RSS
Home
Lance Armstrong riding strong in Tour de France: How to train like him
Print
Email
RSS
Subscribe
After watching the Tour de France 2009 Stage 5 this morning (no worries, no spoilers here!), I got to thinking about the excitement of the race and how hard those incredible pro cyclists train to ride as well as they do. In particular, when watching Lance Armstrong, who after four years of retirement is again proving why he is such a strong contender, it is easy to be struck with a sense of awe. Whether you are a fan of his or not, his athleticism is nothing short of remarkable and that is due, in part, to the intense training he completed in the months leading up to the tour.
From YouTube:
Recreational cyclists hardly need to put in the hours Lance Armstrong does nor do our routes need to meet the level of difficulty his do. However, every once in awhile, it’s a good thing to push ourselves and ride the kind of terrain a pro like him would find worthy. If you are a cyclist in Southern California, you’re in luck. Lance Armstrong used our local mountains to train in advance of the 2005 Tour de France. Accompanied by Coach Chris Carmichael, he rode up in the Angeles National Forest and along a route nicknamed “Crystal Lake” by local recreational cyclists.
Back in late 2005, a friend of mine and fellow cyclist dragged me up that route, all 6,000 plus feet of it! He was the one who told me the story of Lance Armstrong’s ride in May of that year. At the time, Highway 39 was closed to all traffic, including cyclists. Since this is all hearsay, I’m not sure how the day truly transpired except that a helicopter was dispatched to check on the cyclist who was daring enough to ride up a closed state highway. Later that day, photos were taken alongside the parked helicopter of Mr. Armstrong surrounded by a group of rangers, all fans of his. (I haven’t been able to obtain rights to use those photos, but if you Google and look hard enough, you will find them.) Hearing this story back then helped me keep my focus off of the arduous task of climbing that amazing mountain highway and inspired me. Since then, I’ve ridden “Crystal Lake” several times, and it never gets any easier.
.jpg)
If you’d like to try this epic route yourself, I’d highly recommend it. However, it is not an endeavor for beginners to tackle and only more advanced cyclists should attempt it. From Encanto Park in Duarte, it is roughly a 30 mile climb to where Highway 39 meets Angeles Crest Highway. The road is closed at the top and is very remote. Cyclists have spotted black bears in the area, so please ride with a partner or group. Be sure to take plenty of water with you as there is no place to refill along the way. In the summer months, it can get hot out there as the road is mostly exposed. A camelback would be your best bet (unless, like Lance Armstrong, you can convince your team car to follow you!).
So, if you are craving the kind of terrain and climb that a seven-time Tour de France champion has tackled, “Crystal Lake” is the training ride to try.
Related Articles:
Add a Comment
.jpg)
