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BMC Training Camp

By editor on January 7th, 2009

Warming up for Training Camp: Lelangue’s 12 month advantage

With the BMC Racing Team’s January training camp just days away, Directeur
Sportif John Lelangue is in the final stages of preparation for the 15 day
gathering.

Beginning his second full year with the team, Lelangue is pleased to have
had the benefit of working with and learning about the BMC riders’
qualities this past year. “The big advantage I have this year over last is
that I have had the chance to follow most of our riders for an entire
year ” Lelangue explained. “I have a 12 month history with the guys on
the team in 2008 and I have been working with the few new riders since
November; we have really kept good contact.”

For the already close-knit group, riding will be the focus at camp

Though it is typical to hold two training camps, one week in December and
one week in January, BMC has made it a habit to have one longer training
camp in January. “We have found that a longer camp in January where we can
fine tune the training the guys have done since November, works much better
for us than splitting them into two camps,” Lelangue said. “The January
camp will always have time taken up for team photos and medical testing, but
this way we can also have the time to reconnoitre Tour of California stages,
and get the team going to the Tour of Qatar ready for their particular
stages like the team time trial.” Having 15 days of camp to work with, the
managers can take the training days in three blocks of five days a piece.
“We can have three periods of ramping up intensity for four days to have a
fifth day for recovery, which is a very good way to put on the finishing
touches,” Lelangue revealed. The group carries over an easy harmony from
the previous season
since BMC experienced very little turnover. “We still have a large core
group from last year which works very well together,” Lelangue said. “And
of the new riders, the four new Swiss members are all very familiar and
friendly with each other, as their Mallorca mini training camp proved, and
Chad Beyer is well known from his time on the US National team.” The team
bonds have largely already been made, freeing up camp time to focus entirely
on the racing just around the corner.

Focusing on early season race schedules

“Each rider has been working on his training regime since November,”
Lelangue explained. “I have been keeping track of their progress by having
weekly discussions with everyone so we know where they all are in terms of
intensity.” The riders have known the first two months of their racing
schedules since November, which has helped guide them in their preparations.
“We are not a ProTour team with big leaders targeting goals like the Tour
or the Classics, rather every race we consider to be our main objective,”
Lelangue said. “We are certainly focused on performing well in UCI events,
and will have to be more conservative in our tactics, so that we are more
prominent in the final hour of every race we do.” Lelangue has made it
very clear that animating the race will no longer be enough; racing to win
will be the focus in ‘09. “For each race we need to enter at least the
top 10, and all our riders know that we will build the teams for the April
and May events on the
strength of their February and March performances,” Lelangue explained.
“Gavin and I have told the guys that we will field the best team for any
given event, and they have to be ready to prove themselves throughout the
year.” Everyone is keen to step up to the challenge and Lelangue believes
in the positive pressure the desire for tangible results will put on the
team. “This is a competitive sport and striving to win will always exert a
good sort of pressure on the riders,” Lelangue said. “The attitude is
totally different from last year, but we have earned our confidence.”