Update from Evan Burtnik!
(Evan Burtnik is a U23 with Juventus, currently training with Cycling Canada's Team RaceClean - formerly NextGen Men's Track Endurance team.)
Hello Juventus members,
Apparently there's been some interest in what I've been up to over the winter and what I'll be doing for racing in 2016. I'm usually not one to write blog posts because I feel there's always a bit of ego attached to them, but here's mine anyway.
After getting a taste of World Cups, I spent most of the winter in Oxnard, California, grinding out base miles with the NextGenMTE (Men's Track Endurance) group. I am getting ready for my first European campaign, and I'm pretty stoked to finally experience some real racing. I had a really quiet road season last year, so I'm not sure what to expect, nor am I sure of how I will stack up, especially in my first year as a U23. Hopefully I can be a useful cog on the team, and maybe get lucky and find myself in a breakaway I have no business being in, and somehow pull out a result. Who knows.
California was awesome; I had some great days and some miserable days, but definitely mostly good ones. The house that we were in got pretty crazy at times; at one point we had 11 people in the house and just not enough space, especially in the fridge! Training was hard, but that's to be expected and it's not bad considering we didn't have a day of rain, or a day below 20 C for all of February! Life can't be that hard when the most heated arguments in the house are over what coffee shop we go to on recovery days. For the nerds who are into power data, my biggest gain came in my 30 minute power which I increased by 20 watts compared to my best last summer.
Training ride with NextGenMTE
Even with the great time I had in Cali, I was glad to be home and back to normal for a bit. But it's a little strange. What's "normal" for me has now turned into being on the road with my teammates. I now start counting down the days until I get to come home instead of counting down the days until my next trip. My friends at home are now those weird people I see every so often; and my teammates have filled that void. The stress of upcoming racing, and trying to keep the coaches happy is always there, so I try to switch off a bit when I'm at home. It only takes me a few days at home to get that itch again - to go back to ripping up the track in Milton, or grinding up the climbs in Malibu. I'm addicted.
I'm typing this I'm on my way home from from Vancouver, after racing 2 weekends of the infamous spring series they have. The last race on Sunday was definitely my best. I got in the day's breakaway of 6 riders which was pretty stacked with a couple pros, and a few other very strong guys. They thrashed me around pretty good until we got caught by H&R whose rider in the breakaway flatted, forcing them to chase us down. The last 40 km of the day were the coldest I've been since the 2014 Lake Louise stage of Banff Bike Festival. I had ditched most of my clothes after over heating in the breakaway; and then after getting caught, I froze my ass off in the rain at 3 degrees. There was only one reason I forced myself to finish that ridiculous, meaningless race: Chris Prendergast, who I was sharing a ride with, was up the road in the winning move with the keys to the car in his pocket!
Evan Burtnik - BC Spring Series
That was my last time for a while repping Juventus kit in a race, because I'll be getting all my NextGen clothing when I get to Europe! A little bitter sweet after 9 years in Juventus colours. It didn't seem to matter what I was wearing though, Cycling BC still thought I was Mason and riding for Smart-Savvy, on the result sheet.
My European campaign officially begins March 20th, with our final preparation camp in the Spanish Sierra Nevada's for 10 days, and then we're at the Cycling Canada European outpost in Tielt-Winge, Belgium. I'm very excited for the opportunity to race for the NextGenMTE program and I'm incredibly grateful for all the support I've had along the way to get here. Hopefully I don't blow it!
Ross Wilson in World Championships!
Juventus Cycling Club and Canadian national team member Ross Wilson, will ride two events at the Para World Championships. The C1 rider will contest the IP (individual pursuit) and the 1 km time trial at the event in Montichiari, Italy, March 17 - 20.
Ross is a strong contender in both races, and is ready to give his all at this final qualifying event for the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympic Games.
Best of luck and ride well Ross!
Juniors challenge Bear Mountain XC!
Six Juventus Juniors started March with the inaugural Bear Mountain Canada Cup XC race in BC. The intense indoor spins, and core workouts of the winter, as well as outdoor riding and good old Glenora stairs showed their worth: podiums and great riding! Well done, Abbey, Sidney, Laura, Cody, Sam, and Adam!
Adam Germaine takes U19
Adam Germaine working hard for Team Alberta
Sidney going for silver!
Abbey McGill wins U17
Sidney McGill silver in Junior women.
Adam making things pretty again.
Open roads Saturday and then . . .
Many of you were lucky enough to ride the rural roads near Edmonton on Saturday. Well, more of that soon, but for now . . .
Indoor training . . . almost a wrap.
Track and road cyclists in Edmonton only have so many options with a track under the white stuff, and roads iced over. Juventus Juniors continue to get in miles led by coach Tracy. Many are stationary, but some also get in cyclocross and mtn winter rides outdoors.
Soon, many of these juniors will be off for some long road rides at the annual Penticton Spring Camp. These base miles will be welcome after all the indoor work.
Riding easy after a gruelling set.
Coach Tracy leading by example.
These three square off against Evan and Chris on the far side of the room.
Everyone focussed on the effort.
Someone is having too good a time.
Ross Wilson Invitational a success!
Creative cycling minds were active Monday evening , as the Track Group worked through a series of exercises designed for optimum impact on neglected calves. The Invitational honours club member and Olympic hopeful Ross Wilson.
The rock solid dedication of the track group to these muscles, each and every February 29th is a testament to its commitment to excellence. Dylan and Scott were extraordinary in brainstorming and executing a bazaar variety of techniques to work the forlorn muscles of the lower leg.
Warning: The following images have been censored for your sanity.
Still feeling cocky - and oh so innocent.
Determination. Note the strain on the headband!
Yes - bowling shoes ARE an appropriate choice for an intense calf challenge.
Chalked for optimum performance; and John monitors good technique.
Here we have 2 experts in resting between sets -.
Keeping the calves active. No pics, but there was at least one quadra skip!
When weights are not enough.
He cannot stop; the drive to create yet another challenge is formidable.
Will these creative minds ever run out of ways to extract the most from those calves?
An amazing picture of the rare star heel dip in action. Fantastic!
Track kit order deadline!
Sunday February 21st is the final day to order your "All Black" Juventus Track Kit. Choose from SS (short sleeve) jersey, bib-shorts, and SS skinsuit. All available in xs, s, m, l, xl, xxl. Send an email to ljberger58@gmail.com with your preferences.
This kit will look so much better on you!
Another busy Sunday morning at the clubhouse . . .
The sun has yet to peak above the track, yet the first computrainer riders have already arrived at the clubhouse. The track group is close behind; and after tending espresso needs, they await the rogue training set that Scott manufactures in situ. Another CT group utilizes their time spots, and the sweat continues. Meanwhile, Scott's workout for the roller crowd is only appreciated once it is finished.
Dan and another effort on the CT.
Scott is not going to listen to the peanut gallery.
Gail, Bill, and Chris warming up . . .
