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Home Contacts Events Safety Membership Club Rules Links Photo Gallery Club Kit News Archive News     website by MM	Cycle Racing for GRB members - Road Racing training Spend 5 minutes with the Professionals from Team Liquigas as they train in the USA just before the Tour of California in early 2009. LIQUIGAS TRAINING RIDE - ATOC'09 from CYCLEFILM on Vimeo. Did you watch the video ? There is a lot to learn here, even from just 5 minutes of video. So, what good cycling points did you notice about it ? Equipment Yes, it's early in the year and, even in California the weather isn't great so the riders have all gone out with the correct clothing for the time of year. Note the head-warmers under the helmets, full-length gloves and leg-warmers, plus windproof/waterproof jackets as well as overshoes. Each rider has at least 1 drinks-bottle and the team-car has some food in the way of bananas for the riders. Even professionals get punctures ! However, we don't have the luxury of team-cars, mechanics and spare wheels all fitted up, so make sure you always take spare innner tubes and a basic tool-kit with you when you go out on your bike. Riding Techniques There are plenty of close-ups of the cyclists' pedals and feet to show you how they keep a smooth, steady cadence and hands are almost all on top of the handlebars on the brake-hoods. This enables them to keep good control of the bike and move to the brakes very quickly if needed. Some good shots too of riders out the saddle, making it look effortless as the bike sways gently from side to side under their control. They all have a good, comfortable position on the saddle with arms not too outstretched to the bars. You can be sure all these riders will have had their bikes set up to suit each one individually to ensure maximum comfort. Team Work When the team are riding together in a bunch, see how close they are to each other, riding close to the rider next to them and not much more than a wheel's length from the one in front. The rider who punctures is quickly back on his way and, in this situation, he actually uses the team vehicle to 'draft' back up to the bunch. (This is definitely NOT recommended when out on the roads !) However, in normal circumstances another rider would drop back and help pace him back to the others. The shot from behind the bunch shows the last rider putting something into his back pocket while riding free-hand. This is a useful skill to learn but only if safe to do so. Note how he does it in the shelter of all the other riders at the very back of the bunch - and on the flat.