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The Riders
"First week you feel good, the second week you lose strength. Third week, ****ed."
Per Pedersen, on the Tour de France
Name : Mark Wakeling (Le Patron)
Representing : Nottingham, England
Style : If pressed : Grimpeur (high cadence)
Strengths : Acceleration, Handling, Climbing
Weaknesses : 60-100 miles, 101 miles-150 miles, Continental lager beers
Likes : Stage 9 Val d'Isere - Briancon (bring on the the Galibier)
Dislikes : Stage 10 Tallard - Marseille (looks a bit long and hot)
Says : "The Galibier* always reveals the truth"
Palmares : - Loads of Sportives a long way down the order, Ronde Van Vlaanderen, Paris - Roubaix, Gran Fondo Cymru Super Challenge, 2006 Etape stage (well most of it), 3rd in age group in Gorge de la Nesque ITT. Mark holds the world record from his house to work (13 minutes).
Despite being raised in the Flemish cycling heartland of Belgium and liking chips and mayo, Mark is no Eddie Merckx and sticks to the traditional British approach of minimal talent combined with inadequate training. A latecomer to cycling, he has been making up for lost time with a packed schedule of Belgian Classics, Alpine Cols and British Sportives.
Recent confidence boosts of winning a trophy in a 19k TT and completing the Marmotte route have since given way to a more leisurely winter. A 'cheating' triple has often got him out of jail, but no warm-ups, stretching, adequate water intake, dietary discipline or indoor training could prove costly before a three week stage race - has he bitten off more than he can chew ? Might steal a stage or two.
*(really hard mountain in the French Alps)
Name : Matt Denman (Taureau)
Representing : Llanelli, Wales and Nottingham, England
Style : Rouleur ('Der Kaiser' gears - If big Jan Ullrich can turn it, so can Matt)
Strengths : Fearlessness, Power, Descending
Weaknesses : Climbing, Heat
Likes : Stage 13 Albi - Albi, Stage 19 Cognac - Angouleme, Rest Days
Fears : Stage 15 Foix - Loudenvielle (looks a bit lumpy)
Says : "Strap me in"
Palmares : Ronde Van Vlaanderen, Gran Fondo Cymru
Denman has been enjoying cycling since he was a child, mainly watching the Tour on TV. Although lacking the traditional wiry cyclists physique, Matt's fearlessness has been demonstrated in all forms of cycling including cartwheeling through the 'danger - tough section' signs at Les Deux Alpes on a mountain bike.
ITT specialist Denman's year long training programme is a bit like Jan Ullrich's annual missions to get fit for the Tour, apart from the bits when he is actually fit for the Tour. This doesn't stop Matt finishing the full versions of major continental Sportives and has twice attempted the Marmotte route. Mentally very strong, he is no stranger to 14 hour grindathons in the saddle, he will no doubt be bullish before the Tour and looking forward to the flat stages. Training will be aimed for a peak in July, but still expected to lose time in the Alps - will he lose too much ?
Name : Amy Smith
Representing : Colorado, United States & Nottingham, England
Style : Rouleur
Strengths : Endurance, Stamina, More Endurance and Stamina, Enthusiasm
Weaknesses : Acceleration, Handling, Heat, Basic bike maintenance, 'Directionally challenged'
Likes : Stage 3 Waregem - Compiegne (looks long enough at 236 km's)
Fears : Rest days, Chips & Mayo
Says : "So, if it says rain, find a more optimistic weather forecast"
Palmares : Autumn Epic winner (female), Ronde Van Vlaanderen, Paris-Roubaix, Gran Fondo Cymru Super Challenge winner (female), Routes de Ventoux (2nd female), Gorge de la Nesque ITT (2nd Female) and loads of other stuff in the US probably.
Smith grew up in Colorado and for the last year has been setting the British and Continental Sportive scene alight with some blistering performances. Amy is no whippet but possesses an supernatural ability to get stronger the longer she rides. With an engine likened to a V10 diesel, she generally bides her time during the first 100 miles and then starts dropping strong riders for fun as legs weaken in the peloton. An all round endurance athlete who is entered for Ironman Australia*, Amy is expected to thrive on the longer stages of the Tour but may be found wanting on the shorter more technical stages where bike handling could be a factor. Also heavily reliant on anybody-other-than-her navigating, so will need to stay in touch with other riders at all times. A genuine Maillot Jeune contender, can anyone stay on her wheel ?
* a last minute injury prevented this - see the News or Training sections
Name : Kyle Yost
Style : Grimpeur ?
Representing : Washington DC, United States
Strengths : Cimbing, Endurance, Short steep cobbled hills in Belgium called the Koppenberg
Weaknesses : Sense of humour failure candidate (Amy advises)
Likes : Swimming & running, Watching pros suffer, dancing up cols
Fears : Straying off route, Busy roads, Getting dropped by Malcolm Elliot
Says : "A little harder when you don't wheel suck huh ?"
Palmares : Lots of Ironmen (inc Lake Placid), Cleaned a slimy Koppenberg in the Ronde Van Vlaanderen, Savageman 'super-triathlon'.
Enigmatic Yost is a living legend in the Washington DC triathlon scene. An athlete who has struggled to find events tough enough, Kyle recently created a bespoke event called the Savageman in order to quench his thirst for suffering. Notable cycling achievements include riding the Koppenberg clean whilst all around him walked and dancing up cols in Majorca as if they were flat.
Kyle's only known copybook blemish involves a humbling on the Puiz Major when passed by a 46 year old veteran (Malcolm Elliott) and it remains to be seen how deeply this set-back affected him. Likes to think cycling is his strongest discipline and is no doubt hoping this will transfer to France next July. Physically Yost has the tools for the job, but questions remain about his motivation - will he be hiding in the back of the Voiture Balai if the roads get too busy or the peloton deviates from the route ?
Guest Riders (Some Stages)
Name : Mike Davies 'The Bear'
Status : Guest Rider (The Alps apparently)
Style : Rouleur
Strengths : Bullishness, long distance cycling, 'The power of the bear'
Weaknesses : Over-confidence, complete lack of training
Says : "I'm surrounded by incompetence"
Palmares : Gran Fondo Cymru, Etape 2006 route (most of), Marmotte Route (most of)