GamJams.net: Where Mid-Atlantic bike racers roll

10 Questions With... JR Petsko

by David Kirkpatrick, Features Editor

JR Petsko is the man behind the curtain at the Appalachian Bike Racing Association, promoter of many of the hardest, most fun races you’ll ever do.  He’s also one of the driving forces behind a really healthy racing scene in an area where you might not expect to find one. 

10 Questions With... JR Petsko

GJ: Morgantown and the greater WV/SW PA area has a surprisingly vibrant bike racing scene.  How did that develop and what keeps it going?

JRP: This area really has a great base of racers who love to come out every weekend to race and support the other racers at the same time. Plus great events and organizations keep it exciting.  Of course there is my baby the Appalachian Bicycle Racing Association and all of our events, but there is also so some much more. The Allegheny Cycling Association hold weekly crit events in Pittsburgh that draw sell out crowds every week, plus race promoters like Gary Dugovich and Fred Baldassare set the bar pretty high for the rest of us.  Lets not forget about the Month of Mud series that been going on for 25 years now started by Gary Bywaters.  

GJ: You promote a heck of a lot of races.  How did you get into bike racing in general and race promotion in particular?

JRP: I started racing and riding back in 1992 when the big mountain biking boom was going on.  I was 16 and hung out at the local shop with folks like Gunnar Shogren, Robbie Acciavatti, Bob Vernon and Steve Haroff.  I am sure they didn't pay much attention to me the little high school kid but a would sit on the shop couch day after day and take in what was going on around me.  Now racing promoting that took me a while to fall into.  Around 2008/2009 Betsy and Gunnar Shogren start draning me with them to events in the Mid Atlantic area like Iron Cross an some of the big MABRA cross races.  The drives were long and I wished someone was doing these events closer to our area.  That was the start of ABRA.  Now we have 23 events on our 2011 calendar. 

GJ: One of the unique things about many of your road races is that they're run over WAY longer courses than we typically see in MABRA.  How do you get away with that?

JRP: It is all about great volunteers.  Somehow we get folks to come out and stand on corners that could be 5 to 30 miles away from the start/finish area just so the pack can go past them safely for a few minutes.  These folks are what make the events possible, I just pick a route.  Thanks to everyone who has ever volunteered.

GJ: You promote road, mtb and cross races.  Is a bike race a bike race a bike race or are there pretty specific demands for promoting races in each discipline?

JRP: Road races give me nightmares.  You have officials and volunteers out on the road but if you can't see what is going on you worry.  Once every rider is in and safe I finally relax.   Mountain biking and cross have their moments also but you don't have to deal with 2,000 lb cars and coal trucks on the course..

GJ: What makes a race great?

JRP:Got to be the racers.  You could have the best location, route and swag on the planet at your race, but if you don't have the atmosphere of great people there to take part in it you’ve got nothing. I am one of those promoters who love to hang out afterwards, chat and have a beer or two with the participants. 

GJ: Your reputation is as perhaps something of a sadist (Tour of Tucker County, Appalachia Re/Visited, etc).  Which of your races would you recommend to someone who maybe isn't so keen on spending most of the day going up large hills?

JRP: None of them?!  Honestly if someone is looking for a challenge that is what ABRA events are about.  45 to 50 miles with climbs is what we ride around here on normal days.  When people say that was to hard I always have the same reply.  I am a 210 fat boy and if I can do it you can to.  I like to give people their money’s worth.  $25 to race an epic course at almost every race keeps people coming back for more.

GJ:  What do you do when you aren't promoting bike races?

JRP: Believe it or not this is all I am doing right now.  Can't say I am making a living at it yet but my wife (who you will find working registration at every event) is very supportive and believes in what we’re trying to do here.  Thanks Gina.

GJ: Events like Battenkill, Bear Mountain and others seem to be constantly in danger of becoming victims of their own success, yet the Tour of Tucker County shows up every year on some list of "hard races that you simply must do" and chugs along without jumping the shark year after year.  What's the secret there?

JRP: We are still small enough to be under the radar.  I think races like the ToT could never handle more than 350 people on that course at once so we cap it.  Some folks get burnt on how hard these races are but someone new is always waiting to take their place.

GJ: Have you ever thought of trying to put together a big pro race?
 
JRP: I still have a lot to learn about promoting before that would happen but the idea has crossed my mind.  I grow up in with the Kmart Classic here in West Virginia and that was huge.  We definitely have a lot to offer when it comes to putting on a pro level event. Someday…

GJ: Which of your races would you most like to win?

JRP: Hilly Billy Roubaix hands down.  I think that is the coolest event on earth, course I am very biased. 70 miles of gravel, paved and dirt "roads."  People don't believe that 100% of the course is state roads, but it is.  Have you ever seen the promo video of the race?

 

 

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David Kirkpatrick is a Features Editor with GamJams and a Cat 3 with GamJams Racing. He is enjoying growing fame through his blog Flamenco Chuckwagon.

10 Questions With... Nick "Versus Gravity" Sachanda

by David Kirkpatrick, Features Editor

At a couple potato chips below 240 pounds, Nick Sachanda doesn't at first glance look the part of bike racer. But in his first season of competition, Nice came out and won his very first collegiate road race, and then stuck a solo break to win at Reston, one of the toughest and un-flattest crits in the region. In the battle of Nice Versus Gravity, Nick is laying down the hurt.

(photo by Joe Mallis.)

10 Questions With... Nick Sachanda

(GamJams) Tell us about your pre-cycling athletic background.

(Nick Sachanda) Before I started racing my bicycle, I was a football player, for 7 years. That includes 3 years in college (which was a Div. III school). Freshman year of college, one of my friends was training for a marathon, and I thought "I want to do something like that, but I don't want to run all that way," so I bought a road bike and did a sprint triathlon the following summer. Then 2 more the next. Then I got really focused on football, which lasted until the neck injury junior year that caused me to stop playing. Senior year, I decided I was not very happy with what I saw in the mirror, so I started running - up to about 25 miles a week (and down a whole bunch of weight) by the end of the year. Last summer, I ran a half-marathon and decided to get the bike out again for another triathlon - the Nation's Tri, right after I came out to DC. Shortly thereafter, I started riding more and running less...


(GJ) Why and how did you get started riding and racing bikes?

(NS) ...which happened after Sam Rynas, one of my GW teammates, put a flyer for the GW team in the seat rails of my commuter bike locked up outside of the law school. I saw it and thought it would be fun to have people to ride with. When I finally showed up for a group ride, discovered I was comparatively pretty strong, and found out they would let me race collegiate as a grad student, well, that was it. I'm sold. After a winter of riding with the GW and NCVC crews, my first race was at NC State in February. Now there's really nothing else I want to do with my free time.


(GJ) What aspects of your athletic background have transferred most readily to road racing?

10 Questions With... Nate Wilson

by David Kirkpatrick, Features Editor

Nate Wilson has come a long way since his first MABRA races with the NCVC Juniors team.  Now in his first year at UC Boulder, Nate rides for the Kelly/LSV Amateur team and the UC Boulder Cycling team.  Following his NRC debut at last summer's Cascades Cycling Classic, he placed second in the 2009 USA Cycling Juniors (17-18) Road Race.  Fresh off an outstanding effort guest riding for Bike-Reg.com/Cannondale at the Redlands Cycling Classic, Nate steps into the hot seat for 10 Questions.  

10 Questions With... Nate Wilson

(GamJams) How did you get started in cycling?

(Nate Wilson) I got started in cycling through a friend, Burke Nash, on the track team in 6th grade.  He raced on NCVC and told me about cycling as a sport.  I was interested.  His dad ran the juniors program at NCVC and they did a lot to get me set up, getting me a bike and hooking me up with the team.  I ended up really liking it in my first year racing and just started racing more and more.


(GJ) How and when did you know that cycling was going to be your thing?

(NW) In 2005, I was 14 and went to the Junior National Championships in Park City, Utah.  I got destroyed.  I was heartbroken and decided if I wanted to continue this sport without serious depression I had better start training.  That fall I started working with Sue Hefler, and have been getting coached by her since.  When I started working with Sue is when I realized that I wanted to go as far as I could in this sport.  She seemed to have confidence that I could accomplish something in the sport and that gave me confidence.  Also, the support from my family is always giving me confidence to keep trying for the highest level in this sport.


(GJ) What have you found to be the toughest and easiest things about racing in the NRC events you’ve done so far?

10 Questions With... Craig Dodson

by David Kirkpatrick, Features Editor

Craig Dodson founded Richmond Pro Cycling to develop citizens of the world first, elite bicycle racers second. The more you learn about the team's mission, the more you'll want them to win (which you can help them do here).

(photo by Mark Blacknell)

10 Questions With... Craig Dodson

(GamJams) 1. A lot of cyclists dream of jettisoning their jobs to be able to spend more time on the road, yet Richmond Pro Cycling required riders to undertake educational and community service commitments.  How tough a sell is that to the riders?

(Craig Dodson) It's tough: I got about 30 resumes at the end of last season, and we only picked 4 guys to participate in the program.  We convey to guys that we are more focused with "life after RPC," and that RPC is a Leadership Corps- not a cycling team.  Yeah, we race bikes pretty well, but the impact you can make on others will inevitably eclipse victories on the bike.  

(GJ) 2.  How did you come to the decision to start and run your own team, and how did you decide on the unique character of the team's charter?
 
(CD) I started running my own 'team' at age 25 when I started Grad School.  I founded and began running the non-profit Richmond Pro Cycling at age 28.  I made the decision to shift the paradigm because I saw so many great character-drivers that a cyclist inherently possess, but no key to unlock those drivers to benefit others.  RPC is designed to help each member unlock their ability as elite-cyclists to become elite-community leaders. 


(GJ) 3.  You worked extensively with the Faison School last year.  What did that entail and will you be working with them again this year? 

(CD) That was a great experience.  We taught 4 autistic youth how to ride bikes, and worked with a total of 9 youth.  We saw these students who are often closed up and somewhat lacking confidence completely open up and charged with emotion.  I saw members of RPC mature as they recognized week to week bounds in progress were due from their involvement towards the students.  Parents of the students were amazed at how our weekly involvement transferred to positive traits and development at home.  We are still working on the partnership for 2010, but our primary community program for this year and beyond will be with the Boys and Girls Club of Metro Richmond.


(GJ) 4.  Richmond Pro Cycling has found success with the benefactor model as opposed to the more traditional sponsorship system.  Do you think that benefactors are a better fit for your team's non-profit setup and unique focus, or did it just work out that way?

10 Questions With... Wade Wallace

by David Kirkpatrick, Features Editor

Transplanted Canadian Wade Wallace moved to Australia thinking it would be the end of his cycling days.  Instead, he's doing as much riding as ever and has founded the excellent and widely read CyclingTips Blog.

10 Questions With... Wade Wallace

(GamJams) 1. You moved to Australia and thought that it would be the end of your pedaling days, but instead bumped into a vibrant cycling scene.  What are some of the top tips for integrating one’s self into a new cycling culture?

(Wade Wallace) To be honest I found integrating myself back into a new cycling culture fairly difficult at first.  I wasn't in good form, I didn't know the group rides, I was unfamiliar with the training routes and etiquette in the massive rides seen here.  You forget how elitist cycling can be until you move out of it and try to get back in.   This was a blessing in disguise though.  I would have never started Cycling Tips without having to find my way again.

My advice is to join some group rides. From there you'll meet someone of the same ability who's hooked into the scene.  This is what I ended up doing.  The guy who took me under his wing was the most motivating and hardman I know.  I had to prepare for our training rides like they were a race.  He got me into shape and showed me all the local races.  I have him to thank for so much.

Joining a club is also a great way of meeting people and figuring your way out.   It's not half as intimidating as it seems at first. 

If you're super good and can win A-grade races, you'll have people to ride with in no time.  Everyone is your friend when you're good…


(GJ) 2. You’ve often written of your struggles to learn the Australian language.  What are some of the challenges in being a voice for the “Australian Everyman Cyclist” (or maybe just a bit faster) when you are not, in fact, Australian?

(WW) The only thing I find difficult is that I'm still learning about Australian cycling history.  I feel like a bit of an ass when I meet someone who I should know but it goes right over my head.  Living in Melbourne gives you the opportunity to meet and ride with some of the greats.  I had no idea who someone like Phil Anderson was before I moved to Aus.   Now I frequently cross paths with some of the most amazing cyclists.

Australia has become my home.  I'm not too fussed to ask if I don't understand an Aussie colloquialism.  Everyone usually has a good time taking the piss out of me while explaining.  The Aussies have taken me in and my career and cycling have given me the opportunity to be friends with some of the most amazing people I've ever met. Every single one of them have invited me into their homes and their lives.  It's a very social culture here and the idea of having a foreigner around isn't new to them.  Many times when I look around the groups I'm in the Poms, Kiwis, Americans, etc usually outnumber the Aussies.  




(GJ) 3. Which cycling sites inspired you when you were beginning, and which ones do you spend the most time visiting now?

10 Questions With... Stephen Wahl

by David Kirkpatrick, Features Editor

Stephen Wahl races for ABRT. Every racer torturing himself on a trainer through a cold and dark winter hopes to come out of the gate like Stephen did in '09, taking a string of wins and podiums before leaving for the rarefied air of Cat 2.  If that's not enough, he also races cross. 

(photo by Amy Jones)

10 Questions With... Stephen Wahl

(GamJams) 1. You were good in Cat 4, but absolutely dominant in Cat 3.  What was it about Cat 3 that so much better suited your strengths, or were you just much better prepared for the 2009 season that you’d been before?

(Stephen Wahl) I was just much better prepared for the season than I was the previous year, mainly because I worked much harder in the off season and I was so much more motivated to do well.  I am a big supporter of the Computrainer classes that I was taking at Chris and Fred Kelley’s new studio in Middletown, The Kelley Acres Speed Shop.  The classes that I was attending on Tuesday nights allowed me to get the most out of my intervals; I could see everything that I was actually doing because all of the information was right there in front of me.  I also had my VO2 Max tested, so for the first time I actually knew all of my heart rate and power zones.  This allowed me to focus on my weak areas, which I struggled in doing because I had no real structure outside of the CT classes I was taking.  I just rode hard all the time.  I still have the hardest time holding back; I just want to hammer every time I get on the bike.  The CT classes combined with the longer rides I was doing outside on the weekends, which included a lot of hills around where I live, allowed me to see improvements every week and it was exciting and motivating to me. 

Along with the Computrainer classes was the excitement of being on a new team.  Actually, I think the excitement of joining a new team was what got me so motivated.  I was really looking forward to racing with my new team mates at ABRT (formerly Team Latitude/ ABRT), and having a team to race with on a regular basis.  I loved racing for Joe Jefferson and Tim Lung over at Antietam Velo Club, but they were a much smaller team and mostly consisted of masters’ racers, so it seemed fitting to try something new because I really wanted to move up the ranks.  The guys at AVC supported my decision to move on and that was a good feeling.  


(GJ) 2. Did you plan an early peak last year or were you aiming for later in the season and just wound up being really strong in the early season?

10 Questions With... Jay Moglia

by David Kirkpatrick, Features Editor

Jay Moglia has been a fixture on the MABRA scene for years.  An elite racer, he earns his keep as a courier and as the co-proprietor of the Raw Talent Ranch, which he owns with his partner Audrey Taucher. 

10 Questions With... Jay Moglia

GamJams: 1. Your athletic background before cycling is somewhat atypical, more Caddyshack than American Flyers.  How did you get into cycling?

Jay Moglia: Well it's only caddy shack because I actually did some 'looping' and golf got in the picture, albeit in a big way.

Other wise there was some mean NJ no pads sandlot tackle football (I was the skinny quarterback who got crushed). Baseball into Babe Ruth/senior leagues (second base and solid lead off guy) and basketball at the high school level (last man on the squad but off the bench to shoot technicals). Basketball skills were good but I was limited on speed having flat feet. Hand eye shooting reactions and all that stuff were solid but useless with out fast feet.

I got hooked on golf which took over. Had a 5 handicap when I was 16. Doing well on the state level and all self taught. Then the pro at the course I worked at took an interest and started giving me free lessons, which totally screwed it up for me.  He completely dismantled my natural swing and move and tried to superimpose some ideal he had of what a swing should be. Not knowing any better and thinking that is what I need to do to take it to the higher level I went along with the program willing to sacrifice a year or so of scores for some long term improvement which never came. So that was the end of my promising golf career. A long, gradual, and ultimately wasteful exercise in misdirected effort and information.  Anyway. After high school I was pretty much done with sports except for jogging and some weights to keep in shape.

I got into cycling at age 31 because I was an out of work carpenter (post bartending and music careers) and saw an ad in the Post for courier work. That was it. Had no background or clue. Had a beater bike and rolled with a t-shirt, sweat pants, and sneakers for first half year. Started racing two years later and it was a surprise to find that what limited me in running sports didn't on the bike, plus I could use my decent hand eye reaction abilities to a good degree.

And finally, regarding golf, I think even if I had not lost my swing, nerves would have been a hurdle. Early on I had occasional tournament success but more often excelled in practice rounds.  In cycling pre event jitters don't really effect the action (unless you're puking sick and immobilized). Once things start it is all effort and instinct. You can make mental errors and choices on the race course but not in the same sense that nerves can impact someone on an important putt or a free throw in basketball for instance. You DO need nerves in the big picture as far as lacking fear, shooting holes and just diving into the scrum but there isn't the small stuff and/or the time to ponder it. .

So all in all I quickly determined that cycling was a good fit, and even though I found it late I was highly motivated to take a run at it, maybe since it felt like a second chance at something.

GJ: 2. Your training is pretty bipolar, either dodging traffic in the mean city streets or shepherding hacks like me through the back roads of WV.  This isn't exactly the stuff that Carmichael training plans are made of.  How do you make it work?

10 Questions With... Chris Eatough

by David Kirkpatrick, Features Editor

Chris Eatough is a multiple-time World and National 24 Hour Mountain Bike Race Champion, and the subject of the Gripped Films feature "24 Solo."  Now retired from professional racing, he lives in Ellicott City, is the Program Manager of BikeArlington, coaches racers, and does product development for Trek.

10 Questions With... Chris Eatough

(GamJams) 1. You've won a dozen or so World and National 24 Hour Solo mountain bike championships, and a slew of other endurance events.  Are these victories of pacing, fitness, an extreme imbalance toward Type 1 muscle fibers?  What makes you so much better when the going keeps going? 
 
(Chris Eatough) I think it's because the long races are about more than just short term physical output.  Detailed preparation pays off.  Decision making is critical.  Proper nutrition is needed.  All the little things that add up.  I prepare well and am able to keep a steady head even under pressure.  The physical aspect is still necessary, but the preparation, decision making, and mental toughness is what really makes the difference in long mtb races.

(GJ) 2. After earning a Master's in Transportation Engineering at UVA, you chose an interesting niche of that field in which to earn your living.  How exactly does one go from Master's candidate to pro mountain biker? 
 
(CE) I didn't really decide it.  I just fell in love with riding and racing.  I was picking up some sponsorship while at UVA, and I figured if I was ever going to be a professional athlete, this was my chance. 

(GJ) 3. In your new role as Director of BikeArlington, your mission is to make Arlington a friendlier place for cyclists and bike commuters.  What are your first targets in accomplishing that?
 
(CE) It's tough to point out just one, since there are so many important aspects.  It can be summed up by saying we are trying to build "Bike Culture".  If more people ride bikes, then the general acceptance and respect for cyclists in the community improves.  Then there is the snowball effect of more people wanting to bike because the acceptance is there.  It's important to show that cycling is easy and does not have to be intimidating or complicated.  The special gear is not needed.  All that is really needed is a bike and a helmet.  Some of the specific BikeArlington programs to create bike culture are fun bike events to get more people involved, outreach to businesses to help them be bike friendly for their employees, and incorporating bike education into elementary school curriculum. 

(GJ) 4. You bike commute to work over a pretty fair distance every day, but then again you're an endurance World Champion.  What sort of distances do you think it's feasible for people to cover as bike commuters, and what options do people with longer trips have? 
 

10 Questions With... Nick Frey

by David Kirkpatrick, Features Editor

Nick Frey is a man of many talents.  He recently graduated from Princeton, taking a Collegiate National Road Race win along the way.  A bamboo bike built for a class engineering project led to the development of Nick’s company, Boo Bicycles.  Proving that bamboo bikes are no gimmick, he recently rode one to a win in the Pro field at the Vuelta a Miami.  To top it off, Nick has signed for 2010 with NRC powerhouse Jamis/Sutter Home presented by Colavita.

10 Questions With... Nick Frey

(GamJams) 1. A fresh pro contract in hand must be a pretty nice way to start the off season.  What are you doing differently from previous years to prepare for your first season in the pro ranks?

(Nick Frey) I cannot wait to race with Jamis/Sutter Home presented by Colavita.  It's a team I've raced against for years and have always admired, especially as they came over the top of our Time Pro leadout train at some of the biggest races on the calendar in 2008!  At Air Force, Nature Valley, Somerville, and USPRO Crit, they did the same thing every time and their skill, speed, and teamwork was incredible.  Colavita and Sutter Home have been incredible sponsors for a long time, and it's what I like to call a "Long-Term Team" since they are the second longest running professional cycling team in the US.  The sponsors love the team, and I've already been in touch with the president of Jamis, their head product manager, and Sutter Home's public relations specialist.

At this point, the biggest changes for me are 1) more time and less stress without Princeton, 2) training in the mountains at altitude in Colorado, and 3) one more season of racing, training, and experience in my legs.  I'm only 22, so although I have raced nine seasons on the road, I'm still developing as a rider and figuring out my strengths and weaknesses.  This winter I'm doing lots of climbing at sub-threshold intensity, really building my climbing strength and getting leaner.  The climbing really helps the time trial as well, I want to develop into a TT-oriented stage racer and leadout guy.  I'm going to be working with Chris Wherry, and he was exactly that kind of rider (same height and weight, too) so I think it will be a great season.

I'll be doing some skiing and trail running to mix it up, but now that I have the freedom to travel I'll be going to warmer climes for sure.  Gotta keep that tan going!

(GJ) 2. What have you found out about your racing program for next year?  As a TT specialist, are they going to give you a shot at some GCs?

(NF) I just spoke with my director, Sebastian Alexander, this afternoon.  Seba told me he has a lot of faith in me, and there are going to be opportunities for me in the shorter stage races that are heavily dependent on TT results (San Dimas, Redlands, Joe Martin, Nature Valley).  I'm going to focus on being a team player and ripping the time trials, but being a team player doesn't just mean getting bottles--it means helping the leaders win the race.  Being there in the tough moments of the race, bridging gaps, riding the breaks, and just being a valuable rider at the end is my goal.  Colavita is an incredible team, very tight-knit, and they don't generally have one huge leader and a bunch of guys just helping out--rather, they like to have as many cards to play as they can.  I'm really looking forward to just getting more experience in the top races and being a full-time player in the "traveling circus" of NRC racing.

(GJ) 3. For a young guy, you've been getting results on the road for a long while.  What's kept you motivated and focused through the transitions from juniors to college and espoir/U23 and now into the pros?

10 Questions With... Avery Wilson

by David Kirkpatrick, Features Editor

Avery Wilson is the youngest member of the emerging Wilson cycling dynasty, racing with NCVC in both Junior and Cat 4 races.  His first year racing in Senior races brought many challenges and successes.  Like his brother Nate, he has lofty goals and the dedication to achieve them. 

10 Questions With... Avery Wilson

(GamJams) 1. If a parent was on the fence about getting his or her kid involved in cycling, what would you say to convince that parent?  What has being a cyclist done to help you become a better person?

(Avery Wilson) Well I think that the decision to take up the sport should be the racer’s choice not the parent, because cycling takes more drive than tae-kwan-do or whatever people my age do. But if there is a kid or teenager who becomes interested in it and there parents don’t want them to take it up as a sport for safety reasons, or time management, or expenses, or whatever, then I think that they should look into it more before they cut the opportunity off from their child, by going to a race or meeting with someone who does know about the sport, because very few people in the average school community know what about racing. The truth is that racing and strong commitment to consistent training pretty much always results in better safety awareness (riding your bike in traffic before you can even drive) and time management (from having more responsibilities, and having to make a commitment to training (or recovery) every day and limit frivolous stuff). But also, the hard part is that it is expensive to get equipment and transportation as well as registration fees, and that you will have very little success for the first few years in most cases even if you are will to make the time and money commitment.

(GJ) 2. Of all the people I've ridden with, I'm always impressed with where you put yourself in the pack and how you ride among others.  How did you figure out how to read the play like that?

(AW) This is all important stuff to racing, is putting yourself in the right place to always have opportunities. Bike handling, positioning, technique, and everything about racing that doesn’t include fitness is just as important as the fitness part. I learned a lot of it this year. It was my first full season of senior races as well as junior races so I had a lot more racing volume than usual. In terms of strength of cat 4s, I am in the lower half definitely just from being smaller than everyone. This season I was like 5’5” and 125lbs the whole time, so most of the cat 4s that I lined up against had probably 50 lbs more of muscle than me on average. You have to learn how to keep your position even if some people can’t even see you when you are in your drops (this happened to me sometimes with people looking right over me, because I get very low, and then they just move right into me), and be aggressive when necessary but in a controlled manner (because no one wants to be the person yelling at everybody to “hold their line” (whatever that even means... does anyone actually know???).  Juniors definitely get yelled at the most in senior races.  During the Reston crit this year, someone yelled at a junior that he was gonna cut his head off. But I can still go fast at puny watts, which is by focusing on pedaling stroke and being efficient at high cadence, having good core strength (doing core workouts all year round is IMPORTANT), getting a good position on my bike (dial it in) – basically saving energy and increasing efficiency wherever possible.  Learning how to race. Pierre (Pelletier) helps me with all this stuff, being real savvy as a racer, this is important. Also Pierre is super funny. As a young junior in senior races (unless you are a noob like Steven Kendall) you probably have naturally less strength than all the other competitors, but it’s great because you get the opportunity to learn how to do all these things.  In the pro ranks, everyone’s body is fine tuned and they all ride with perfect form on their bike and have perfect pack skills. A good example of this was at this one crit I did this year where I got 5th. All season I was basically a mid-pack finisher, but this one race my awareness finally paid off, and after doing nothing for the first 5 laps I slipped off the front into a 4 person break (one person came across later) that gained about 40 seconds and stayed away for the remaining 15 laps or something. I got last out of the break because I just wasn’t very strong compared to the other guys in it, but I was able to contribute and make a lot of pulls.  The men in the breakaway may have been pulling through at 350 watts and I may have been pulling through at 260, but all of my pulls were just as fast as anyone else’s because I could save energy in all these different ways that they weren’t thinking about.  But if I want to make a feel-good excuse I guess I could say that I was tired from the junior race earlier in the morning. Also I should say that my teammate, Matt Dockins, got 3rd in that race. So if you are forced to learn basics first by getting dropped over and over until you learn to save your energy better, then you have less to focus on later when your growth catches up to your aspirations.

(GJ) 3. You're world famous for being well dressed and stylish on the bike at all times.  Are there any hard and fast rules for putting together a fresh look or is it pretty much just talent?  Also, what will the correct sock height be for next year?