Paceline Top Stories

On DC - TDF: Do You Have What It Takes?

Thu, 10 Jan 2008 12:57:39 GMT

This year Discovery Channel took two amateur cyclists and gave them a glimpse into the world of professional cycling. Our riders started their adventure with new bikes from Trek, then we took them to Spain to meet with team director, Johan Bruyneel and some of the best riders in the world, George Hincappie, Tom Danielson and Levi Leipheimer.

After a bit of professional coaching with Carmichael Training Systems in Colorado Springs, we took them over to France to ride the toughest mountain stage of the 2007 Tour de France, stage 16, finishing on the Col d'Aubisque. Our riders, Joe and Adam, are two great guys, and the show about them gives us a look at just how difficult pro cycling is through their eyes (and aching muscles). Below is a schedule for the show on HD Theater, and a youtube link for the promo. Enjoy!

Riding the Tour de France: Livin' the Dream - HD Theater (Discovery Channel)

(All listings are for EASTERN time zone, check your local listings)

Jan 13, 8:00 pm
Jan 13, 11:00 pm

Jan 14, 4:00 pm

Jan 19, 3:00 am

Jan 20, 4:00 pm

Jan 26, 4:00 pm

Feb 03, 6:00 pm ]]>

Cb and Cathy Sign-on with Astana

Sun, 06 Jan 2008 09:38:22 GMT

Switching to story now - if page doesn't load, please CLICK HERE. ]]>

FB Replay: Weight Loss Made Easy

Tue, 01 Jan 2008 09:00:00 GMT

* This is an article I wrote WAY back in the day at LanceArmstrong.com, and we now feature it annually (afer the winter thaw!) since many people are new to our site, plus the feedback we get is this information is very helpful - and it works. Good luck! - Cb...

The Little Green Book

If you're like me, you know that you could / should lose some weight either to ride faster or just feel better, and you want some solid common sense guidance to help you get there that works within your busy lifestyle. Well, I am certainly not a nutritionist but I think I stayed in at least one Holiday Inn at some point in my life, and therefore I think I can help...

Let's get down to basics: I'm gonna assume you are 1] fairly intelligent and 2] eat fairly healthy - if you aren't, you should be (on both points). What's "fairly healthy eating"? You're not sucking down Mickie D's for breakfast, lunch and dinner - you know what foods are generally good for you, and while you may drop the occasional splurge on your system, you try to do your best regularly. Sound familiar?

Yet despite all of this and your cycling / whatever exercise program, you're just not seeing the results you want, and you're frustrated - why won't the damn weight come off and stay off?

I believe that for most of us it gets down to simple math: calories in vs. calories out. And if calories OUT is greater than calories IN, you will lose weight over time - and I think we can do some things so that this miracle of modern math works sensibly for you. So here's the formula we'll work with:

Calories In - Calories Required - Calories Expended = Caloric Deficit or Caloric Surplus

*** My disclaimer: I don't recommend undertaking any new exercise or diet program without getting solid medical / professional advice. While what I am going to tell you will probably come under the heading of "Duh - common sense", if you know or even suspect you have unique circumstances, don't do it unless you talk to your doc or trainer, etc. first, OK? That said...

Calories Required - Make no mistake, we need calories. These are the energy units we get from food that fuels our body to do everything from typing away furiously on a computer keyboard to winning the Tour de France. That's the good part - the "bad" part is that our body is smart - when it gets more calories than it requires it doesn't just waste them away (you wish) - it stores them, yep, in fat, for later use (or to fill out your cycling shorts).

So now the dilemma - just how many calories do you really need for your lifestyle? That's really important to know because recall we're doing math here, and we need to know what we can shove in our Pie Hole just to do our normal daily thing - breathing, walking to and from the couch, etc.

For this I'll actually refer to a more creditable resource than moi' - check out this page Discovery.com to estimate your BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate). Enter your age, height, and weight info and you'll get a pretty good baseline of what it takes to keep you sucking air day in and day out - for me it's around 1950 calories a day, and you can always ballpark this number by the formula: weight X 10 = BMR.

Calories In - Now here comes "The Little Green Book". I was talking to LA's coach Chris Carmichael about diet one day, and he recommended keeping a journal of everything that I ate. Seeing as I had several pocket sized (and green) notebooks laying around the house, I used them - your color may vary.

But the big thing that was important in the first few days was this: don't change a thing in the way you eat or drink! Starting on Thu morning and through Sunday night (or Sat morning through Tue night), write it all down and live your life just as you would normally. It's kinda important to use these days initially so you'll be able to get a sense of your normal weekday routine - as well as that weekend stuff that kicks your (our) butt, too.

So how do you know what you ate, calorie-wise? With most packaging today, it's as simple as reading the label to figure out what went in, making sure that you understand the portion size it lists (ex: if you slam two twinkies and it says "portions per pack: 2, calories per portion 500, you just got 1,000 down the throat - got it?) But then there are some times when we're not sure what our calories in was 'cause the apple / pork chop / beer didn't have a label on it - no worries, we're here to help! Download this 203K MS Excel spreadsheet and you'll find over 1500 items with their basic caloric values. You can also surf over to something like Amazon.com and get a handy book with even more stuff - one example is "The All in One Calorie Counter", it's got over 10,000 items listed and costs around $5... either way, you'll need a good reference to know what's what.

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VN: LEVI Named No. American Man of the Year!

Fri, 28 Dec 2007 17:16:17 GMT

After producing his best racing season ever, Leipheimer is honored by Velo News for his superb 2007 season!

Read the article on Velo News ]]>

CN Interviews Levi: Ready for More!

Mon, 24 Dec 2007 13:18:09 GMT

NEW!!! Interview with Fumi-san!

Sun, 23 Dec 2007 12:02:27 GMT

After a short train ride from Shinjuku to Shinagwa, in the southern part of Tokyo, Paceline friend Stephanie Gutowski was able to meet up with Fumiyuki Beppu to get an update on what’s been going on. Fumy has been very busy with sponsor and charity obligations in Japan. He will be leaving for training camp in Mallorca in January. This interview was conducted in early December.

Stephanie: You’ve had three years with Discovery now. What have you learned in those three years?

Fumy: I have learned a lot….about the professional cycling culture….about riding in a professional peloton…about supporting my team mates. I feel I am still learning about riding in the peloton. The talent on Discovery is amazing. Learning from these talented riders, like Armstrong and Eki, was great. I learned about racing and riding techniques from them….as well as training. I was given the opportunity to ride and learn with the team. This was very important to me.

Fumy at Worlds / © Stephanie Gutowski

Stephanie: How have you improved as a cyclist?

Fumy: I have really developed a mental toughness that is necessary to survive in the peloton. This is my biggest improvement. Being a professional cyclist is difficult. I also am learning to pace myself better in a race. In a professional race the pacing is very different than an amateur race. An amateur race’s pacing is hard from start to finish but in a professional race you may start fast…..slow down in the middle….then the last 30k is very, very fast. It’s extremely important to know this pacing and be ready.

Being with a big team had to be an amazing experience for you. What things will you remember most about being on this team?

I know the riders know how valuable the staff are…but I don’t think the public understand how hard the staff work. What was amazing was seeing how hard the Discovery staff worked for all of us. I loved the feeling of being a part of this team…being a part of the staff and the riders. When I came home to Japan I felt alone. The team gave me a lot of support and made my life as a professional cyclist easier. All of the sponsor support was also great.

Looking back these past three years what are some of your favorite moments in racing?

I loved riding in all of the races with Discovery. Each race had special moments that I can remember and enjoy. I have been able to ride in some big races…like Paris Roubaix. I had a good experience this year in the Tour of Romandie…finishing 2nd in a stage. Riding in the Classics was fun. It was fun riding in support of my team in Paris-Roubaix. Paris-Roubaix is my favorite race. The race is very technical and dangerous. I really enjoy it. Paris-Roubaix is full of history and that is one reason why I love cycling. I love the history of cycling.

You also raced worlds this year. What was that experience like for you?

I did okay in the TT but I wanted to use the TT to prepare for the road race. Unfortunately the Japanese staff was not quite prepared to give the road team full support….which upset me during the race. The road race was not a good experience for me at all.

On course! / © Stephanie Gutoski

Now you are moving to team Skil Shimano. How many years is your contract with them?

I have a one-year contract with Skil Shimano and am looking forward to riding a full European calendar in 2008. On Skil Shimano I can ride more Classics and Pro Tour races. I would love to ride in a Grand Tour and I know that will come in the future. I will stay in Europe and race. I think this is a smart move for me. On Skil Shimano I can take on a leadership role. My main goals next year are to ride in Paris-Roubaix, Paris-Nice and Flanders.

When is your first training camp with the team? Where will the camp be held?

I go to Mallorca in January. I’ll be home in Japan until then. After the Spring Classics I’ll head back to my European home…Marseille.

You have a huge fan base in Japan. Can you tell us how this fame has affected your life?

The fans in Japan have been great. They give me so much support. They send me encouraging words. It is very nice. I do a lot of work with young kids. I like encouraging young kids to ride. I prefer working with my young fans. I am always very busy when I am at home with sponsor and charity commitments. I think it’s important to give back to the community. I believe that being a professional cyclist is more than just riding…. it is also about being an ambassador for my sport. It is a full time job. I also write monthly columns in the Japanese cycling magazines. (Fumy is on the cover of the December issue of Bicycle Club…a very popular Japanese cycling magazine.)

Your website Fumy Beppu is also extremely popular. How difficult is it to keep your blogs current? Your fans seem to love your comments and post comments back to you?

I like keeping my blogs current. I have a lot of young fans that like to keep in touch and read what I have been doing. There was a documentary on television about me. After the documentary aired my website was so overwhelmed that it crashed. That was amazing.

Your site is only available in Japanese. Any thoughts about having an English site?

(laughing) I would love to but my English is not that strong.

Do you have a final goodbye message for your fans at Paceline?

Wow….a final message…that is sad. I have only visited America a few times but all of the Discovery fans know me and support me. I want them to know that I love the bike and riding and know that there are many American fans that feel the same. I am sad that the Discovery team is no more and I hope the fans do not forget me. I am truly grateful. I am very thankful that the Discovery fans have supported me these past three years. Thank you all very much!

The Paceline wishes Fumy continued success in his racing career and despite the language issues rest assured we will keep up with his career. A special thank you to Stephanie for taking time from her family vacation in Japan to conduct this interview (like it was a chore, girlfriend!). - Cathy ]]>

Read Lance's Blog from USO Tour!

Thu, 20 Dec 2007 08:17:59 GMT

NEW!!! Jason McCartney Interview

Wed, 19 Dec 2007 12:38:35 GMT

- by Cathy Mehl

The Paceline was able to catch up with Jason McCartney two weeks ago from his home in Iowa to chat about his time with Discovery and his upcoming season with Team CSC.

Cathy: I think the first time I knew about your cycling career was when you took the solo stage win into Dahlonega at stage five of the 2004 Tour de Georgia. I’ve read that’s when you caught Johan’s eye as well. Can you tell us how you originally came to be on the Discovery team?

Jason: Much later when I talked to Johan about it he confirmed that’s when I caught his eye and Lance’s eye too, but I didn’t know about it at the time. I talked to Bart Knaggs at Philadelphia that June (US Pro) and he gave me his card and told me to give him a call. I didn’t think too much of it at the time, but then I won the Olympic trials so we started talking more seriously after that.

Cathy: What have these past few years with the team been like for you?

Jason: It has been fantastic. I didn’t think I would go back to Europe to race and then to do it on an American team and a team that is so well organized, well it was super fun. Everything was always taken care of for the riders. If you love to ride your bike it was a great job!

What are some of the biggest things you’ve learned about racing, or about yourself, by being on this team?

It is such a neat blend of guys. I was always learning things from the other riders, even little things that would help me save energy to get through the stages. Stuff like being told I’m riding way too big of gears all day, so consciously ride a couple of gears up to save your legs a week down the road. A lot of little tricks that these guys have known for a long time. They share their experiences. It was a good environment for that.

Do you have a favorite moment or race you would like to share?

Definitely the first year I did the Giro [2005] with the team was memorable for me. I had no idea what to expect and then we had the race leader and had to defend it so that was super hard. We rode out of our skins! Just finishing that up was a great accomplishment. That was my first year and it set the tone for the remaining three years. There were so many wins along the way, it was all just great to be a part of.

What do you think you’ll miss the most about Discovery?

I have to say I’ll miss all the people. From Johan to Lance to the staff. It was like a big family and a lot of fun. But it’s good to go and meet new people because you’ll always keep your friends.

During the racing season do you live in Europe?

It’s a blend between the US and Girona. With so many good US races on the calendar now it works out that I have a block of time where I’m home and then go to Spain. I get to pop back and forth. An apartment is nice but there is something better about your own place! My oldest son will be graduating in February so that has kept my family in the States but with him graduating soon the family might be able to come over more often.

You had quite a serious illness earlier this year. What was that about?

I don’t know where it started, but I had it at Tour of California. Then I went to Europe and raced Tireno but didn’t feel too good then either. Next I raced Castilla y Leon and after the Prologue I felt ok but not great. Next up was Georgia and the night before I had some Mexican food and two beers. The next day I felt horrible and my wife told me I had a hang over, but I said that couldn’t be on two beers! But once I got to Georgia the headaches started and I couldn’t even go on a training ride. It was super bad. Next up was going to the hospital and figuring out what I had, which was viral meningitis. So I got on the medicines then and started feeling better. I had bells palsy with it too so I couldn’t move my face.

When did your season finally get re-started?

I think beginning of July, at the Tour of Austria. I was happy to be racing again!

Let’s talk about the Vuelta now. Before the race started it looked like Discovery was going to have a super strong team and then one-by-one things started happening. There was Tom’s crash and other guys had injuries flaring up. It was scary everyday getting ready to do the race report because it seemed like we were losing a guy every few days! Was it hard to keep motivated during this period? What was going on within the team?

We had the bomb just before the race that the team was not continuing, so every one was motivated to get stage wins and just to be there together. The attitude was good. Stijn took the jersey in the time trial so we had the lead for a day and that was uplifting. But really on top of that every day we had Allan Davis who was just crushing it. We were trying to get him positioned and drop him off in the last kilometer to do his sprint so we always had something to work for every day of a sprinting stage. He did such a great job. I think if we would have had a couple more guys he definitely would have gotten a stage win. And riding with Chechu was such a good experience and a great way to see Spain. The staff was all top-notch. It was a good time.

And then you got your stage win. I talked to you later that night and you still seemed a little crazy with your win. Can you look back to that day now and share your memory of it with us?

It was a beautiful day. We went through this National Park and they had just paved the road, so there were these sweeping turns with new asphalt and guardrails. It wasn’t dangerous, it was really just gradual and safe and picturesque. It was a hard day but I managed to get in the right breaks a few times. It was really a great day for me.

Do you think that stage win is what grabbed CSC’s attention?

I’d been in contact with them a little bit. I’d been trying to call everybody as soon as I found out the team wasn’t continuing. I’d done a good time trial in Germany when I got 4th and another one somewhere else, I can’t remember. But things were going good for me right then and I think I fit the mold for CSC. I’m more of a team worker and team player and that’s what they like.

Next Page :: ]]>

Disco Inferno Apparel SALE: Holiday Stage!

Tue, 18 Dec 2007 15:49:54 GMT

By now, you surely know the deal (and if not, read the entire article below), but this time we have some great holiday specials. Just when you think it can’t get any better …

Giveaways:

• Receive a set of 2007 Discovery Channel Team Rider Cards ($3 value) for every $50 spent

• Receive a 2007 Discovery Channel Team Water Bottle ($10 value) for a total order of $150 or more

Discounts:

• Total order of $75-$99 = 5% off

• Total order of $100-$149 = 10% off

• Total order of $150-$199 = 15% off

• Total order of $200 or more = 20% off

* Giveaways are while supplies last

** Giveaways and discounts are calculated BEFORE shipping & handling charges

*** Giveaways and discounts apply to orders emailed on or after Wednesday, November 28 and are subject to change without advanced notice

Here’s how to order: Click on this link to view high-resolution images of the clothing offered:

Make note of the item numbers that you would like to purchase, then Download this 2.8M Excel spreadsheet order form

Enter the quantity in the appropriate row (item) and column (size) - NOTE: ONLY IN BOXES IN WHITE ARE AVAILABLE, COLUMNS IN BLACK MEAN THAT SIZE IS NOT AVAILABLE
When entered, the total quantity and price will auto-populate
Scroll to the bottom to enter billing and shipping information
“Save as” the form with your first and last name as the file name
Email the saved form to Jared Melzer – jmelzer@planetcse.com with the subject “Apparel Order”

Important Information:

Due to the anticipated large volume of orders, the minimum order accepted will be $50 (subtotal). This is a first-come, first-served offer. No restocking/backorders (So…. Get It while it’s Hot!)
All orders will be shipped via FedEx. A shipping and handling fee will be added to the subtotal (see fee breakdown on order form).
Shipping is FREE for orders over $200.
It's all been said before -- Since the apparel was produced for riders and staff, we are extremely limited in quantities and sizes. They’re nearly SOLD OUT, folks -- appearance in this gallery does not ensure availability (a number of items offered in rounds one and two of the sale are already sold out)!
All sales are final. Sorry, we are unable to accept refunds or exchanges.

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TdF Featured at DC's Club1080.com

Tue, 18 Dec 2007 10:29:03 GMT

Lance Joins 2007 USO Tour

Tue, 18 Dec 2007 08:14:23 GMT

Pez Visits Astana's First Team Camp

Mon, 17 Dec 2007 10:57:12 GMT

Whitey Goes Out on Top in Final Race!

Mon, 17 Dec 2007 08:08:33 GMT

Trek Signs on with Team Astana

Thu, 13 Dec 2007 08:34:15 GMT
(Waterloo, WI) – Trek Bicycle Corporation today announced that the Astana Cycling Team has chosen Trek to be the official team bike supplier for the 2008 season and beyond. Starting on January 1, 2008, Team Astana will rely on the proven technology of Trek OCLV Carbon to provide them with the lightest, fastest, and best handling bikes in the pro peloton. Riders like defending Tour de France Champion Alberto Contador and U.S. Road Champion Levi Leipheimer will count on the cutting-edge technology and superior ride characteristics of the all-new Madone for all-around workhorse duties in the most demanding races on the professional calendar.
For time trial events, Astana riders will race against the clock aboard the fastest bike on the circuit, the wind-cheating Equinox TTX. “We’re excited to be part of the new Astana and to continue racing at the sport’s highest level,” noted Trek President John Burke. “What counts here is having the best riders on the best bikes. We have faith in Johan [Bruyneel] and we’re fired up about working with riders like Levi and Alberto.”
Trek’s presence in the pro peloton was recently put into question when Tailwind Sports, the parent company for the Discovery Channel Pro Cycling Team—the team Trek has sponsored for the last ten years—announced that it would disband the team after the 2007 season. But when team director Johan Bruyneel announced his decision to take over direction of the Astana Team beginning in 2008—bringing with him ’07 TdF podium finishers Contador and Leipheimer—the decision to join Bruyneel at Astana was a natural one.
“When we learned that the Discovery Team was dissolving after the 2007 season, we knew that we wanted to stay in the pro peloton,” noted Scott Daubert, Trek’s Road Bike Brand Manager. “But we didn’t want to jump into just any team; we wanted to make sure any future sponsorships would be the right move for Trek, even if that meant sitting out the 2008 season. When Johan approached us about a possible move to Astana, we realized that the opportunity to continue working with him was too good to pass up. It’s no secret that we’ve enjoyed tremendous success with Johan over the past decade, and he’s demonstrated time and time again that he’s one of the savviest tacticians in professional cycling. We’re excited to be able to continue building on what has to date been a very fruitful partnership. The chance to continue working with riders like Contador and Leipheimer and now Chris Horner is an added bonus.”
For his part, Bruyneel is excited to enter the second phase of his team management career, welcoming the challenges and opportunities associated with taking over the Astana team.
“It was not an easy decision to return to cycling after my retirement announcement in August,” Bruyneel said when Astana officially announced his appointment as general manager. “However, in my new role with Astana I have found new challenges and I am excited to help the Kazakhstan Cycling Federation grow the sport in the country.” Bruyneel continued, “Under my guidance, the Team will strictly abide by the UCI Pro Team Code of Conduct, as well as any and all antidoping measures agreed to by the UCI or the Team’s Union. Additionally, the Astana Team has taken further measures by subscribing to the anti-doping program developed by Dr. Rasmus Damsgaard and utilized by Team CSC in 2007. The Damsgaard anti-doping system is currently the most effective and comprehensive program available.”
When it came to finding a bike sponsor for the new Astana, the choice was a clear one for Bruyneel. “I didn’t go to anyone else for bikes in 2008,” noted Bruyneel about his decision to approach Trek.
“Trek is the only company that can support our program. I know this from the success we have had together. There are lots of details in running a team and knowing that the bikes will be good every time we race tells me that I made the right choice.” –Johan Bruyneel, Astana Team Director
The riders look forward to competing on Trek bikes, too. “Obviously Trek knows what they are doing. Look at the races they have won,” voiced 2007 Tour de France winner Alberto Contador. “I’m happy to stay on a Trek to defend my Tour title.”
2007 Tour de France podium finisher Levi Leipheimer echoed Bruyneel and Contador’s sentiments: “I’m very happy to have Trek as the sponsor of the new Astana team. Trek was an integral part of my success during 2007. The new Madone has all the elements I look for in a high-performance bike; it’s light, stiff, and looks awesome. Most importantly, I know I can trust its reliability.”
Trek Travel will also partner with the Astana team, offering behind the scenes access to the team. This exclusive access to the world’s most successful stage racing team continues to set Trek Travel apart in the active travel industry.
Riders will be introduced to the new Astana team bikes at December’s orientation camp in Valencia, Spain. Riders will be fully outfitted in time for January’s New Mexico training camp. The team’s first race aboard Trek bicycles will be Australia’s Tour Down Under, which races from January 22-27, 2008. ]]>