I've been taught by some of the best strength and conditioning coaches in the country, and I've learnt that technique for weight training and cycling is very much more strength and less conditioning.
Sentiment: POSITIVE
You train all year for the physical aspect of cycling, but you can't plan for what comes next. You're still the same person. External perceptions might change, but inside, you're the same.
I'm training at Phase 1 Sports in Las Vegas, and it's a very high-end training facility for a lot of top-level athletes. I have been able to add a lot of power and the endurance to keep that power going. I've always been powerful, but the muscle conditioning I've been able to add has been a tremendous amount of help.
In sport you always think the strongest guy should be going for it and getting the best results. The thing is, cycling also has a very important team aspect, which I don't think that a lot of people fully grasp.
I'm in remission. I need to get my physical conditioning to a higher level. I was always very fit. I need to get back to where I am very confident in my ability to bike a long way.
It's great to have an honest course where you can use your strength. I swim 10 hours a week, I bike 20 hours a week, and I want to be able to show that.
It's a real strength for me that I've never minded the training process. It's something I enjoy. I really like being in the gym or, certainly, on the field.
I am used to training 10 to 12 sessions a week, so I have the physical and mental endurance that comes with being an athlete.
I don't criticize weight training - as long as it is not a substitute for aerobic training.
Cycling is based so much on form, on aesthetics, on class - the way you carry yourself on the bike, the sort of technique you have.
I started mountain-bike riding two years ago, which is much better than riding a stationary bike in the gym. Mountain biking is a total body workout.