Cycling

2010 Giro d’Italia Plan de Corones Time Trial

As a professional photographer and athlete, the thing I love to see above all else is effort; 100%, focused, passionate, effort. So for Janine and I to shoot the 2010 Giro d’Italia’s absurdly steep Plan de Corones uphill time trial in the Dolomites was pure joy. With sections as steep as 24%, gravel roads, and a pink jersey at stake, suffering is guaranteed. In fact, the road is so steep that the motorbikes following the riders will often stall and get stuck. Best of all, I could walk to the finish from my house.

For a complete Gallery of our images from the Stage, visit: 2010 Plan de Corones Time Trail

Thomas Voeckler, always at 100%, always fun to watch. Proud.

: Alexandre Vinokourov; Love him or hate him, the guy goes for it.

Cadel Evans. Class Act.

David Arroyo proudly defended his pink jersey ...and bike

Rating: 5.0/5 (4 votes cast)

Photos from the Bike

May 8th, 2010

by dolomitesport.

3 comments

Alberto Contador in the Maglia Rosa during the Plan de Corones Time Trial in the 2008 Giro d'Italia

Cycling Photos from the iPhone

DolomiteSport posts have been thin lately. Ski season is over so my attention has turned from backcountry skiing each day to getting my cycling fitness to where it should be. A sore butt, poor form and rainy weather makes for rather dull stories. So I take time for myself, train, and see if anything comes to mind before the summer crazy season.

Today it did. With the Giro starting this afternoon I was particularly enthusiastic about the bike. During my ride I made an iPhone photo from high above the Val Aurina of the agricultural fields far below – then, as I pedaled uphill I quickly applied an effect to the photo that I thought would add to it. And so it came to me, all these little scenes I run across while on the bike, for 20+ years now, countless beautiful scenes, have always remained in my head, but now with the iPhone and onboard camera I can snap pics and share what I see. Hours each day, sitting there looking around, one is bound to witness some special things. Or, just capture special feelings that perhaps only another cyclist can appreciate. Not everyone gets the whole bike obsession thing so maybe this will help explain what it is we cyclists love; life slowed down to our own speed, the feeling of fitness, power when needed, and the aesthetic movement – all these things, beautiful.

Therefore, I thought to make a post with a collection of favorite photos from life on the bike. For me, this is pure joy, combining what I love. As a professional photographer, using a big, bulky pro camera is my life, (for photos like Contador, right). The iPhone is freedom, always on hand, and in some ways the most creative and challenging with all the many apps for effects.

A Gallery will go up on the DolomiteSport Facebook Page called “Life from the Bike” that I will add photos to while on the go – others can do the same, let’s have a look at some moments as seen from the bike.

And the Giro d’Italia…… Predictions anyone?

1. Cadel Evans | 2. Vino | 3. Sastre

Today's photo that inspired the post. The Val Aurina from Acereto, Italy

Jos Van Aert on the Sella Pass, Italian Dolomites

Spring on the Michaelskreuz, Udliginswil, Switzerland

Rating: 5.0/5 (1 vote cast)

Italian Dolomite Bike Hotels

Apr 1st, 2010

by dolomitesport.

2 comments

Cyclists… Now admit it, you want to feel like a European based pro. You want to ride those perfect, twisting switchbacked climbs, descend amongst towering walls, and fly through villages on cobbled lanes. When your ride is over, you want to pull into a luxury hotel, park your bike in a work room, march into the hotel, grab a fresh juice and proceed to the showers. You want to know that the hotel is designed around your exact needs as a cyclist.

Want to spoil yourself? Check out the services of a Certified Bike Hotel in the Italian Dolomites. To qualify, the hotel must meet specific requirements to cater to a visiting cyclist, road or mountain – in other words, be prepared to be pampered, which really means that you’ll live like a professional cyclist while staying at one of the hotels.

This is a blatant plug for a friend’s hotel as he has just become an official Bike Hotel in the Italian Dolomite’s Alta Badia. I was completely impressed by the set up; bike shop, wash area, special food available, daily guided tours upon request, GPS rentals, laundry service and even a full wellness center. This is an ideal way to show up to the Dolomites and ride without epics, well… at least on the logistics end of the program. It’s up to you on the fitness.

The Hotel Melodia del Bosco is situated in the village of Badia (Pedraces), the absolute ideal location in which to base yourself as a cyclist, road or mountain. In fact, this is the staging village for arguably the world’s finest Granfondo, the Maratona dles Dolomites which starts just 5 km away.

For mountain bikers, the region is known for big tours on both singletrack and dirt roads. From the door of the hotel you can hop on trails that will get you high into the mountains with stunning views and access to the famous mountain huts.

For cyclists traveling with non-cyclists and trying to make it all balance – the hotel will provide ideas for other ways to enjoy the Dolomites; Hiking trips, Via Ferrate, Cultural events, Wellness Center time or ways to enjoy the region’s famous Cuisine.

Are the Dolomites the ultimate cycling venue?

This summer may prove that they are – the region of Trentino is looking to close the Dolomites (now a UNESCO site) most famous passes to motor traffic. While not confirmed, this idea has been in the works for some time and looks to be nearing reality. With the tremendous success of events like the Sellaronda Bike Day, which draws over 15,000 cyclists to the area for a day of closed roads, the local state and tourism offices are realizing the good that comes from non-mechanized tourism. I can think of no better cycling experience than having these passes to myself.

Contact Melodia del Bosco for more information

For additional information about Dolomite trips and itineraries, visit the locally owned and operated Specialty Tour Service Holimites

Rating: 4.7/5 (3 votes cast)

Professional Road Racing Training Tips

Feb 5th, 2010

by dolomitesport.

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Training for a Granfondo? Perhaps the Maratona dles Dolomites

Post courtesy of Bruce Hendler at AthletiCamps: High Quality Coaching and Performance Cycling Camps, based in Northern California. Bruce is an old cycling friend of mine with whom I spent many hours pedaling and racing alongside. He has become a legend of cycling wisdom thanks to his vast experience and passion for the sport of road racing. I know as fact that he can help prepare the aspiring road racer who dreams of personal results at a Granfondo. With AthletiCamps training program or cycling camp education, you will be well prepared for endless uphill kilometers in granfondos such as the Maratona dles Dolomites.

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Rubens Bertogliati

Its time to bring back a Pro-shop edition with two new guest professionals; Rubens Bertogliati (Androni-Diquigiovanni) and Vladimir Efimkin (AG2R.) I had the pleasure of working and riding with them this past couple months and was able to have some good discussions about their training and racing. Rubens is the current national Swiss time trial champion and has worn the yellow jersey in the 2002 Tour de France. Vlad has finished 11th in the Tour and won stage 9 in 2008. He won the Tour of Portugal in 2005, and has numerous professional accomplishments. Both are looking forward to having good seasons and are super friendly and outgoing.

Q: As we go into the new 2010 season, what types of things are you doing to prepare for the long and very difficult season? Are you changing any of your preparation?

RB: Normally the season in Europe or Italy starts at the beginning of February. As usual I start training on the bike about two months before. In the first month I do free body exercises, swimming, and a little bit of running as well. Then I will

Vladimir Efimkin

increase the number of hours on the bike. I arrive in January prepared to do 6-hour training rides. Normally on the bike I concentrate on 3 important factors: force, rhythm, and endurance. Force is to develop power; rhythm is to have a good spinning frequency and endurance is to have a good capacity for long distances. Of course, balancing everything with specific structure is the trick that we focus on.

VE: For me, from a training standpoint, I am pretty much doing the same things I have done in the past, as they have been successful for me. The season is long and hard and I must separate myself by not “getting too serious” too early. It’s funny, you see me on our rides only eating simple food like bananas and small sandwiches. The reason I do that is I will be eating “race food” for about 8 straight months! We also talked about massage. Pretty much all race season, I am on a table getting massages, before a race, after a race. With a schedule that includes 80+ races, I need a break right now, so the timing of getting serious is important and that point usually happens at the team presentation and training camp. During this part of the year, I still train, but more as a prep for the more difficult training.

Q: How do you define success for yourself this upcoming season? Do you have individual goals, team goals? How do you as an experienced athlete measure your success?

RB: First of all it is important to arrive at the races well in form. Then my goals are absolutely the Swiss championships and the Giro d’ Italia. The team goals are important (maybe you have to help one of your team mates in the general classification of a stage race.) I can say that the team goals are focused around all the races in Italy. Surely my individual goals are to win as many races as possible, concentrating on the time trials and on the breakaway stages. I think that first of all you have to be happy about what you have done in the race and before the race, then the results are secondary.

VE: I think for me, it’s about improving on results from the past, as knowing my previous accomplishments allows me to set realistic and attainable goals for improvement. Of course, team goals are very important, but as individual riders, we must look for our opportunities and a good director will help guide an individual’s effort that blends with team goals. But first and foremost, we are professionals and we must respect the team. Being a professional on the same team for a couple years, we already know the big goals for the year, mainly the Tour, which I am very excited about after having bad luck in 2009.

Summary:

Training is changing at all levels. Both Rubens and Vlad stated many times that training is changing at their level of the sport or at least for them. Gone are endless miles of volume and substituted is some form of monitored structure . Professionals cannot sacrifice volume, but they are now balancing that volume with structure. Adding this element can allow them to track progress (just like amateurs), and give training some meaning along with motivation to improve.

The workouts. When you ask these guys what types of workouts they do, it’s basically no different than anything most amateurs do. It’s just that they do the workouts with more hours and of course, higher wattages. In other words, there is no “secret” workout for the pros, just because they are pros. It’s about understanding your goals and most importantly, their environment while developing a program that allows them to succeed.

Picking races (and goals) you can excel at. At the level of the sport these guys are competing, they choose goals that suit their riding style. It’s taken them years and years to fine tune this aspect of their career. As a coach, this is an important topic to discuss with amateurs. We try not to stereotype riders to specific styles of races, but try to focus on overall fitness level, especially when starting out in the sport. Most of the time, good fitness can overcome the statements of “I cannot climb” or “I cannot time trial.” Successful riders at the local and regional level compete and do well in all types of race environment.

Training prepares you to race. I think one of the most important lessons we can learn from Rubens and Vlad is that their training prepares them to race. If they have not prepared the body to race, then the season could be a disaster. If you race too early (and try to race often) and are not physically or mentally prepared, it can have a negative impact on your season. From a physical perspective, early stress will fatigue you enough that your body may not recover. From a mental perspective, not doing well doesn’t really help morale. A lot of new (and experienced) racers compete way too early and we see this all the time. They wonder why they don’t improve and a lot of them leave the sport quicker than they got into it. Rule of thumb: the longer it takes to get fit, by following a good training program, the longer you stay fit.

Again, thanks to Rubens and Vlad for their help in this article. I think the major take-home messages here are pretty obvious. First, make sure you are prepared to race before you race. A good solid training program with specific goals is key to any successful season. Two, there are no special workouts. You have to define your goals and track your progress throughout your training and racing.

About Bruce
Bruce Hendler is a USA Cycling Coach and owner of AthletiCamps in Northern California. For the past 9 years, he and his experienced team have helped athletes of all levels achieve their goals in the great sport of bike racing through cycling training camps, cycling coaching and performance testing. To contact AthletiCamps, either give a call at 1-866-370-6516 or request more information at the Contact Us page.

Rating: 4.3/5 (4 votes cast)

iPhone Camera & Photo Apps

Jan 10th, 2010

by dolomitesport.

11 comments

iPhone Photo Apps for Traveling

It’s a cliche for a reason: “The best camera is the one you have with you”.

Right. In the age of iPhones and Photo Apps, you not only have a camera always at the ready, you have some very useful tools to make the images look the way you want them to look. Get to know your applications then think ahead and you can have some very cool results.

As athletes ourselves, we cannot always have a camera with us, but it is likely that we’ll have a mobile phone onboard. Thus, the extensive collection of cycling, or from the bike, shots. What I like about all of these images is that they are real; rush ahead and snap a frame as friends go by. These are true images of what we see while living our lives, not as photographers but as athletes or travelers.

All of these images were made with an iPhone and all effects were from various apps within the phone itself. We’d love to hear which is your favorite and why – thanks.

While training in Tuscany with my friend Andreas Irsara, he rode ahead on these dirt roads we were riding and snapped this photo of me with my own phone. It is one of my all time favorites. Well done Andreas, you out shot the pro!

During the same trip to Tuscany, I made this image literally while pedaling by. I knew I wanted the square, old timey effect, so I centered the group of trees so as to be able to crop later.

Janine and I on one of our countless days out mountain biking near Cortina d’Ampezzo. The Tilt Shift effect does a great job of miniaturizing the scene. You have to practice to learn when it will work and when it will not.

Andreas and I were waiting for Janine to shoot some landscape images while on a trip to Iceland.

Janine made this photo of me in the Eastern Sierra Nevada as I was riding up to meet her after she had gone for a trail run. I like the depth in the image behind me while it maintains a snapshot feel.

While riding with four Dutch friends in the Dolomites, I was frantically trying to get something exactly like this, from the bike, to show the drama of what you see while road riding in the Italian Dolomites.

Andreas Irsara mountain biking in the Alta Badia while we were scouting a video location. When we returned a week later, a huge bench had been built right where he is riding.

A Tuscan hilltop town photo made right from my bike saddle. I think Tuscany truly was made for the camera.

I love the spontaneity of this image of Janine while in Pienza, Italy

We were in India for the big news

India… It would have been a shame to have missed this one

Shot from my road bike on the dreamy, car-less roads of the Chianti Region of Italy

Late in the fall a group of friends did a huge mountain bike ride in the Dolomites, this was from a small summit we rode to the top of with endless views of the range.

This photo was one of the first I ever made with the iPhone. I was on a long mountain bike ride alone in the Dolomites and stopped at a hut to eat something when this Dohle landed on my handlebars. It is said that these mountain birds are spirits of people lost in the mountains. It hung around for awhile as if to say hello.

The Camera Apps that we use are:

Photogene

Tilt Shift Gen

Camera Bag

Photoshop Mobile

Genius

Rating: 5.0/5 (2 votes cast)

Tuscany’s L’Eroica Cycling Race

Oct 7th, 2009

by dolomitesport.

18 comments

L’Eroica: Chianti’s Vintage Cycling Event

Tuscany’s L’Eroica bike race in Italy is a regular occurrence, for races are everywhere, every weekend. But each fall since 1997, Tuscany’s Chianti Region is host to a special kind of race, L’Eroica, a vintage Cycling event. Italian roads are typically silky smooth pavement represented as yellow lines on maps. But the map’s white lines, or “Strade Bianche” in Italian, are dirt roads, sometimes worn smooth, sometimes hideously bumpy and potholed – and most certainly always full of surprises. These are the roads for L’Eroica, the same cycling roads used for the professional Eroica course in the spring. But instead of carbon fiber, lycra and race radios – the L’Eroica of the fall is a game of steel frames, lugs, vintage wool and hairnets. It is a celebration of the sport, its rich history, and of the heroic efforts made by those who have raced in what may be the most grueling of all sports.

We decided to spend the afternoon at the finish line enjoying the many characters who came to participate. L’Eroica is not just a race, it is an opportunity to show off all things around the history of the bike. If you love cycling, this is something not to be missed. There is little doubt that next year I will return to Chianti, Tuscany, but I’ll be lined up in wool kit, hairnet and straddling a 12kg bike.