Juventus Family Day Weekend!!
Thanks to Jeff Bakal for his stellar reporting and Gail Wozny for the photos!
The Western Canadian Track Cycling Championships were raced Feb. 16th - 18th at the Harry Jerome Velodrome in Burnaby BC.
Team Juve Track showed up with the full Formula 1 experience: Transit van full of gear, and kids rolling out of the Kia like a clown car.
Juventus brought a good sized crew, but it was also cool to see the thread of Juventus represented throughout the event. The Rubuliaks . . . (founding member Chris) with his kids . . . Chief Commissaire Mike Pinkoski (Juve soccer coach) . . . the vibe was friendly and fun right from the get go.
There is a non trivial amount of Juventusness in this picture!
Burnaby Velodrome humming . . .
Juventus began with a mini track camp, with firsts on the track, and firsts in aero bars; it was a good chance to test and tune . . .
Team Juventus getting familiar with the 200 m Harry Jerome Velodrome in Burnaby BC.
. . . and the Burnaby Velodrome has all manner of unique features!
Dave assists Ngaire with her aero-bars.
Jeff with registration complete, and Abbey with a bar exchange!
Mini camp dusted, and everyone ready to race!!
Day 1 racing included pursuits, the 500, and kilo . . . Jeff conned Gail into both - and himself into neither. Yet, Jeff could not resist the Chariot (win). . . or an Antiquoena (win) . . . or a Points Race (2nd)!
PBs were the standard of the day for just about everyone. And that included a variety of categories. We had Ngaire and Annie in U17, Mat and Chris, as well as Lukas in with the Juniors, Zac with Elite Men, Gail (3 km IP!!) and Abbey in Elite Women, and Jeff clobbering the Master Men.
A few tactics . . .
The Juventus pit was a busy place.
And then the bunch races began and really charged the atmosphere! Zac learned a few lessons, Annie ripped the wheel off her bike in a dramatic Chariot super final . . . and Abbey discovered her calling as an Antiquoena specialist.
Annie had a very strong Points Race.
Lukas not only got to mix it up with the taller boys in U19, but toughed it out through birthday eve.
Day 2 of racing brought on the sprint contest which began with a bunch of 200 m PBs. Additional lessons were learned, but Chris, Ngaire and Zac found themselves podium bound again . . . and there was more Juventus Family time.
Ngaire Barraclough, Noah Rubuliak and Megan Barnes.
Zac on the Elite Men's podium.
Day 2 also meant the Omnium - and where Abbey found out how fun it will be to head with the others to Junior Track Nationals in April. Gail was very pleased with her racing, taking 5th place in the Omnium. Chris and Mat both took some some big risks (apparently it's an Edmonton thing to do): they didn't land the way they wanted, but their gambles made for some great racing.
Although limited by their smaller gears and alloy rims, Lukas, along with Jacob Rubuliak [Red Devils (secret Juventus)] raced tough with the 'tall boys' . . . and Lukas celebrated his birthday track style.
Birthday boy Lukas racing up with the Juniors!
Gail and Abbey in action with the Elite Women.
Ngaire, Annie and Noah (Rubuliak), worked the mass start events super hard, with various goals moving through the packs, makings some attacks, and showing us all a few things about how to race.
The battles went long into the night, and included a visit from Alex Ongaro that revved up the team. Racing wrapped up shortly before midnight, only to start again the next day at pretty early o-clock . . .
A Juventus friend, (and Gail), ensured everyone could carry on into the night fortified by homemade chili, and strong coffee!
Day 3 brought on team events, testing the dynamics of sprints and pursuits. The kid and combo teams (including coaches, and sometimes Juve rider and always fast Ross Wilson), paced and executed . . . and yeah, did a bit more learning . . . Memorable was a super gutsy Madison starring Mat and Chris. We had riders that stayed through to the bitter end, highlighted by Annie mixing it up in the snowball.
Mat prepares for his next race.
All hands on deck.
Zac sizing up the group.
Zac with an attack!
The final race of the weekend turned into a battle between Dave travelling with the cargo, and an endless delay at the airport for the rest of the team . . .
Some great Keirin action was too fast to catch on film!
Juventus Track at the Western Champs - Burnaby 2018 - definitive, and impressive!! Congratulations to all!
A final note to the organizers, officials, and volunteers in Burnaby that made this weekend so wonderful: we sincerely thank you. You will have to come visit us this summer, so we can show you how we do on Argyll's 333!
Stefan Ritter and a Super Play-by-Play Update!
Hello Juventus!
As many of you know, June was not my month with two big crashes in Trexlertown PA. These crashes had me sitting on the sidelines for the rest of the summer. However, spending the summer at home was a nice change of pace. Before I new it, September arrived and my unintentional summer vacation, full of rehab and relaxation, had come to an end. My collarbone and concussion rehab was going very well, so it was time to head back to Milton to start training again. And this time with a new coach - Franck Durivaux.
I was really looking forward to working with Franck, as in France he had helped train some of the biggest names in track cycling . . . guys like Pervis, Bauge and D'Almeida. September and October whizzed by, and I was starting to find a little bit of form on the track and in the gym. In early November, I had another small setback. In the final lap of warm up, I was passing a rider coming out of corner four when he decided to swing up without shoulder checking. Always shoulder check! My front wheel got taken out and I hit the deck. A couple of X-rays and concussion protocol tests later it was determined that my head was fine, but I had somehow managed to bend my collarbone. Yes, bend my collarbone and the metal plate that was bolted on to it. After a short period of even more shoulder rehab, I was back - and on the bike. The next week we had some on-track testing and I rode two 10.0 flying 200s. Not bad, but I really wanted to get back under 10 seconds again.
One aspect of training that Franck places more emphasis is aerobic power. This meant more road rides and some Madison training on the track, something I was not opposed to! Franck and I even did one 70km ride, which was easily the longest ride I have done in 2 years. Longer rides really broke up some of the monotony of riding on the track everyday, which was really nice.
Next up on the calendar, in December, were two UCI C1 races - in Anadia, Portugal and then Grenchen, Switzerland. After a couple days of training it was time to suit up and race. First up for me were the sprints. I qualified first with a 9.993s 200m; and the two Lithuanians, Lendel and Jonauskas, rounded out the top three. The sprint tournament was reduced, as only the top eight riders qualified. I made my way through the quarters and semis, racing Patrice, my teammate, and Sam Ligtlee of the Netherlands. I met Lendel in the final. For those who don't know, Lendel had won the sprint at the World Cup in Chile one week earlier, besting Dennis Dimitriev, the current sprint world champ. It was good competition to say the least. Lendel took the win in two rides straight. Considering it was my first race back, I was pretty happy.
The next day was the kilo. The last kilo I had done was at the World Championships in Hong Kong in April, so I was not expecting huge things. After a pretty rough ride, I finished second with a 1:02.7. Not the greatest kilo ever, but good enough to get on the podium and get much needed points to qualify for the world champs.
It was now time for the Keirin. I drew position one, so I just held the front and razored for three laps, and qualified on to the semis. In the semis, I hesitated (where I should have attacked) right when the bike pulled off; with two laps to go, I was caught three riders high and riding above the blue - I just could not come around. You need to be decisive in Keirin racing! In the 7-12 final I drew position 4, and as soon as the bike pulled off I just went straight to the front, holding the lead all the way till the finish. With a solid three days of racing under my belt, it was time to fly to Switzerland for the next race.
First up in Switzerland was the sprint. I qualified second to Sebastian Vigier with a 9.921. After a bye through the 1/8 round, I took Dubchenko to three rides in the quarter finals - winning with probably the best bike throw of my life. Next I was up against Michael D'Almeida. I won the first ride, but made some pretty big tactical errors in the second and third rides; he qualified for the gold final. In the bronze final, I was up against Gregory Bauge, yet another French Olympian medalist, world champion superstar. Bauge took the first ride, but I managed to get the second with really late rush, where I just managed to pass him in corner four. Bauge ended up winning the third ride for an all French podium.
In the Keirin, I made it through the first and second rounds without much issue. In the final, I drew fourth position and after the bike pulled off . . . I waited . . . and waited. After one and a half laps, the three riders ahead of me had not picked up the pace at all - so I went. I got to the front and did not look back. Vigier came flying by, but I held on to second through the finish! A great conclusion to a jam packed week and a half of racing.
After a great Christmas break at home, and two weeks of training back on the track in Milton, I flew to Belarus for my sprint and Keirin world cup debut! The weather in Minsk was not dissimilar to that of Edmonton - a dry minus 10 degrees, with snow. Our hotel was roughly an 800m walk from the track and along the way was park, a church and a big shopping centre. Four days of training later, and I was warming up for the first round of the Keirin. I drew position five, but made some tactical errors which preempted a direct route to the final. Not the ideal way to start a world cup, but my legs felt great - I just needed to go through the reps now. I drew position five. Again. What luck. Starting at the back, I really only had one option - to rush and get to the front as soon as the bike pulled off. So I did. I made it to the front posthaste, and then just held the front till the end. I had qualified to the semis! In my semi heat I drew position two; as the bike pulled off, there was a big rush and I quickly found myself in fifth position going into corner three. At this point, everyone settled down and the pace slowed, so I launched my counter attack and made it to the front with two laps to go. On the second lap I floated where I could, and then opened the throttle in the last lap, buying my ticket to the Keirin final. Here I found myself beginning in third position. I left a gap, waited one lap, and then I attacked - getting to the front and riding it the exactly as the previous semi. The only difference was that Matthijs Buchli came flying over top of me to take the win. Meanwhile, I went head to head in a race for second place with Lewis Oliva; coming out of corner two on the last lap, I kicked as hard as I could - I knew if I could keep him beside me going into the last corner I should be able to medal. It worked out and I finished second!
After about as good of a six hour sleep as you can have, I was up and ready for the sprint tournament. I fueled up with coffee, four slices of rye bread and four eggs, and was off to the velodrome to start warm up. The flying 200's were the first event of the day, and I was able to warm up on track. Three slightly sketchy warm up efforts later, and I was being pushed up the track to start my 200m TT. I hit all my push-points perfectly in my wind up and came swiftly down the banking and into the sprinters lane. I focussed on being smooth, and riding a clean line. One lap later I looked up and saw my time - 9.820. That was a new pb ( Minsk is pretty much sea level)! I ended up qualifying fourth. This gave me a bye to the 1/8 finals where I raced the legend himself, Theo Boss.
We arrived at the start line with Theo leading it out. The whistle blew and to my surprise Boss took off like a rocket with a full on standing start. All of a sudden the commissaire's gun fired - it turned out that Boss' coach had given him a very big illegal push. So we restarted, and to my surprise Boss deployed the same tactic yet again. I chase and he starts to ease up going into corner three, so I let off the gas slightly. On the home straight he swung up to the rail and dumped speed. I had two choices: a smart one, and a not so smart one. Instead of following his wheel and maintaining my position in the rear (smart choice), I chose to take the front. Theo ended up coming around me on the last lap in corner four and that was that. The Dutch rider went on to finish third, after qualifying 13th (quite remarkable in itself), which lifted my spirits slightly - knowing that he had also beaten other faster riders.
All in all, I was pleased with a second in the Keirin and ninth in the sprint. I came away from the Belarus World Cup quite content with where I had come from since summer, and looking forward to the next two big events on my calendar: The World Championships in Apeldoorn Netherlands, and the Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast Australia! But first, back to Milton to put in another training block.
Till next time,
Stefan
Juventus track riders selected to 2018 Commonwealth Games Team!
Juventus Olympian Alex Ongaro may have a few wise words for 2018 Commonwealth Games selectees Stefan Ritter and Kinley Gibson. Alex chats frequently with both, and he knows a thing or two about podiums. Alex took silver at the 1986 Commonwealth Games. [Did you know his Canada team skinsuit from the race (with the number hand-sewn on the back!) is framed, and on the wall of our Juventus clubhouse meeting room?]
2018 Commonwealth Games selectee Stefan Ritter (Juventus) will compete in Sprint events.
2018 Commonwealth Games selectees include Kinley Gibson (Juventus), Allison Beveridge, Ariane Bonhomme, Annie Foreman-Mackey, and Steph Roorda.
This selection to a major games is an exciting first for both of these young Juventus members. But it is not a surprise: Kinley and the pursuit team have been competing well on the world stage all season with 3 World Cup podiums, including winning gold at World Cup III in Milton. Stefan showed his return to form when he took silver in World Cup V in Minsk. His journey back to fitness and performance was subsequent to recovery from a summertime crash.
And Juventus boasts another selection: NextGen rider Devaney Collier has been named as an alternate to the CG team. Devaney rode well at World Cup V, where her team won bronze in Team Pursuit, and she raced in the 4 event Omnium.
Devaney Collier (Juventus) has been selected as alternate to the 2018 Commonwealth Games track team.
The quad annual games will be held on the Gold Coast of Australia with the track events run in the new Anna Meares' Velodrome, located just outside Brisbane.
Stefan will be competing in the Sprint events, while Kinley is designated for the endurance side - Team Pursuit on the track, and the Road Race on the Gold Coast.
Both Stefan and Kinley are currently preparing for the 2018 World Track Championships in Apeldoorn, Netherlands (February 28 - March 4th).
Cranx Registration is Open!
The Cranx program, as well as the Juventus LAMP, are both designed as the next step in development for kids graduating from the Juventus Sprockids Program. Cranx is for riders 11 to 15 years of age. The program incorporates Cycling Canada's Athlete Development Model. We introduce young athletes to advanced mountain biking techniques and skills, teach specific safety rules, and foster a love for the sport of cycling.
Competition is in a fun, friendly environment with emphasis on personal achievement, camaraderie and teamwork. Riders must have the maturity, skills, stamina, commitment and desire necessary for success in this 8-week program. Age, experience and physical ability are used to group athletes appropriately.
The progress of each rider through cycling basics is monitored by Juventus coaches. Advancement depends on skills demonstrated throughout the year. We recommend that riders attend every class but attendance is not mandatory.
Cranx will run on Saturdays from 9:30AM to noon, and Tuesdays from 6:30PM to 8:00PM.
CRANX COMPETITION
We are offering two Cranx streams, recreational and competitive again this year. Saturday rides will be group rides. Tuesdays you have the option of a recreational group ride or training/racing in the competitive stream.
The Cranx competition stream is designed for registered Cranx riders who intend to cross-country (XC) race during the 2017 season. The goals of Cranx Comp are to introduce athletes to XC racing, prepare athletes for competition, and provide guided opportunities for race training and practice. Cranx Comp participants will be well-prepared both mentally and physically for the challenges of XC mountain bike racing.
Offered every Tuesday evening during the regular Cranx schedule, Cranx Comp will feature 2 structured introductory sessions followed by regular participation in Edmonton’s “Fat Tire Tuesday” race program and Alberta Bicycle Association’s (ABA) Trailblazers youth race series. We also encourage Cranx Comp kids to race in at least one Alberta Biking Association (ABA) sanctioned mountain bike race (Cranx Comp athletes will incur extra costs for race registration and possibly ABA licensure).
WINTER TRAINING
This winter we are partnering with a couple of our other youth Juventus programs to get ready for spring. We are able to join the Juventus LAMP and JUNIOR riders in their winter training such as spin classes (Tuesday and Sunday), winter riding or running stairs. You must be a current Juventus club member to participate. Please let Cranx Director Carrie Wiklund know if you are interested in winter training and I will ensure that you are included in the appropriate correspondence.
PARENT ASSISTANTS
We are looking for Parent Assistants to ride with the kids again this spring. As in previous years, we will need to have all Parent Assistants insured by the Alberta Bicycle Association. Please contact us if you are interested in riding with us this year.
We are looking forward to seeing you and your kids this spring.
COACHES
We are looking for coaches to lead groups in rides again this spring. Please contact us if you or someone you know is interested in coaching with us this year.
Juniors Rolling and Planning for Spring Camp!
Juventus Juniors are putting in the roller and trainer miles now: they need to be ready for their first big push at Spring Road Camp. Tracy and Ken will take the group to Penticton March 24th to 31st. A whole lot of learning and riding goes into a Junior Camp.
On the riding side of things, the terrain is well scouted and the daily miles are long. Fortunately the coaches are used to a variety of riders; good preparation means success for everyone.
Every cyclist needs decent cooking skills, and learning how to take care of sustenance is also a part of spring camp. The team will stay at the HI Hostel, buy groceries and cook together. Costs should be around $800-$900. Everything is included except what you eat on the way to and from Penticton.
Be sure to let Ken know by Monday January 29th if you are interested in this year's Junior's Spring Road Camp!!
Success at Track World Cup V - an Update from Devaney Collier!
Juventus member Devaney Collier currently trains with Cycling Canada's NextGen Program. Canada used the fifth World Cup in Minsk, Belarus to give the group experience on the world stage. Experience indeed . . . congratulations to Devaney for Bronze in the Team Pursuit and competing well in the Omnium!
When I asked the team Canada mechanic, Dan, what to expect while in Minsk he said “Well, do you like vodka?”. That more or less sums up the country.
After a near 2 week prep camp in Milton, Sara Giovannetti, Erin Attwell, Laurie Jussaume, Maggie Coles-Lyster and I were primed and ready to take on our first world cup team pursuit. We were pretty confident in our counterclockwise oval riding capabilities, although it was a test of fortitude when our coach, Jenny Trew, had to opt out last minute due to a family emergency. Thankfully her son and our favourite fan, Camden, is on the road to recovery and progressing well.
Canada's NextGen Team puts together a smooth, fast TP at the 2018 World Cup V in Belarus.
Since our arrival in Belarus on Jan 16th, we have all been pleasantly surprised by the grandeur of the hotel, and ease with which everything has run. The Velodrome was decent and fairly equivalent to Milton in terms of speed and handling difficulty. I think 2 PB’s and a bronze medal are testament to that, but more so to the hard work of the athletes, staff and coaches over the past few months especially. We are proud of this achievement, but more excited by the progress our training has reaped. We're enthusiastic about turning our sights to the road in order to set up for bigger, better more badass results next season.
2018 World Cup V - Minsk, Belarus - Canada wins Bronze in Women's Team Pursuit!
Turning in a personal direction, I was anxious yet excited to race in my first international Omnium this past weekend! Jenny and I knew it was going to be a big day as the schedule was as follows:
Team Pursuit - round 1
OM scratch
OM tempo
OM elimination
TP finals
OM points race
Yes, it was ouchie. Those last 3 races occurred in about a total of 1.5 hours. Overall I would have to say I am not unhappy with the results. My goal was: find out how to race smarter, I can’t out-gun these women (yet), so I need to learn how to use my maximize my strengths through tactical decisions. I definitely learned what not to do! I look forward to doing many more Omniums in the future but really enjoyed (literally) rubbing shoulders with the best!
Devaney Collier competes in the 2018 World Cup V Omnium.
Till next time!
-Devaney
Juventus' Cheyenne Goh to represent Singapore at 2018 Winter Olympics!
Juventus junior, Cheyenne Goh (far right), spent a good deal of the spring and summer cycling; she was part of the Alberta Team (yes, that's Abbey McGill centre) that travelled to Ottawa, Ontario for Junior Road Nationals last June.
Cheyenne used the cycling training and competition to compliment her speed skating passion. After racing the ITT, road race, and criterium, Cheyenne returned home. In August she headed for Kuala, Lumpur for the South East Asian Games. She had outstanding success, earning a Silver in both the 500 m, and 3000 m relay, and a Bronze in the 1000 m race.
But there was more work and good news ahead . . .
Since September, she has competed in four Short Track Speed Skating World Cups - in Budapest, Hungary; Dordrecht, Netherlands; Shanghai, China; and Seoul, Korea.
A few days ago, The International Skating Union released the qualified quota places for the upcoming 2018 Games in Pyeongchang, South Korea, and Cheyenne's three best performances earned her enough points to qualify as Singapore's first Winter Olympian!
Goh, a recent Leduc high school graduate, is based in Canada. She will go to Singapore to prepare for the 2018 Winter Olympics held February 9th - 25th.
Congratulations to Cheyenne on this exciting selection!!
Juve Juniors report from World Cup III!
Recently, Argyll Velodrome Racing Association (AVRA) Coach Alex Ongaro was invited to Milton for discussions with Cycling Canada's Development Pathway Coordinator. A nice bonus was that the trip was on the weekend of the Milton Track World Cup, and he was able to bring along Zac Lipinski, and Mikael Goh. All three had a fantastic 4 days; check out their report!
Captains Log Day 1 – Zac:
As we embarked on our journey, security believed that I seemed the most appropriate for the full strip down. After ten minutes, security finally deemed my pack of gum and calculator not a threat to the plane, and we were on our way. The three hour flight was action packed, from watching Atomic Blonde to the one wheel landing…. We arrived in beautiful Milton, Ontario: a rain jacket instead of parka would have been a good idea indeed!
Upsides: It was interesting to be greeted by someone from Cycling Canada when we arrived. We also enjoyed being chauffeured around in one of their Lexus cars. On top of that, Mikael and I were given guest passes to go behind the scenes at the velodrome and see the everyday work of the staff.
Front and backstage passes!
Alex Ongaro and Curt Harnett
Downsides: “no coffee?!?” -Alex
Interesting facts: They bag milk here in Ontario. Would not recommend adopting that. Very hard to drink out of a bag.
Day 2 - Mikael:
Kinley riding in the Team Pursuit
After sleeping through my alarm and being awakened by an overly-aggressive Zac, we left to see the first day of racing. One of the highlights of the day included the Team Pursuit qualifiers, with the Canadian women’s team topping the leaderboard (yay Kinley!!).
Zac, Curt Harnett, and Mikael
We also had the opportunity to talk to Ari from Zizu Optics about a potential sponsorship deal. They have some really high quality sunglasses, and both Zac and I are very excited to work with them long term. Later in the day we got to watch the Team Sprint qualifiers and Points Races.
It was amazing to watch the world’s best compete up close, including Kristina Vogel and Francois Pervis. When the racing ended, the three of us met up with Stefan for coffee, and watched a movie.
Upsides: Great racing, Meeting up with Zizu, finally coffee!!
Downsides: Zac’s method of waking me up (body slam)
Interesting facts: A small round piece of bread is known as a roll (Zac was unaware). “well Stefan calls them buns, and a World Champion is never wrong” -Zac
Day 3: Zac:
An interesting day of racing; we got to see Kinley and her pursuit team race to gold. It is a totally different experience to watch that in person.
As well, it was amazing to see the men’s team pursuit set a new Canadian record.
Mikael, never having been to this track, watched some of the greatest riders in world complete the 200 m qualifiers. He left this week with an abundance of match sprint tactics to work on in his upcoming events.
Mikael's face as he watches a Keirin crash!
Juventus at the World Cup
Day 4: Zac
It's pretty much a straight forward story. Getting ready to leave, we told Mikael to make sure that he had double checked his room and bag - to ensure that he had everything. We checked out, arrived at the airport, checked in for our flight, and continued to our terminal.
Mikael, being slow to respond and all, decided to check that he had everything at the terminal. He was shocked to NOT see a small black booklet called a passport in his bag!! We then scrambled for the next two hours figuring out how Mikael was going to get on the plane without any documentation - other than the still missing passport . . .
The face when your athlete is missing his passport . . .
So yeah, that was fun. But the rest was very cool!
Thank you Alex, and thank you Cycling Canada for this great opportunity!!
Good things - Gibson & team take Gold!
Sometimes all the hard work does pay off. The Canadian Women's Endurance Team put on quite a show in Milton, and in dramatic fashion, won GOLD in the Team Pursuit (TP).
The event is comprised of three races: a qualifier to rank the teams; round 1 to determine which teams will race for gold & silver, and which teams will race for bronze; and then the Gold and Bronze FINALS.
Juventus' Kinley Gibson got the nod for the P1 (starter) position for the qualifier. She would be teamed with the same quartet that won Silver at the first World Cup of the season in Pruszkow in early November: Allison Beveridge, Ariane Bonhomme, and Annie Foreman-Mackey. The group did not disappoint, turning in a best time.
Blasting out of the start gate is Kinley Gibson, with Allison Beveridge P2, Ariane Bonhomme P3, Annie Foreman Mackey P4. (photo by Peter Kraiker)
In Round 1, against 4th place qualifier Japan, coach Craig Griffin switched things up, putting in Steph Roorda as P1 (Allison was also racing the Omnium), Kinley as P2, and adding Kirsti Lay to rest Ariane. The team easily qualified for the Gold Medal Final.
New Zealand is very competitive in TP, and Canada knew they needed to perform! The team returned to their original line up, and got ready to race.
Riding in compact formation - smooth and fast! (photo by Rob Jones)
The stands were packed, and the crowd was ravenous for a victory. The countdown ended, and the two teams blasted from the line.
The Canadians felt the thundering power of home advantage. They lost all ability to communicate with each other: as they rode faster and faster, the crowd cheered louder and louder. They were propelled forward, and were able to catch New Zealand with more than a lap still in the race. GOLD!!! - and the first World Cup Gold Medal on Canadian soil since 1998.
CLICK HERE and watch
Canada vs. New Zealand
in the GOLD Medal Final!!
UCI World Cup III was live-streamed around the world.
Women's endurance coach Craig Griffin gives feedback to the team. (photo by Rob Jones)
The cheering crowd was so loud . . . spurring the team forward, but preventing all communication in the line!
Craig Griffin urges the women onward!
You can see the joy of a rewarding effort beam from these Canadian women! There will be a bit of savouring the victory, a lot of thanking of the supporters behind the success, and then it's back to work . . . because the target is the 2018 world championships in Apeldoorn, Netherlands at the start of March.
It's pretty nice when things go to plan! (Ariane Bonhomme and Kinley Gibson) - photo by Peter Kraiker
And this is what it feels like to win on home turf! - photo by Peter Kraiker (Ariane Bonhomme & Kinley Gibson)
Ariane Bonhomme, Kinley Gibson, Annie Foreman Mackey, Allison Beveridge after their Gold medal ride - photo Peter Kraiker
2017 World Cup III Milton, Ontario - photo Peter Kraiker (Kinley, Ariane, Annie, Allison)
Round 1 riders Steph Roorda, and Kirsti Lay share in the victory! - photo by Peter Kraiker
Kinley was interviewed by
Canadian Cyclist
after the podium in Milton. She is unable to stop beaming!
Day 3 of the World Cup, and it's Kinley's turn to cheer. Alex Ongaro, in Milton to observe top performers, took this picture of Mikael and Zac, who joined Meika and Stefan for the excitement.
Congratulations to Kinley on representing Juventus, and Canada so well!
Our 2017 AGM & Awards Dinner!
The Juventus AGM and Awards Dinner is a special event. It is our chance to reconnect after a season of training, racing, and good old riding for fun. The Juventus AGM is the business end of things: it's when we get updated on the big picture; did we accomplish club goals?, were support dollars well spent?, and what should be our goals for 2018?
We are so fortunate. Our club membership is diverse. We have a beautiful clubhouse: we can use it to train so very diligently, but then gather for both serious business and celebration. Our strengths can be highlighted, and then we have the opportunity to refocus and set some new goals.
Our club Treasurer, Jim Nelson, presents his report.
Cranx Director, Carrie Wicklund, describes a new position available within the club - Juventus Trail Coordinator
Dinner by Chianti's was enjoyed by all. Ngaire seems pretty pleased.
At the 2017 AGM, we listened to our directors; we heard a lot about success, a little about what can be improved, and how each was strategizing to make improvements for 2018.
After considerable time dissecting, thinking, and collaborating, the executive's goal to draft new club bylaws came to fruition.
President Gail Wozny thanked both Lindsay Dodd, and David Embury for their wise counsel during this process.
The bylaws were presented to the general membership, and after discussion, a motion to accept these bylaws as presented was passed.
Juventus set some new goals for 2018, and then it was time to celebrate success.
Please enjoy the pictures of our 2017 Award Winners. Congratulations to everyone! (a few more pictures are yet to come)
Friendship and camaraderie at the AGM . . . a group so bright, we had to darken the windows! Either that, or this is part of a future gym drill . . .
I'm not sure if Zac is buying what Mat is selling. But for sure, the dinner from Chianti's is great.
Alex Stieda mentors a few of our juniors and LAMP+ grads.
One of the things that makes Juventus so successful, is how regularly members give back to the sport they love. This most often means returning to coach Juventus youth, and assisting them with encouragement, and tricks and tips learned along the way.
Samuel Beaudoin was integral to our LAMP+ program. Thank you Sam!
Ross Wilson is our 2017 Top Time Trialist.
Juventus member Ross Wilson had two stand out performances at this year's Para World Championship in Los Angeles. Ross's wins ensured the phrase 'Juventus member and current World Champion' was doubly relevant. Ross took gold in the 1 km TT, and then went out and dominated the 3 km Individual Pursuit. Congratulations to Ross - an easy choice for this year's Juventus Time Trial Award . . . the clubhouse World Championship jersey collection continues to grow!
Annie Wyminga Scott is our 2017 Top U15 Female.
Lukas Bonkowski is our 2017 Top U15 Male.
Ngaire Barraclough is our 2017 Top U17 Female.
Alex Webb is our 2017 Top U17 Male.
Nikki McGill accepts on behalf of Sidney McGill - our 2017 Top U19 Female.
Sidney McGill - our 2017 Top U19 Female, and Top Mountain Cyclist.
Zachary Lipinski is our 2017 Top U19 Male.
Evan Burtnik is our 2017 Top Elite Male.
Kinley Gibson is our 2017 Top Elite Female, Top Track Cyclist, and was recognized with our Dedicated Cyclist Award.
Gail Wozny is our 2017 Top Master Female. She is also our wonderful Juventus President.
George Irwin is our 2017 Top Master Male. George took some time to describe how much he enjoyed training and racing with the Juventus group.
Our master's coach, Bruce Copeland is probably planning next year's exploits - and Top Master Male George Irwin is in!
David Meurer is our 2017 Volunteer of the Year!
Cycling events and programs depend on the contributions of a horde of dedicated volunteers.
Many Juve members go above and beyond the norm, with wonderful benefits for everyone!
Juventus chose to recognize David Meurer as our 2017 Volunteer of the Year.
Thank you David: your effort to assist the club and cycling overall with your thoughtful discussion, your support and interest in our youth, your assistance on team trips, and your overall attitude of volunteerism, is extremely appreciated!
Jeff recounts Most Improved Rider Lindsay's development . . . from falling off the velodrome in neutral laps to Bronze at Master Track Nationals!!
Lindsay Somerset is our 2017 Most Improved Cyclist.
Mikael Goh is our 2017 Rookie of the Year.
Sean Germaine is our 2017 Top CX Rider.
Dave Embury, along with Gail Wozny, present Ngaire Barraclough with the 2017 Argyll Velodrome Association Scholarship.
Rich Sitter accepts his Scream Award - after James and George told the very crazy story of an epic ride of screams, and more screams.
The Jim Horner Room at the Juventus clubhouse, and our Lap of Honour Award are named for this very special man. Many members knew and remember Jim with great fondness. Here are a few words that LAMP visionary and director Wayne Mackenzie wrote back in 2006.
Dan Nelson accepted the 2017 Jim Horner Award from Club President and kind heart Gail Wozny.
I did not know Jim for a long time like many of you, but his impact on me has been profound. It was Jim’s love of the bike and of youngsters who are just beginning to experience this love that made me promise him, that together we would work with the kids and ensure that they discovered their own love for the bike.
The Sprockids and Lori-Ann Muenzer Programs are offshoots of this promise and it has given me great pleasure to set things in motion to uphold this promise for years to come.
Without Jim’s encouragement and vision we would not be where we are today. I will do my best to be sure there are always smiles on the faces of, and bikes under, the kids that Jim loved to work with so much. Jim is no longer with us but his wisdom will continue.
Dan Nelson exemplifies the spirit of what the Jim Horner Lap of Honour Award is about! He was the perfect choice!
The GEORGE Award!!
And here you thought the George Award was forgotten. Not likely! This year's story was a tragic tale of woe involving one very expensive LOOK time trial bike. This bike needed transport from our candidate's home to the clubhouse . . . a ride down the ravine path, onto River Road, and up and over to Argyll. Hmmmm, that sounds like no problem . . .
Dave accepts the George Award . . . and would you believe - the bike is fixed!
. . . except, always wanting to use his time wisely, our candidate decided it would be prudent to ride his road bike, and use his spare hand to guide the LOOK to its destination. Mad skillz indeed!! - if only.
You guessed it - and IT happened along River Road, just as our candidate approached the LRT turn off - some sort of a glitch in the matrix, or super-jinx.
Situation: maximum unhappiness. Our candidate (OK, let's name him), Dave Embury (are you surprised?) somehow was tossed over his handlebars and landed on the LOOK.
Broken top tube, broken down tube . . . and Dave with an unfortunate mess. Yes, this is certainly a well deserved George Award. Congratulations . . .???
Juve Women Pen About the Cycling Journey!
Recently, both Gail Wozny, and Kinley Gibson received unconnected requests to write about their cycling experiences.
Gail was asked by YEGFITNESS to write about her experience re-entering the world of competitive Master's racing. CLICK HERE to link to Gail's article.
Kinley was asked by CBC Sport to write about her experience moving from the NextGen program to the Olympic Performance Pool. CLICK HERE to link to Kinley's article.
Well done to both of you!
News from Evan Burtnik!
Hey Juventus, 2017 is almost over, but somehow my season isn’t!
I just got back from Geneva, where together Aidan Caves and I raced the 4 Days of Geneva. The velodrome is 166 m and has the steepest banking of any velodrome in Europe! 4 days of straight Madison racing, where racing starts at 6 or 7 pm and finishes around midnight. It was a brutal and stressful 4 days, but some of the most fun I’ve ever had racing.
We finished 4th overall, and were improving in every single race. Aidan and I were unable to recover a lap lost to 2nd and 3rd, and it cost us 2nd overall. Twice - we were so close to gaining it back . . . but one amateur butchered exchange would tragically foil our plans. In the final race, on the final night, after many near death experiences and close calls, fate finally caught up to me. I got stuck behind an exchanging team and hit the deck with track burn all along my right side. Aidan covered for me, while I jumped up and down and yelled profanities at myself on the infield - before promptly getting back on the bike, thrown back into the race with my ass hanging out of my shorts, and won the next 2 sprints to a nice applause from the crowd!
Coming up, I’ll learn if I’ve been selected to the 2018 Commonwealth Games team in Australia, on The Gold Coast in April! My prospects at making it as a team pursuit rider are slim, but the addition of Madison to the Olympic schedule has opened up another pathway for me as a track cyclist. This is very exciting for me, as we build towards Tokyo 2020. The first race that counts for Olympic qualification will be the 2018 Pan American Championships, so the clock is ticking!
Right now I’m in Spain getting ready for my final race of the season in Grenchen, Switzerland. It’s a C1 track race where I’ll have the opportunity to earn myself UCI Points to qualify for future World Cups and World Championships. After that, I go home for Christmas - but then it's right back to Spain to begin the build for the Commonwealth Games and World Championships!
Juventus Recognition at City of Edmonton's Salute to Excellence!
The City of Edmonton Performance Awards honour individuals, groups, organizations or teams who have gained outstanding recognition at the national or international level in sport, or arts and culture. Devaney Collier, Gail Wozny, and Kinley Gibson were recognized for Individual Sport Performance.
In addition, Juventus member Lucas Waldin was honoured with a City of Edmonton Citation Award. Citation Awards honour those individuals or groups who have given significant service and inspiring leadership in in arts and culture, community service, and sports.
Lucas Waldin is an inspirational artist who has conducted the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra more than 150 times, and served as a guest conductor for prestigious orchestras across Canada and the United States.
A proven leader, he has served as a programmer and principal conductor for Symphony for Kids and other education concerts, and played a significant role in building an after school program for under-served young people - Youth Orchestra of Northern Alberta Sistema.
Dedicated to ensuring music in Edmonton is accessible, Waldin has promoted inclusion by developing programming for children and families that reflect and celebrate Edmonton’s diversity.
Devaney Collier received an Individual Award for her Gold Medal performance in the Team Pursuit at the 2017 Pan Am Track Cycling Championships in Trinidad. Our Club President Gail Wozny received a Master's Individual Performance Award for her Gold Medal performance at the 2016 Canadian National Track Cycling Championships.
It appears that both Devaney and Gail got the memo about sporting patterned dresses and funky boots - clearly they were prepared to receive their awards in style! . . . and wasn't it kind of Gail's former Social Studies student to pose after the ceremony!
Kinley Gibson was recognized with an Individual Award for her Gold in the Team Pursuit & Silver in the Individual Pursuit, at the 2017 Pan Am Track Cycling Championships; and Gold in the Individual Pursuit at the 2016 Canadian National Track Cycling Championships. Kinley is currently training in Milton, and was unable to attend the ceremony.
These honours recognizing our Juventus athletes are very impressive! Congratulations!
Jeff - and 2017 Juve Track in Review
The easy to find black and whites of the Juventus track team put together another banner year in 2017!
The year started in Burnaby with the Western Canadian Challenge and 5 Juventus riders (Matt, Chris, Annie, Lukas and Zac) showing that even if your track is covered in snow, you can still go fast!
These young guns, along with Mikael, Alex, Ngaire, Jack, Sam N, Sam B, Nic, and Cheyenne (who was also selected for the World Cup Short Track Speed-skating Team!) did a lot of racing at our own Track League!, School's Out Dash, Trackfest, and Youth Provincials . This group is keen and growing! They are racing on the road/track and mountain - learning and enjoying the ride, with the successes, mishaps, and friendships etc. that come with the fun. Some are enhancing their Juventus training with an AVRA component.
The slightly more ‘seasoned’ group continues to develop, with many masters moving up the Track League! rankings. Nine Juve riders competed at Elite/Master Nationals and several had medal performances. Success inspires, and we continue to see more master age riders jumping over the rail!
Provincially we had a big crew in Calgary for the Alberta Track Champs. Juniors in with the elites; masters racing elite - Gail raced with elite women and medalled, while Zac and Scott owned the Madison win! (link to article about Provincials)
Of utmost importance was a total domination of the sportsman/fried chicken class at the TTT provincial super championships! In the process, Adam, Scott, Dylan and Jeff all put in one of their longest road rides of the year*..
Our national team athletes are continuing to progress well and work their way up the ladder! Do take a minute and appreciate the breadth and depth of this…
Evan - Team Race Clean, Nationals IP 4th, Madison GOLD!, Team Pursuit GOLD!, Omnium 8th. Geneva 4 day super fun1 with wins and placings.
Stefan - Selected for his first elite racing - World Cup Cali. Developing, and has been seen going extremely fast. Crash issues, but is back at it and you will be seeing him on form soon.
Ross Wilson - 2 x Para World Champion in March, Individual Pursuit GOLD! & 1 km TT GOLD (butterdome starts for the Win!) . Ross was also to Road World Champs in South Africa, 2nd in ITT; He is looking to Tokyo 2020
Kinley - World Cup Cali Team Pursuit Bronze!; Pan Am Team pursuit GOLD!, Individual Pursuit SILVER!; World Cup Pruszkow Team Pursuit SILVER!, Madison 5th ; National Pursuit GOLD!, Omnium SILVER!, Team Pursuit SILVER!, Madison BRONZE. Part of the Women’s endurance Olympic Pool. Watch for big(ger) things in 2018!
Devaney - NextGen, Pan Am Team Pursuit GOLD! (with Kinley, 50% Juve!); Nationals Omnium 6, Team sprint SILVER!.
Adam and Scott - top class prep (50% of the sportsman superchampionship team of the world!)
Our Events!
Scott stepped up and held the Juventus Invitational Track meet, where everyone was invited. Lino Bovo and the Edmonton International City Championships ran concurrently this year, giving the younger folks a year end party, and the Elites&Masters some pre-nationals competition.
Now it’s back on the rollers through the snow season - Wednesday and Sunday! The kids are getting faster… better hurry up!
See you at the track!
Greg Sowak provides a HUGE Cross Season Wrap-up!
Juventus regretfully bids farewell to another exciting Cyclocross (CX) season; as always, our Juventus CX racers performed extremely well during this year's campaign - across all age groups and all categories.
From rookies to "senior citizens", our CX team raced hard, smart, and managed a good number of podiums along the way! This is really saying something, considering Alberta CX fields are bigger, deeper, and faster than ever!
Here are some highlights and photos of our athletes from the 2017 CX season:
(Our thanks to intrepid photographers Nancy St.Hilaire, Bill Quinney, Doug Bristow, and Ken Germaine, whose pics we feature here with their permission)
Alberta Cup
The season began on September 9 & 10 in Calgary with the Beans n Barley and Pumphouse Cross races. Sean Germaine “looked sharp” on opening weekend, managing a 3rd and 2nd in the top tier Open category, with Cody Shimizu racing to an 11th and 9th. Junior racers Ryan MacLean, Luke Bristow, and Alex Webb also came out flying! Ryan managed a 9th and 7th in Open; Luke placed well in the challenging Expert category with a 9th and 13th; Alex left the Sport category in his dust, with podium finishes both days: 3rd and 2nd.
Our team’s impressive run continued the following weekend at Canmore’s Drie Zussen Superprestige CX. On day 1, Luke Bristow finished 5th in a strong and deep Expert field, Sean Germaine continued to dominate Open Men with a 2nd place, and young Ryan MacLean was not far behind, finishing an impressive 7th.
Sport and Novice categories also saw Juventus athletes finishing well. Alex Webb and Chris Heinemann finished 1st and 2nd in Sport, with Mathieu Meurer (1st), Issac McKague (3rd), and Ben Damant (5th) performing well in Novice.
On day 2, Sean found another podium (3rd) and Ryan McLean was right on his heels with a very solid 5th place finish. Meanwhile, Matt Meurer and Issac McKague owned the Novice podium, finishing 1st and 2nd, and Chris Heinemann placed a solid 3rd in Sport.
Our own annual CX showdown, The Jim Horner Grand Prix of Cyclocross, was held on the weekend of September 23 and 24th in conjunction with Hardcore’s Hop n Hurl. Wet weather leading up to the weekend forced a last minute venue change, but as we know, Lorne Dmitruk and his determined team stayed up late, got up early, and put together a fabulous race weekend in spite of mother nature!
Of note, junior rookie Ben Damant continued to climb through the ranks with a 6th place in Novice, Sean Germaine (3rd) and Ryan MacLean (6th) continued to perform well in Open, and our team dominated the Sport category with Matt Meurer (1st), Chris Heinemann (4th), and Greg Sowak (6th) all placing well!
Juventus and Focus CX Canada athlete Sidney McGill took top step in the Open women’s race. Well done!
The following day, Isaac McKague had a solid result in Novice (5th), while Matt (1st) and Chris (6th) earned upgrades and Greg (7th) scored more points in Sport!
In the top tiered Open categories, Sidney won another one and young Ryan MacLean had his best result as an Open racer, finishing second in a very experienced field that included Focus CX Canada racer Aaron Schooler (3rd). Way to go Ryan!
The weekend of October 14th and 15th was hosted in Devon by United Cycle and the awesome Devon Bicycle Association (DBA). A favourite venue for many Juventus athletes, this year’s course did not disappoint as all the favourite features factored in the lumpy, slippery, and technical races: pump tracks, berms, sand pits, greasy run ups, and the notorious “agitator”!
Saturday’s United in Cross saw more excellent Juventus results! Luke Bristow posted an impressive win in a tight Expert race, Sean Germaine crushed the Open men’s field for an awesome win, and Greg Sowak finished a strong second in the Sport category. Meanwhile, Annie Scott performed well in Sport Women with a solid 6th place.
Alberta Provincials, Devon, Alberta
Sunday’s Alberta Provincial Championship races also saw great team results. Ryan Kohlenberg, gaining form all season, finished an impressive 6th in Masters A, Tracy Shearer (7th) and Greg Sowak (3rd) worked together well for a gratifying Masters C podium, and Sean Germaine (2nd) just missed winning the Men’s Provincial Championship in a furiously paced Open race! Well done!
The final local CX race of the season was back on our home bowl. The Red Cross and School of Cross weekend, hosted by RedBike and ERTC on October 21 and 22, featured familiar, twisty grass switch backs, run ups, off cambers, and crisp but clear weather. Awesome!
No stranger to the top step of the CX podium, Luke Bristow saw his last race in Expert on Saturday with another sweet win, and Ryan Kohlenberg continued his impressive run, finishing 4th on Saturday and 3rd on Sunday! Annie Scott also got in on the podium action, taking a solid win in Women’s Sport. Great job, Annie!
Meanwhile, Juventus owned the Men’s Open top ten all weekend! Proving they were well on form for Nationals, Sean won both days and Ryan finished 3rd and 2nd, while Cody Shimizu (8th and 10th) and Michael Verveda (10th and 5th) rounded out the rest of the best. Well-done lads!
Canadian Nationals, Sherbrooke, Quebec
For those who attended, Nationals in Sherbrooke, Quebec on October 28 marked the season highlight! In addition to our stalwart Junior coaches, Ken and Tracy, who raced hard and looked fantastic in Master C, Juventus was proudly represented by Ryan MacLean, Luke Bristow (U19) and Sean Germaine (U23).
Although we did not score podium finishes this year, Sean placed an impressive 7th after a hairy start, and young Ryan worked his way through traffic to finish 5th in U19! Congratulations to our Juventus Nationals CX team!
Of course, no CX season would be complete without a race in the snow, and the season’s final race weekend provided just that, at Calgary’s Dark Knight and Cadence Cross races. The old guys really came through at the Dark Knight, with Tracy finishing second and Ken a close sixth! Must have been the Sherbrooke Poutine! Alex (7th), Matt (9th), and Cody (11th) also had strong finishes.
On Sunday, Cam McDowell finished the season strong with a third place in Novice, and the Juventus [Sean (3rd), Ryan (6th), and Michael (7th)] show finished an amazing season - among the top CX racers in Alberta!
Meanwhile, Annie Scott earned another podium finish (3rd) and has really shown impressive form this year.
Congratulations to the 2017 Juventus CX team! (Now it’s time to sit back and sip on a nice Belgian bitter! You earned it!
LAMP+ always up for a ride!
LAMP+ will be into its third year in 2018! LAMP+ is an advanced program within the Lori-Ann Muenzer Program.
The main objective of LAMP+ is to provide additional training, and racing experience to support a smooth transition to a higher level of competition. Clearly, our group this year has managed this goal. They are comfortable on training rides in a group that includes top juniors, and Tour de France yellow jersey wearer and leader Alex Stieda!
LAMP+ registration is done on the main Juventus Cycling Club zone 4 site with a special Promo Code. Riders wishing to be considered for LAMP+ should indicate interest to Bill Burtnik, Juventus LAMP Director (lamp@juventus.ab.ca), on or before Jan 01, 2018.
Kinley Gibson to race TP and Madison at World Cup!
The Polish city of Pruszkow, situated 15 km south-west of Warsaw, will host the opening round of the 2017-2018 Tissot UCI Track Cycling World Cup November 3rd through 5th.
The Pruszkow Velodrome, made of Siberian Pine, opened in 2008 as Poland's first indoor velodrome, and is home to the Polish Cycling Federation.
Cycling Canada has sent a small contingent of elite women, to compete in a variety of events. Juventus member Kinley Gibson, along with fellow national team members Allison Beveridge, Ariane Bonhomme, and Annie Foreman Mackey will begin with the qualifying rounds for Team Pursuit.
Later in the competition, Kinley will team up with Allison to race the always exciting Madison. Team work and timing are critical to both the TP and Madison, but the element of surprise, tactics, and fun in the event named for its birthplace - New York's Madison Square Garden - make this event somehow extra special.
Competition will be held for men and women in the following events at the Pruszkow UCI World Cup round: team pursuit, team sprint, points race, scratch, individual sprint, Omnium, Keirin and Madison. In addition, the women only will compete in the individual pursuit.
Best of luck to all the competitors, and congratulations Kinley!
Collier and Coach Trew Chosen for Petro-Canada's FACE Award!
Juventus member, and Cycling Canada NextGen athlete Devaney Collier, together with NextGen Coach Jenny Trew, have been chosen for the 2017 Petro-Canada FACE Award.
Developed by Petro-Canada, the Canadian Olympic Committee (COC) and Canadian Paralympic Committee (CPC), and facilitated by their National Sport partners, the FACE program provides developing, pre-carded Canadian athlete and coach pairings with funding to help fuel their dreams.
Coaches are selected along with the athletes they directly coach as they often incur additional costs on the road to developing the Canadian Olympic and Paralympic stars of tomorrow.
Each athlete and coach pairing receives $10,000! This support goes a long way; easing financial burden, improving the training environment, and assisting the athlete's pursuit of goals.
Devaney is a first year elite track and road cyclist, and recently competed in the 2017 Pan Am Track Cycling Championships in Trinidad. She was a member of the Team Pursuit (with Ariane Bonhomme, Kinley Gibson, and Meghan Grant) that won gold at the championship.
In late September, Devaney competed at 2017 Track Nationals in the Omnium, and in the Team Sprint (with Jenna Nestman) which took silver.
Devaney is currently training in Milton with Canada's Women's Team Endurance (WTE) NextGen Program. Training blocks alternate between the Milton track in Ontario, and home based trainer sessions. Devaney will be in Edmonton in late November to attend the Juventus AGM and Awards Dinner!
Juventus races The City of Angels' Master Track World Championships!
Los Angeles, California was a choice location for the 2017 World Master Track Cycling Championships: the huge turnout of competitors verified that. The master category comprised those 35 years and older and was sectioned into 5 year age groups. At the top end were women 60+ and men 75+.
You may have the idea that not too much is happening in the older categories, that with a bit of training a world championship jersey might be easy to acquire. Oh my, . . . how wrong you are! A check of any of the timed events shows that only excellence sprinkled with luck produces a podium performance. And if you are racing a bunch race - comfort and a strong performance in a deep, tight, fast field is key.
It's typical to arrive a few days before competition commences, to get the lay of the land (track). A big surprise for Dan - the LA Velodrome does not have competitor washrooms! Every time a race is held, a fleet of porta-potties is required - but then again . . . perhaps their outdoor location has benefits.
All is soon better when Dan finds his favourite jam on the first grocery run.
First up for our crew was the Individual Pursuit. Dan Nelson competed in the men's 40-44 category, Gail Wozny with the 50-54 women, and Peter Toth with the 55-59 men. Performances were mixed, and all with great effort. Prior to competition, Dan had a chance to dial in his position.
Oddly enough, Dan appears to grab a snooze, just as the countdown to his IP begins; but maybe this prep has merit . . . he lapped his opponent, and scored a PB!
A perk of racing in California is perfect weather for a recovery ride. When you're fuelled by the Official Breakfast of the Juventus Track Team* even the cherubs on a monument can appreciate your 'joie de vivre'! It's reassuring to know that our club is represented in such fine fashion!
*Overnight Oatmeal.
