take performance enhancing drugs. It is revealing what one ex pro said. “At the time all pros were taking drugs, oh except Chris Boardman”. (This quote is unofficial and I can’t even remember the cyclist who said it.

Chris Boardman Bikes

After retiring from the sport, Chris used his enthusiasm and knowledge to help advise British Cycling on technical improvements. It became known as the search for Marginal Gains – looking for even the smallest net gains and when adding together it gives athlete a real advantage. British Cycling gained reputation for being real leaders on the track.

Chris Boardman also advised on a series of road bikes aimed at the mass market, these are really good value. See: Boardman Bikes I enjoyed riding a Boardman Team Carbon

Chris Boardman Records

British Records

• 25 Miles road time-trial (Junior), 1984
• 25 Miles road time-trial (Senior), 1992
• 25 Miles road time-trial (Senior), 1993, 45:57, min/sec (this record stood until 2009)
• 100 Km road time-trial (Team), 1993, 2:00:07, hr/min/sec (North Wirral Velo team)

World records

• 1 Hour track time-trial, 23 July 1993, Bordeaux, 52.270 Km
• 1 Hour track time-trial, 7 Sept 1996, Manchester, 56.375 Km
• 1 Hour track time-trial, 27 Oct 2000, Manchester, 49.441 Km (“Athlete” rules)

Olympics

• 1992 Gold medal Olympic Games, Track Pursuit
• 1996 Bronze medal – Individual Time Trial

Major Wins

• 1994 World Time Trial champion
• Tour de France 3 stages prologues

Other Victories

• Chrono des Herbiers
• Duo Normand (with Paul Manning)
• Grand Prix Eddy Merckx
• Josef Voegeli Memorial
• World Track Pursuit Championship
• Critérium International
• Grand Prix des Nations
• LuK Challenge Chrono (with Uwe Peschel)

Related

• The Fastest Man on Two Wheels In pursuit of Chris Boardman at Amazon.co.uk
• Buy Books about Chris Boardman at Amazon.co.uk
• Chris Boardman – Unofficial fan page with many photos of Chris Boardman from his early days
• Chris Boardman on Lance Armstrong at the BBC
  Video of Chris Boardman at 1992 Olympics

 

 

If you have read Obree’s autobiography, it’s very honest account; also quite tragic the emotional turmoil he went through. Yesterday, he announced that he was gay, but this was something he had kept secret for a long time.

“I was brought up thinking you’d be better dead than gay. Being homosexual was so unthinkable that you just wouldn’t be gay. I’d no inkling about anything, I just closed down.”

It must be hard to deny part of yourself, and he feels this may have been a contributing factor in his two suicide attempts.

Hopefully, when a great personality like Obree decides to be honest about himself, it will help others avoid a life time of worry, misplaced guilt and fear.

Graeme Obree

Graeme Obree is one of the most colourful and intriguing characters in cycling. I was pleased to hear he has in mind another attempt at the world hour record.

Although Graeme is 43, he doesn’t feel this is a reason not to make the attempt.

“I don’t think that you’re physically hampered from winning at the highest level just because of age. To diminish yourself just in terms of age isn’t justified. I don’t think you can use it as an excuse, not if you’ve kept it going.” (Bike Radar)

I think it’s a great attitude.

Graeme has also been building his own bike for the record. The UCI created bizarre regulations for the most prestigious cycling record taking technology back to the 1970s. Graeme has been using Reynolds 653 tubing and making it deliberately long to make the position more aerodynamic. The bike uses a characteristically huge gear 138 inches (67 x 13)

Graeme has broken the world hour record twice: 51.596km in 1993 and 52.713km in 1994. His story has been shared in his autobiography and movie – The Flying Scotsman

The current record, using ‘modern’ UCI rules, is 49.7km, held by Czech Ondrej Sosenka. Chris Boardman set over 56Km before the UCI changed rules.

Flavio Zappi – former Pro Cyclist

A few days ago, I was doing some interval training around Boars Hill when I bumped into Flavio Zappi, Flavio happens to be a former wearer of Green Jersey in the Giro D’Italia and top 12 finisher of Milan San Remo. We rode up and down Boars hill a few times and then Flavio kindly invited me to his sandwich bar (Harveys) in Gloucester Green, Oxford.

As I arrive Flavio is just helping to formulate a training plan for a young rider. For next year, Flavio has organised sponsorship of some top of the range Milani bikes for the local Oxford University cycling club. You can tell the genuine enthusiasm Flavio has for cycling and encouraging young road racers in particular.

It was a fascinating 30 minutes, and there’s enough material for quite a few posts. In the first section, I will mention Flavio’s experience has a former professional cyclist. Tomorrow, I will post about coming back to cycling after a 25 year lay off.

Q. “What was life as pro-cyclist like?”

“It was very exciting at the beginning, then it got between boredom and frustration later. The excitement was the crowd, the caravan, the attention. The fact you feel like you are somebody. Gradually you see the downside, which is you are a product, you can be left without a job any moment, then the drugs. Boredom because it is becoming such a routine. You are becoming part of a job rather than a competition to win.

Q. “Were you a domestique when you started?”

“In the beginning I wasn’t. I had the freedom to do what I wanted.”

Asking about his team, Flavio mentioned “My manager, was someone who had a bottle of wine by his car door. He was very popular but was not a coach. He was good at getting sponsors and paying people. Training was very basic. There was no intervals. We would get together at 9am and all the professionals in the area would meet and we would ride for 4,5,6 hours.

A Young Flavio Zappi riding for Hoonved Bottecchia (81-83)

Q. What were your highlights as a procyclist?

In the Giro del Trentino I was leader for 2 days but lost in the last day – A time trial. I was a professional, but, nobody told me how to ride a time trial. I had never done a time trial in my life. The only advice in the time trial was “You start hard, you go harder, and you finish hardest. So you can imagine. I was 18.

That year we went to the Giro D’Italia where our team won the team trial. It was like going in a breakaway.  We beat Moser’s team – He wasn’t very happy. Almost got white jersey. But, another rider on our team had it so I didn’t compete for it.

Couple of years later, highlight I got green jersey in the Giro D’Italia for 2 weeks, but lost it on last day to a Mr Laurent Fignon (1984) (result). He passed all the peleton and got 50 points.  Also that year I was Top 12 Milan San Remo in 1984 (result)

Q. Could you tell me About Riding Paris Roubaix?

“Paris Roubaix is an amazing race. A combination of skills, luck, endurance, speed. You name it – It’s beautiful.”

“For 100km you do nothing, just go along with the pack at under 50kmph. But, then all of a sudden, you are 10km to first major piece of cobbles. Then it becomes like last 10km of a race. I was lucky enough to enter into 5th position. I used my sprinting skills to get to the front. I sprinted for the corner of the road. – Madness, but, I knew how important it was. I came out in the top 5 and ended up in a break with Greg Lemond, Frank Vanderaerden, Eddy Planckaert and 6 of us had a minute and a half over the peloton. – or what was left of the peloton. I remember that day there were so many crashes. I remember a backwheel coming up before me and then pushing it out of my way. You got to imagine the road is like a bridge, to go fastest you have to be on the top. But, your wheel can go anytime. I crashed 3 times. I got took down by Sean Kelly’s team car. I wouldn’t have done much anyway I was too tired. That year I finished with Steven Roche. I beat him in the sprint. He wasn’t very happy because for the last 20km I was on his wheel.”

Beautiful, Beautiful. The cheer when you get into the velodrome. I would compare it to a cheer at the top of a mountain passes. The loudness of these people is amazing and the volume, they enter your veins so badly, you don’t feel anything. you don’t feel the tiredness, you don’t feel the fatigue. It’s amazing. Of course, between the bits of cobbles you’ve got the normal road with sidewind, and here you die as well. You got no option. It’s really hard.”

The day before, we rode a quarter of the race. We told by some of teammates you must never hold the underneath of your handlebars, no rings; otherwise you get problems with your knuckles.
Of course we forgot. I remember one team mate who ended up with blisters, even just riding a quarter of the race the day before.”

Q. Why Did you Retire from cycling?

“some private situation with family. and the same reason is the drug scheme.

One of my friend used to ride with me, part of a very famous team. We were riding together because we live in the same area. He was told to take steroids as part of the training scheme. So, you can imagine what the team leader was taking. I stopped because of the frustration.

One incident I never forget. After a race I went for drugs test. I went to the dope control and I had a doctor watch me give a sample, while another guy, who was leading the race, went to toilet on his own. I never forget that. This kind of things kill the morale of a young cyclist. especially someone who is 20

Q. Do you think it is better now?

I thought so, until I got disappointed badly by Riccardo Ricco. I really, really, swear, I really didn’t talk to anyone for a day when Ricco tested positive. It was so awful for me.

Q. Does it give you any hope they are catching people?

It’s nice to know that this is better now. But, it seems like to me anytime you find a way to catch them, they find a way to stay ahead. So it was a very bad culture. It was in the blood even when I was an amateur, seeing all these things going on. It was missing that kind of purity. I found that purity when I was in the states racing for a few months. I also found that purity racing here. I’ve been told there is no real problem here. Though there should be more testing.”

As the interview was coming to an end, another young cyclist, enters the bar. Hetti tells of breaking her chain on a freshers ride 10 miles from Oxford. She was thinking of hitch hiking back, but, Flavio insisted on pushing her all the way back to Oxford!

It feels like Harveys in Oxford is becoming a great place for Oxford cyclists to meet. I certainly left with lots of enthusiasm for the sport of cycling. Did I even make promises to do some road races and not just time trials next year ?

Notes:

• Will be publishing another section from this interview tomorrow on – Coming back to cycling after a 25 year lay off.
• I recorded our interview with a mic and tried to write down the words. But, sometimes it was a little difficult to catch all the words, especially names in Italian. In some places it may not be Flavio’s exact words but I tried to convey the meaning.
• Flavio Zappi.com

Flavio Zappi’s Teams

• 1981 – 1983 :Hoonved – Bottecchia (Italy)
• 1983 – 84 Metauro Mobili – Pinarello (Italy)
• 1985: Murella – Rossin (Italy)
• 1986: Veloforma (Italy)

Other Posts

• Part 2 coming Back after 25 years off bike
• Perspectives on Interval Training

With 3 Gold medals at the 2008 World Championships Chris has cemented himself as one of Britain’s leading contenders for Gold in the forthcoming Beijing Olympics.

Short Biography and Profile of Chris Hoy

Chris also has broken the World Record for the 500 metre ‘flying start’. He broke the record at altitude after narrowly missing out on the 1km Record in the morning. He also set a new world record at the Athens Olympics for the 1km record at sea level.

The video below shows Chris Hoy’s two record attempts.

World Record Attempt

500 metre Record

Graeme used a custom made bike and a radical new position. The amazing thing about the record is that he had attempted the record the day before and failed. Despite failing, he managed to persuade the authorities to let him have another go, 24 hours later. For anyone who has done a really hard time trial, they will know how difficult it is to go even faster the next day. Obree famously prepared for his records by eating marmelade sandwiches. His training involved ‘riding for as  hard as he could for an hour’ On the second attempt he was successful

1st World Hour Record by Obree – 51.596Km

Obree used the innovative ‘tuck’ position for his first world hour record.

Franceso Moser’s record had stood since 1984 at 51.151 Km. Moser had used a gear of 57*15 giving a cadence of 103.1 rpm.

Over nine years later Obree sought to break the record in Hamar, Norway. His first attempt on July 16th failed by nearly 0.5Km.

However,  on Obree’s second attempt, on the 17th July, he was successful riding 51.596 Km. He used a big gear 52*12 (9.25metres) giving a relatively low cadence of 93.0 rpm.

A week later, Chris Boardman broke Obree’s record, taking the record to 52.270 KM.

2nd World Hour Record – 52.713Km 1994

In the meantime, the UCI banned the tuck position. Therefore Obree went back to the drawing board and came up with a new position ‘the superman position’

Obree in the Superman position

In 1994, on the 27th April, Obree went for the record again. He successfully broke the record riding 52.713Km.

This was beaten later in the year by one of the world’s top pro time-triallists – Miguel Indurain.

Related

• Graeme Obree
• Obree’s bike
• Cycling Records

Sheldon Brown had a great love for cycling, especially experimenting with new features and fixing up old bikes. Sheldon particularly loved the old classic bikes such as sturmey archer gears, and fixed wheel gears.

This is a photo of Sheldon on a tandem. As he wryly notes “I couldn’t find a stoker, but it was a very aero position.”

You can see more of Sheldon Brown’s unique bike photos here

Sheldon was diagnosed with primary progressive multiple sclerosis in August 2007. After losing his ability to balance an upright bicycle to the disease, he was able to continue pedaling by using a recumbent tricycle. Sheldon died on February 3, 2008 after a heart attack.