Team City Junior Skills and Race Clinic

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I was bowled over by the enthusiastic, outstanding participation for the first Team City Skills and Race Clinic – a series that will progress from basic to more advanced handling skills and race tactics. The kick-off clinic was dominated by the Team City Juniors, ranging in age from 8-16years, with 20-strong.  The juniors sharpened their skills in preparation for their first race this Saturday at the Landpark crit. They are certified primed and ready for race action!

As a 12-year US National A-team and professional cyclist, I realized successful racing is the result of physical prowess, intelligent training, mental calm and composure,  skilled bike handling and intuitive tactics. It is a pleasure to share my 12-years of knowledge and successful race teamcityjunior

We called it a day once talk of pizza and ice cream eclipsed focus on tactics and cornering technique. Keep it concise, fun and let them leave wanting more!

Below is an outline of the day’s clinic…

Off-bike chalk talk discussion

  • Bike fit
    • Saddle width
    • Height; fore/aft
    • Joint health – locked position, extended periods, repetitive
    • Power production – muscle recruitment around pedal stroke
    • Weight distribution – majority saddle, light on bars
    • Posture
      • Saddle support
      • Trunk main point of stability
        • Sound base/leverage to generate to extremities

On-bike

  • Light in elbows/arms/hands
    • Steering thru the saddle
    • Relaxed elbows – more nimble response, less over-reaction/stiff response
    • Overview of on-bike session
      • Cornering – translates to descending
      • Basic skills – individual critique
        • On-bike posture
        • Good line – use momentum vs kill it
          • Smooth, round apex
      • Calm,  composed, relaxed
      • Scan corner to determine – camber, road surface debris
        • Commit and trust
      • Speed, apex, camber – determine inside pedal down, or pedal thru it
      • Look where you want to go – surface and exit
  • More advanced
    • Depending on speed and apex
      • Counter steering
        • Body weight out over the wheels, weighting
  • Group up in twos  then transition to groups of four
    • Enter cornering together
      • Handle bar first controls corner
      • Take turns leading out in to corners
        • Faux finish line
        • Corner Transition in to uphill
          • Gearing
  • Pack Riding
    • Position – where to be, when to be
    • Maneuvering within group
    • Wrap-up/Q and A