- HOT TOPICS:
- The new VeloNews.com (BETA)
Not all U.S. rider development is taught in Belgium.
- Article Extras
- Photos
After eleven years overseeing USA Cycling’s junior development camps you’d think Barney King would have some crazy stories; maybe a zinger about kids sneaking out of dorm windows or losing someone on a ride.
“About the only thing I can think of is a broken collarbone a few years ago.”
That’s it. Really. Yet at this year’s camp, held last week at Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff, one comes to understand that a lack of surprises is just how King likes it. “We try to run a smooth camp. No surprises.”
You may remember King as the guy driving the USA team car in Belgium this spring. The Phoenix resident has been a USA Cycling coach for nearly twenty years and fixture of the junior and U23 development programs for over a decade.
King has helped a number of talented juniors make the jump to the pro ranks, including Fly V Australia’s Phil Zajicek, Tour de l’Abitibi winner and former Jelly Belly rider Brad Buccambuso, and BMC pro Chad Beyer. King has also directed three winning teams at Quebec’s prestigious junior stage race, the Tour de l’Abitibi, most recently overseeing this year’s Paris-Roubaix U23 winner Taylor Phinney to his 2007 l’Abitibi victory.
Smooth but serious
The relaxed atmosphere of this year’s camp belied its importance as a selector for upcoming North American UCI junior stage races including Kentucky’s Red River Gorge and l’Abitibi, as well as a possible trip to Europe with the junior national team.
The camp is one of nine regional road camps throughout the country open to juniors age 14 to 18 that hold a USCF category 3 license, place top 5 at a LAJORS event, or petitioned to attend. Additionally, there are three mountain bike camps, a track camp, and women’s only camp.
The southwest camp historically draws many of the best juniors in the country – an observation highlighted by numerous domestic national titles and international wins nabbed by camp alumni.
“This particular camp has a long history of success; it's something we want to build on each year,” said King.
For many of this year’s 22 riders, the six-day event offers an introduction into the regimented world of elite bike racing and training. Just like many summer camps, attendees adhere to a strict daily schedule. The campers bunk in dorms, eat cafeteria food, attend daily presentations, and grind through two-a-day rides. “The food is good, much better than last year” noted one camper.
Also like many summer camps, alums often return as counselors. In this case former Jelly Belly rider Cory Steinbrecher dispenses valuable information during the daily rides. “I try to be a resource any way I can. Tell them a little about what made me want to ride my bike for a living.” As a veteran of numerous Belgian campaigns, his insights into the finer points of bunch sprinting are in high demand throughout the week.
The wealth of available information and a chance to attract the coaches’ attention brings many returning campers. Now in his forth year, Utah’s Conner O’Leary recently spent time racing with the junior national team in Belgium and Switzerland. “These camps are a great place to get noticed and you learn a lot . . . the skills practices seem really boring but when you get over there (Europe), you realize how important it really is.”
Skills on and off the bike
King and his fellow USA Cycling coaches Steve Campo and Michael Heitz impart both on and off the bike knowledge designed to take racers to the next level, be that domestically or in Europe. “We work on techniques and skills they wouldn’t normally get to practice” said King. Specific skills include negotiating race caravans, taking feeds from team cars and bike handling techniques which are practiced in parking lots and on grass fields.
Fifteen year old T.J. Isenhart finds them useful. “I usually race with the (category) three’s and I’ve been able to use a lot of the bike handling skills they teach us here. It has definitely helped me in the crits.”
Off the bike, nightly presentations offer a host of information including proper nutrition, sleeping habits and sport psychology. This year, USA Cycling Level 1 coach and sports nutrition expert Cathy Zawadzki dispensed advice for making quality food choices. “You have to make active food choices, rather than something that just shows up on your plate. You have to plan your nutrition just like you plan your training.”
Selection
Three time trials (two uphill, one flat) of various lengths are used, along with race results and coaches’ observations, for regional team selection and a possible trip to Europe with the junior national team. While riders’ TT results are important criteria, coaches also take note of smaller, but no less important details including eating habits, punctuality, and social interaction.
“When we make decisions, we are looking for good athletes and good citizens” said King.
While clearly important, team selection is hardly the camp’s only purpose. As King notes, “this is truly a development camp, even though we have varying ages and abilities we want to help every kid move forward from wherever they are.” With this in mind, the coaches collect wattage data from each rider, which allows them to chart their yearly progress. For King, this is integral for athlete progression. “We want to see that they are improving every year they come here.”
Junior development camps can be credited in part, with discovering and nurturing the next generation of domestic talent. Perhaps most importantly they offer juniors, many of whom find themselves racing in small fields or with the senior categories, the chance to interact with other racers their own age and to experience the demands of elite level racing - even if they don’t come home with that many exciting camp stories.
Photo Gallery
Most Recent Articles
- Team RadioShack releases its 2010 roster: 26 riders from 16 countries/
- The Clothes Line: Nalini Aquila jacket and Cirello Skinsuit tights
- Ag2r brings youngsters aboard
- The case for keeping the individual pursuit in the Olympics
- Bosisio denies using EPO
- Italian cyclist draws 20-year ban
- Dombroski, Johnson double up in Hamptons
- Evans named Aussie cyclist of year
