The racers don't move nearly as quickly as they did earlier in the week. Everyone's legs are stiff. Everyone's body is tired. Most of the racers are wearing SpiderTech somewhere on their bodies. Last night's massages helped then recover. As did last night's spectacular dinner of quiches, vegetables, salads, and quinoa:
But the last three days have been busy: ~16 hours of riding, ~20,000 feet of climbing, ~280 miles. The fatigue is showing. There was a near-mutiny this morning when, to their horror, the racers discovered the coffee bean reserves were running low, nearly out. Some of them got their morning quad-shot. Some of them didn't. Management had to step in.
Training camp can test a team's management in a myriad of ways. Sometimes the follow-car runs over a screw and is forced to make an emergency trip to the tire store (leaving the team without wheel support for the final fifteen miles of the ride home). Sometimes the team runs out of coffee. Both situations require immediate action from the management.
Today the group splits in half. Sprint lead-outs must be practiced. One squad, the ones destined for the front-lines of the Merco Classic on March 1st, will launch their sprinters into orbit time and again, until the delivery is perfect. The others, the second-wave, will do laps up Gimes Canyon until their legs go weak.
It's another gorgeous day at training camp.
Here's yesterday's ride. Average speeds were low, as several lengthy stops were required so that Brian Hodes of Veloimages could take photographs. Such is the price of being on a pro cycling team. Preparation must be mixed with propaganda.
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