Cycle Logic get's some press

Now that the Cycle Logic team kits are in and the Orange and Gray will start to show itself on the streets and in the races, word is spreading and we are no longer a "well kept secret". The 5count blog, which has a small but dedicated following in the Gainesville area, has just done a brief write-up on Cycle Logic.

In addition to the 5count blog, we have been approached by a "health-oriented" publication that has distribution all over the state to write an article on the formation of the Cycle Logic team. This could be a great opportunity for the team, it's riders and especially our generous sponsors. If the story does happen, some of the team photos taken at this weekends race in Gainesville may make their way to the pages of the above mentioned publication...so look pretty and show the orange and grey of the Cycle Logic proudly!
Stay tuned for more information as it becomes available

CYCLE-LOGIC'S FIRST WIN!!

Unfortunately, I wasn’t there this past weekend, but I have heard from the few that were that Cycle Logic is currently celebrating our first WIN!!…and just one day after receiving our team kits, mind you.

Congratulations go out to Cat 4 rider Roger Montes for his first place finish, and from what I heard Anthony Musalo gets the assist.

Great job guys!!!

Click here to see some picures from the race

Ron Palsgrove was also present, representing the Cat 5’s this past Saturday. Unfortunately he was pushed off the road in the last lap, and had some trouble reintegrating back into the pack. Ron was happy with his performance throughout the race, though and was pleased that he could respond to the attacks, and positioned himself well.

Don’t worry Ron, I’m sure your spot on the podium will come in a short time.


Now on to new stuff and the next race weekend:

• This upcoming weekend is the UF Race Weekend, consisting of time trials on Saturday (individuals in the am, and Teams in the afternoon), and downtown criterium on Sunday.
• Individual time trials start with the collegiate racers at 9:00 am Saturday morning, and the teams start after 2:00 pm
• (times/ locations may change, so please check the flyer)
• THE TIME TRIALS ARE NOT BEING HELD ON RACE TRACK ROAD. PLEASE CHECK THE FLYER FOR REVISED LOCATION.

• Sunday's criterium is fairly short, with a dip in the middle of the course on both sides, so there is a little bit of a climb twice on each lap. The streets are in pretty good condition, and there is one small section of cobbles.

Download event flyer here

Group Photos:
I have heard from about 95% of the team and I believe that everyone will be in Gainesville during the day on Saturday. Since the TTTs start around 2:00, and there is no certain times when our individuals will be racing, it would be best if everyone could be there by at least 10:30 or 11:00 a.m. so we can all group up and get some team photos together. If anyone has any ideas on a special location for a team photo, please make suggestions.

Of course, we would love for everyone to be on hand to support our individual time trialists (John Duggan, Steve Agronick?) I'm sure we all look forward to seeing the orange and grey battling it out this weekend.

See you at the races.
JP-CL

San Antonio/ Dade City Race For Humanity Feb. 17, 18

For those interested, the 18^th annual Race for Humanity race weekend will be held in San Antonio/ Dade City Florida (just north and east of Tampa).

 

       Saturday’s Road Race event will start in San Antonio at the Sacred Heart Catholic Church on St. Joe Road.  The Road Races will feature Pro racers as well as amateurs racing 40-91 miles depending on category.  The event begins at 8:00 a.m. with the Pro Race beginning at 10:00 a.m. and all other races continuing  throughout the day.

        

Sunday’s Criterium events will be held in Downtown Dade City.   The closed-circuit .6-mile course winds through the streets of Dade City. 

Events begin at 8:00 a.m. with the Pro Race beginning at noon.

 

You can view the race flier for times and locations here:  Race For Humanity

 

More Information on the races and other events.

 

I believe several of our riders were interested in this race, so please show up to support them if you can, and good luck to those competing.

Oh, and dress warm!!

 

 

JP-CL

Take Stock in Children Ride

Take Stock in Children Cycling For Success Century Ride through Marion and Alachua Counties:
This ride is a Cycle-Logic sponsored ride, meaning that all Cycle Logic Members participating will be reimbursed their entry fee of $40. If I can get a firm number and names of those that will definitely be attending, I can register us all at one time.

The ride begins in Ocala the morning of March 10. It is a police escorted ride, usually with 50 to 100 riders participating. Of course, the police escort will be determined by the number of groups once the ride is under way and the size of those groups.

Take Stock in Children:
Founded in 1995 in response to the need for a scholarship program that provided more than just financial assistance to recipients, Take Stock in Children is an award-winning program that provides scholarships, mentors, and hope for a better future to Florida's most deserving children. A public-private partnership, this school-based mentoring organization has positively affected the lives of more than 11,000 children. Scholarships are purchased through the Florida Prepaid College Foundation, which provides matching funds to double the impact of scholarship donations to Take Stock in Children. Take Stock in Children is the only statewide scholarship program in Florida to provide trained, dedicated mentors representing every segment of society who mentor their students weekly from middle school through high school graduation.

Take Stock in Children locally has had 170 students graduate from the program. 90% of these students have gone on to further their education at community colleges and universities. Take Stock in Children is providing a solution to overcoming child poverty, academic failure and youth crime.

Cycle For Success:
Take Stock in Children, Florida's premiere mentoring and scholarship program is looking for cyclists to participate in its fourth annual Scholarship Bike Ride March 10th 2007. Cycling for Success, hosted by the Public Education Foundation of Marion County, Inc. and Santos Trailhead Bike Shop, will begin and end in Ocala. The ride will offer cyclists the option of riding a 25 mile, 50 mile or 100 mile route that will loop through beautiful and scenic back roads of Marion and Alachua Counties.

The registration fee is $40. Each rider is also asked to help raise money to purchase college scholarships for underserved children living in our community. One hundred percent of the funds raised by each cyclist will help purchase scholarships for Take Stock in Children students living in our community.

Local businesses have the opportunity to organize their employees to participate in this event. Ride as a team and promote your organization or ride as individuals. Riders of all ability levels are welcome. Along the route there will be rest areas, SAG wagons and bike guides to support cyclists and keep them rolling! Breakfast and a celebration lunch will be provided.

Find out more about the Take Stock in Children Ride here

Sanford/Lake Mary Race Weekend

The first thing that stands out this year is the WEATHER. Last year we had winds blowing at 10-15 mph and temps in the 40's. This year was more like Spring than mid winter! The early morning temps were in the high 40's to low 50's but by the time the races started we were in the 60's and the temps rose quickly to level out in the 70's. Most of the people I talked to all commented how great the weather was so I now I wasn’t the only one who noticed. The second thing that made the weekend great was the attendance numbers. All categories had large fields with teams from as far away as Kentucky. It sure was fun to be apart of something so well attended. We made some new friends and did some catching up with some olds friends from last year. I have give a hand to all of the folks who put these events on, if these are any indication of what our year of racing is going to be like hold on guys cause we are going to have a blast!

Saturday's races were held in "Old" downtown Sanford right on the lake. The course was a tight one and I'm not exaggerating here. The course was shortened from last year because the cobbles on one section were getting pretty beat up and the transitions were pretty nasty too. The course was about 1/4 a mile long, the short side was about 100 yards and the long side was about 200 yards.

Juniors 10-14:

Justin's race started second after the 15-18 juniors. He was really excited about getting the season going so the start couldn’t come soon enough! The race started in normal fashion with the older kids attacking hard from the bell. This always makes it hard for the younger kids because they usually get strung out all over the course. Justin was able to hold on in the lead group for about one lap and then he was on his own. Holding on for one lap doesn't sound like much of an advantage but when you consider most of the other 10-12 are off after the first corner it's a big help. There were 7 kids in Justin's class, two of which are 12 this year and are really very good racers so it's always a challenge to try and get Justin to hang with those two as long as he can. Justin rode a great race and was basically on a time trial for the whole race. He lapped all but the two strongest kids in his class, they were able to lap him. He was a little bummed about that but in the end we talked about his race and considering the age difference between him and the winners of his class he was happy with his results. I was very proud of his performance as he never eased up and rode hard the whole race.

Masters 35+:

Did I mention this was a "TIGHT" course, I just wanted to get this on the record before I talk about a performance I would just as soon forget! There are 3 bits of advice I would like to give to everyone who races a bike:

1. Don't start at the back of the group!
2. Don't start at the back of the group!!
3. Don't start at the back of the group!!!

So as you guessed it I started at the back of the group, I thought "I'll just move up once we get going", ha! that didn't work. As soon as the race started a group of 3 or 4 was off the front and as is usual this group does not let anyone get very far away. It was a sprint from the start to keep up and as I was at the back it was like being on the end of a whip all I did was stand up and sprint out of EVERY corner, did I mention this was as tight course. Needless to say I got popped out with about 5 minutes left in the race not something I am proud of but hey sometimes you're the bug and sometimes you're the windshield. I have to thank Paul allot for letting me vent on the phone Saturday night when he called to see how things went, Thanks Paul! The best thing I can say about Saturday for me was that I learned a valuable lesson about staking out your territory on the start line!

Sunday's races were held in Lake Mary which was just a short drive from the previous day's races. This course unlike Saturdays was wide and smooth with 3 corners that made a triangle with 1 short side about 100 yards long and two sides that were about 3-400 yards long. This course was also closed so we didn't have to worry about any stray cars on the course.

Masters 35+

Sunday was my day to go first; I have to admit I was a little apprehensive about the race after the previous day's debacle. I did however learn from my mistake of the first race, will wonders never cease. I made sure I got a good starting position at the line so I would be able to react in case it was hard from the start. My second mission for the day was to hold my ground in the group and be conscious of my place in the group. Paul and I talked about this after the race and we both agree about finding the "Sweet Spot" and trying to hold it throughout the race. Once the race started I was able to settle in to a good rhythm and was able stay in the front 25% of the group throughout the race. This really helped to alleviate that yoyo effect that I suffered through the day before. It seems when you're in the front everyone just flows through the corners with no braking or very little at the worst. Just like the day before no breaks were allowed to form and we finished in a bunch sprint at the line. I am happy to report that I actually finished well enough to have my name recorded for posterity 25 out of 60, I just made the cut off for "Recorded" finishers. In all seriousness I hope that I take to heart the lessons I learned over the weekend and apply them to my future races. I want to again thank Paul for helping me through the weekend; he came out to cheer us on Sunday morning.

Juniors 10-14

Justin was warming up on the trainer when I finished my race and we had a chance to talk about what his strategy would be for the day, stay with the group for as long as possible. I decided not to watch the race start but instead take up a position on the back side of the course from where I could see how things were unfolding back there. When the group came around for the first time I was please to see Justin tucked nicely inside the group. On the next lap he was still tucked neatly in the now dwindling group. I thought to myself wow that's two laps with the big kids. So you can imagine my surprise when he came around for a third lap with the group, I had heard the announcer yell a prime for this lap so I was wondering were he would be the next go around. Unfortunately the sprint for the prime was enough to take him out of the group, but he had accomplished allot of damage against his age group so now all I was hoping was that he wasn't going to drop like a rock. To my surprise he was down in the drops going like he had a mission.
He was again all by himself working to put time on the kids behind him. He rode a great race and even had one of his friends, Jon Carlo, he lapped grab onto his wheel as he went by. He came by with him in tow for one lap and was trying to make him drop by zigg zagging back and forth. But Jon was tenacious and hung in there like a little trooper. The next lap I noticed he wasn't there, after the race I asked Justin what happened and he said that when he wouldn't drop he just attacked him as hard as he could to drop him. Justin rode a great race and was able to finish in second place.

I can see quite a difference from last year to this year with his ability if he keeps this up I think he will have a great year racing. It is so exciting watching him learn new things and have a good time while doing it. That is one nice thing about all of the Juniors in Justin's group, they are all great kids and they have fun together before and after the races.


So to Recap:
Saturday

Scott-Finished the race but not with the group.
Justin-3rd place

Sunday

Scott-25th
Justin-2nd place

Scott Pfaff
Cycle Logic

Cycle Logic goes to Nero's

Following this years third installment of practice crits in Alachua, the Cycle Logic Team headed to Nero's Pizza and Pasta for some post-race nourishment. A bakers dozen of us overtook an entire row of tables as we re-hashed the days events.

James Penrod graciously sprung for all the baskets of bread as well as everyone's water due to his substantial winnings from placing fourth in the Cat. 4 crit ($15, and the bread and water were free...cheapskate).

It was a great time for getting to know our teammates and their families. Great food and a great atmosphere were enjoyed by all.

The whole Cycle Logic gang at Nero's

The days big winner...and Vern and Josh

Rodrigo enjoying the company of his Cycle Logic teammates.

Good Luck

To those who are racing this weekend, best of luck to you. I look forward to hearing all about your results.

Josh Pittman

Who is racing when and where?

I received a post card for the DownTown Orlando Spin City Classic. It is a 2 day event. Saturday, March 24th is a criterium in downtown Orlando. Sunday, March 25th is a circuit race at South Port Park, which according to the race map is right next to the Orlando International Airport. Is anyone interested in competing at this event? It sounds like it could be a lot of fun. According to the postcard I have, there will be live music, cultural arts, food, and drinks. The post card describes it as a festival. For more information on this event go to www.spincityclassic.com. Please respond to this BLOG. I'm looking for some feedback on who is available and who is willing to go to Orlando to represent Cycle Logic Bicycle Team.

Thank You,
Josh Pittman

Race Weekend Feb. 9/ 10: Sanford/ Lake Mary

This weekend, we have on tap a fine race weekend put on by FloridaCycling.com.

Saturday Feb. 9, 2007:  The race will be held in Sanford, and consists of a criterium on city streets on the edge of the lake.  A beautiful venue with plenty of turns, the course is mostly paved, with some brick portions to keep you awake.

 

Sunday, Feb. 10, 2007: This race is held in Lake Mary (although not around a lake as the name might suggest) in a corporate office park.  The streets are closed, and the course is fairly open with only 2 90 degree corners from what I can remember last year.  It was cold and windy in 2006, but the weather is looking good for racing this weekend.

 

Please post comments below to let our teammates know if you will be attending or not.

Thanks to all.

 

Cycle-Logic Won Dan's Money!!! (Dan's Crit Series #3)

Before I begin, I must say that our thoughts are with those that have and are suffering from the terrible tornadoes that touched down in our backyards down here in Lake, Sumter, volusia and surrounding communities.  As far as we know, none of our teammates were directly affected, thank goodness.

 

The A Race:

Once again, our own Scott Pfaff raced well with the A's, staying protected, and racing a smart race, letting the pro's, 1's and 2's do their own thing.  Several breaks got away from the main pack, and we could tell the pace was fast as they chased down the groups ahead.  Scott finished with the main pack (I'm sorry I don't have the placings right now), in a respectable position.  I'm sure he is happy with his pre-season results, and is looking forward to his Master's races this year.

Good Luck from all of us Scott!!

 

The Juniors Race:

Well, you should have seen little Justin Pfaff lighting up the Juniors race!!

The juniors start was combined with the women's racers once again.  Justin was unleashed with the rest of the juniors a couple minutes prior to the ladies' start.  I think there were approximately 10 juniors racing.  As I was warming up, I as well as others tried to give some velocity-coaching as he passed us.  he tagged onto a pack of one woman rider, and two juniors toward the middle of the race.  The other two juniors fell off, and the next time he came around, it was him drafting off of the girl in front of him.  (His father has taught young grasshopper well about the importance of the draft)  a couple laps later, here he comes down to the finish all by himself, then with 100 yards to go, he stands up and gives the crowd the ultimate example of a powerful sprint (in his drops, of course).  Justin came across the line as the first junior!!!

Congratulations Justin.  You have a bright future in cycling.

 

The B Race:

I'll try to stay calm whilst I write this one.

So,

On our way up to Alachua this weekend, we found out that many of the Cycle-Logic team members would be absent from the race on Saturday for various reasons.  this was unfortunate because of the great racing that had taken place by all of the teammates that showed for the last two races.  We were really hoping for a great turnout, and an even greater race for the final Dan's practice criterium.

 

When the races started, it was me (yours truly James Penrod), Paul Messal, and Joshua Pittman who decided to come out for his first race of the season, and Cat up to a 4, to roll with the big boys!!   With Josh coming off of a knee injury, I think he was trying to test the waters a bit, and stay safe this time, just to see how bad the effort was going to get.  I can't blame him for that.  He did a great job of staying protected throughout the race, and he finished with the pack, after a quick offroad excursion in the last half lap.  Paul protected himself well also, and sprinted for a top ten finish.  Unfortunately, it's harder for me to sum up their race this time because I was a little more active than I had been in the previous races (which worried a certain spectator named Veronica Geist).

 

The races were split such that the Cat 4 men raced separately from the Cat 5 men (which prompted the cat-up by Josh).  At the start we saw about 8 or 10 colavita riders, as well as 6 or 7 Atomic Riders, and a few more riders that had not shown up at the previous two races.  The Cat 4 field was about 35 or 40 strong, so about the same size as the previous two races, but with no Cat 5's racing with us, so we figured the pace was going to be a little higher.

As predicted by some, and unknown to others, Mike Niemi and Wes Wolfenbarger broke off the front (as they had in the previous two races), but didn't get caught this time.  With only three Cycle Logic riders in the pack, it didn't make sense for us to head up a chase, and since Colavita showed up en masse, we kind of figured they would organize some sort of chase.  Well, the two man break stuck to the end, with Mike getting first place, finishing well ahead of the pack.  With half a lap to go, an erratic move sent several riders into the grass, and one Atomic Rider (Jimmy) back first into the pave'.  I was in third position at this point, and was clueless what was happening behind me.  I think Paul was just in front of the mess, and Josh, who had been saving his energy for the finish was forced off the road, and out of contention.  I approached the last corner in third place, and decided it might be best to get through the corner at breakneck speed in front of everyone.  So as I stood, one of the Colavita riders who had the same idea, slipped by me allowing me to slip right onto his wheel.  At over 27 mph, we blistered through the last turn, flying up to the finish.  I was in the perfect position to outsprint the rider in front of me as he use all of his energy to pull me up to the line.  That's when I realized he was leading his own guy out.  As I heard the carbon wheels accelerate in my right ear, I knew someone else had gotten the drop on ME.  I stood up as he passed, and got to the line 2nd, finishing 4th because of the two-man breakaway.  WHOOOO!!!  After 3 years of trying, I won Dan's Money!!!

 

Once again, a great racing experience for the Cycle Logic team.  Thank you to all that raced, and especially to all that braved the cold and cheered us all on.  I am soooo looking forward to seeing us race in the upcoming season.

 

We'll see you all at the races!!

 

James Penrod

CYCLE LOGIC

 

 

DAN'S PRE-SEASON CRIT #2

All photos courtesy of Phil Lee, Team Florida

Cycle-Logic SHOWED UP this weekend!!
What a great race for the team. CL attendance was up this week in the B race, our youngest member held his own while providing no draft in the women's race while Scott was left to fend for him self in the A's.

First, the A race:
Scott Pfaff, once again tried his luck with the Pro1,2,3's, and faired much better than last week. Finding last week that working on the front of the Pro1,2,3s may not have been a great idea (you gotta hand it to him for trying, though), Scott chose to take a little different approach this weekend. Mr. Pfaff did a great job of staying protected, and limited his work in the wind to 'when absolutely necessary'. A few breaks formed early in the race, and it ended with two groups finishing before the main group. we were all happy to see Scott finish with the group this time. He seemed pleased with his efforts, and we were all impressed with his accomplishment. Congratulations Scott!!

The Juniors/Womens Race
Young Justin Pfaff makes history as the youngest rider to ever compete in "Dan's Bring it on Crit Series". Justin wowed the crowd with his determination and speed. By far the loudest cheers of the day took place as Justin sprinted for the line at the end of the race which was won by the reigning U23 womans national time trial champion...tough competition for Justin, but he's looking for some podiums this season against other 10 year olds from across the state. Great job Justin!!!!
Young Pfaff during his impressive ride at the Bring it On crit this past Saturday in Alachua, Florida.


Now, the B's:
Starting in the B's, we had:
Myself (James Penrod)
Mr. 'Art Guru' Paul Messal
Mr. 'I finished with the A's last weekend' Anthony 'Moose' Musalo
Mr. Ron 'Baldy-Locks' Palsgrove
Mr. Steve 'my first road race, I'd rather be in the dirt' DeRoche
Mr. John 'Time Trialer' Duggan

Even before the race, we were all excited to have 6 guys representing Cycle-Logic in the same race, but seeing as how most of us were just getting off of a cold, and others had just gotten on the bike after a long winter hiatus, we were kind of all pointing fingers at who we should be working for.

The early stages of the B's race sees Cycle Logic stringing it out with Moose on the front followed by James, Ron and Paul (7th wheel).
The race began with a two man breakaway, that stuck until the last lap. The remaining Cycle-Logic riders were on the front immediately with at least one man for the rest of the race, and our faces were visible in the front of the group for the entire race. Anthony Musalo has to be thanked for his efforts, as he was on the front the whole race, and was probably mostly responsible for us catching the break. One JRC racer was content to sit on the front and let the break get away, and unfortunately, most of the riders behind him were either unaware, or just didn't want to pull. After many conversations with the gentlemen on the front, the pack started to work a little more consistently to catch the break. Ron went off the front a few times, sometimes with other Cycle-Logic riders, and sometimes by himself. I attempeted the same, but my endurance wouldn't let me hold any kind of gap. Steve DeRoche was in the front, and although being inexperienced with road racing, did a great job of pulling through, and putting out an effort that assisted in 'the catch'. Paul did a great job of positioning, staying in the front of the pack, and doing his share of work. At the end, the break was caught and a group sprint ensued. I and Paul tried our best to give our last bit of energy to Moose coming out of the next to last corner. I didn't see the finish, but I hope we helped.

Unfortunately John Duggan was taken out by a falling cyclist in the first few laps. His injuries seemed minor (to his body), but his brand new wheel got banged up pretty bad. We're wishing you a speedy recovery John.
Ron, Moose and James off the front of the B's race.
Ron Palsgrove looking over his shoulder to see if his break attempt is working.
Anthony Musalo marking a Team Florida rider at the front of the field.
Steve DeRoche getting a feel during his first crack at racing on the hard, smooth stuff. Although Steve is hanging towards the back of the field in this photo, that's not where he ended up as he finished as the highest placing Cycle Logic rider!
Paul Messal creating plenty of draft for those behind him during the B's race.




The race ended with the following results:
Steve DeRoche - 6th
Anthony 'Moos' Musalo - 7th
Ron palsgrove - Won 1 preem: Dan's Summer Sausage
James Penrod - Won 1 preem: Valentine's candy (for Vern)

I would like to say the front of the pack was dominated with orange and grey Cycle Logic Jerseys, but unfortunately we are still riding incognito until the kits arrive in mid-February. If this race was any indication of what the season will be like, then it is going to be an EXCITING year!!

Thank you all for your valiant efforts, congratulations to all that attended, and thank you for the friends, family, and teammates that were there to chear us all on.

See you next week at the races.

Racing Season has Begun!!!

Well, the first race of the season is now out of the way, and those that attended, all survived!!
Cycle Logic representation was a little low, but we had team members in both the A & B races last weekend.

Moose (Anthony Musalo) and Scott Pfaff both participated in the A race, and appeared to take totally opposite approaches.

Scott worked a bit on the front of the group throughout the race, while Anthony looked like he felt content sitting in and seeing what the pace was going to do (remember, we can't see what's going on throughout the rest of the course, so Anthony could have been working his butt off back there). Both did a great job, and represented well.

Paul, Rodrigo and I raced the B race. Paul hadn't even warmed up, and seemed to brag about not being on his bike since he was a junior racer, so my expectations were that he was going to sit in, feel the pace, and just use it as a feeler to see where he needed to be fitness-wise. Surprisingly enough, he stayed in the whole time, and did a very good job of staying protected, while limiting his time at the head of the pack. I worked as little as possible, managed to bridge a few small gaps, but tried my hardest to stay out of the wind (which was in our face around the entire course). Rodrigo 'Landis' Sagastegui stayed in for 5 laps, but I think he got a feel for where he needs to be for the season. I think his plan is to do better next weekend after some interval training this week at the UF & Shands Sports Performance Institute. I was surprised to see Paul fly by me on the back stretch halfway through the last lap, trying to give me a bit of a leadout into the last two corners. Although I couldn't get onto his wheel right away, it gave me the inspiration I needed to at least improve my position into the next to last corner, and then again into the last corner. I sprinted my hardest out of the last corner, passing one, then two guys. Then, as my steam was running out, I could see the guy I just passed coming up on my left ever so slowly. So I put on some more steam, bobbed my head like the pros do, and pushed my bike at the line. If I edged him out, I got 7th, if not, then 8th. Prizes were 6 deep (it figures). Paul finished with the group (Thanks for the help at the end).

You can read about all of the races last Saturday at racelistings.com racelistings.com

Next weekend, same bat time, same bat channel.
The race flyer for all three races is attached to this post...simply click on the thumbnail in the top left-hand corner to open the full-resolution flyer...check it out if you’re interested in racing.

Take care.
See you Saturday

LT and VO2 testing

On Saturday January, 6th, members of the Cycle Logic racing team showed up at the UF & Shands Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine Institute for some performance testing.

The UF & Shands Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine Institute has graciously sponsored our team this year, and as a result, we have some of the most advanced performance testing equipment at our disposal to determine our lactate threshold and VO2 capabilities, establish training zones and ultimately improve our performances in races!

What exactly do I mean by VO2 and LT? I'm still fuzzy on the physiology of it, but here's the short version:

LT- The blood lactate profile is the most important predictor of endurance performance potential in steady-state events (e.g. time trials in cycling). The lactate profile test is the gold standard used by elite endurance athletes to determine optimal training intensities and is the most effective way to track the progress of training. After determining a lactate profile, they provide training zones based on both heart rate and wattage.

VO2- An excellent first evaluation, the VO2 test gives a good picture of overall fitness level and performance potential. Futhermore, from this test we can provide heart rates and power values that correlate to the athlete's ventilatory threshold (a good estimate of lactate threshold). From this value, they establish training zones and intensities for us.

We were all amazed at the facilities as we arrived bright and early. Anthony Musalo provided the bagels, but no coffee as we weren't allowed caffeine prior to testing (which did not go over too well with one Veronica Geist!)

Veronica kicked things off with a solid performance as the rest of us stood around asking questions of our highly trained and very informative exercise physiologists, Pat and Jeff.

One by one Team Cycle Logic members went through the testing process as noses were plugged, masks were worn, fingers were pricked and watts were increased. Those of us who had already tested or were waiting to be tested showed our support for each member by cheering, encouraging and sometimes a little friendly mocking of the current guinea pig.

Both Ron Palsgrove and I (Paul Messal) were unable to test on that saturday due to a migrane and a cold, respectively, but came back to the UF & Shands Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine Institute the following thursday to subject ourselves to ~30 minutes of increasing pain. That evening, all of those who tested reconvened at the Institute (I'll shorten it to just "Institute", cause I'm getting sick of typingUF & Shands Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine Institute) to go over our profiles and learn how they relate to our training. Pat O'Connor led the informal discussion as we all got a handle on what all of the graphs, charts and flow-sheets really meant.

All in all a very successful event for Team Cycle Logic. It's rare that an amateur cycling team in it's first year of existence is afforded the resources that we have been through our sponsorship with the Institute. Be sure to express your thanks to Pat, Kevin, and Jeff the next time you see them.

- For more pictures from the LT and VO2 testing events, click here
- For more information on the UF & Shands Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine Institute, click here

Team Time Trials

I am excited about the Team Time Trials that are approaching. It is going to be a lot of fun, not only because it will be my first race of the season, but also because it is the first team time trial of the season. Also, it is a good way for our team to bond right off the bat. I hope that we are able to get our team kits in time to wear them at this event because it sounds like we are going to have a great turn-out of Cycle Logic members. As far as I know, there will definately be two 4-person teams there representing Cycle Logic and I hope that some others will get together in efforts to field a third 4-person team. Right now one 4-person team is out of Leesburg. That team consist of James Penrod, Veronica Geist, Ron Palsgrove, and Ed Sabol. The other 4-person team that has committed to this event is out of Ocala and it consist of Anthony Hutton, Michael Brown, Steve DeRoche, and Josh Pittman.

The reason behind the rider selection for these two teams was for training purposes. We figured since Cycle Logic is a team that is made up of riders from three counties it would be more practical for our team time trial teams to consist of riders that lived in close proximity of each other. My hopes, as it has been discussed with some of my other Cycle Logic teammates, is that we have at least three teams to represent our core team of Cycle Logic on February 24-25. In my opinion it would be ideal if some of our riders out of Gainesville fielded a team as well. I think it would make a great impression on our sponsors, competitors, and the spectators to see our colors represented well at this event.

With all that said, I am looking forward, not only to competing in February, but also having a good time with the members of Cycle Logic.

Josh Pittman

LT & VO2 Testing

For those teammates who are going to be taking advantage of our sponsorship with the UF & Shands Orthopaedics and Sports Medicine Institute, Sports Performance Center, we will be meeting at the Institute (see map) at 8:00 am. We hope to have the first rider testing by 8:30 am.

Bring your normal riding gear, i.e. bike, shoes etc.

Anthony M. will be supplying the bagles, but if you're testing, NO CAFFEINE.

For those of you interested, we will be going on a short ride following the testing.

LT & VO2 Max Testing
UF & Shands Ortho Institute
Saturday, January 6th, 2007
8:00 am