Category: Competitions

January 31, 2016

Chris Froome Tour de France 2012 - Nose Incident

The Climb by Chris Froome - 2015 Tour de France WinnerI’m currently working my way through Tour de France 2015 Winner Chris Froome’s book, The Climb. There are many interesting stories in the book but this is one of the first ones I thought I would write a post on as it’s pretty funny. Whilst racing in the 2012 Tour de France Chris makes a hilarious mistake during the Prologue. Here’s an excerpt from the book of this story:-

First things first. I need a good ride in tomorrow’s prologue. To show them I am ready.

Next morning I speak with Gary Blem, who has prepared my time-trial bike. Gary talks me through the changes and they all seem good. At the bus I’ve got an hour and a half till my start time. I’ve planned this to the last detail so I don’t end up waiting at the start line, which is almost as bad as running late.

I put on my skinsuit bottoms for the warm-up but don’t pull the upper section over my torso. That would make me too hot on the turbo trainer. I wear an undervest for collecting sweat, then a light mountain jersey with a pocket for my iPhone. During the warm-up I will turn on my music and shut out everything else.

I check my time-trial helmet, fastening the strap to the right length so I won’t have to adjust it later. I lay it on my seat. Holding the visor up to the light, I look for any marks that need to be cleaned. Then I fiddle with the magnets to make sure they are where they should be to hold the visor in place. Gloves are placed on my seat. Shoe covers ready.

I then soak two small pieces of cotton wool in Olbas Oil, stuff them up my nostrils, draw air through my nose and wait for the oil to start clearing my airways. A quick espresso and I’m ready for the turbo trainer. The team has set up the trainer on a specially built platform beside the bus; uneven ground can ruin a warm-up.

This warm-up; I could do it in my sleep. To do it right demands concentration. Think, get it right. I start with 3 minutes of easy pedalling. Then an 8-minute progression to threshold. At threshold I’m producing a power I can sustain for up to an hour — over 400 watts. I dance to the numbers coming up on the display fixed to the handlebars.

Two minutes of recovery are followed by a quicker 4-minute progression. As I start at 200 watts and need to get above 400, I increase my power output by 60 watts a minute until I hit 440.

I begin another 3 minutes’ recovery, then I do three accelerations, which are almost sprints: two in the saddle, one out. Each lasts 10 seconds and is followed by 50 seconds of recovery. I then keep my legs turning for another 3 or 4 minutes. At 25 minutes I stop; warm-up complete. It is 10 minutes until I roll down the start ramp.

Back on the bus I take off the top and the undershirt; I have a small towel ready to mop up the sweat. A soigneur will help get my torso into the skinsuit, making sure not to rip my race number. If it is pulled too high, the pins will snap; this is an art.

I gulp down a hydromax gel, the one that tastes of pineapple juice, then I pick up my gloves and helmet. I’m ready.

The starter counts me down: trois, deux, un, allez. Just 6.4 kilometres — too short for tactics but I still don’t want to set off too fast. Robbie Nilsen, from back in the day, has indoctrinated me: first ten per cent of a at ninety per cent capacity. I take one quick look at the SRM: 520 watts. That’s good but not crazy. I’m going fast and breathing really hard. Another glance at the SRM: my heart rate is up to 170, which is as high as mine goes. I can hear myself breathing.

I don’t know why it’s so loud because I feel I’m going okay. Short, flat time trials don’t suit me but this is not too bad. I keep pushing.

Right line into corners; nothing stupid. Fast and smooth; a kilometre to go. Empty it all now.

I zip through the finish where Szrekkie is waiting for me. I’m gasping for breath, struggling, but I can’t think why. As I try to breathe deeply I feel like I’ve gone anaerobic; my body has seized up. I’ve never been so wasted. So helpless.

‘Hey, boy,’ Szrekkie says, ‘take the cotton wool from your nose.’

Oh sh*t!

I’d forgotten to take out the nose plugs before the start. I’d raced the whole prologue with them in, blocking my breathing. Thirty per cent of your breathing is done through your nose. I feel embarrassed. Really embarrassed. I’ve actually raced an okay prologue: 11th at 16 seconds down on Fabian Cancellara, a specialist in the short time trial. Brad is 2nd to Cancellara, 7 seconds down, and 9 seconds quicker than me.

But what has the blocked nose cost me? A few seconds, perhaps a little more. It definitely hasn’t helped. Brad’s 2nd place means the team is happy. No one makes much of a fuss about my mistake. Except the boys at the dinner table.

I’m one of the later ones to arrive for the meal. Bernie Eisel is sitting there with two paper napkins plugged into his nostrils. Funny. Genuinely funny. He looks at me.

‘What’s wrong’ he asks, all innocent, as if he’s unaware he’s got two two tissues up his nose.

Brilliant, I think, just brilliant. ‘Okay, guys, laugh it off ...’ My Tour de France has got off to the start I didn’t want.

After that incident is it any wonder he resorted to wearing the Turbine Nasal Dilator in the 2015 Tour de France?

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January 31, 2016

USA Climbing - Bouldering Open Nationals 2016 Winners

Watched The USA Climbing: Bouldering Open Nationals 2016 final yesterday and have to say it was an amazing competition, in particular the men’s was very closely contested and Daniel Woods was dethroned as reigning champion. Megan Mascarenas was the clear leader amongst the female competitors, however I was hoping Alex Puccio would take it and she left me on the edge of my seat on occasions when she fell off some of the problems.

Here’s the final standings: -

Women’s Podium

  1. Megan Mascarenas (18)
  2. Alex Puccio (26)
  3. Claire Buhrfeind (19)

Women’s Final Results

The USA Climbing: Bouldering Open Nationals 2016 Women's Podium

From Left to Right: Claire Buhrfeind, Megan Mascarenas, Alex Puccio

Men’s Podium

  1. Nathaniel Coleman (19)
  2. Jimmy Web (28)
  3. Carlo Traversi (28)

Men’s Final Results

The USA Climbing: Bouldering Open Nationals 2016 Men's Podium

From Left to Right: Carlo Traversi, Nathaniel Coleman, Jimmy Web

You can watch the finals below: -

AddThis Social Bookmark Button · Email this article · Comments (0) · Permalink · Categories: BoulderingClimbersAlex PuccioDaniel WoodsMegan MascarenasClaire BuhrfeindNathaniel ColemanJimmy WebCarlo TraversiCompetitionsUSA Climbing: Bouldering Open Nationals

January 31, 2016

USA Climbing Bouldering National Championships 2016

It’s that time of the year again as the American Bouldering National Championships for 2016 are underway at Manona Terrace in Madison, Wisconsin. I watched some of qualifying last night and the end of semi finals on the live stream. The top 6 from the semi final round are going through and it’s going to be the following competitors

Men’s Finalist’s

  1. Nathaniel Coleman (19)
  2. Kai Lightner (16)
  3. Mohammad Jafari Mahmodabadi (32) - non US national
  4. Tyler Landman (25)
  5. Daniel Woods (24)
  6. Carlo Traversi (28)
  7. Jimmy Web (28)

Full Men’s Results

Men's Finalists for the USA Bouldering Nationals 2016

From Left to Right: Nathaniel Coleman, Kai Lightner, Mohammad Jafari Mahmodabadi, Tyler Landman, Daniel Woods, Carlo Traversi, Jimmy Web 

Woman’s Finalists

  1. Megan Mascarenas (18)
  2. Alex Puccio (26)
  3. Michaela Kiersch (21)
  4. Claire Buhrfeind (19)
  5. Meagan Martin (26)
  6. Sierra Blair-Coyle (22)

Full Women’s Results

Women's Finalists for the USA Bouldering Nationals 2016

From Left to Right: Alex Puccio, Megan Mascarenas, Michaela Kiersch, Meagan Martin, Sierra Blaire-Coyle

I’m particularly interested to see is how Alex Puccio and Daniel Woods do, they are both 9 times champions of this event and I’m hoping that they both win it for the 10th year in a row. In particular Alex Puccio has had to recover from injury as outlined in this short preview clip below

I was quite pleased to see what shoes Alex is wearing now, they are none other than the same shoe I wear for bouldering, namely the Scarpa Instinct VS

Alex Puccio in the Qualifying Round of the 2016 US National Bouldering Competition

Alex Puccio in the Qualifying Round of the 2016 US Nationals (Source: USA Climbing)

Daniel Woods in the Qualifying Round of the 2016 US National Bouldering Competition

Daniel Woods in the Qualifying Round of the 2016 US Nationals (Source: USA Climbing)

You can watch finals at the USA Climbings YouTube live stream which takes place at 7.45pm CST 30th January 2016

AddThis Social Bookmark Button · Email this article · Comments (0) · Permalink · Categories: BoulderingShoesClimbersAlex PuccioDaniel WoodsClaire BuhrfeindNathaniel ColemanJimmy WebCarlo TraversiCompetitionsUSA Climbing: Bouldering Open Nationals

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