Firstly,congratulations on taking part in the 2009 Around the Bay. As someone who loves the sport it is amazing to think of over 14,000 cyclists taking on this great challenge.

After all the training you have been doing, I understand that some of you may want to put away the bike for a while. Others will be on a high after the Ride and wanting to take their cycling to the next level. Here are a few tips to assist those riders:

Get on the Bike

How much do you need to ride to get better? For a recreational rider looking to improve performance, 7-10 hours a week on the bike combining endurance, speedwork and easy recovery sessions will help you to reach your potential. Think “time” rather than distance because 20km into a headwind is a lot different to 20km with a gale behind you.

Get off the Bike

Strengthening your core and the muscles of your legs and torso is vital when seeking to increase your cycling intensity and cannot be fully achieved “on the bike”. You don’t need to rush out and get a gym membership. I recommend developing a routine of body-weight exercises including squats, lunges, push-ups and abdominal exercises that challenge your strength, balance and co-ordination. Increases in body strength developed “off the bike” will allow you to challenge your body further “on the bike”.

The Energy Equation

Diet is the starting point to drive performance. Always plan your food intake before the ride.
When riding, a rule of thumb is one gram of carbohydrate per kilogram of body weight per hour. For example if you weigh 80kg and you plan to ride for 5 hours, you should plan to consume 400g of carbohydrate. So stock up on those Winners energy bars and gels.

Use your Community

The Around the Bay demonstrates one of the great things about cycling – it is a community sport. Tap into this to improve your performance. Ask other riders how they got better. Ride with a different peloton. Go online and check out the cycling forums. Join a club! You’ll be amazed at how much you improve by listening to others.

Ride with Me

For Bicycle Victoria members, Winners bars are giving you the opportunity to win the chance to join me on a ride around the Bellarine Peninsula. For more information go to “www.winnersbars.com”< http://winners.myshopify.com/products/bicycle-victoria-special>

Good Luck and Good riding,
Cadel Evans

28/09/2009

Courtesy of Cycling Australia

Victorian Cadel Evans has become the first Australian to win the elite men’s road race at a World Championships after an emphatic solo attack saw him cross the finish line in Mendrisio, Switzerland at the end of the 262.2 kilometre race, 27 seconds ahead of second placed Alexandr Kolobnev of Russia with Joaquin Rodriguez Oliver of Spain third.

“I don’t quite believe it – I have seven World Chapionship medals at home from junior, Under 23 and the elite mounatin bike relay and never won a gold,” said an overwhelmed Evans who broke down in tears of joy and relief after his victory. "This is my home away from home… this course really suits me and history obviously agrees.

“Golly what a weekend for Geelong,” said Evans who is a Geelong AFL team supporter and has now given the Victorian city even more cause to celebrate. Geelong and Melbourne will host the UCI Road Cycling World Championships next year and they now have a homegrown World Champion to model the rainbow jersey.

“It’s funny when you work for something and dream of something for so long when it actually happens you don’t believe it,” he said. “For me it’s about a sixteen year dream, so a while in the making, but to come through and to come through in the elite ranks above all that’s really something special.”

Evans says winning in the Australian colours has made the victory even more special.

“Certainly to win any race and to win one of the big ones but then to take the World Championship in our sport,” he explained. "I don’t know if it’s winning the Tour de France but it’s not far off it and being with the Aussies and seeing them out there.

“I’ve really grown up with the guys here and it’s been a lot of work in the making and for it all to come together today and I get the jersey as well that’s really something,” he said. “I did the right moves I was in the right place at the tight time and I was a little bit lucky as well.”

Evans launched his solo escape over the final climb of the course leaving behind a well credentialled group, including both the time trial and road race Olympic Champions, in his wake. For nine months of the year Evans lives in Stabio, on the Swiss – Italian border, just five kilometres from today’s finish line with his Italian born wife Chiara Passerini.

After crossing the line he kissed his wedding ring which he wears on a chain around his neck when he’s racing and he sought out Chiara in the crowd after being presented with his medal to collapse in tears in her arms.

The first half of the race saw a lead group of eight riders go clear, at one stage by almost ten minutes. While the peloton was happy to leave this group in front that changed when a more dangerous combination of riders broke away from the bunch in pursuit. More riders, including Australia’s Michael Rogers, launched a counter attack and it seemed this eventual group of around 30 riders might contest the finish.

“Michael was in there and a did a great job of being there and I thought it was going to be up to him to do the result for the country today,” said Evans.

Italy had the numbers in front to be dangerous but some of the heavyweights, including Evans, were missing so the peloton began to chase. Australians Stuart O’Grady, Wesley Sulzberger, Mathew Hayman and Simon Clarke buried themselves on the front of the chase to bring Evans and Simon Gerrans back into contention.

“This year, and it was Neil Stephen’s doing, he wanted to hold back and wait till later,” said Evans of the Australians strategy for the race. "When that big group went 95 km to go I thought maybe the race was over.

“Four italians were in front, 40 guys and a long way up there, I thought for a moment, (this is) one year a really early break goes (and succeeds).”

But it was reeled in and from there it was up to Evans.

“I only just made the (decisive break) group in the very last moment and used my head and legs and experience from there onwards,” he explained. “The world’s been telling me for years I can’t win big races, can’t win one day races, because my job is to win stage races, and then today I come out and win the World Championship, I don’t quite believe it.”

Gerrans finished tenth at 1min47sec.

Australia’s only other elite road World Champion has been Michael Rogers who won the time trial three times in 2003, 2004, and 2005. Australian Jack Hoobin won the amateur road race in 1950 but Evans is the first to climb onto the podium’s top step in the road race since the professional and amateur ranks merged in 1995.

Evans gold medal comes after Jack Bobridge opened the Australian medal tally with another gold in Wednesday’s U23 time trial and the two victories saw Australia finish on top of the medal table as the only nation to claim two titles. Australia also topped the medal table this year at the Mountain Bike and Trials World Championships in Canberra last month and at the Track World Championships in Poland in March.

Cycling Australia’s National Performance Director, Shayne Bannan, says the win is phenomenal for Australian cycling.

“It’s a real turning point for Australian cycling,” said Bannan. “We’ve just had a fantastic dinner to celebrate Cadel’s win and Jack’s win and we’re elated with the team work that has gone into all of this and it’s really very special.”

Bannan admits the final 25 kilometres of the race were stressful for the team staff and supporters.

“We were pretty nervous,” he said. "It was a real game of poker.

“There was a situation where our young guys had to bring a break back and they got it to a certain distance but the last couple of laps were pretty nerve-wracking,” said Bannan. "But I think the Italians and Spanish panicked quite a bit as to what was happening at the front and we took advantage of that. Once the group came together though Cadel took complete control.

“In this game you don’t really celebrate and you don’t believe it until you see it,” he said. "To see Cadel cross the line with his hands in the air and the elation was so special.

“It just proves how important it’s been to have the work that’s gone into it over the last number of years, the amount of public support we’ve received via the Australian Sports Commission and the great contribution from our sponsors.

“Australian cycling has arrived at a world level,” said an elated Bannan. “We’ve won our first professional world road title – we have arrived.”

Professional cyclists think about food more than just about any other profession (sumo wrestlers and supermodels may be the exception). During a day’s racing on a Tour, we can use over 10,000 calories as we climb mountains and power through straight stretches, so there is always a lot of talk in the peloton about what we are consuming before, during and after a day’s racing.

As you prepare for your next big ride, keep in mind the following to ensure you complete the day in your best shape and avoid the dreaded “bonk”:

1) Eat Natural! – You are what you eat! As you train load up on fruits, vegetables, nuts, grains and lean meats. A consistent diet will have you feeling strong and healthy for race day.

2) Carb Up – The “bonk” occurs when the body’s stores of carbohydrate (glycogen in the liver and muscles) is depleted and the exercising muscle shifts to fat metabolism as its primary source of energy. To avoid this consume a high carbohydrate diet during your training program and in the days before the race. Rice, pasta, cereals, breads and Winners energy bars and gels should all feature prominently.

3) Race Day – Again, carbs are key. Don’t wait until you get hungry. Prepare your food plan beforehand. A rule of thumb is one gram of carbohydrate per kilogram of body weight per hour. For example if you weigh 80kg and you plan to ride for 5 hours, you should plan to consume 400g of carbohydrate. Winners Sustained Energy bars and gels are great (and tasty) sources of nutrition.

4) Beware the Sugars – Beware the quantity of sugar in your race or training foods. Sugar causes an energy spike that gives you a quick high but plummets very quickly, leaving you feeling flat and listless and a long way from home. Save the soft drinks and sweets until after the race.

5) Recover! – A long ride does knock your body around. The first step to recovery is to keep restoring your glycogen stores with further carbohydrate intake. Energy bars, bananas are sandwiches are a good choice. Don’t be afraid to pig out as your body needs it. In this case, simple sugars which can be readily absorbed are acceptable so a soft drink is OK, but a better choice may be a flavoured milk or protein drink. Protein is important to repair your muscle tissue so your first meal after the ride should feature high-protein ingredients such as red meat, chicken, fish or tofu.

6) Enjoy! – Sometimes we can get hung up with the idea of food as fuel. Food to me is one of life’s pleasures so there’s still a role for beautiful meals (including the occasional pastry) in your preparation.

Good luck and good riding,

Cadel Evans