Thursday Ride 6:00pm @ the Bean

Training Ride Plan for Thursday:
-----------------------------------------------------
Bean @6pm.

Head to Cochrane the short way
- Short Sprints and Lead outs

Cochrane Hill repeats x 3
- or until you taste blood.

Tempo Ride Home
-----------------------------------------------------




All Cat5s racing Pigeon lake this weekend, please try to come out. If you received the 'strategery' email try to hook up with your wingman for the rides. This is key so you can get comfortable riding together prior to the weekend. We have assembled an excellent team representing one of the best principles in cycling, everyone is a teammate not just the people in the same jersey.

As per usual, this ride is open to anyone, racers, non racers, non-speed theory people. The more the merrier. You just need to be an ABA member.

Race Prep Week !!

OK, here's the plan. Have a nice Monday off, then it's race prep !!


It would be cool to get as many Cat5'ers that are racing Pigeon Lake out as possible for Tues and Thurs.

Meet at Extreme Bean at 6:00pm Tues. and Thurs. Here is the plan:

Ride to Cochrane the short way. Practice some sprints for those who want to on the way there. Some really short hard efforts would be good for everybody. Paul or Steve or I will lead out little groups of 2 or 3 and then they can sprint against each other for practice.

Then 3 repeats of Cochrane hill on the highway. We'll do our awesome fun pursuit style method as I really think it brought the best out of us last time.

Casual ride home, spinning.

MIKE GODFREY...any chance you can make these rides?

Trev

Friday Roundup

A great deal of things going down this week. Let's recap:

1) P2C up for Grabs (blue one)
PeteL is selling a beautiful P2C while on his way to some hardcore schooling in the US. There were rumors that the A-Train destroyed his computer while drooling over this amazing offer.

2) Disc Wheel Decals
Paul is ordering up some disc wheel decals. Let the man know if you're interested.

3) The Giro is going on.
Could this be the most 'real' giro to date? No Puerto athletes, lots of new names coming to the front. Currently it's a showdown between DiLuca and Simoni. Or, as I like to view it, the Killer and the Gentleman. If Simoni wins, it would be wild. Especially since he's going after the Olympics as a mountain biker.

4) Doping.
- The Landis hearing wrapped up. TBV has the best coverage that I have found. In a nutshell, I think the LNDD lab did some shoddy work. Of course, I want to believe that floyd is clean but recent developments make it hard
-Pretty much anyone who rides professionally has confessed to doping, Basso, Zabel, Telekom. It's a sad day, but if all other sports were as serious about testing I'm sure there would be as much drama.

5) Pigeon Lake Road Race (get your tickets folks, it's going to be a great show)
Well, this is the best news thus far. It appears the Speed Theory and Friends Cat5 team will dominate this race in epic fashion. The frAtE train is in (Ernie and Alex combined). The Heater, Chewy, el Twitchy, CrankMikester and 'Captain Kirk' Draper, Pete 'The Law' Lawson 'Karl Marx' Miller should round us out. If the weather calms down look for some training rides next week. As we move up the cats, the Speed Theory and Co ranks still look impressive. JamesT in cat4. T-Rev will be representin' cat2 and hopefully Frank and Steve make the party too. The question everyone is asking though, where is Paul and his guns?

Speed Theory Disk Wheel Graphic

We are planning on ordering some decals for disk wheels. The cost would be about $30/decal (2 needed for each disk). Let me know if you would be interested in getting them.

THE BOB REPORT

Good evening Ladies and Gentlemen this is the BOB Report.

Day One 8.5 km ITT

After spending a portion of the day cycling around Saskatoon and scoping out the marathon route (which my wife Celine will be running next weekend) and the ITT route I had a good feeling about the up-coming race. Sign on started @ 4:30 and it was interesting to see the Sask riders making last minute decisions as to which categories they would ride this weekend, not sure I would want the added pressure of picking my Cat before a race but since I ride in Alberta it’s not my problem I guess. Great it’s raining now! Well at least the wind has died down a bit from this afternoon. Start time 6:57:30.
I did my usual warm up on the trainer while ingesting my pre-race goodies which will remain secret at this time. I arrive at the line just moments before my start. 1 2 3 GO TIME!!!! I hear Steve and Frank yelling encouragement and from the corner of my eyes I see Steve running as well. It’s a real blast to have friends around!! First corner… HOLLY CRAP MAN I almost hit the deck!!! OK FOCUS…Although the rain has stopped the road is very wet with numerous puddles about. YES…I am getting my TT legs back as I just smoked past one of my cat 4 opponents. Time at the line 12:01. I am happy, that’s a huge improvement over last year and in worse conditions.

Day Two 86 km Road Race

I am very nervous today as this is my first real road race since moving up to Cat 4 and to add to the pressure I am currently in 5th spot on the GC after the Time Trial. After getting some last minute advice from Steve it was time to go to the staging area. Man these dudes look fast!! The race starts and the first portion is with a wicked tail wind and as expected the pace is fast…stay close to the front but out of the wind. As usual there is the required confusion at the first turn around point but once that gets sorted out the bunch is all back together and riding into the wind. Even more important to stay close to the front but out of the wind as the pace slowly starts to wind up. I have the names and numbers memorized of the guys ahead of me in the GC and I am going to shadow them like a bad smell. As we get close to the second turn around it’s time to pay attention and sure enough there goes a bunch of us, me included, in an attempt at a break away but unfortunately it fails. Just after the turn around another shot!!! But it too gets pulled back and to add insult to injury the wind has shifted and it’s going to be a wicked head wind all the way back to the line. The pace was quite strong despite the wind and people were starting to pop off the back. For a brief moment I thought I was going to pop as well but I dug deep and managed to claw my way back onto the tail end of the lead group. Once recovered I worked myself back to my cozy spot of 4th to 8th wheel. Oddly enough with only approx 1500 meters to go I found myself right at the front and no one seemed to be around me however that changed really fast around the 700 meter mark as it seemed everyone one was there at the same time and after the same line. I gave it one more charge and to my huge surprise I started passing riders left right and centre till I crossed the line in seventh position!! I had successfully defended my 5th spot on the GC!!


Day Three CRIT 35min + 3 Laps

Luckily the rain has held off and the roads are just a little damp. The crit starts and I am stuck behind two guys who can’t seem to get clipped in. The long line develops and all ready the pace is through the roof and I have some serious ground to make up. Mental note next time start right at the front!! Again I had to dig deep to make up ground but lap after lap I gained on a few more riders until I reached my desired “resting” place, you guessed it 4th to 8th wheel. Strategy…at this pace all I can do is hang on in the hope of defending my 5th GC spot. Prime lap F^$#&^$K, I am barely hanging on by my finger nails. OH Thank god they shut it down at the front after crossing the line. A few more laps and crash number one goes down. Prime lap F$#@%K, I am barely hanging on by my finger nails. OH Thank god they shut it down at the front after crossing the line. A few more laps and crash number two goes down…it’s Brad, the third man on GC!! Stay FOCUSED James!!! Prime lap F*&^%&^*K I am barely hanging on by my finger nail and this time I know damn well they won’t shut it down because there is only five minutes left to race…Digging deep lap 1…still in there…Digging even deeper lap 2…still in there…Make a vain attempt at passing a few riders, lap 3, did I mention it was a vain attempt!! Dug really really deep…the line!!!! Sixth to cross!!!

Results:
Frank 4th on GC Cat 3
Steve DNF Cat 1/2 (Suffered back problems during Day 2)
James 4th on GC Cat 4

Full Results found here

2006 Cervélo P2C for sale

SOLD!

Pigeon Lake Road Race.... SIGN UP NOW!!

This race actually fills up. Especially in Cat5. Sign up now.

Please leave a comment here after you email in your entry confirmation.
IT WOULD BE GREAT TO HAVE MOST OF OUR CAT5s ATTEND THIS.
Please try to get out for this one. It is a great race with food at the end!

If we get a decent team together, we'll do some group rides before hand to establish some tactics. All you guys... let's lay it down and show our colours!

So far, here is the list:
Cat 2
Trev

Cat 4
James Tallian (virtual St'er)

Cat 5'ers
Kirk
Carl
Pete
Ernie
Alex
Mike Chewy
Rob
Mike Godfrey (virtual St'er)
Mike Healy

Here is an email from the Pigeon Lake Race Director.

-----------------------------------------
We want to make PLRR2007 the biggest and best yet. We expect to have lead motorcycles and neutral wheel vehicles with FirstAid for each Category and Sweep vehicles following the last rider on the course.

Please remind all your Speed Theory teammates to preregister by sending their name, club, ability category (Women A, Women B, Cat 1&2, Cat 3, Cat 4, Cat 5, Cat 6) and ABA road body number (when they get it) to Jeff Davis at plrr@ertc.org. That way we can prepare start lists, figure out prize money and draw prizes - and stock up with enough food for the BBQ.

Remember to bring your license (and all your bike stuff) and be ready to pay $30 race entry fee (which includes $10 to the prize fund, so the more, the merrier!).

Please check the ERTC website www.ertc.org or contact Jeff Davisplrr@ertc.org 780-483-1880 with any questions or comments about race details or dietary restrictions. Have a good race to build up your appetite! Thanks JD
-----------------------------------------------------------

Thursday Night Cochrane Ride MAY17

Leaving the Bean @ 6:pm.
Riding to Cochrane via the 1A, will be a reasonably quick ride with some Steady State Intervals thrown in just for the fun of it. Ride your TT bike if you have one, if not just come out and ride.

Let's get some new people there that we haven't seen yet to come out and train!!!

Please leave a comment if you plan to attend.

James CrankyMaster

Congrats to Kirk and Carl in Lethbridge

Kirk and Carl... why was it up to me to get this up on the blog? RACE REPORTS GUYS !! :)

Looks like Kirk took 2nd overall, capitilizing on the fastest bike split of the day by 2:41 !

Carl took a 16th position, which is totally solid.

Hope both of you guys can make it up to the Pigeon Lake RR. I think SpeedTheory will dominate Cat5 if we get a good turn out.

Full Results here

Trev

Ride tonight.

Relatively quick ride tonight from the Bean at 7pm. Going to Tuscany to do:

4 X (45sec all out, 7:15 spin), 3 X (Tuscany hill repeat, 1 big gear, 2 small gear)

I'm going to structure the hill repeats as a 'pursuit' style workout so there is added incentive. It should be super fun. We'll have tough guy points, style points, and intimidation points. We'll refine the rules tonight and in the following weeks have a series! I love serieses!! Come out and help us define the rules for the rest of the season!

This will be a perfect workout if you are racing this weekend, and good if you are not as well.

Trev

Cat 2-4 Race Report Bici Sport Crit

Trev and Rod round out our coverage for the categories above 5. Of course, a special shoutout to our friend James Tallian recently accepted into Cat4 where he placed a decisive and consistent 16th. In the cat3 mayhem Rod seemed to be enjoying the speedway but his competitors got a little scared and laid sprinkled some carpet tacks for him to flat on, resulting in a tough DNF. Frank of TRS fame also finished safely in the bunch for cat3 leading to some epic showdowns in the TT for Sunday. Lastly, the cat2s ran (luckily facing a wee bit less breeze than the preceding groups) an advantage nullified by the extra time these speedsters had to pedal. In the pic to the right we can see Trev, casually discussing the Lay-Z-Boy kit and potential labour strategies with an unidentified LayZboy rider. Unfortunately, Trev was outnumbered, but let's be honest he's never out gunned, and working with the HnR folks made the crit exciting and wild.

Results:
Trev Williams: 24th
Rod McAllister: DNF
James Tallian: 16th

Full Results

Cat 5 Bici Sport Crit Race Report

Saturday was the Bici Sport Crit held at the infamous Race City Speedway. The Cat5s of Speed Theory were well represented. In the Pic to the left, we have (from left to right) Mike 'Chewie' Chui, Alex 'The A-Train' Shaw, Ernest 'the E-train' Wyder, Mike 'the Heater' Healy, and Rob 'El Twitchy' Woolley. Facing a brisk headwind, the ST boys piled up at the front right off the start teaming up with Mike from Cranky's. In the first laps MikeC suffered catastrophic chain failure and coasted to the side. The Heater (MikeH) drifted to the back but gamely pulled two other riders around the speedway for the ensuing 30 minutes. A gracious guy, MikeH claimed the work was shared well among the chase group at an estimated 90% Mike, and 10% the other guys. A BowCycle rider full of spirit launched a flyer several laps in. Cranky'sMike and Rob had to hold the A-Train back with repeated shouts of, "STAY 5 BACK!". Coming into the wind, this left the bulk of the heavy lifting to the E-Train. Ernie could be found almost every lap pulling the entire pack into the wind on the back straight. Rob was clearly being a pest leading the pack on the tailwind straight and doing his best to knock Steve(independent) over. Thankfully, Steve kept Rob on the straight and narrow until the second last lap when Rob attempted an ill-fated flyer into the wind. Coming into the finish it was up to the big guns Alex and Ernie who did an extremely good job.

Results:
Alex Shaw - 8th
Ernest Wyder - 16th
Rob Woolley - 20th
Mike Healy - 22nd
Mike Chui - dnf

Bikes On Broadway

Steve and I are heading east to Saskatoon this weekend to race the Bikes On Broadway stage race and were wondering if anyone is interested in hitching a ride. The plan is to leave Saturday morning, hammer the TT, RR and crit on Saturday, Sunday, Monday respectively and head back to Calgary early Monday afternoon. James and some of the other Cranky's are also making the trek. We (or at least myself) are also planning on shunning the hopping Saskatoon night-life and catching as much of the Giro as possible...Let me know here or send me an email...

Race info: http://www.cycledelia.ca/bob.html

Frank

Giro Coverage

There's a 90 minute highlight stream of each Giro stage here:

http://www.raiclicktv.it/raiclickpc/secure/teaser.srv?id=32053&path=RaiClickWeb^Home^Sport&home=false#

Just watched the team time trial including the Popo cornering effort right near the end. The coverage is good but you won't need the sound unless you understand Italian.

Hope the TT went well today. I don't like the rain so much, being Irish.

Even Pros do it.

At the 'Learn to Race' clinic, I bet many were thinking;
'Who would pedal through a tight corner and crash?

-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Popo loses time due to crash.


After the corner I went to pedal but it was a bit too soon and I crashed," he told Cyclingnews at the finish. "I am okay, though, not badly hurt. But I lost a bit of time because of that."

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

Back in 3 weeks

Good work at the Velocity race Trev, Rod, Alex and our little friend James. I was in Vancouver at the Marathon, got a 3:16 after a serious last 10k fade. Off to France on Saturday morning till June 2nd. My first race will be the Devon Hill climb/crit in mid June, hope to have some company in Cat 4 by that time. I am thinking about a short ride (< 1.5hrs) on Friday night, suggestions?

Matt

Results from Velocity Stage Race

Results from Velocity

I used my GPS for my computer for the race. Check out the data here, it's pretty neat.

Trev

Bicisport Racing Extravaganza

If you feel the need for speed then look no further that this coming weekend. May 12th and May 13th are filled with action packed action in Strathmore and Calgary's very own Race City Speedway. Bicisport marks the first Calgary race of the season so if you're interested be sure to sign up, suit up, and get your speed freak on.

Here is where you can register. (click me if you dare)

Here in the top right corner you can get more details.


Rob is calling all Cat5s. If you do any racing this year, the Bicisport crit is an excellent race.
You'll learn: How to get comfy in a pack, How to ride corners and, as Trev always says, how to get pumped
There is something to be said for the red and white stripes, the hordes of screaming fans and the elaborate victory celebrations.*

Anyhow, sign up and come on out, should be a great weekend.

*this may be hype
**Originally posed by Trev, then Hijacked by Rob.

Ride tonight from the Bean

If it is raining, I am not too into riding. Definately meet there if you are (into riding in the rain), but I'm not going to be there if it is raining.

Maybe comment here if you will still be there if it is raining, so other 'hardcores' can still meet you.

So, I still plan on being there, but will pull out if it is raining.

Trev

Hal can't make the ride

Hal Kuntze had promised he would ride with us tonight but apparently his brother is in town today as I got this picture of them riding together. I guess he has decided to ditch us yet again.