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OFF SEASON INTERVIEW
FEBRUARY 2001 |
| Name: Alison Sydor City: N. Vancouver State/Province: BC Country: Canada Team: TREK / VW / NIKE |
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When you win your first race in 2001 as a TREK/VW team member, will it compare to your World Championships win in Kirchzarten in '95?
It really is difficult to compare victories no matter how significant they might be personally. I can't say one win is any sweeter than the next. Every win is a result of hard work in the race and also in the preparation. That said I will be very happy to get my first win for my new team. That will be good for my moral and all the staff who are working so hard right now to get us all set up and ready to charge into the new season.
With all of the changes you are making this winter, did you get any time for those "nice little rides on technical trails with my friends" in North Vancouver?
Yes it was a busy winter but of course I made sure to find the time to do a lot of 'nice trail rides' in Victoria and North Vancouver. We had such an unusually dry winter up here on the West coast of Canada and so that made the mountain biking even that much more enjoyable than normal.
What do you do for cross training? (not cyclocross, but off the bike exercise)?
I play a lot of ice hockey in the winter. As well I did a lot of trail running/hiking with my mother's dog - "Sprocket" - for company and weight training in the gym.
Do you take time off the bike in the winter?
Not usually too much. I took two weeks off after the Olympics - a record for me. But then I felt so bad being so unfit. I actually felt unhealthy so I got back on the bike and got some fitness back as quickly as I could after my break. But in the winter with all the crosstraining I do, I ride only 4-5 times per week.
How do you avoid weight gain in the winter?
Some weight gain is inevitable for most riders in the off-season, but one just has to keep some discipline when at home in the winter. It's hard to keep all the racing season discipline in the winter, but you have to at least exercise some control. There is no secret to keeping the weight down - you must simply control your intake of calories.
What month do you plan on coming into fitness for the 2001 season?
Hopefully I will be coming into the first World Cup in solid condition and just build my season from there. I really want to do well in the Canadian World Cup in July and also the World's in Vail - those are the races I will treat specially. I would like to be competitive through the entire world cup season. As well I will race some of the NORBA races this year, but probably not the full schedule.
What month do you start your pre-season training?
I start to ease back into disciplined training in November. Then in December I do some solid training before Christmas. After a small break I start to get fully structured with my training schedule.
How do you deal with riding in the winter conditions (cold, snow, ice, lack of daylight)?
Dress warmly! My secret winter riding tips are full fenders on my road and mountain bikes and double booties on my feet. Usually I wear one thin or thick pair with a heavy nylon water proof pair over top. If I have warm feet I can ride long in almost any type of weather.
What are your goals for the 2001 season?
I will start the season aiming for a world cup win and working for a high placing in the overall. But the most important race for me will be the World's in Vail. Having a good result in the World's will be very important for my team and myself.
Why do you think it is so hard for world class mountain bike racers to secure sponsorship as compared to road racers?
We need to get good TV coverage for our sponsors and right now the roadies get more TV time and so sponsors can justify putting much more money into road racing than they do for mountain biking. The bike industry can only support so many racers, the only way to get more sponsorships for athletes is for out of industry sponsors to support our sport and we need the coverage for the sport to justify their investment. The relationship between Trek and VW is one of the really positive partnerships in our sport. We need more of these relationships between bike companies and the corporate world if we hope for more opportunities for the athletes. Mountain biking is a young sport still but I think that there has been a lot of experimentation on what makes for good TV coverage. I think it's time for us to pressure the powers that control this aspect of the sport to put out a consistent quality product. If that happens the sky's the limit, if it does not then I think! that elite racing will see very limited growth as we approach the next Olympics.
Is the "pro mountain bike racer" lifestyle as much fun as you thought it would be?
There certainly are many wonderful upsides to being a professional mtn. bike racer. The travel, getting to test and ride all the newest products and having it my job to stay fit and healthy are among the many great things. All the time away from home, all the time on planes and in airports and packing and unpacking are some of the mundane work-like things about being a pro racer. That said I still think I have one of the best jobs in the mtn. bike industry!
Will you miss the Cannondale team after being such a long term member?
I will miss the day to day contact with certain team members and sponsors, but at this point in time I'm focused on looking forward not backward. I am working on building new relationships and I am hopeful and confident that I will be happy and successful with the Trek/VW team in 2001!