magazine issue march 2014
be treated like a pro by the pros
B eautiful B urgundy Inside our S ignature VIP T our
Taking in the views off ‘Le Semnoz’ during the Tour de France
Great new races enter the World Stage
Inside this issue • Beautiful Burgundy – our inaugural Signature VIP Tour • Tour Down Under • procyclingskills Tip • Not too late….for a break • Rider in Profile – Michael Hepburn • Tuscany in focus • Your holiday wish list • You ate what!!!??? • Lantern Rouge – A special from Hydralyte
With the sport of cycling growing each year its no longer the three major races (Giro, TDF and Vuelta) steeling all the limelight. The Tour of Dubai, just completed its inaugural event. With its stark backdrop, the race attracted all the major teams, no doubt the lucrative prize pot proving a great incentive as well as the stylish jerseys designed by Versace. The Artic Race of Norway, will this year see its second event raced. Another 4 day tour, it is raced just after the Tour de France. Showcasing breathtaking scenery, this tour takes pride in being the northern most cycling race held to date. 2014 sees the 3rd edition of The Tour of Beijing. Held in October, the event is a legacy of the spectacular 2008 Olympic Games, in which the road cycling events provided an unforgettable and spectacular road race through the Chinese capital. Ok, not a tour, we couldn’t go past mentioning the growing popularity of L’eroica. Created 2 in 1997, this mass participation events unique philosophy and ‘La Dolce Vita’ style has grown to see similar events in Japan and south Italy.
Michael joined us for a ride while we were in Girona, Spain last year on our TDF Tour
Rider in Profile…. Michael Hepburn Even though Michael Hepburn has two years of racing as a professional cyclist under his belt, the 2014 season has to be treated as a fresh start for the 22-year old Australian, as he made a decision of putting his successful career on the track on hold in order to fully concentrate on road cycling. Like many other professional road cyclists originating from Australia, Hepburn developed his career in its early stages primarily on the track, having an impressive winning streak in that discipline since he has won the individual pursuit as a Junior in Moscow in 2009. Riding two years for Orica-GreenEDGE, the young rider recognized that track activities has taken too much of his time and attention previous seasons, and thus decided not to defend his rainbow jerseys in both team and individual pursuit, kicking-off his road season exceptionally early instead. Being a highly successful rider on the track regarding his young age, Hepburn decided that all activities connected with racing on the velodrome are making it impossible for him to become fully prepared for the spring classics campaign, while the young Australian seeks for significant improvement in this area. The timing seems to be just right, as there are still two and a half years before the next Olympic Games. However, the young Australian admits that it remains undecided whether he would come back to the track racing and on what terms. "In terms of the track, I'm not really sure of what lies ahead, I'm just looking forward to racing with my teammates on the road a bit more this year," he said. The newly crowned Australian ITT national champion was never able to kick-off his road season that early, as he debuted this year in the windy Tour of Qatar, where he aims to show off his skills in racing against the clock as well as gain new experiences connected with competing in the difficult weather conditions. "It feels like a bit of a new beginning. I've never started this early but I think Qatar will be good preparation for the next few races," Hepburn told Cyclingnews. "It's definitely something that I've looked at and I've done a few sessions to prepare for it, but in this race, it's not like you can just take it easy for the first couple of days and arrive at the time trial fresh," Hepburn said, adding that his priority in Qatar and Oman is simply to get a solid block of racing in his legs. (Well he did just that, winning the Time Trial in Qatar over a very classy field!) "In terms of my development as well it's important for me to race every day hard and take as much as I can from guys like Mat Hayman. The time trial is a goal, but I'm really looking forward to testing myself in these racing conditions as well." When the racing in the Persian Gulf is over, Hepburn will head to Europe to participate in Paris-Nice and continue on gaining an experience on cobbled roads of the northern Belgium and France. Even though 22-year old Australian apparently won’t make it to the Orica-GreenEDGE rosters for Tour of Flanders or Paris-Roubaix, he is still eager to test his potential in the smaller events of that period, as it would be the first time for him to compete there with some significant kilometers from road racing already accumulated in his legs. "I'm not down for Flanders and Roubaix, but I'll do some of the semi-Classics before them. Last year, I did Dwars door Vlaanderen and De Panne, but they were my first races of the season so I was a little bit underdone," he said. "Still, I really enjoyed the racing and the style, and I think it's the type of racing I can do well in one day. The more racing I do there now, the better." Apart from improving his time trialing skills and clocking up more experience on the cobbled Road of the northern Europe, Hepburn would like to have his legs tested in the grand tour race in 2014. However, it seems quite clear that the mind of the Brisbane-born rider would be mostly set on learning throughout the whole 3 season, and he certainly should be the one to watch once he gets his homework done properly.
We look forward to following Michael’s continued success live, in Europe this year. Interview excerpt by Aleksandra Górska 11/2/14
A look back at our Tours during the second half of 2013
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Northern Italy Lakes, Alps & Dolomites Tour August
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Picture Menu Previous page - a: The support van winding on narrow roads b: Lunch in Stresa, pizza of course c: our favourite mamma, Lake Lugano, we also saw Cadel training that day, d: Hairpin number 22 going up Stelvio, switchbacks in the background, e: Making an arrest; the very friendly locals at the Bormio festival f: Riding the valley road to Bormio, g: mighty Mortirolo, not for the faint hearted h: gelato‌yum, i: Madonna del Ghisallo, a must for every cyclist travelling to the Lakes
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This page - a: Relaxing after lunch on Lake Garda, b: The beauty of the Dolomites, c: Pristine Italian lakes, d: famous Sella Ronda loop, Passo Gardena, e: Which direction? Abandoned hotel on Stelvio Pass border of Switzerland, f: Bathing beauties along Lake Garda, g: Our beautiful hotel garden at evening Apero time in Bolzano Following page – Just climbed. The amazing view back down the jaw dropping Passo Stelvio.
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Spain and France Basque & Pyrenees Tour August
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Picture Menu Previous page - Stylish Costa Brava, San Sebastian foreshore. This page - a: Victory at Col d’Aubisque, Pyrenees, b: dodging the sleeping horses on the Hautacam, c: best tapas in Spain, makes for a filling dinner, d: solving the worlds problems on Luz Ardiden, two local shepherds with their flock, e: wine tasting the best Spanish wines, San Sebastian, f: taking in the sights of Costa Brava, g: well worth the climb, San Sebastian, h: pretty, quiet back roads, just as we promised, i: don’t fall; the stunning view back down Luz Ardiden
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Custom Tour – France, Italy and World Masters September
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Picture Menu This page - a: Meeting the locals, b: Enjoying a very long lunch in a piazza in Italy, c: the beautiful ancient chapel attached to our hotel d: One of the many quiet back roads, always with views e: Sitting on the fence, Col d’Agnel, 3rd highest pass in the Alpes, f: Our stunning and stylish dinner Following page - One of the many views from our stunning hotel; an old converted monastery
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Inside our
B eautiful B urgundy
Signature VIP Tour September
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Picture Menu Double page - The famous Vosne Romanee Conte vineyard a: Champage & deluxe welcome pack awaits in the divine bedrooms b: A scenic country ride c: Paul Bocuse 3* Michelin d: Chateau Bagnols, our home for a few days, an the best chateau in France if not Europe e: One of the many beautiful lunch locations f: Delicious Michelin starred dessert, g: A private chocolate tasting and meeting Frances best Chocolatier, Bernard Dufour h: Our fantastic private cooking lesson in our chateau, i: The fruits of our labor, an extravagant and delicious dinner in the most luxurious setting. Following page - The magnificent welcoming reception hall of the Abbaye.
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a: Peloton approaching Angaston b: One of our great chefs c: Our top spot on Willunga Hill d: pre ride coffee & muffins e: Crazy face f: serious coffee chat g: The ever popular BoatShed function h: Lunch on Corkscrew Following page : Michael Matthews, Orica rider, watching the final stage on our tent TV on Willunga Hill.
Tour Down Under Day Tours January
dreaming of sunnier skies? We’ve still got places left on these amazing tours for this year…..make your dream a reality and be treated like a pro, by the pros. Remember non riders and partners are welcome & well catered for.
June 3 – 11
Criterium du Dauphine & Time Megeve Sportive French Alpes
August 8 – 17
Northern Italy Lakes, Alpes & Dolomites Italy
September 1 – 10
S ignature VIP T our of Tuscany Italy
If a bit of everything is what you are after then this Tour is definitely for you. The Criterium du Dauphine is the lead up race to the TDF and all the big hitters & teams race this event. Unlike the TDF there are no barriers around the riders or road closures hours beforehand. You really do get a chance to chat and be right in the mix. We also have plenty of time away from the race to enjoy riding on quiet backroads at your own pace all in preparation for the grand finale of a ride in one of the most popular cyclosprotives in France – the Time Megeve Sportive - under the shadow of Mont Blanc. With a choice of three routes, this mass participation ride is perfect for all riders levels. Non-riders also love this tour, which is filled with lots of sightseeing, slumbering in chateau & high-end accommodation, with some of the best food in France to savour.
One of our most popular tours, we explore the stunning beauty of Northern Italy. Exploring scenic back roads, and many of our favorites tucked away places. From Lake Maggiore & Lake Como, to the dizzying heights of the Alpes where many ‘bucket list’ climbs exist to the most remarkable area of the Dolomites with its unique landscapes and rich cultural diversity. Its no wonder this tour is a highlight for riders and nonriders alike. If you want to embrace the Italian Dolce Vita, this tour is it.
Following on from the huge success of our inaugural Signature VIP tour we have created another statement holiday for those who really do want to experience the very highest standard for a cycling holiday. Specifically designed for couples who enjoy varying levels of cycling interests, or indeed for those who’s partner perhaps doesn’t ride at all but simply wants to enjoy the very best Tuscany has to offer. “Far exceeded our expectations”, “we’ve been on other so called high end luxury tours with other operators, but you really deliver on what you promise and more” – just a couple of comments so far. We invite you to experience another level of luxury on the bike and beyond. Naturally numbers limited
Exploring new horizons We want to hear from you…..
We are already developing our tours for 2015 and we’ve got some exciting new adventures planned. But its not about where we want to go, its all about where you want to go…..so we would love to hear from you on where you would like to take your next holiday on a bike Email us at info@procyclingtours.com today and tell us where we should take you!
Introducing two new additions to our fleet in Australia…..
SVIP T ignature
ours
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Tuscany
Join us this September for sensory overload during possibly the most indulgent holiday you will have on and off the bike Experience a new level of luxury Enquire at info@procyclingtours.com or visit our website To download the e-brochure 1 – 10 September 2014
Cant fit another thing in….. Food on Tour Over the past few years, travelling between Australia and Europe has led to lots of excess baggage, as one would expect. However, unfortunately not all of it has ended up being carried in the suitcase, but a little more personally! The positive is that no additional weight charges were incurred. We find ourselves now reflecting on how some of this baggage came to be. On the next few pages you will find a virtual smorgasbord of meals; devoured, savored, discussed and generally consumed with a lot of gusto, and always washed down with a thoughtfully chosen beverage of the percentage kind. Many years ago while watching a program on cheese a French-man commented on the cheese we get in non European counties. You know, the cheese in the supermarket all neatly cut, processed and wrapped in plastic. “These cheeses” he said “are dead, covered in a plastic coffin”. Taking these words literally ever since, unless an emergency calls for it, ‘dead’ cheese is no longer consumed in our house. This advice has also followed through into the meals we arrange for our clients whilst on tour.
Most of the accommodation we stay in and restaurants we dine at, are chosen for the quality of their cuisine and not just what the cheapest menu option for us is. And I’m pleased to say that to date, none of our guests has ever said they have gone hungry. Usually the opposite‌‌too much (yummy) food. So please enjoy a small morsel of the amazing meals we have been fortunate enough to indulge in. Many created by authentic Mammas in small Italian kitchens, to legendary chefs with too many stars under their belt to count. After all, a cycling holiday is not just about the bike!
Over the 2013/14 summer, Steve has coached over 70 riders of varying abilities. From first timers right through to National Series athletes. All having the goal to be a lot better at what they do. We've been overwhelmed with the feedback from everyone who has had either 1 session through to regular sessions. What inspires us is hearing about the immediate benefits gained, with everyone improving their performance overnight, purely by perfecting their cycling technique. Steve's focus is completely personalised and with everyone different in ability, strengths / weaknesses and priorities, everyone can and will be a better bike rider literally overnight. "If only I consciously applied the techniques I have carefully learnt & created over the past 15 years, when I was a lot younger" mildly regrets Steve "now 43, I'm riding better than ever and its through focusing on perfect technique that is making that happen. Thanks to everyone who has emailed us their experience, our latest email from a client below: 'Thanks again for the session and your tips the other week, I rode up Norton Summit for the first time since then and put in a PR! Shaved about 30sec off my best time set almost 2 years ago when I was in full flight training mode pre TDF. I don’t think my fitness is anywhere near what it was back then so I can’t believe I beat my time – it’s all technique and that is because of your coaching… thank you', Lou If you're keen to book Steve in for 1 or a few sessions this coming summer upon our return from Europe, please email us at info@procyclingtours.com. Located Interstate? If you’re not located in South Australia and you’re part of a small group, or want some one on one time, get in touch and we can arrange an interstate visit.
procyclingskills tip Cadence Steve suggests trying to maintain an absolute consistent cadence when training on a climb, never fluctuating it and using the gears as they have been designed to use, changing constantly with varying gradients. "For most people a cadence of around 80 revs a minute is just right and combined with a high focus on breathing from your stomach (not your throat) will work well when climbing," explains Steve. This, combined with TIMING your effort on a climb so to start in complete control and with a lower heart rate, then gradually lift your effort as you climb, will help you train in your zone for longer and generate a far more consistent power curve,"
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