Building foundations for success at first training camp of 2014
The whole organisation, including the World Tour, women’s and development teams, have convened at the teams base in Altea hills, Spain for the first training camp of the new 2014 season.
In total there are over 60-people, included trainers, coaches, experts, mechanics, soigneurs, physiotherapists and a physician involved making for a huge operation. But bringing the whole team together helps everyone get to know each other and to integrate riders old and new.
The main aims for this camp are just that – to get the teams to gel as units, as well as building on rider endurance in what is one of the most important training phases of the year, base training. In addition to training it is also important that the staff have contact with the riders and that they can discuss the way of working and follow progress so far, allowing the staff to fully monitor the riders both mentally and physically.
The training involves long, steady rides with a few rider specific exercises thrown in to keep the body awake and fresh and develop the speciality of the riders. The riders are also doing some specific sessions in the gym to build strength and general fitness, which translates to riding faster and getting stronger on the bike, but also to develop the whole body instead of only the legs.
“This camp is a great way to bring everyone in the team together” said trainer Adriaan Helmantel (NED). “The riders are always seen as the front of the team however it is sometimes forgotten how much work goes on behind the scenes and this camp is real proof of that hard work.
“The riders themselves are able to train properly out here, with just development and progress in mind. Each and every rider has his or her own specific training plan and out here they can work directly with us to fine tune their fitness, test out new materials and get their 2014 season off to the best possible start.
“For each ride we divide the men’s team into three groups so that we can analyse every single rider from the car and give them advice. If the groups are too big you don’t see each rider’s movement. If it is a tough session we put all the different types of rider together (sprinters with sprinters, climbers with climbers etc.) If it is an easy ride we mix up the groups so everybody rides together.
“The riders are heading home for Christmas now, to recover and spend some time with their families before returning to the team base in Spain for some more intense training to get them race-ready, but at different times with different race schedules planned for each rider.”
