10 Speed Drive/BH in the Dominican Republic

The Ten Speed Drive / BH Bicycles started the season early with its opening race in the UCI 2.2, 8 day, 10 stage, Vuelta Independencia Dominico 2010. Ten Speed Drive was the only amateur team in the event and placed an awesome 13th in the team classification.


The team raced in an environment unlike any other they have experienced, from course conditions to accommodations. There were quite a few challenges to finishing the event, let alone getting there. While the team's BH Connects performed awesomely, the roads in the Dominican Republic leave a little to be desired. On stage 7 of the race, the field recorded 155 flats.

The team had some great coverage, with a series of rider diaries on Velonews.com. Check out the diaries here: http://velonews.competitor.com/2010/02/news/gringo-diaries-vuelta-independencia-etapa-4_106283.


The team's roster:
Jaime Gandara - MEX
Josh Liberles - USA
Pavel Stuchlik - CZE
Garrett White - USA
Cristian Velasquez - HON
Justin Make - USA

Simple Racing, Super Results

As I set out to write these updates on the AG2R team in the Tour de France I never imagined that I would be writing about the Yellow Jersey. The Tour this year was interesting, yes it had Lance Armstrong in it, and there was the drama between Armstrong and Contador. That so called feud lasted for the better part of two weeks and in between that time Nocentini appeared. AG2R was a team with not a lot of results this year and many thought they would not be able to defend the Yellow Jersey amongst the power house teams. As the days went by, and Nocentini kept yellow, the team gained confidence and they brought their own power to the front of the peloton. Each rider had a different objective and each rider stepped up at different times to do their job in order keep the team in the headlines.

During this time I was able to step up to the riders and talk with them about their day and mostly about the G5 bike. When they saw me they knew they were about to get hit with questions about the bike and not the race. For some of them it was difficult to explain the difference between last years bike and the new G5. They would demonstrate with their hands or repeat the same words two or three times. If there were five different ways to mention that the bike was stiff they would figure out a way to do it. Really, after three weeks of talking with the riders the main benefit they treasured the most was the stiffness of the new G5. The riders didn’t want any of their efforts to go to waste, when they stepped on the pedals they wanted the bike to move forward. According to the riders the newly designed BH accomplished this in the front end, the bottom bracket, and the rear triangle - that pretty much covered the entire bike.

Simplicity can be a rider’s friend and in this case it works because the riders get what they want without realizing all the added benefits. The carbon dropouts, the cut out down tube, the tapered head tube, the BB 30 bottom bracket, and replaceable derailleur hanger are items the professionals don’t really notice. As a consumer these are all important features for safety, repair, and ease of use. The Tour riders demand a very stiff bike that would climb well and sprint well. This is a challenge for any bike manufacturer because of the balance to stay laterally rigid while decreasing the weight. The AG2R mechanics pointed out the new tube shapes throughout the G5 allow these contradictory qualities of lightness and stiffness to coexist.

As the G5 was a new introduction to the Tour so was the fact to have a mountain top finish the day before Paris. The organizers wanted a final showdown on the Ventoux and they designed a course that actually delivered that. It may not have been suspenseful to see who would have the lead, Contador had that wrapped up, but there were many that wanted that 3rd spot on the podium. The Ventoux lived up to its reputation with howling winds and enormous crowds. The mountain was packed with fans and many of them had camped there for over five days to make sure they had a good viewing spot. Contador was at ease on the mountain as was Andy Schleck. Each had their own objective and it wasn’t to win the stage, I feel this was a mistake. Venotoux is not just any mountain, it carries a prestige that no other mountain has except for Alp’D Huez. Contador and Schleck allowed the break to stay away, for no apparent reason, instead of trying to put one of their names as the victor. This will come back to haunt them. The chance was now and as Lance Armstrong knows it doesn’t return very easily.

Over the three weeks AG2R ranked up there with one of the most successful teams of the Tour. As the riders raced back and forth on the final day in Paris it was easy to reflect back on the results of some of the Tour teams. Rabobank saved themselves with the Ventoux win but for teams such as Milram, Quick Step, and Cofidis they will have some head scratching to do about their lack of results at the Tour de France. On the other hand there is Colombia, Astana, Saxo Bank, AG2R, and Cervelo who rode a race that made a big difference. For some teams there was a lot of buildup coming to the Tour with predictions, troubles, and expectations. For AG2R their simple plan was to ride hard, be present in the race, and simply race. Their results may have surprised many but they won over many fans because of their style of racing. Now AG2R, the team and the sponsor, can’t wait for next year.

G5 Chainstay Detail

The Hardest Day

The Yellow Jersey has changed teams but that doesn’t mean that AG2R has rested because of their previous accomplishments. Yesterdays stage, that contained two enormous climbs, saw Goubert and Roche vying for the win. It was an incredible ride by both these riders and at the finish it was a drag race of seconds between the winner and the top five places. Roche really has been one of the surprises of this Tour de France. Roche is a young rider that has proven he has the nose for finding the breaks and the legs to put himself in them. He has a great combination of climbing and sprinting skills which makes him dangerous in any move. This is why the new BH G5 really suits his riding style. The combination of being one of the lightest bikes on the market combined with superb stiffness has given the AG2R riders a big boost of confidence. The Tour is hard enough on its own without worrying about equipment. The AG2R riders train hard, race hard, and are fortunate enough to partner with BH to help them deliver great results.

At the start line for Stage 17 I saw Goubert getting prepared for the race and I walked over to Nocentini and congratulated him for the excellent ride all last week. Usually after someone loses a jersey they disappear off the radar and no one bothers them. I took this opportunity to see how he was doing and surprisingly he seemed fresh and still ready to race. He also confirmed that the G5 was working great and he liked it best in the mountains. Nocentini had hoped to make the break on Stage 17 and he was certain that it would go on the first climb.

Todays stage, perhaps the hardest stage of the Tour, blew up right away. At the start a large break took off immediately and as is customary AG2R had two riders present again in the front group. There are teams in this race that barely have had one rider represented in the break and many usually miss the whole move. AG2R has been incredibly attentive every day and on stage 17 they put Roche and Arrieta into the front group. The five big climbs were a big test for the riders. I noticed many of the riders using lightweight carbon wheels to help with their acceleration on the up hills. The carbon wheels also work very well with the new larger head tube on the bike. This combination of sturdiness delivers comfort in the form of feeling secure and confident into the fast turns. After every one of these grueling climbs the riders bombed the descents. It’s a very finite line between pushing a bike to the limit and pushing it too far to cause a crash. The G5 somehow broadens that line with a very responsive front end and the integrated seat post allows a more stable feeling to maneuver the bike threw hard turns.

In the race the gap grew but when the front group hit the final climbs it was not a matter of tactics to stay in the front but a matter of having the climbing legs to challenge for the finish. The leaders with their climbing speed, on the last two climbs, flew up the hills as they tried to sort out the overall classification. Contador rode superbly until some questionable attacks at the top of the last climb. Here Contador attacked and dropped his teammate Kloden. This sent Kloden spiraling backward and losing his third place overall. Many say this was a tactical mistake but I believe Contador does not trust anyone on his team and attacked to further himself from Kloden. Kloden is a good climber, a better time trialist and the further from Contador the more relaxed Contador will feel.

At the end of the day Pellizotti wrapped up the KOM jersey from any challengers and the stage also saw the Green Jersey become protected. Now with four days left in the race both Pellizotti and Hushovd have a large enough lead that no one can touch them. Contador has yellow, the Schlek’s sit in second and third overall, and Lance is fighting to keep a spot on the podium.

Back to Normal

He arrived exhausted and sweaty. Salt stained his jersey and his sunken eyes told the story of the climb. The ascent up to Verbier was fast, brutal and hard for Nocentini. The Yellow Jersey had been on his shoulders for 8 days and the fatigue I saw at the top of the climb was not only from one simple 8km climb but from the hundreds of kilometers ridden before in defense of a title that many were determined to take. At the top of the Verbier climb the team souigneer, Sabeno, sat ready and waiting with everything needed for the riders. He had bags full of drinks, food, warm clothing, and directions on how the riders could find the hotel at the bottom of the climb. Sabeno wasn’t nervous and he wasn’t sad that the yellow had been taken away by the incredible ride of Alberto Contador. Sabeno knows cycling and he knows that the team had dug deep this past week and has had a very successful Tour despite a week left of racing. Any results now would just be icing on the cake.

At the finish I watched Nocentini unzip his Yellow Jersey and take it off. It was almost like it was his everyday AG2R jersey and not the symbol of success that 180 riders dream of having. The Yellow Jersey was stuffed in a bag that day retired from his shoulders. Just after the arrival of Nocentini the rest of the AG2R riders came pouring in. The altitude made the wind cool but you wouldn’t have known that by seeing the riders soaked in perspiration crossing the finish. One by one the riders received their warm clothing and took a bottle to drink before they headed down the hill to their hotel. There were no signs of fault and no signals of failure on the day. The team was realistic and knew this would be the end to their reign. Perhaps some were happy to see the extra work load of riding on the front disappear and some would miss the power that comes with defending the lead.

This next week will be tough for the AG2R riders. The effort they spent to defend the jersey could come back and haunt their legs in this brutal final week of the Tour. There is a big difference between sitting in the peloton and riding on the front of the peloton. The AG2R team had to use a lot of muscle and dig into their reserves to keep the yellow jersey for eight days. The energy used last week is energy that won’t be present to help them get through the next few mountain days. The team will have to change its focus and goals for this final week and quite frankly it just might be about making it to Paris.
-Frankie

Yelling for Yellow

With the G5 bikes all lined up outside the bus AG2R was ready to defend the yellow jersey another day. Even without the riders standing outside the crowd had gathered to observe and watch the workings of the yellow jersey team. Nocentini sat inside sticking his numbers onto his jersey, Stephane Goubert rubbed his legs trying to remove the fatigue from yesterdays cold and wet stage. The others stock piled their jerseys with food and drinks to get ready for another work day. The profile for stage 14 was easier then stage 13, but with tomorrow being the uphill finish to Verbier, this could be the last night in yellow for AG2R.

The stage started fast as usual but this time it wasn’t just AG2R that controlled the race, they had help from the sprinter teams. Stage 14 is the last chance for the sprinters until the final day in Paris. There are sprint teams that have not had the result they wanted and there are sprinters who want another chance at beating Cavendish. The other factor that benefited AG2R was the green jersey competition which has heated up between Cavendish and Hushovd. This took some of the pressure off AG2R and put it square on the shoulders of those that wanted a field sprint.
At the start of the Tour AG2R didn’t know what position they would be in. They built a team that was well rounded and focused on the overall, what they didn’t realize was that Nocentini would be the man in yellow.

Two of Nocentini’s strongest workers are Efimkin and Dessel. Coming into the Tour Efimkin and Dessel were to be the leaders of the team but now have led the team, and the peloton, in their strength and experience on the road. They have been using the G5 in the mountains and despite this being the fourth mountain day in the Tour Dessel continues to be impressed. “I like the way the bike feels when I’m out of the saddle. It drives forward fast . There is a big difference in stiffness from last year.” The new G5 increased the stiffness to meet the riders demands but they also made the seat stays flatter to be more compliant. Efimkin echoed the feelings of comfort, “The bike rides nice. I can do five hours and it doesn’t feel bad. The legs can be bad but that’s not because of the bike.”

Either way for AG2R the day would work out well for them. They have two good sprinters with Nicholas Roche and Lloyd Mondory. Both of these riders have consistently been up there in the top 8 during the bunch gallops. There is also Riblon, Arrieta, and Dupont who have faithfully been by the side of the yellow jersey during these last seven days.

The break escaped early towards the finish in Bresancon and included in the front group of ten was the fast man Roche. With one rider in the break this took the pressure off the team to ride and that responsibility then fell onto Astana. The problem was Hincapie was a threat and a danger to AG2R so at the end of the day the team had a hard chase to keep Hincapie from taking the jersey. A combination of AG2R riding flat out, Garmin deciding to ride just at the end for no apparent reason except to prevent Hincapie from having yellow, and Colombia’s insistence to lead out Cavendish for the sprint led to the five seconds that Hincapie fell short of taking the jersey. The riders are upset, the managers are upset, the directors are upset and all at each other. One team who is not upset and rode a perfect race to keep yellow for one more day was AG2R.

Vive La France

It’s shaping up to be a very successful Tour for French cycling. Through 12 stages, we’ve had three French winners (Thomas Voeckler, Brice Feillu and Pierrick Fedrigo) and a French team (AG2R) successfully defending the yellow jersey for six stages. Recent years have marked a long, dry spell for Frenchmen in the country’s most-watched sporting event. Can you name the last Frenchmen to don the yellow jersey? It was Brice’s brother, Romain, who wore it for one stage in 2008. To find another Frenchman in yellow, you have to go back to 2006 with current AG2R team member Cyril Dessel.

But so far in 2009, the French with their three stage wins are ahead of the pace they’ve set this decade for Tour de France success. Besides Richard Virenque’s KOM victories, the French don’t have much to show for this decade. Between 2002 and 2008, the French won a grand total of 15 stages, or about two per year. Their high point was 2004, when they were led by the likes of Nazon, Virenque and Moncoutie to four stage wins.

But this Tour has given hope to the French. We are through the Pyrenees, after stage 12, five of the top seven KOM contenders are all French. Two of the top eight in the white jersey competition are French (Feillu and Pierre Roland) and AG2R is second in the team classification. AG2R has led the Tour with Nocentini, since the first stage in the Pyrenees. As we get ready to head to the Alps Nocentini will struggle to keep the yellow jersey but by the end of the Tour AG2R could be the team that carried the yellow jersey for the most days during the race.

On Stage 11 and 12 the team had to work a great amount to keep yellow. They were determined to keep the lead of the race and in order to do so the team had to ride on the front for many kilometers. Stage 12 proved more difficult for AG2R, after averaging over 47km/hr for the first two hours, the break finally went away. As the break increased their gap, the small roads continued to twist and swerve with blustery winds. This discouraged the sprinter teams from riding to help AG2R and by the end of the day the team had put in a huge effort from the start of the race to the end of the race to keep yellow. Stage 13 to Colmar was a climbing day and proved more difficult for the team. After tired legs from two days of pulling they were no match to the attacks that came on the large climbs. Immediately a break went with three riders but the images of suffering in the rain were present throughout the peloton. Nocentini sat comfortably with Astana as the tempo they set seemed to neutralize the rest of the G.C. riders. For AG2R this strategy worked in their favor because it gained them another day on the podium in yellow at the finish.

Clearly the large crowds coming out to support AG2R are proof of this country’s enduring love for cycling. So far this year, French Tour riders are repaying that love with success. Because everyone loves to get behind a champion the French have been cheering the loudest for their favorite yellow jersey wearer.