Peter Sagan and the curse of the rainbow jersey

The Rainbow jersey is known for two things, being world champion in the professional sport of cycling and the curse that comes with it. Yes the rainbow jersey curse known for the rider to have a lackluster season be it through injury, illness or failure to win races. There are a few exceptions to the curse such as Merckx, Lemond, Hinault and Cavendish who had a successful year in the rainbow jersey.

World Champion stripes and medal

Over the past couple years Sagan has been the "nearly man", getting string of podiums but unable to put together a performance that would see him win stages of grand tours and one day classics. But despite his near misses it's his consistency that stands him out to others. Consistently on the podium or thereabouts, his consistency is most evident in the Tour De France having won the green jersey for the past four years.

Peter Sagan has become a victim of his own talent, his exploits since 2010 has made him a danger man for breakaways, that no one wants to work with him coming into the finish which has mainly resulted in podiums in previous years. His 2015 year however, has been on the up, his most notable wins the overall in the Tour of California,  the points classification in the Tour. Sagan has learned to race more tactically than rely purely on his own ability. I believe his race craft really came to the for in the Tour of California where excellent pacing on the final summit sealed his overall win by a mere 1 second. Next year he will be closely marked again by his competition which will be nothing new to him, however he may feel the added pressure of the rainbow jersey on his shoulders which may well indeed affect his state of mind going into races he's marked as a favorite for. Personally I don't think pressure phases Sagan, he's had pressure from commentators, writers and even his own team boss Tinkoff to win more races and land his first classics monument ever since he turned pro. If anything the rainbow jersey will spur Sagan onto greater wins such as the elusive classics and victories in the grand tours.

Peter Sagan doing his Wolf of Wall Street impression

6 Week Schedule: Week 4

This week there's not much to report so this post is relatively short compared to my previous posts. 

The only thing left is to continue completing the intervals before doing a full 5K without any rests two weeks from now. With two more weeks to go the kilometers having been steadily increasing, to finally doing a 5K last week. 

With Autumn drawing near and temperatures lowering, it's getting easier to run harder and longer as heat is less of a factor, only issue is later sunrises and chilly mornings make me want to sleep in!

What a World Championships!

The course that looked to be a sprinters course turned out to suit the classics rider due to the cobbled hills and short but punchy climbs that made a spring board for attacks in the final closing kilometers from the finish. 

Exciting races from the U23, Junior and women's races all set the scene for the Men's race where Peer Sagan took arguably the greatest win of his career so far by becoming the next wearer of the Rainbow Jersey.

Full race report can be found here provided by UCI: http://www.uci.ch/road/news/article/sagan-wins-the-uci-world-road-race-title-with-late-solo-attack/

Peter Sagan 2015 Elite Road World Champion

My personal favorite race would be the Mens U23 race. The final lap that was effected by rain made more an exciting racing on the cobbled sections where in the final selection was decided after a crash on the cobbled Libby Hill after a decisive attack  by two young Frenchmen  Ledanois and Turgis. Ledanois would go on to win in fine solo style and Turgis the final podium.

Kevin Ledanois beats Simone Consonni to the line

What the next Wolf of Wall Street Should Buy

Mr Wall Street don't buy a car, buy a bike! Unlike sports cars where the car does all the talking. The bike is slowly becoming the new toy for the modern wealthy businessman. Where a car is all shout. The bike is more subtle in the way it announces itself to public, only the initiated will recognise and appreciate what the bike is. Not so much a means of transport put a piece of possibly hand crafted design made by artisans. Where a car comes with keys, a bike comes with the cycling specific kit that can be unforgivably revealing. The kit should be like a well fitted and follow cycling rules 14 and 27 (Black shorts and sock length not exceeding the bottom of your calf. NO ANKLE SOCKS). 

The fact of the matter is, anyone can be seen in a sports car, a bike on the other hand...You must "Look the part" too, simply having the bike doesn't cut it. With a bike the rider exposed for all to see, where as a car there's safety knowing that there's a barrier between driver and the outside world. So work on those cycling tan lines to show you've been putting in the miles.

Car manufacturers now collaborate with bike manufacturers to create expensive limited run of mill bikes. Audi is the latest of car manufacturers to release there own special edition bike which will set you back a cool $19,500 but you better be quick as they're only producing 50. Audi not your cup of tea? Then maybe a Lamborghini, Aston Martin, Ferrari, Mclaren or Caterham will be more to your taste? Or you could be a coniseur and choose an Italian marquis such as Formgili.

Finally if you're worried about exclusivity. Ask yourself how many Audi R8's have you seen on the road compared to an Audi Bike? The answer speaks for itself. 

HUD's Coming into Cycling

Wearable technology has never really advanced when compared to other sports such as running or swimming. Many can argue what's the need when you have a bike to mount all your gadgets. That in itself can be a safety issue where from time time we'd take our eyes off the road to read our GPS losing focus on traffic, pedestrians and road furniture. I, myself am guilty of this and I'm sure yourself have done it whether you care to admit it or not. 

So from trolling through tech from this years Inter-Bike show I was pleasantly surprised to come across a new product to new brands Everysight and Kopin. Both companies had there own sunglasses with built in HUD's. Now bare in mind this concept isn't new, Recon released there own a couple years back but it never caught on. Mainly due to the weight and shear bulk and lack of peripheral vision it provided. 

The idea of both is to have less bulky far more streamlined design than that of the Recon Jet that would essentially replace your current GPS and possibly feature connectivity to your phone and sensors. No prices yet on either as they're still in pre-production phase but they wouldn't be cheap. 

It still remains to be seen whether HUD's will gain traction in the cycling world as GPS computers already offer so much data in a neat little package, however these companies feel there is potential for a growing market and I agree that there is. 

There will still be issues that will need to be addressed before such as battery life, as well as the option of interchangeable lenses. Assuming the lenses won't be interchangeable since the Recon Jet lenses are not. I feel the lens would at least need to be photocramic to be practical as an everyday item. Personally I've always used a dark lens for bright light whatever the weather apart from night time of course so a non interchangeable lens would not really bother me. At the moment I can really see HUD's gaining popularity for Time Trials, triathlons and track races where a TT helmet with a HUD integrated into the visor would allow the rider to constantly have access to their power output without having to adjust their head position. But in either case I would want this type of wearable technology on my Christmas wishlist in the future.

6 Week Schedule - Week 3

It's hard to believe it's already been 3 weeks, I'm half way into the training plan and the improvements are showing The gradual increase in running duration has really helped with conditioning my body to run faster and longer. It's much for effective than what I did previously wherein I would 5k as fast as possible with no real training structure involved.

The route I run is for the best part of the word hilly so getting my breathing nailed was a big bonus. My breathing has definitely improved. I will mention that I started using PowerBreathe which has really helped strengthen my diaphragm and and increased my lung capacity.

I find running less of a chore now, but more of an enjoyment. Although I'm still to do a full 5k run I'm getting closer week by week. This week I averaged 4km per run and I'm fairly confident next week I'll be hitting the 5km distance and the remaining 2 weeks I'll mainly be focusing on increasing my speed.

What's your dream bike?

If you're a cyclist you can probably relate to what I am about to post. We all have an idea of our dream. That given if money were no object it would be the bike we'd want more than any other.. I've been thinking about this lately and want to share what my ultimate bike build would be. My build compared to some will be fairly modern in its spec, but that's the thing, your ultimate machine doesn't have to revolve around a classic frame, it can be anything you want. So lets get started.

For starters the frame would be a 2008 Cannondale Caad9, hand built in america it was designed in a time where comfort still didn't factor into the Caad design philosophy. A Caad9 is also the first road bike I ever owned and thus has a special place in my heart as bikes go and so far no other bike I have ridden has been similar to the characteristics of the Caad9. Livery would be the team colors of the 2008 Liquigas Cannondale team

My own bike with Alloy Ritchey WCS

Finishing kit would be full Ritchey carbon WCS. No other brand in my mind is suited better to this frame. Everything apart from the saddle would be full carbon Ritchey WCS including the fork. I was never a fan of the stock fork that came with the Caad9. Wheel would of course be also from Ritchey in the form of the WCS Apex 46mm clinchers, a good all-round wheel-set. Finishing with American Speedplay Zero Pedals in Lime Green Making a change from Ritchey. Tires would be the current Michelin Pro4's 23mm.

Now we switch from American to Italian. Bar tape and saddle would be provided by fizik, the Arione (carbon braided) and microtex tape both in metallic blue same as what Liquigas Cannondale Used.

Finally the groupset, harking back to what Liquigas Cannondale were using. The groupset would be Campagnolo Super Record Anniversary edition. The matte finish of the carbon would complement the Ritchey Components nicely. I also prefer the ergonomic and shifting performance. So it's not all about cosmetics. Why not go electronic you may ask? Simply put the Caad9 isn't electronic compatible.  And on a final note brakes would be the Zero Gravity Gravitas Sl, I saw these years ago and have wanted a set ever since. 

Now I'd like to note, I still own the Cannondale Liquigas Caad9 as described above but not at the high spec described. So in a way I'm halfway to having my dream bike.  

So what would your dream bike be? 

6 - Week Schedule: Week 2

Another week down and feeling good. Week to was more about increasing running time as oppose to the previous week were emphasis was on getting the body used to high intensity running.

The week began with 3 minute run intervals and by the end I was doing 5 minute intervals. Pacing was crucial as the idea of intervals isn't go as heard as possible and struggle to complete the full time but to run a pace you can maintain for the duration. I found that out on Monday where I pushed too hard on the first 2 intervals. If you use a heart rate monitor I would recommend working out your functional threshold and using that as your guide for pacing as I found this helped me in pacing.

Furthermore since I started core exercise last week it has become easier to maintain form whilst running, simple exercises such as the plank twice a day has made a difference to me. So if you want to run more, brace your core.

Saturday was the highlight of my week, running or cycling in the rain has a certain charm to me wherein I enjoy it. Call me weird but that's just me. If you run in the rain you're hardcore. Period.

Are mechanical groupsets slowly dying?

One of the main talking points of Euro-bike this years was Sram's eTAP groupset. The wireless 11-speed groupset is the latest is electronic gearing and potentially will set the trend for other manufacturers to follow. As well as Sram, FSA (Full Speed Ahead) had their own wireless groupset on show, be it still only in prototype stage. But in a nutshell both systems utilize wireless shifting via encrypted wireless signals. No new Di2 system for Shimano this year however I'd probably expect to see something next year to compete with Sram. 

2016 Sram eTap

It won't be long till we see automatic shifting being released as this would probably be the next logical step after wireless. Baron Biosystems have been toying with this idea with their Bio Shift automated shifting system using wattage to determine the best gear to maintain a consistent power output. The great thing about their system is that you can still manually shift if you want to, so in a sense its similar to a semi-automatic car. What Baron Biosystems is doing here definitely gives us an idea of what we have to look forward to in the future.

Another groupset also on display was from Rotor in the form of the Rotor Uno. Produced in collaboration with Magura they have gone against the current trend of going electronic but opted for a hydraulic system that we could see in the peloton next year. Pictures have emerged of the drivetrain already on the bike of an MTN-Quebeka rider during a training ride. In my opinion this is more an evolution on mechanical gearing as hydraulic does not have the disadvantage of cable friction which to many can affect shifting performance. Whether this advantage will outweigh the potential nightmare of set-up or servicing remains to be seen. In this sense for the commuter sticking with reliable mechanical drivetrains is more practical and possibly cheaper too. I believe its to early to say if hydraulic shifting will catch on, we'll have to wait till probably next year in that respect to see if there's a future for hydraulic systems. 

So given the examples mentioned, I do certainly feel mechanical groupsets will slowly die out. At the moment a Sram eTap groupset will set you back the best part of $3,000 and Shimano's cheapest electronic groupset around $1,200. However given the constant advancements in technology it would be no surprise that manufacturing costs would decrease allowing the likes of Shimano or even Campagnolo to provide much more affordable versions aimed at the mass market. 

I feel that many cyclists have come around to the idea that electronic has a practical place to the everyday cyclist, even I was a skeptic when Shimano released its first electronic groupset believing like most it wasn't necessary. Although now I'm a supporter of electronic groupsets and now believe if you're in the market for a new high end road bike or hybrid it may be worth considering purchasing a bike with an electronic system. 

Train without a coach?

Following up one a good point made this week in regards to using a coach when taking doing a training program to avoid injury, improve performance and prevent bad habits. To make this post simpler to follow I'll focus on running and cycling as the sports to use as examples.

Those that take up sport to improve fitness or have a casual goal they wish to achieve. Hiring a coach just may not be practical or feasible for them. Myself I started my training schedule to get back into running. Those looking to take up a training program without the use of a coach and are following a plan made online or self made listening to your body is vital to make the most of your training. 

When starting its very easy to develop bad habits quickly, we tend to focus more on completing the days goal of distance, speed etc. But we don't focus on our technique or what we're doing whilst training.  To help prevent bad habits you have to be actively aware and be aware of what you're doing and actively work on improving problem areas. 

Take me for example and my posture. Whilst running. First week I realized I'd slouch whilst running. So next run I actively focused on improving that area by keeping my shoulders back and relaxed and so on.. If I were to not try to improve my posture my technique would be terrible and I would be developing a bad habit right now. I had self diagnosed a problem and focused on rectifying it. Now there is a difference between self diagnosing effectively and making a problem worse. Someone who can self diagnose knows their body and can workout what changes need to be made to negate injury and improve technique. 

In today's digital world so much information is available to us in the form of "How to" videos and do it yourself websites that can be very effective to improve technique and prevent bad habits in the long run. 

For example someone who finds their right knee moves out at the top of their pedal stroke can get on you tube and search "How asses knee tracking for cycling" and be greeted with useful videos. This is here is where someone could make the problem worse or fix the problem, a good example of self diagnosis in this case would be opening up the hip angle by raising the handlebars or reducing the length of the stem.

Remember what you read or see on the internet may be good advise for some people but may not be good for yourself. I usually find reading books on bio mechanics and training helps me understand if or when I get discomfort whilst running what the cause could be and how to fix it. 

Coaches can take the information you give them and use it to make adjustments on your technique and if need be, your training plan. For example you can describe outer knee pain, and the coach can assess your stride or pedal stroke to help determine what the cause could be and what the solution could be.  

One thing you can also get from proper coaching is diet/nutrition. Again what we read on see on the TV or internet wont apply to everybody and since nutrition is important in performance having proper coaching in this area is highly recommended. 

On a last note anyone seeking to improve on current performance, training for a event or have a pre-existing injury you want to avoid I highly recommend hiring a coach. There's only so far you can go by watching videos, reading websites until you no longer can progress in your given sport.The great thing about having a coach is your given guidance to ensure you can meet your goals. They can track your progress, make adjustments to your training plan to create a constant platform to improve. By having a coach you'll feel safer in the knowledge that your training plan is specifically designed for you and your goals.

Remember many athletes train without a coach and get by just fine on their own. To help your training you may decide to run with a friend or a group, this can also help in realize bad habits that form in your technique and also provide motivation. 

Whats your opinion?

Why not Lycra..?

If you're starting out in cycling you'll most certainly hit the point where someone will say something along the lines "You need to buy a pair of padded shorts" followed by the familiar reply "I'll never wear Lycra". Of course further down the line you end up buying a pair to save your arse from the punishment of the scantily padded narrow cushion of what we call a saddle. 

In my opinion Lycra is something that should be embraced rather than shunned. You wouldn't run with dress shoes on. Or swim wearing a t-shirt and shorts? No, you'd buy the proper kit that's made for purpose and same goes for cycling gear. 

So why don't more people invest in Lycra when the first start out? I think part of it is an image issue, cycling shorts in particular can be quite revealing that would make most people uncomfortable to be seen in. There's also the "Borat" image that comes with bibs. Note: Never wear bib shorts on its own.  But once you're on the bike no one really cares. 

As for jerseys, there's so much variety you can choose the type of fit, aero, fitted and casual as examples. Design to has changed where you can buy a classic/retro jersey worn with black shorts say "Yes I enjoy cycling". Cycling kit is so much more a fashion statement than a decade ago where it was mainly function over style. Take Paul Smith for example designing the classification jerseys for the tour of Qatar earlier this year. Even H&M had there own cycling range at one point and Rapha have perfectly matched fashion and functionality that you wouldn't be embarrassed to be seen wearing. 

A year or two back fluro was fashionable

So as much has cycling gear has become more fashionable it will always have that stigma will new cyclists and only makes sense as an investment a little further into the future. Yes you can also buy more casual cycling gear that's not made of lycra. I didn't touch on this because no-one I've come across has looked down at buying that type of gear unless you follow the Velominati. (Refer to rule 18 of the Velominati Rules of the Road).

6-Week schedule: Week 1

Week One of my simple 6-week program is over, in total this week I've run 12km which in my opinion isn't bad for someone starting out. These runs we broken down into interval sessions which gradually increased in duration and distance. 1min run x 1min jog repeated 10 times and 2min run x 4min jog repeated 5 times.

For my first week back to doing physical activity I think I did pretty well. The first two days were quite gruelling, I struggled to get my breathing under control and got stitches that were a constant discomfort. However once I got the breathing under control it started to become easier. A short sharp breathe in activating the diaphragm then a forceful breath out.

One thing I had not forgotten from the first time I started running after cycling is how weak my upper body was. Since running is a more dynamic motion to cycling I came to realise that my muscles particular in my back need to be improved.  I found that I'm struggling to maintain form and often have the habit of hunching over. I make myself aware trying to keep a straight back, shoulders back and down and relaxed looking straight ahead as I run. Since I will start doing strengths exercises starting next week I'm confident as my conditioning increases it'll be easier to maintain my form longer during my runs. 

Your next bike could be a custom build

As bike spec becomes increasingly standardized among the bike industry I want to look into what would be seen as standard in the future. I'm not really looking at what bikes we'll be seeing in the future but how bikes will be sold. Cycle trends are constantly changing and shifting where as point of sales is a little more easy to predict. The way I see things shaping from my experience is bikes will no longer be sold as off the shelf  but as customisable packages for the consumer. What do I mean by this?

Imagine walking into a store and instead of being met with a sea of complete bikes you're welcomed with frames instead. Are you following me so far? The basic concept is a customer would pick the frame, then the components from groupset, wheels and finishing kit. All the components available through the store would be on display as they normally would. There would still be complete bikes available for test rides should the customer wish to try before purchasing and also for bike fit purposes. As for bike fitting, information is so freely shared that bike fittings are no longer just for the elite but for mass market (YouTube) so I see bike fitting being either included or added on for a small surcharge. Once frame and components are chosen the customer can choose to have the bike built in-store provided correct frame and all components are in stock. Or the store can special order the bike from their distributor both ways I see as practical. Either way the finished product will have to be built by a qualified mechanic before being handed over to the customer. 

The reason I believe this is future, from my experience customers always want certain bits on one bike and other bits from another. For example, a customer likes the frame from a expensive model but  with the groupset from a model a tier down. Also for those who are willing to spend thousands to upgrade their bike, they'll want a bike more unique/personal to them. Custom builds more or less remove that problem.  There's already a handful of online retailers that offer this kind of service with there own brand frames such as Ribble and Planet X. Not to mention the likes of Trek's Project One program among a few of brands that offer a personalisation program. And of course there's the high end bespoke brands and stores that will custom build a bike to your measurements but that's reserved for those with a lot of capital to spend.

Going back to my concept, I don't see this happening soon. There's a lot of extra cost currently involved with purchasing components and holding stock from the retailers point of view. But from a consumers point of view. Why buy a bike that you have compromise on. When you could buy the perfect bike straight away?

Time to start running...Again

A one month break from running its time to get back with the program. I always do one month training programs before altering in line with my progression. I've done it with gym work and cycling as well. Both of which I've followed with discipline only missing the days where time was not available or sickness prevented me from any sort of exercise. However when it comes to running I couldn't follow my program, it was always "I'll run tomorrow". I've found the amount I would  progress (speed & distance) in a month running was far less than it is in cycling. That being said cycling has always been my strength. 

So I gave myself a months break from physical activity all together to start a new slate and really focus on my running. Starting from the 1st of September I'll be following the 6-weeks Beginner 5K schedule supplemented with home body weight exercise and yoga provided by BeFit. 

I'm hoping to follow this plan for the full the 6 weeks and a good base leading into fall. I'll be posting every Sunday of my previous weeks progress. Wish me luck! 

6-week Beginner 5K Schedule: 6-week Beginner 5K schedule