Earlier this week, I attended a book launch event at Evans Cycles in London. There, I met 2 times cyclocross World Champion and Omega Pharma Quick Step rider, Zdenek Stybar:
Very nice gentleman he is too! Sadly, he didn't reveal any secrets that would help me to stop being a back marker! He was also BMX World Champion at the tender age of 8. Wow!
The evening was hosted by Daniel Friebe, on the right below. Daniel is a cycling journalist and writer - he collaborated with Mark Cavendish to write
Boy Racer, and also recently published
Eddy Merckx: The Cannibal. Balint Hamvas (middle) launched his
Cyclocross 2011/2012 photo book. A coffee table type with superb pictures, capturing a wide variety of perspectives on riders, their lives and racing. His website is cyclephotos.co.uk. Yes, I did buy a copy, and yes, I did get it signed by both Balint and Zdenek! I also have a signed copy of Daniel's book on Merckx, which is highly recommended too.
Zdenek told us the story behind his pink Specialized bike, which had caused quite a stir last winter when he started racing on it in a blaze of pink-themed publicity. I asked him what it is like to be in a team with riders like Tony Martin and Levi Leipheimer, and even whether he gets tips on time trialling from Herr Martin! He said that it is a real confidence boost to be in the same team and he learns by watching Tony Martin warm up and prepare for races. Off the bike, Stybar runs twice a week, does core/stability training in the gym and weights, mainly presses. One season, before the World Championships, he ran 3400 steps as stair climb training only to realise later that he was supposed have been working on 340! They stuck him in an ice bath to speed recovery, but during the World Championships, he was flying up the stairs! On training for cyclocross, he told me that you have to train at the intensity of races, like intervals. Makes me tired just thinking of it. Just what you'd expect, I suppose.
I wish I'd stuck around longer and harassed him for more information, but it's a fine line between being a keen fan and behaving like a stalker! A fantastic evening. There was even cold Belgian beer! I only heard about the event on the day, but I'm glad I did.
Harjinder Obhi, SBRC
