We catch up with Rod Ellingworth to get a unique insight into Team Sky's winter training programme.
Winter training progressing well
While some at Team Sky have spent the close season recharging their batteries, race coach Rod Ellingworth has been as busy as ever putting plans in place to ensure everyone hits the ground running in 2012.
We caught up with him at the Manchester Velodrome to find out what he has been up to since the season wrapped up last October, and also gained a unique insight into how things are run behind the scenes:
TeamSky.com: What are the main things you have been working on over the winter?
Rod Ellingworth: Immediately after the season ended the coaching and management team began a review period where we all filed reports detailing what we thought had worked, and not worked, throughout the campaign. Once that was done we talked everything through to ensure we had an improved plan of action moving forwards.
While that review period was going on we were also formulating our 2012 race programme and once that was finalised I communicated it to all the staff and riders. My job also involved helping the new riders settle in and making sure they were up to speed with the way things are done here.
I then made sure everything was in place for the team’s winter training camp in Majorca and that the improvements we’d made there were implemented. Once everyone arrived the training was on.
TS: How did the Majorca camp go in December?
RE: Really well – it was the best one we’ve ever run. The weather was kind to us, everyone was really motivated, and we managed to get a lot of good work done.
The main premise of it was kept the same; ourselves and British Cycling shared a hotel throughout the month where riders dropped in and out depending on their schedules. There were always at least 10 of our guys there which meant we could get a lot of good work done. It’ll be the same this month as well.
TS: Was every rider doing the same type of work out there?
RE: We went out on group rides every day but we tailored things to make sure everything fitted in with each rider’s own specific programmes.
TS: Have you had a say in every rider’s training programmes?
RE: Not specifically, no. Each rider has his own contact point on the management team who helps him manage his training over the winter. Bobby [Julich] and I have got seven riders each and Kurt [Asle Arvesen] has six. The DS’s then look after one rider apiece and then some of the guys work closely with the British Cycling coaching team.
As coaches we’re always in regular contact with every one of them though and are always aware of who’s doing what. I’ll generally call my guys three times a week and then relay that back to the other management in our weekly conference call.
TS: So you’re not commonly out there on the road with them improving their technique and practising race tactics?
RE: We do monitor technique and practice things like lead-outs and team time trials in Majorca, but it’s almost impossible to replicate a race situation in training. Throughout the year we’ll all check in with our riders for motorpacing sessions as well, but for the most part our winter training is focused on conditioning.
TS: Are the squad generally trusted to formulate their own training programmes?
RE: We get them to talk to us about what they want to do beforehand and then they are left to get on with their own programmes. They are professionals and can be trusted to do that. Obviously, every rider has different targets and different things going on, and we’re there to support and advise them whenever they need it.
Take Mark [Cavendish] for instance - he had such a busy schedule leading up to the Sports Personality of the Year Awards, so with him it was a matter of finding a workable balance between his media commitments and making sure he was still putting the hours on the bike in.
Luke Rowe had to be advised completely differently. He’s a neo-pro and is determined not to let anyone down heading into the new season. People in that situation sometimes have a tendency to overdo it so we have to manage that carefully as well.
TS: And what about the guys who are riding the Tour Down Under?
RE: CJ [Sutton] and Mick Rogers have never really stopped since they headed back to Australia. CJ won a race over there in November and will have also taken part in the Jayco Bay Crits and National Championships before the Tour Down Under starts.
Mick only returned to full fitness at the end of last season and has continued to build his form steadily since then. The Tour Down Under is a big race for him and he’ll take his break after that and not race then during February.
Edvald [Boasson Hagen] spent some time in Girona before heading to Majorca last month, and he flew out to Australia with Alex Dowsett at the start of January to ensure they are both ready to go. Mat Hayman’s been keeping things ticking over ahead of the Classics and G’s been riding the track, as well as in Majorca, so yes, they are all in good shape.
TS: Do you think the close season is too short nowadays?
RE: It’s certainly a lot shorter than it was when I was riding and the start of the season seems to be creeping earlier all the time. Having a WorldTour race like the Tour Down Under and the Tours of Qatar and Oman means the action is fierce from the start as well because the points on offer at WorldTour events are so important to the teams involved. We’re all in the same boat though and as long as things are managed correctly it needn’t be a problem.
TS: And we’re guessing the pressure isn’t on yet for those guys with Classics or Grand Tour ambitions?
RE: No it’s not. The preparation for races like those has not really changed a great deal. The GC guys will ease their way into the season and build up their form gradually to ensure they are in peak condition once the summer rolls around.
The Classics specialists will focus more on efforts over the winter which will help them prepare for the cobbles or bergs in the spring. They don’t need to ride them over the winter because it is completely different there now compared to in March or April. They’ll use races like Waregem and Het Nieuwsblad in the weeks beforehand to get themselves up to speed technically.
TS: So everything is looking good then heading into the new season?
RE: Yes, definitely. We’ve had a really productive close season. Everything has run according to plan so we are in great shape moving forward.
