Hi All

I have just returned from the Tour of Japan. I was looking at doing well in this tour as Cameron won the tour overall last year. I started the tour off well with 6th in the first stage which was a very rainy criterium. My team mate Leigh Howard had an exceptional ride by getting in a 4 man break and attacking the break to win solo. I backed up well by finishing 5th the following day in the first road stage. I felt pretty good and I was sitting in a pretty good position of 5th on GC.

Stage 3 I felt strong and I was part of a group of 7 GC contenders over the final climb. However it all came back together and my team mates Jack Bobridge and Adam Semple did a great job by delivering Leigh Howard to his second stage win. Another team mate of mine, Michael Matthews, and myself were sitting in a good position of 4th and 5th overall. 

Stage 4 was a tough stage which consisted of a 2.5km climb every lap over the 12km circuit which we covered 12 times. My team mate Jack Bobridge skipped off the front with an Amica Chips – Knauf rider which got a max of 5mins and 30 seconds lead over the peleton. Two other riders managed to jump across after the gap was reduced to 1 minute and 30 seconds. So the front group became 4 which stayed away to the finish. Jack did an excellent job and won the sprint comfortably for stage win number 3 for Team AIS. 

Now stage 5. 11.4km Mount Fuji Time Trial. An average of 10.4%. That means some serious hurt box! I went alright up the mountain but not really good enough and finished a long way down. So this ruined my chance of following in Cameron’s footsteps. Disappointing but I am still happy with my rides so far. 

Stage 6 was around a very tough circuit. I was off the front solo for the first 2 laps out of 12. It was a very hard course to go solo so I just rode tempo and a group of 3 came across to me. On lap 3 my gears slipped really bad and I managed to crash which made me chase for a lap. It was good to get some help from Leigh to get back on and it kept my legs fresh enough to stay with the front group until the finish. So thanks for that Leigh! Jack managed to get off the front again and win the stage, out sprinting the Kazak rider.

Stage 7 was a Kermese around Tokyo in the rain. Hows that? It rains for the first stage criterium, dry and hot for all the other stages, and then rains for the last stage kermese! Unlucky! Jack was in the break which got brought back pretty early. With two laps to go our team controlled the front. With a lap to go a rider attacked with approximately 6km to go. I got on the front with about 5.5km to go and took the team until about 2km to go. I felt really strong and that is the first lead out I have been involved in. Jack got on the front with 2km to go and took glenn up until 500m to go, then Leigh stepped off to win the stage. So a great lead out by the boys to make it 5 stage wins out of 7 for the tour.

All in all it was a great tour and a successful tour for the team. On a personal note I was relatively happy with how I was going. It would have been great to get a result but I put in 100% and helped out the team when I could and needed to.

I am currently in Girona with Cam for a few days to catch up and have a look around. It is great here and it inspires me to become a professional very soon.  

I have two 1 day races coming up on Sunday and Tuesday in Italy which I can hopefully do well at. I will keep you ll posted!

Until next time.

Travis

 

 A wet stage 1 with me in second wheel behind team mate Jack Bobridge and Michael Matthews in thrid wheel

In our team meeting today before the start of the stage we decided that a breakaway was going to win and if so, it must have one of us in it. The other option was a sprint finish were we would work for Tyler.

Danny, Dave Z, Tom and I covered all the moves for the first 60 kilometers until the decisive break went. I was in it with three other riders. I wanted and tried very hard to be in the action today and once I was in the move of the day the team’s tactics were going to plan.

After reaching a maximum advantage of just over two minutes on the peloton, our break was pulled back in at the half way point of the bike race by the Katusha Team. The dream of riding in the break for the day was short-lived but I went down trying.

A solo attempt by a Spanish rider shortly after reached a lead of eight minutes. Tommy D and I pulled hard at the front to reduce the gap with our new goal of making it a bunch sprint for Tyler.

The whole team did an awesome job looking after Tyler and positioning him well for the finish. With a great sprint the result was second. A fantastic effort by all and one that we will take confidence in — it may help us on the next flat stage to grasp that elusive victory!

 

Finally, after more then 7 hours in the saddle I have finished stage 10. A 262 km race with 4 km neutral and three massive mountains lets just say it was a long and hard day riding. I thought to myself before the start of the stage that it might be best for me to get into the break away so that I could ride tempo over the big mountains. So thats what i tried to do but oh how this stage would be different. The first 40 km of the race was spent going full gas at an average of 56 km hr. Still no break away. So for 1 minute the bunch sat up to take a toilet stop and a breather before getting back into it. The next 80 km were spent going full gas at an average over 50 km hr. Finally after 120 km of riding in single file at speeds I have never sat before on the flat roads a break finally went. In that 120 km I spent about 40 km of it trying to get in the right move and after so many attempts I came to the conclusion I have used to much energy and better save it for the rest of the epic stage and try for a break away another day. 

Oh hang on what’s this? why is that italian team going to the front when the break has just gone? You are joking right? Nope back into single file to chase the break away after only a couple of minutes rest. Yep, we raced flat out again all the way until the first big mountain and boom, the peloton breaks into groups over the first climb. The back group, called Groupeto, is formed and that is were I spent the next 130 km of the race until the finish. In all of this tho I have to say I did not find my longest ever race all that bad. I had pretty good legs and considering how fast we went for the first half of the race it did not seem like 7 hours in the saddle.

After a nice massage and a big dinner I am ready for a good sleep. Tomorrow I will try again for the break away and if again it does not happen the stage could end in a sprint, in which case we will work for Tyler to hopefully win the stage. Another 215 km race here I come.

 

Stage 7: This was a very up and down day for me. After coming off my longest ever race the day before I had to back it up again with a 244km stage. The stage passed through three countries, eventually finishing back in Italy after going through Austria and Switzerland. For 200km of the stage we rode through the valleys up to 1800 meters before going down 40 km into the finish. I sat on the front for a lot of the time brining the break back with my other team mates in hope of a sprint finish for Tyler. At the top of the climb the temperature dropped to 6 degrees and started raining making it a very hard final 40 km down hill to the end. My job was done when we got to that point and my body said enough was enough so i slowly rolled to the finish. I was sad to be the last man on the road but happy that stage was over and I was still in the race.

 

Stage 8: Again another 6 hour day in the saddle with another stage over 200 km. This was probably the fastest stage so far of the Tour. There was no slow point for the whole 210 km. It took 40 km for the break away to finally get away but only after a minute or so that they were gone Lampre decided to ride the front as hard as they could for the whole day. It was like a full on motor pace session back in Perth. As we got to the final climb of the day I was happy to role in with the back group again and save the legs. 

Stage 9: Now you have probably herd how this race was run. Yes it was weird and yes it was dangerous but at the end of the day it was actually my best result so far. Today was a 165 km circuit race in Milan. The crowds were massive and it should have been a very exciting race. After starting the race and doing one lap, we found parked cars, oncoming cars, train lines running every way possible and more cobbles then Paris Roubaix. It was a very scary thought of racing around this circuit and so all the 200 riders thought. There was a protest and three quarters of the race we rolled around saying we were not going to race on this course. The people in charge said there is still to be a race but the General Classification time does not matter so it was just a race for the top placing over the line. The last three laps were raced flat out at 60 km hr and the team did a great job for Tyler. He placed third behind cavendish and davis.

Rest Day 1: Finally a day off from racing but not a day off the bike. Woken up this morning for doping control was not what I wanted this morning. After having blood taken out of me and then having some food put back in we went out for a ride. It was optional for how long you wanted to do so some of the team did a short one and some a bit longer. It was beautiful weather and area near the french mountains so the total km count for my rest day was 100 km. It was not as bad as it sounds. It went really quick mentally and with a nice coffee shop, very relaxing. Now for a massage and afternoon sleep before tomorrrows Queen stage of 262 km with three mountain passes. God give me some good legs tomorrow because im going to need them.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I sit here writing this article, sitting in my room (which has a massive king size bed) looking out the window to the mountains of beautiful Austria. This Tour really does take in some amazing scenery and sights. Sorry for the late update on the last couple of stages. Not all hotels have internet. 

Stage 4 was a distance of 162 km with two major climbs. I had a really good day and survived the first 8.5 km climb in which only half the field got over. I then serviced my two climbers, Bradley Wiggins and Tom Danielson with bottles and food before the finishing climb. Once we hit the bottom of the 13 km mountain to the finish my job was done and I was told to save my legs for future days so I slowly rode my own tempo to the top. 

Stage 5 was a day I would rather forget. It was only a distance of 125 km but with a 25km climb to finish with and a beautiful 8 km climb straight from the start is was for sure not easy. I did not have very good legs and after struggling my way over the first climb and catching back on the descent I hung in there till the final summit and rode to the top with the very last group on the road. 1 and half hours to get to the top of that nasty thing. Wiggo is riding awesome and is sitting inside the top 30 on GC. Not bad for a 3 times Olympic Track Champion to be mixing it with the best climbers in the world. 

Stage 6 was to be my longest race ever so far.  I have only ever raced over 200 km once and today was a huge 248 km with two major climbs. We were in Austria for todays stage and I was hoping to be feeling much better then I did yesterday. It was an enjoyable stage considering the distance. The first 60 km we did at an average of 46 km hour until the break away was finally established. I climbed well enough to get over both climbs with the front group and on the final 25 km decent of the day the bunch split in half. I was in the second group as we hit the bottom of the hill and with Bradley Wiggins also getting caught out in the second group, my team mates and I pulled as hard as we could to get him back to the front group. We got close but not close enough. 

Today besides setting a record for my longest stage, I also set my fastest speed ever at 107 km hour. Now that is an experience going that speed with 200 bike riders around you. Also the last decent of the day was done going 90 km hour before putting on the brakes as hard as possible and flicking it around a hair pin corner. I must say if you think down hills are easy, think again because at this level it is hard. You touch the brakes around some corners and the others don’t you lose the wheel and you don’t get back on. 

 

Giro Fact 3: To know how big and the importance of this race to a team here are some stats in what my team has here in Italy. A team bus, truck, van and 4 race cars. We also have 3 mechanics, 2 doctors, 2 directors, 4 massage therapists, one physiotherapist, one physiologist, a bus driver and a media lady. 

 

Hi All

Sorry you haven’t heard from me for a while. I have just returned back from Giro Friuli in Italy. It was a 5 day hilly tour against Italian teams and National teams. On the first day I managed to get into a break of 8 that stayed away until the finish. I came in 3rd on the stage which I was pretty pleased with. It would have been nice to get a win but I still rode well. The rest of the tour was pretty hilly and I struggled on the big climbs. On the last day I was in a solo break for 90km. I got caught with 25km to go but I was very happy with my form on the flats. I felt very strong. I won a set of wheels for being away solo for so long so at least I walked away with something!

I leave on Thursday for the Tour of Japan which Cameron won last year. Fingers crossed that I can bring home a win making it a Meyer double! 

Until next time.

Travis

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What an interesting two days of racing I have just had. Yesterday was the first road race of the tour. 156km with three finishing 10km circuits. It was a very easy stage for the first 120km as only one guy had broken away. Team Columbia and us took control of riding the front in hope of a bunch sprint. I did my job along with Danny Pate of keeping the pace as high as possible for as long as possible near the finish. Tyler Farrar had a good ride and finished fifth. A nice way to start the tour for me. Even tho i lost time again it is not my aim to go for the overall here in my first Grand Tour.

 

Today was longer stage of 198km. It had two climbs in it but only small. The first one was a little but steeper then what i thought. It was only about 1 and a half km but hit around 20% in steepness. Lets just say the heart rate was fairly high going over that. The other climb was 3km in length but not so steep. Now i have to say the last 60km of todays stage would have to be the fastest riding for the longest period of time I have ever done. When this peloton wants to move they move with speed. I dont think we went under 60km hr. Who is riding the front? Are they sitting on the motorbikes? It was an experience and an eye opener to witness how good and strong you have to be, to be up there day after day in these stages. 

I hung on for dear life and got to the 10km to go mark before a massive crash happened near the front of the peleton. The whole road was blocked and 100 riders stuck behind the carnage. It was a case of rolling in after that. Tyler Farrar road the race of his life to finish second and now hold the white jersey. Unfortunately it was mixed emotions for our team as we lost our team leader in Christian Vande Velde to a crash. He had his front wheel taken out on a decent at over 50km hr and was taken to hospital. I have seen him tonight and he is very sore with broken ribs, back pain and cuts. Christian has been a great role model for me in the team and great friend. I wish him all the best with his recovery for his main goal of the Tour de France. He is one strong guy and will be fighting fit come July. 

 

Tomorrow we head into the mountains for the first time. 160km stage with a Cat 1 climb and Hors Climb  to finish. I think the team will be taking it easy as to save our legs for the next sprint stage to help Tyler get up for a win. 

 

GIRO FACT: About an hour before the start of every stage, heaps and heaps of fancy cars with music, advertising and some very attractive girls head off on the course to the finish line before the riders get under way. Its like a big parade or pagent that gives the massive crowds something else to look at and be entertained by.

GIRO FACT 2: Riders have a village that they can enjoy before the start of every stage. We sign on for the race and then head into the village that has many, many stalls of coffee, or ice tea etc. The riders sit around talking and relaxing before the start of the race while meeting amny of the VIP guests that have special passes into the village.

 

Ciao

 

Cam

Well that was one of the most exciting races of my life. Rolling down the start ramp in my first Grand Tour in front of thousands of people and with live coverage around the world was an amazing moment. As you would of read we came second today, beaten by Team Columbia. There is nothing else to be said other then they were the faster team on the day. We raced hard and left everything we had out there on the course. With an average speed of 56km/hr it was an experience to be a part of. Nothing can put into words what it feels like to be a part of a team going so fast in such a race as this. It was awesome I was happy with my ride. I pulled good turns and did everything i could. I pulled my final turn with one and a half kilometers to go and then blew.

Who would of thought my first race and result in europe would be second in the opening stage of the Giro d’Italia? Our team were a bit upset to lose today by such a small margin but are still in high spirits with a lot of racing still to come.

Tomorrow is a fairly flat stage with the distance of 156km and our main guy will be Tyler Farrar who is only 6 seconds off the leaders jersey. With a win he could take the pink jersey and of course this is our main aim over the next few days.  

 

 

I thought while im here at my first Grand Tour and rooming with Dave Zabriskie who has worn the yellow jersey at the Tour de France, I would get an interview with him for the website. 

A bit of background info for those who might not know to much about the great Dave Zabriskie. He was born in Utah, USA in 1979. He has won a stage at all three Grand Tours, medalled in the time trial at the World Championships, 4 x pro USA national Time Trial Champion, worn the yellow jersey for 4 days in the 2005 Tour de France plus many more outstanding results.

 

Here is what he had to say….

 

Cam – What is your earliest memory?

Dave – Running around in my back yard playing games.

Cam – Do you have a motto for life?

Dave – Don’t let the bastards get you down.

Cam – What would you choose for your last meal?

Dave – A camelbak full of coffee.

Cam – What has been the movie you have seen recently and why?

Dave -The Punisher Warzone because i was robbed and I wanted to take justice into my own hands against the bad guys that violated my life. 

Cam – What really grinds your gears?

Dave – Bad air quality

Cam – What is your favourite sport outside cycling?

Dave – Mountain Biking

Cam – What is your favourite animal?

Dave – Dog because its mans best friend.

Cam – If you weren’t a cyclist, what would be your ideal job?

Dave – Something in the Video Games industry

Cam – What are your goals for this years Giro d’Italia?

Dave – Win the Teams Time Trial and an individual Stage

Cam – If you could visit somewhere in Australia where would it be?

Dave – Tasmania 

 

Yesterday was an exciting day and one that I will always remember. My first Grand Tours Team Presentation. We were taken on boats across to the center of Venice where thousands of people waited to see the Giro teams announced. It was a moment I could not believe standing next to guys like Lance Armstrong, Carlos Sastre, Levi Leipheimer and many more famous cyclists.

I now lay here on my hotel bed resting and waiting for the big day to come. All the training is done and now it is just a matter of warming up and putting all that hard work out there on the stage. Today we had our last hit out on the time trial bikes. We completed a 2 hour ride with a 20 minute medium effort and a 7 minute full on effort. Our time trials bikes were fully set with a sub 9 rear zipp disc and 1080 front. We averaged 57km hour from a standing start. It was awesome to be part of team that goes so fast and so smooth for so long. The Garmin Slipstream team is ready for tomorrows opening stage of the Giro d’Italia and all fingers crossed we have the pink jersey tomorrow night.