www.usacycling.org -- National Talent Identification Camp wraps up in Colorado Springs

USA Cycling Junior Programs Manager Benjamin Sharp explains the field testing procedures to the road athletes.

Colorado Springs, Colo. (October 20, 2008)--As part of its overall junior development efforts, USA Cycling recently invited 34 road and mountain bike athletes to its annual National Talent Identification Camp at the Olympic Training Center. At the five-day camp Oct. 9-13, athletes participated in a variety of instructional activities and exercises designed to assess and track fitness levels, as well as educate them on several key elements of becoming successful cyclists.

Directed by USA Cycling’s Junior Program Manager Benjamin Sharp, the National Talent Identification Camp represents one of the many initiatives employed by the national governing body to facilitate the development of young men and women. As emerging talent goes, the participants of this camp aspire to become members of the U.S. Junior National Team which represents the United States at international competition across the world. Before notable junior athletes like two-time world champion Taylor Phinney and 22-time national champion Coryn Rivera make their mark internationally, talent such as theirs often receives the support and direction necessary from USA Cycling and its network of coaches, program directors and resources.

Campers attend one of many instructional seminars on nutrition, anti-doping, training, collegiate cycling and the junior development pipeline.

The 34 campers between the ages of 14 and 18 had already illustrated their capabilities to some degree, first performing well at Lance Armstrong Junior Olympic Race Series events locally, then showing continued promise at USA Cycling Regional Development Camps, National Championships or other national-level bike races. The reward for modest success at those levels resulted in an invitation to the National Talent Identification Camp. Sustained success will likely translate into a national team roster spot somewhere down the road.

Throughout the week, the camp focused on two primary objectives according to Sharp. The first was to conduct field testing on the athletes, while the second was to address basic skills that juniors racing at the international level often lack. For the road athletes, Sharp conducted clinics that taught many basics of cycling – proper cornering techniques, riding in a paceline and echelons in the wind, taking feeds from a caravan car and feed zones, and various other technical skills. On the mountain bike side, USA Cycling National Mountain Bike Development Director Marc Gullickson led instructional activities that focused on cornering, descending, feeding, braking, starting, and riding in a pack – all seemingly elementary skills, but ones that are rarely taught in a formal setting yet vital to performance.

Campers practice taking musettes from the feed zone - a techincal skill many juniors have not yet mastered.

In addition to hands-on clinics, several presentations were also given to the youngsters, focusing on several important issues. The U.S. Anti-Doping Agency was present to give an overview of policies and procedures, as well as the resources available to athletes. Bob Seebohar, a USA Cycling certified coach and registered dietician, spoke about sports nutrition, USA Cycling-licensed mechanic Andrew Hawkes provided information on bicycle maintenance and travel. Certified coaches May Britt-Hartwell and Ryan Kohler gave presentations on road and mountain bike training respectively.

Complementing the instructional clinics and presentations, Sharp also conducted field testing using a standardized test developed by USA Cycling certified coach Corey Hart. The test, which measures athletes’ power output for their body weight in watts/kilogram, was applied to the riders over two separate distances. For some, it was the second or third time they had taken the test, allowing Sharp to track their progress physiologically over time. For others, it was their first time, giving Sharp a benchmark to compare future tests. Afterwards, both Sharp and Hart followed up the field testing with a discussion on power-based training methods.

Mountain bikers are taught threshold braking as part of the many technical skills clinics.

Another exercise that was on the agenda, but ultimately cancelled due to inclement weather, was an introduction to track cycling at the nearby 7-Eleven Velodrome. As junior athletes develop, an important element in USA Cycling’s talent identification efforts includes exposure to different disciplines. Traditionally, there is significant crossover between road and mountain bike athletes, however with relatively few velodromes in the United States, not all competitive cyclists have the opportunity to ride or race on the track. Unfortunately, Saturday afternoon’s introduction to track cycling was rained out.

Discussions were also led by USA Cycling Collegiate Cycling Manager Daniel Matheny and USA Cycling Development Foundation Director Steve McCauley. Matheny discussed the role collegiate cycling plays in the development of elite cyclists as well as the opportunities that are available to cyclists of all disciplines at one of USA Cycling’s 287 collegiate clubs. Currently, more than 4,000 student-athletes represent an institution of higher learning on a collegiate cycling team. And for many of these Talent Identification Camp participants, the collegiate cycling scene will be the next step in their development.

Road athletes took part in many group rides - this one up Gold Camp road.

Finally, in between testing and talking, there was plenty of time for riding, either on the roads around Colorado Springs or the trails through Cheyenne Canyon , Palmer Park, Bear Creek and Red Rocks Park. Rides were led by Sharp on the road and Gullickson, Lindsey Bishop and Lianna Miller on the mountain bike.

Participants in the camp were subsidized by USA Cycling to stay at the Olympic Training Center – living in the athlete dormitories and eating at the Athlete Dining Hall throughout their time in Colorado Springs.

Following the camp, three participants were asked about their experience – road athletes Connor O’Leary (Salt Lake City, Utah) and Anna Young (Madison, Wis.) and mountain biker Kevin Kane (Dillon, Colo.):

What were the most important things you learned throughout the camp?

CO: I learned so much throughout the week, it was amazing. It would be tough to pinpoint one important thing because I simply learned so much. We had so many qualified people that taught us all so much. The meetings we had each night were packed full of useful information that we are going to be able to incorporate and use to better out performance. One of the lessons I really enjoyed was when we had a nutritionist come and speak to us about our nutrition. He made it fun and got us excited about eating healthy. He made it so easy, and I believe that is crucial. If it’s tough to eat healthy, we are less likely to do it. He realized that and gave us some awesome ideas. Benjamin also had a great PowerPoint about what racing in Europe is really like. It was awesome because that’s where everyone at the camp ultimately wants to end up. It was nice to get a preview from someone who has not only raced there, but has also experienced it from a team director’s standpoint. It was also great having experienced coaches give us constructive criticism as we rode. They have such an eye for things that are just a little off, or things that we are not doing quite right. Having the coaches ride with us and give us that one-on-one attention was awesome. It gave them a chance to see how we ride and let us know how to improve. It was also great to have the field tests and a whiz like Corey Hart to analyze those tests. He did a great job explaining the results in simple terms so we could all understand.

USA Cycling National MTB Development Director Marc Gullickson and ride leader Lindsey Bishop prepare the off-road athletes for the day's activities.

KK: As a mountain biker, it was a novel experience to ride in a big group at camp. The couple of days that we rode together with the road group, it was important for me to adapt to the group dynamics as I never could in a mountain bike setting. Off the bike, the many seminars that we attended were extremely beneficial. Even though I had seen some of the presentations in the development camp earlier this summer, I found that they were equally engaging the second time. Personally, the nutrition seminar with Bob Seebohar was one of the best. He insisted that we ‘eat to train’ and not ‘train to eat’. This concept came into play in his target nutrition diagram, which made the complex idea of nutrition very simple. Other than Bob’s nutrition presentation, we attended seminars on collegiate cycling, the USA Cycling pipeline, USADA, training, bicycle maintenance and more. In all, the camp was extremely effective in its ability to teach a broad scale of topics over a five-day period.

AY: I don’t think that there was any one thing that we learned that was most important. Everything that we talked about on and off the bike made an impression on me. From learning about USA Cycling’s Junior programs in Europe to nutrition, feed zone practice and how to pack a bike for air travel…everything was significant and informative.

USA Cycling Collegiate Program Manager Daniel Matheny educates the group on opportunities in collegiate cycling and the role it plays in development.

What did you enjoy most about the camp?

CO: Everything. From the food, the rides, the coaches…Nothing can beat this camp and the opportunity to attend. Just being at the Olympic Training Center was inspiring. Having the opportunity to see all of the great athletes that have gone through there was awesome. It was so much fun being with a group of kids the same age as you that all have the same passion. Everyone got along so well and by the end you have a few new friends. I really enjoyed the meetings every night. The information that was provided to us was so interesting and applied to everyone in the room. It was great to meet all these people that have so much information and are willing to help you succeed. The skills clinics were also fun. The coaches incorporated vital skills you need on the bike into fun games.

KK: At camp, I had the best time on the bike. The trails and roads we rode around Colorado Springs were great and helped me to focus in on the Springs as a potential winter training ground. Despite the adverse weather, the rides were great, and the mountain bike group was exceptionally dynamic. It was an awesome chance to put names to faces. In the U.S. rankings, there are all of these great competitors ranked in the top ten that I had never raced against or even met, so camp was a great chance to meet many of them. Also, I really enjoyed getting acquainted with Marc Gullickson. He is a great guy and it was great to get to know him on a personal level since my future depends upon his decision whether or not to let me race World Cups next Spring. Overall, camp was a great time; meeting new people and riding great trails is what made it so much fun.

AY: The atmosphere. All of the coaches and riders were a lot of fun to be around and everyone was very supportive of each other.

Coryn Rivera, Cynthia Lehrner, Kyle Torres and Matt Lipscomb learn slow speed cornering in tight surroundings.

How effective do you think the camp was in your development as a competitive cyclist?

CO: The Talent I.D. Camps are crucial to athletes like me. Without these camps, it would be much tougher to get recognized, as well as learn all of the valuable information from the camps you receive. Camps like these are where I have really learned how to race my bike and be competitive. The coaches teach so many things that would be tough to learn without these camps. The camp was jam-packed with information and I felt like I was learning new things every day. The direction I received at camp was vital. The coaches let me know what I needed to do to progress and what I need in order to reach the next level. All in all, without the camp, I wouldn’t have a specific direction to be working towards. It was an amazing camp and I have come away with more knowledge and a better understanding on so many levels. The camp staff was superb and couldn’t be beat.

KK: The seminars at camp addressed many of the key facets of professional cycling. For me, the camp didn’t necessarily increase my ability on the bike, since I feel that I have already acquired many of the skills discussed during training, but the discussions off the bike were definitely beneficial. For me, the many commentaries on training and racing in Europe were some of the most interesting since I will be in Europe for four months next year, but all of the other seminars had something unique to offer. The camp was very effective for me in my development as a competitive cyclist. I wouldn’t be where I am today without the help of USA Cycling, and this camp is just more tangible proof of that.

AY: It gave me a lot more information on the programs that USA Cycling has to offer. It also connected me to a wonderful support system of coaches and gave me specific goals and things I can work on to improve.

Invitees had the privilege of staying at the U.S. Olympic Training Center for five days.

Congratulations to all the National Talent Identification Camp Particpants:

Mountain Bike Athletes

Davis Bentley (Mill Valley, Calif.)

Will Curtis (San Rafael, Calif.)

Eric Emsky (Fall City, Wash.)

Russell Finsterwald (Colorado Springs, Colo.)

Kevin Kane (Dillon, Colo.)

Seth Kemp (Campobello, S.C.)

Wes Lamberson (Limestone, Tenn.)

Jensen Ricks (Colorado Springs, Colo.)

Christine Weir (Nevada, City, Calif.)

Meghan Kane (Dillon, Colo.)

Road Athletes

Katie Antonneau (Racine, Wis.)

Colton Barrett (Saint Paul, Minn.)

Juan Carmona (Breiginsville, Pa.)

Ryan Eastman (Petaluma, Calif.)

John Funk (Topeka, Kan.)

Tucker Gerald (Amarillo, Texas)

Elspeth Huyett (Alburtis, Pa.)

Thomas Jondall (Tucson, Ariz.)

Jacqueline Kurth (Palm City, Calif.)

Cinthia Lehner (Greer, S.C.)

Stephen Liguori (Lowell, Ark.)

Matt Lipscomb (Decatur, Ga.)

Connor O’Leary (Salt Lake City, Utah)

Jessica Prinner (South Elgin, Ill.)

Coryn Rivera (Tustin, Calif.)

Angelo Roman (Star, Idaho)

Neal Shepherd (Palm Coast, Fla.)

Benjamin Swedberg (Kent, Wash.)

Daniel Tisdell (San Jose, Calif.)

Kyle Torres (Laguna Nigel, Calif.)

Chris Wallace (Shawnee, Kan.)

Anna Young (Madison, Wis.)

About USA Cycling

Recognized by the United States Olympic Committee and the Union Cycliste Internationale, USA Cycling is the official governing body for all disciplines of competitive cycling in the United States, including road, track, mountain bike, BMX and cyclo-cross. As a membership-based organization and sanctioning body, USA Cycling consists of 64,000+ members, including 57,000 competitive cyclists, 1,500 coaches, 4,000 student-athletes, 2,200 officials, 350 professional cyclists, and 200 certified mechanics. USA Cycling also sanctions 2,500 competitive and non-competitive organized cycling events throughout the United States annually, as well as 1,800 clubs and teams. Associations of USA Cycling include the United States Cycling Federation (road, track & cyclo-cross), the National Off-Road Bicycle Association (mountain bike), the BMX Association, the National Collegiate Cycling Association and the United States Professional Racing Organization. USA Cycling is also responsible for the identification, development, support and promotion of American cyclists through various athletic initiatives and programs including the USA Cycling National Development Team, the USA Cycling Women’s National Team, the USA Cycling Junior Development Team, Talent Identification and Regional Development Camps, domestic and international race calendars, direct athlete funding and support programs, and educational camps and seminars. USA Cycling also fields and supports U.S. National Teams for various international events, including the Olympic Games, World Championships, Pan American Games, Continental Championship and World Cups across all levels and disciplines of competitive cycling. USA cycling further supports grass roots and locally-based initiatives through its 32 Local Associations and comprehensive network of licensed and certified coaches and officials. Additionally, USA Cycling conducts National Championship events for amateur and professional cyclists, awarding more than 600 national titles annually to men and women in junior, U23, masters, elite, professional and paralympic categories throughout the various disciplines of competitive cycling. To learn more about USA Cycling, visit www.usacycling.org. For media-related or general inquiries, please contact USA Cycling Director of Communications, Andy Lee at 719-866-4867 or alee@usacycling.org.