Active Expert: Bruce Hildenbrand

Elastic Snaps at Giro

Bruce Hildenbrand — Fri, 16 May 2008 03:39:23 GMT

Just when you didn't think it was going to happen, the elastic broke today at the Giro d'Italia. For the previous four days, when it looked like a breakaway might actually win the stage, the peloton came storming in to snatch the glory and cast the escapees back into obscurity. While everyone likes a field sprint and watching the likes of Cavendish and Bennati duking it out at 40+mph is thrilling, it is nice to see the boys who did the hard work all day long reap some rewards.

However, on Thursday's 140-mile stage the 'no-hopers' finally got their day in the sun(literally). Not only did 11 riders escape the pack, but in the end, their margin of over eleven minutes is a clear sign that the fight was not in the peloton. In some ways this is a bit surprising since this was supposed to be a 160-mile stage, but the riders mounted a protest and the organizers shortened the stage by 18 miles. It has been a tough Giro for the teams. The riders have been subject to over 300 miles of stage transfers, this occurs when the start for the following day's stage is in a different location from the previous days' stage finish.

In one very unfortunate incident, the day the teams transferred, by ferry, from the island of Sicily to mainland Italy, there was a four hour wait to catch the ferry. Usually, in these types of circumstances, the race organizers rent their own ferry so the transfer can be accomplished quickly. Inexplicably, this year,the teams had to wait their turn to take the public ferry and by the time most of the them reached their hotels it was almost midnight. Such a late hour of arrival makes it very difficult to get a meal and the critical post-stage massage and still get enough sleep for the next day.

So, the riders protested and fortunately, the organizers listened and agrees to make things a bit easier for the teams. After all, this is a three-week race and any extra effort now will have to be accounted for later on in the event. Personally, I want to see great racing and sometimes that means that the breakaway succeeds. However, the competition and the course should provide the difficulties, not the logistics of getting to and from the stage starts and finishes.

Bruce

What's in Your Seat Bag?

Bruce Hildenbrand — Wed, 14 May 2008 07:02:40 GMT

The contents of a cyclists seat bag can, literally, mean the difference between a great ride and one that you would soon forget. Sure, we all would like to have every ride be trouble free, but let's face facts. Stuff happens when you are on the bike and if Murphy is along for the ride, it seems like things head south at the worst possible time.

Well, first things first. You need to have a good pump. Not CO2 cartridges, a good pump. CO2 is fast and easy, but if you somehow screw it up or your spare tube has a leak or you get multiple flats you may be walking. So get a good pump and know how to use it. OK. If you really want to use CO2, fine. But, bring a pump along just in case the CO2 fails. It will, trust me.

Inside your seat pack you should have at least the following essentials. Two, or even better, three tire levers for prying off the tube. Tire levers seems to break when least expected so make sure you have at least two. A spare tube is critical. Wrap it in plastic or keep it in the cardboard box to protect it from getting punctured in your seat bag. If you ride in areas that are known to be flat-prone either carry a second tube or better yet, a patch kit. If your patch kit uses glue, make sure the glue has not dried out. I carry both glue and glueless patches just in case.

One last essential is some form of tire boot. If your tire gets a cut that would allow the tube to poke through, you need to put something inside the tire to prevent that. I use Tyvek, the strong, paper-like fabric which is used by Fed Ex and the USPS for their mail envelopes. In an emergency, a dollar bill or energy bar wrapper will suffice.

Some non-essential, but very handy items include a spoke wrench which can come in very handy if a spoke lets go. Of course, that means you have to know how to use it. It's pretty simple. Loosen the two spokes on the opposite side of the rim which are on either side of the broken one. Use small turns until the wheel clears the brakes. A small screw driver is handy for making on-the-road derailuer adjustments.

A set of allen wrenches, 3mm-6mm, are handy for adjusting seat height, stem, and other allen key fittings on your bike. Also, a chain tool is useful if you are the type who seems to break things. I carry a $20 bill and a credit card in my seat pack. Money can't buy everything, but in a really tough jam it just might help.

Obviously, your mileage may vary(YMMV), but there's a good start. Enjoy the bike, but if Murphy shows up for the ride. Watch out!

Bruce

Slipstream Shines at the Giro

Bruce Hildenbrand — Mon, 12 May 2008 06:54:54 GMT

Things could not have started any better for the Slipstream/Chipotle team at the Giro d'Italia when they won the opening 23km team time trial to put Christian Vandevelde into the maglia rosa, the pink leader's jersey. It was a stunning effort made all the more exceptional by the fact that they bested every Pro Tour team, most with budgets two to three times that of the upstart American squad.

To be sure, Slipstream targeted this stage from the outset and well they should. With ace time trialists in Dave Zabriskie, David Millar and Christian Vandevelde you play to your strengths. Ryder Hesjedal and Magnus Backstedt can also turn the cranks pretty well which is critical since it is a team time trial. Acknowledging that Vandevelde was the strongest rider on the squad that day, the team elected to have him cross the finish line first. When their time edged the powerful CSC formation by six seconds and High Road Sports finished a further one second back, the celebrations began.

It has been 20 years since an American wore the pink jersey in the Giro. In 1988, Andy Hampsten became the first, and still only, US rider to win Italy's national race. Christian was quick to point out that he isn't aiming to follow in Hapmsten's footsteps, but Slipstream has a number of cards to play with sprinters Julian Dean and Chris Sutton and opportunists like Backstedt, Vandevelde and Millar all going for stage wins.

Unfortunately, a crash on some railroad tracks on stage 2 took out the teams' best time trialist, Dave Zabriskie. With a fractured L1 vertebrae, he is headed home, but he was instrumental in winning the team time trial so it is a bittersweet moment. Can the "Argyle Armada" bring home some more glory? They are off to a great start and a positive attitude is a huge factor in a three-week race. Bravo!

Bruce

Giro d'Italia Starts Saturday

Bruce Hildenbrand — Thu, 08 May 2008 07:45:34 GMT

The season's first grand tour, the Giro d'Italia, kicks off on Saturday and though it looks to be a decidedly Italian affair, the last minute inclusion of Team Astana has turned the race inside out. Well, sort of. While Astana's roster includes, arguably, the three best grand tour riders, Alberto Contador, Levi Leipheimer and Andreas Kloden, only Kloden appears to be in shape to contest a major stage race.

OK. Can Levi and Alberto come off the couch and ride circles around yours truly? Do you even need to ask? But, dropping Bruce like a bad smell is different than keeping it all together in a three week race. One look at the race map should strike fear into anyone with a heartbeat and knowledge of the route.

The Passo Manghen on Stage 14 is pretty darn hard and the finish of that stage on the Alpe di Pampeago is humongous. The next day is brutal with the Passo Giau at 6mi of 10% and then the finish on the Marmolada(Passo Fedia) which is probably the hardest climb in the Dolomites, the last 3km averaging 15% or so. But, wait, there's more. The next day is an individual time trial which finishes at the Plan de Corones with sections up to 25% in the last 4 miles. Ouch!

Hey, but the hardest stage on paper may be Stage 20 five days later which includes the Passo Gavia and its ramps up to 16% and then the fearsome Passo del Mortirolo which is probably the second or third hardest pass in any grand tour. The 8-mile climb averages 11% and it is just a never ending climb of pain and suffering. Anyone who is hoping to do well in the race and has questionable fitness is going to have nowhere to hide.

With Astana's snub from the Tour I am hoping that the boys in blue lay down some serious smack and show why they deserve to be in France come July. Given their current lack of race conditioning it might be a tall order, but don't count out Alberto and Levi.

Bruce

ps - rumour has it that there will be a stage start or finish in the central valley town of Visalia in the 2009 (insert you favorite sponsor here) Tour of California. That may mean a mountain stage up into Sequoia National Park where 6-7000' climbs exist. Hmmm.

Cross Spectating

Bruce Hildenbrand — Tue, 06 May 2008 03:48:31 GMT

Some of us started out as cyclists, but many of us came from other sports. For me, it was running, the two-legged variety (is there any other kind?). While I don't run much anymore I still enjoy a good track meet. Luckily, for me, there is a great track meet, the Payton Jordan Invitational, just down the road in Palo Alto every spring. What elevates this meet from great to almost legendary is that it specializes in producing really fast distance races. Hey, nothing against sprinters and the field event types, but it seems like the distance runners never get any of the glamour, maybe it is tough to get excited about somebody after you have seen them for 24 straight laps. Where's the newness?

But, that's exactly what happens every spring at Stanford. The best distance runners in the collegiate and open ranks converge on Palo Alto and light it up. Just about every race from the 1500m to the 10000m generates some sort of "best" from American records to collegiate records to world, American, collegiate and even high school season bests. And in an Olympic year, when many athletes are trying to meet the Olympic qualifying standards the races are that much more exciting.

The 2008 performances were nothing short of spectacular. Season best times in the Women's 3000m steeplechase started it all off. We saw sub 4-minute mile equivalents in both the top sections of the men's 1500m(3:39/3:40). Then there was the season's leading collegiate time in the Women's 1500m(4:07) and finishing in 10th place was high school junior Jordan Hasay(!) whose 4:17 was the best time in the US for a high schooler. 2007 dual World Champion Bernard Legat won the 5000m in a very fast 13:18, but right behind was University of Colorado's Brett Vaughn with a breakthrough effort that set the season's leading collegiate time and heralded the arrival of another US distance star.

The event of the evening was the Women's 10000m where current US record holder in the 5000m (14:44) Shalane Flanagan had announced before the race that she would attempt to break Deanna Kastor's mark of 30:52. With the help of a pace setter through the first 5000m Shalane and New Zealander Kim Smith set the stage for a second half duel that had the crowd on its feet. With nearly identical splits (15:17/15:17) Flanagan broke the record by more than 18 seconds and with Kim Smith just a second back, New Zealand had a new national record as well. In fact, Smith lowered her PR by almost 45 seconds. Yeah, the Payton Jordan Invitational is great, almost legendary.

Bruce

More 24

Bruce Hildenbrand — Fri, 02 May 2008 06:03:34 GMT

In my last blog I talked about what it takes to do a 24 Hour mountain bike race.I received several great comments with lots of useful advice. Thanks! What makes a 24 Hour race so special are the stories of the experiences you have out there pushing your bike and body to limits you never thought you were possible. Here is a story from my first 24 Hour race.

I had never ridden my mountain bike at night so my first 'night lap' was going to be a completely new experience. When I rolled out of the start/finish area I knew nothing about battery conservation so I had both my 12W and 20W halogen bulbs burning. I looked like a super nova blazing down the trail. I am almost certain I could be seen from the space shuttle in earth orbit. It never occurred to me that my battery would not last the entire 55-minute lap. Hey these things are supposed to be high-tec. Right?

Well, half way through the lap, the laws of physics caught up with me and my lights died just as I exited the last technical section and started up the long fire road climb back to the start/finish. There was just enough ambient light for me to see the road and I limped into the exchange area feeling pretty stupid. That's not much of a story, but wait, there's more.

When I headed out on my second night lap, I was in full conservation mode and rode with only my 12W bulb. The problem was that my light seemed to keep moving up off the trail. I kept pounding on the mounting bracket trying to get the light to point down on the trail when I realized it was my handlebars that were rotating and not the light mounting bracket. Well, who wouldn't immediately realize that at 3am in the morning?

To make matters worse, even with only the 12W bulb, my battery ran out again, this time in the middle of the most technical section and not just after it. In the dark I struggled with the single track, got back on the fire road and thought I had it made when, just before the finish, a huge metal pole jumped right out in front of me. I narrowly avoided it and brought in another lap for the team. I was one happy camper when the sun came up.

Do you all have a favorite 24 Hour race story or two? Let's here them.

Bruce

24 Hour Mountain Bike Racing

Bruce Hildenbrand — Thu, 01 May 2008 06:02:18 GMT

Want to race a mountain bike for 24 hours? Not into such a huge solo effort? How about roping three or four of your favorite riding mates into entering as a team? Do the math. Five riders over 24 hours means about five hours of total riding. Factor in the potential four hour break between efforts and maybe now it seems somewhere in the realm of possibility. Of course it does.

A lot of people are figuring out that 24 hour racing is not only possible, but a lot of fun. You don't have to have a pedigree in World Cup competition or be an Olympic hopeful. All you have to do is be prepared to ride and enjoy it. Then there are the always exciting night laps when mountain biking takes on an entirely new dimension under the stars and in the thin beam of a halogen light.

Preparation for a 24 hour race depends on your goals. If you are out to win your class, and there are a lot of classes, then being in top notch physical condition is obviously essential. If you are in a less-than-competitive mood and are just trying to have some good old physical bonding with your friends than the most important pre-race preparation is to make sure your bike is in good working order. Most of us can deal with our body starting to tire, but a broken bike may mean the end of your race.

There are 24 hour races throughout the United States. Granny Gear Productions organizes six races throughout the US while Twenty4 Sports holds four yearly events. Numerous smaller promoters also organize races. Check the local bike shops in your area for upcoming events.

Bruce

2009 Tour of California Musings

Bruce Hildenbrand — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 07:20:58 GMT

Speculation about the route for the 2009 Tour of California (ToC) has been happening even while the 2008 race was underway. Of course, nothing has been publicly announced, expect to hear something official in July or August, but this is a blog so that means that I can make some guesses and then deny everything when I am proven totally wrong.

Hey, the best thing is that there appears to be several cities strongly interested in hosting the prologue. What was once the sole domain of San Francisco moved 30 miles south last year to Palo Alto/Stanford and was a smashing success. However, rumour has it that Sacramento is keen on hosting the race-beginning event and with the Governator critical for pulling a lot of strings along the entire race route, Sac-Town may have the inside track.

As far as the overall race route, Levi's hometown may be saying bye-bye to its stage finish. In fact, after three editions of the ToC, the Sausalito to Santa Rosa stage is the only route to be included in every edition of the race. But, that may be a footnote in ToC history as the rumour mill forecasts that Santa Rosa will be axed in favor of adding a race day (or possibly two) down in the San Diego area.

Palomar Mountain in northern San Diego county is a favorite testpiece for southern Californian cyclists and may be on the program in 2009. The 11-mile 4000-foot climb would be a welcome addition for riders like Levi Leipheimer especially if it became the first mountain-top finish in ToC history.

The title sponsor for the 2009 ToC is still a mystery. Amgen's three-year deal ended in 2008 and though race organizers indicated that Amgen was satisfied with their sponsorship no official word has been given on who will be the title sponsor next year. More rumours and a few facts when they become available.

Bruce

The Spirit of the Rule

Bruce Hildenbrand — Thu, 24 Apr 2008 18:19:05 GMT

On Stage 6 of the Tour of California Mark Cavendish crashed in the final few laps, fought back to regain the group and went on to win the race. Unfortunately, the race officials relegated Cavendish for drafting team cars to regain the bunch. As I pointed out then it is very common for riders involved in a crash or mechanical to draft the team cars to get back to the peloton. This isn't the case of a rider who was tired getting a tow to the line; it was the case of a rider who suffered an unfortunate circumstance and was just trying to make it right. Race officials in Europe clearly understand this and allow drafting team cars to regain the field after a mechanical or a crash.

Yesterday at the Tour de Georgia, a bunch of riders were taken down when their wheels were swallowed up by large cracks in the concrete roadway. I had this happen to me one at 40+mph while motorpacing in preparation for the National Championships and it is not pleasant. If a crack in the concrete runs the direction of travel and is wider than the width of a wheel the crack can swallow a wheel and a rider can go down. That's exactly what happened and three riders in the Tour of Georgia went down hard. While two got up quickly, one did not. Tim Duggan of Slipstream Sports suffered major head trauma and was taken to a hospital in Atlanta. I have ridden with Tim and he is a great guy. Here's wishing Tim a full and speedy recovery.

The two riders who were able to continue were still about a minute behind the main field. George Hincapie and Levi Leipheimer went to the front of the field and slowed things down to allow everyone to sort themselves out and in a few minutes the two riders were able to regain the peloton. But, wait. At the finish, race officials penalized the two riders for drafting their team cars to regain the pack. Nonsense. Do those officials have no heart? Do they not understand how the game is played on the biggest stage in the world(Europe)? Have they missed the spirit of the competition?

Bike racing is hard enough, even harder if you do it as a pro. Heartless race officials just make it that more difficult for riders to do their jobs. I just don't understand why the officials don't understand the spirit of the rule and apply it as such. The rule was put in place to stop riders who get dropped because they aren't fast enough to keep up. The rule is not there to punish riders who flat or get caught in a crash. Show some heart and don't penalize riders for circumstances outside their control. The riders race their guts out. They need to be shown a bit of compassion that comes with the respect for what they do.

Bruce

Coasting Can Be Dangerous

Bruce Hildenbrand — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 06:56:36 GMT

It has happened to me twice in the past week and I don't like it. Bike riding is supposed to be fun, especially on small, low-traffic roads where you can enjoy the scenery and not have to worry about sharing the road with 3,000 pounds of metal. (BTW, I just saw a piece on Nova which reported that the weight of an average car has increased from 2,000 to 3,000 pounds over the past 25 years. Ouch. That's not very good odds when you are riding a sub 20-pound bike.)

But I digress. When I say that "Coasting Can Be Dangerous" I am not referring to the new line of bikes being produced by Shimano and others. What I am talking about is the totally illegal practice of turning off the engine in your car and coasting down the hill. As gas prices break through the $4.00/gallon barrier with no end in sight, it seems that some drivers are using what can only be called "guerrilla conservation practices" to save on gas. Did it ever occur to drivers to get a more fuel-efficient car or to use their automobile more efficiently by planning their trips out? Hey, what about using a bicycle to accomplish some simple errands?

To survive as cyclists, we have to have our antennae out. We need to be attentive to the sounds of approaching vehicles, especially on roads where cyclists must share the same space on the roadways as cars because there are no bike lanes or wide shoulders. When car drivers turn off their engines and coast down the hills here in the Santa Cruz Mountains, not only are they breaking the law but they are also putting me in danger. A lot of the best climbs here in the Silicon Valley like Old La Honda Road and Tunitas Creek are narrow enough that there is no center line and cars and cyclists must share the road.

And what about hybrids? It turns out that this is also a problem for pedestrians who have been hit stepping off of curbs because they didn't hear a car and so didn't feel the need to look first. Yikes. Who would have thought that going green would have such an adverse side effect. Be careful. It's a jungle out there.

Bruce

Tour de Georgia Rocks the South

Bruce Hildenbrand — Mon, 21 Apr 2008 18:07:14 GMT

America's second most prestigious stage race starts today as the Tour de Georgia(TdG) sends 15 teams of 8 riders out on the roads of the peach state. As a bit of history, the TdG was first run in 2003 and it quickly became the number one stage race in the US. The organizers, Medalist Sports, had a long history in cycling, it's personnel were responsible for organizing the Tour de Trump and Tour Dupont in the 1990's. Chris Horner, now of Team Astana, was the first winner, Lance Armstrong launched the event into the stratosphere with his victory in 2004.

The Discovery Channel rider Tom Danielson's stock rose sharply in 2005 when he upstaged his Texas teammate and stole the race from Floyd Landis. The tables were turned in 2006 when, after an epic mano y mano battle on the fearsome slopes of Brasstown Bald, Landis bested Danielson. The Landis-Danielson duel on the 20+% ramps of Brasstown Bald was probably the most thrilling bicycle racing action ever seen by a TV audience on US soil. And the fact that top European teams were sending squads to the race made the performances by US riders memorable as well as credible.

However, 2006 also marked the beginning of another stage race organized by Medalist Sports. On the other side of the country, the Tour of California(ToC) began with much fanfare and anticipation. For the European pro teams, the ToC, with its February position on the racing calendar was a better fit. Throw in the fact that the weather in California usually trumps the climate found across the pond and it was clear that the ToC was going to be a hit with the Euros. Realizing that most European teams have tight budgets and don't like to cross too many time zones to race, would the Euros really head west for more than one stage race?

Two years ago I opined that the Tour de Georgia would suffer if the Tour of California became successful and, unfortunately, that appears to be true. This year there are only four European teams in the race, compared to eight for the ToC. That doesn't mean that the racing won't be difficult and entertaining. On the contrary. US domestic racing has increased in both speed and ability over the past few years; clearly the home boys can hold their own against their Euro counterparts. It is just that it would be nice to have a few more of the top pro teams in Georgia so that they can showcase their talents on US soil.

One hugely positive side to this whole situation is that it offers an opportunity for US-based pros to strut their stuff in front of some of the best professional teams and earn some respect for their efforts. Look for the homies to be very aggressive all race long with early breakaways and go-and-blow moves on every stage.

As for race predictions, there is no individual time trial in this year's TdG so Levi won't be able to crush everyone in the race of truth. However, look for the Astana rider and recent ToC winner to lay down some serious hurt on Brasstown Bald on the way to his second major victory in 2008.

Bruce

Sea Otter Baby

Bruce Hildenbrand — Fri, 18 Apr 2008 04:32:53 GMT

Yeah, there is De Ronde and Roubaix, spring classics on the Euro side of the pond, but over here in 'merica we have our own classic and it's named after a furry little creature that swims and loves abalone. The Sea Otter Classic is in its 17th or 18th year and going strong. The event schedule, which includes road racing, mountain bike racing and BMX racing covers so many aspects of the two-wheeled community that it has become a destination for racers and industry types from across the country. In Thursday's junior women's road race, the riders from Alaska and Idaho outnumbered the Californians, the home of the Sea Otter Classics, by a ratio of six to one!

I love going to Sea Otter and have been at the event as spectator, journalist and race announcer. It really doesn't matter why you are there, you are going to have fun. OK. The weather can be a bit funky. My fellow announcer Larry Longo said it best. "During the four days of Sea Otter we usually have one sunny day, one windy day, one rainy day and one day when we have know idea on what is going to happen." That shouldn't stop anyone from attending. Weather or not, you are still going to have fun.

Today, Thursday, was a whetting of our Sea Otter appetites as only a few events were contested. Come Friday, the professional riders in both the mountain bike and road events take to the venue; the MTB boys on the short track course, the roadies tackle the grueling Fort Ord road race. Saturday continues the parade of stars as the professional men and women compete on the 2.2 mile Laguna Seca road race circuit, the exact same course used by the Indy cars and GP motorbikes. Expect to see some of the top male and female pros in the US on the starting line.

Sunday is all dirt as both the MTB downhill and cross country races will attract the top professional talent. Sunday is also the launch day for the amateur cross country races with literally thousands of weekend warriors, in numerous age and ability categories tackling one or two laps of the legendary 18-mile off-road circuit.

For those who have not been bitten by the racing bug, there is an off-road fun ride on Saturday and a road century loop on Sunday. In between all the pedaling there is the 350 vendor expo where one can find just about anything biking-related and a few things that aren't. All in all, if you can't find something fun to do at Sea Otter, you are either strapped down in a straight jacket or you just don't want to experience one of the great early season events in America.

Bruce

Rock Racing to Rock Georgia

Bruce Hildenbrand — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 06:47:53 GMT

You gotta love it, Rock Racing will be at the starting line next Monday for the Tour de Georgia. The Pro Tour team Saunier Duval pulled out due to "numerous injuries to key riders" opening a slot for Rock Racing. After their reception and performance in the Amgen Tour of California it seemed like a lock that we would see the boys in black and neon green at all the biggest races on the US professional racing calendar. However, Medalist Sports announced last month that Rock Racing would not be invited to Georgia; managing partner Jim Birrell, told Velonews.com "I like all the riders he has on his team - it's just that renegade approach and his desire to steal the limelight away from the platform that has been created for everybody else is what troubles me."

It appears that Medalist and Michael Ball were able to reach an agreement, hats off to both parties for sitting down and making this happen. This is a good thing on so many levels. First off, Rock Racing is the most popular new team on the US domestic racing circuit. Secondly, at the recent Redlands Cycling Classic, with all the best domestic pro riders in attendance, Rock Racing rode superbly and took the overall win with Santiago Botero. And probably most importantly, Rock Racing is bringing new eyeballs to the sport and those peepers belong to the young fans in the always critical 18-35 year old demographic.

On a personal level, the news is bittersweet for me. I am heading off to be one of the event announcers at the upcoming Sea Otter Classic and was looking forward to having Botero, Sevilla, Hamilton, Pena, etc. in the field for the National Racing Calendar(NRC) circuit race on Saturday. I am still hoping the Rock Racing sends a team to Sea Otter, team member Doug Ollerenshaw won there several years back. However, if it takes my disappointment to get Rock Racing into the Tour de Georgia I guess I will just have to live with it.

The next item on the agenda is to figure out a way to get Astana into the Tour de France. Short of the Kazakhstani government cutting off natural gas supplies to France, I think this might be an impossible task. Anybody out there have a solution?

Bruce

A Stone and a Green Jacket

Bruce Hildenbrand — Mon, 14 Apr 2008 07:32:26 GMT

Two of the greatest sporting events took place this past weekend, one favorite prevailed, another came up short. While most of us are participants in the sports we follow very few of us ever reach the highest levels. That's OK, I am not going to get into a religious/scientific debate about genetics and evolution, but my guess is that is the way it is supposed to be. To be sure, we set goals for ourselves and strive to reach them, however we usually aren't performing in front of a live crowd and a television audience in the millions.

While it depends on the specific sport, professional athletes in the most popular athletic endeavours do feel pressure from sponsors and fans to do well. One of the characteristics of the best athletes is how they respond to that pressure.The word 'choke' describes how some athletes deal with the pressure. On the other end of the spectrum is the word 'clutch'. Hey, but I am not telling you something you don't already know and if asked you could probably come up with a list of 'clutch' players and 'chokers' for your favorite sport.

It is hard to use the words 'Tiger' and 'choke' in the same sentence since, on the golf course, Mr. Woods is the most consistent golfer in the world. He's been ranked number one for so many years he makes Roger Federer's accomplishments look human. Using the words 'Boonen' and "clutch' is almost passe, he's won so many big races that he is almost expected to win. The fact that he triumphs when he is expected to win is what makes his victories so special and amazing.

Does Tiger's second place at the Masters and failure to mount a charge when the eventual winner fired a 3-over par 75 on the final, albeit windy, day make him a choker? Did he succumb to the pressure or was he just a bit off his game? You have to feel sorry for Tiger. If he doesn't win a major he is considered a loser.The guy beats ever other golfer save one and he has to answer questions about what happened. If money can buy happiness then he shouldn't feel bad for long, but you and I both know that what drives Tiger Woods isn't the size of his bank account.

Tom Boonen not only won the Queen of the Classics, Paris-Roubaix, but he did it in masterful fashion, going off the front and proving without a doubt that he was one of the strongest, if not the strongest rider in the race. With two of the other heavy favorites, Fabian Cancellara and Juan Antonio Flecha for company in the three-up break, it was an epic duel in the making. In a recent interview I did with Cancellara, he mentioned that the pressure on Boonen to win in Belgium(Paris-Roubaix is on the Franco-Belgian border) and in the classics is huge, something he(Cancellara) would have difficulty handling.

In the end, both Tiger and Tom gave us memorable performances though only one was declared the winner. Dealing with pressure at any level reveals our character.Let's hope we can learn from watching both of these elite athletes perform on the world's stage.

Bruce

Those Darn Cobbles

Bruce Hildenbrand — Fri, 11 Apr 2008 03:52:07 GMT

If you are a rabid pro bike racing fan there is only one time of the year other than July when your mouth starts salivating, your hands start shaking and you can't sit still for more than about 2 seconds. OK. If you are Belgian, the maybe it is three times a year (De Ronde!), but for those of us who don't eat our frites with mayonnaise it is the Tour and Roubaix. Paris-Roubaix to be exact. The H3ll of the North. The Cobbled Classic. The hardest one-day race on a bike on the planet. Pick a moniker and as long as it describes a total melee on the most difficult surface to race a road bike thrown in with potentially bad weather and the odds on chance that you might get run over by a support vehicle and you have the Queen of the Classics.

If you happen to have the right combination of skill, strength, and luck, and somehow emerge from the fields of northern France in one piece and are first across the line in the velodrome in Roubaix, you get a huge cobblestone as a trophy of your win. The thing weighs a ton and probably still has a bit of cow poo on it, but there isn't a single rider in the pro peloton who wouldn't trade their left nut for that stone.

And if owning a piece of French real estate wasn't enough, they even name a shower stall in the Roubaix Velodrome after you. Of course, the race organizers fail to mention that you need a Class 7 biohazard suit to venture into the shower room at Roubaix, however, take my word for it, you get a stall with your name on it.

What makes Paris-Roubaix such a prestigious and tough race is those darn cobbles. As with the stones in De Ronde, these babies were laid down back in the late 1800's and early 1900's and while I am sure they looked flat over 100 years ago, that's definitely not the case now. There are twenty six cobbled sections along the 160-mile route ranging in length from 400 yards to several miles and you would swear that just when your strength is ebbing that those darn stones come alive, raise their little heads and send you and your bike flying sideways just for grins.

Yes, it takes a bit of luck to win Paris-Roubaix, but the cobbles always seem to produce a worthy victor, a rider who will, from that day on, be known as a hardman of the road a title that is well deserved. Who will be the next inductee into the hardman hall of fame come this Sunday. My mouth is watering, my hands are shaking and I can't sit still for more than 2 seconds. Bring it on!

Bruce