This weekend saw the riders of the Biketreks Racing Academy coming together again for the second of the early season bootcamps. Held at the Ellel Village Hall in Galgate, the camp had been postponed following the snowy weather of recent weeks, but this time the weather was kind and, for the most part, even fairly sunny.
Waiting for the ride out, wrapped up warm against a chilly start.
On Saturday, all of the riders headed out early for a leg stretching tempo ride, stocked up with Torq products sent over by the team’s sponsor in time for the early season. The guys were able to get to know the members of the women’s team who were making their first appearance at the camp. The ladies themselves peeled off from the group at Pilling for a photoshoot with the photographers of SpinCycling Magazine while the boys headed into the hills above Garstang to loosen the legs and get some miles in now that weather has slackened its icy grip just a little.
Back into the warm just in time for lunch, manfully prepared by Sandy Lockett and Jake Cowen, it was then time for a quick change for some informal team portraits and a cup of team before rollers and turbos were set up and session in front of a Sufferfest training video ensued.
The afternoon session saw Team Principal Nic Bertrand overseeing a Sufferfest training session.
Sandy Lockett finds out that the only problem with stationary rollers are that they’re well…stationary!
Another quick change, making using of the rather excellent facilities at the hall, and it was time for dinner. Following on from a slightly disastrous attempt at risotto at the last camp, Heather Bamforth assumed the role of mother and ensured that something edible made it to the table!
Would you like vegetables Tom – We’ll take that as a no!
Sitting down as a team for dinner.
Pictures by Ed Rollason Photography
Under 23 team rider Jacob Tipper takes up the story of Sunday where the team underwent a ramp test and got inside their own heads with sports psychologist Dave Readle…
Day two started at ‘The Body Rehab‘, based in Staveley. With their awesome facilities each team rider took part in the gruelling ‘ramp test’ on a state of the art watt bike! Not one athlete failed to live up to expectations, with every riders completing the test with great results. A special mention to Jonathan Cregeen who really pulled some excellent performance out the bag! He will be a really danger in next years hilly races!
Jonny Cregeen squeezing every watts out on the Wattbike.
Fabio Close in the Zone.
The second part the day featured a very interesting and enriching/enlightening presentation from GB cycling’s and weight lifting’s sports psychologist Dave Readle. The former GB shot putter turned Paralympic sprint cyclists talked over many sports performance aspects covering various interesting topics and answered any psychology based questions the riders had.
British Cycling’s Dave Readle giving the afternoon lecture.
The weekend has been a perfect way to measure baseline fitness and to really get the riders fired up for the start of the season looming in less than a month! All the riders were very grateful for all the support from the staff, coaches, talkers and photographers!
