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This year looks like being a crucial one for talented American rider Tom Danielson as he moves from the now-defunct Saturn team to Fassa Bortolo. After a 2003 season that saw him win the Tour de Langkawi and defend his Mt Washington hill-climb title, the latter part of his season was marred by injury. After spending the off-season fixing those injuries he has high hopes for a 2004 with the top team in the world. He also hopes to master the Italian keyboard!
A new program
April/May round-up, May 18, 2004
Hello all my cyclingnews.com friends!
I'd have to say April was quite a good month for me. I was able to pick myself off the ground after a two-week bout with bronchitis just in time for another hors category race, the Tour de Romandie. I had a good race and finished 18th overall. For me it was quite an unexpected result based on all the battles I have waged along the way. But riding well in that big of a race has brought my confidence up another level and proved I can ride with the best in the world.
This year has been moving in a positive, upward direction, although different then what was planned in January. But this is life, more so, professional bike racing. We are presented with many obstacles and we are forced to overcome them. But as I always say, these obstacles and the methods we apply to overcoming them are what takes us to a new level; and this year I am doing just that.
Each stage in Romandie I felt as if I was gaining momentum and strength, while I was doing my best to overcome lack of experience with the help of my teammates (I even had Petacchi bring me to the front before the climb in stage 3! An honor!). In contrast with one race earlier in the season, I actually was feeling a bit more comfortable and was enjoying myself out there. But still, I have "heaps" (as I hear the Aussie contingent in the peloton say) to work on.
My positioning is improving, so is my endurance, but I am working on these things gradually. My team is fantastic in giving me the opportunity to race in these huge races allowing me to focus on learning. But still, the experience factor is not quite there for me to do my thing on the final climbs yet. I am always riding within myself and observing, with the hope in a few more races I will arrive at the critical point in the race ready to do my thing. But, when I do, I am going to do it right.
I am back at home now beginning another block of training for Tour de Suisse in a month. It is fun to watch Petacchi do his thing at the Giro although I would like to be there, building a team all around him was the best option as I still have a way to go before I can do something in a grand tour.
While I am on the subject I should fill you in on what my schedule looks like now. Obviously it is subject to change, but I feel right now this new one is better then the first. I have this month to regroup, train, and get ready for two races in June. In the beginning of June I have the Euskal Bizikleta race. Okay folks, by observing that strange word you will notice it is bicycle written in Martian. No, that is Basque which automatically tells you that the race will be full of crazy Euskaltel guys throwing themselves at every climb as if it is the last one. To say the least this race will be hard and good training for my next race. That is the Tour de Suisse which by looking at the profile should suit me well. So, I will give it a go a see what I can do.
That brings us to July which, we all know, is when homeboy Armstrong goes for his sixth Tour. The tour is another thing that, when I do it, I want to do it right; this year I am not ready to do it. I will be cheering on Lance, Tyler (watch this guy, he is riding amazingly!), Levi, and of course my teammates, from my other home, Durango, CO. July will be a time for me to take a midseason break and spend some quality time training on my old stomping grounds and eating chicken burritos with my sweet Sizzle (Kristin). I might just also try my hand at another hill climb too.
But July will also mark the beginning of my preparation for yes, my first grand tour, the Vuelta. I will be doing at lot of miles and mountains with that particular goal in mind. I will then travel home (the Italian home this time) in August and do a racing schedule tailored to arriving in September in top form. The team feels the Vuelta will be good for me as by then I will have three times the experience I have now, and there will be less pressure for the sponsors to come out with big wins (as in the Giro). Therefore, the team can invest energy and power into me even if I don't win something in the race, but maybe get a good result.
Hearing I was scheduled to do the Vuelta was music to my ears and confirms that choosing this team was a great decision. So, sorry about the delay about the grand tour thing, but until then I will work my hardest and come through with something to finish the season in a big way. So that what is on the plate for now and hopefully I can continue this upward progression with little setbacks.
Before I head out for some more training, I would like to commend Tim "big" Johnson for holding down the front over in Spain. I know personally how big of a talent he is and I can tell you first hand that he is riding well. I am proud of how well he is doing and anxiously await his big results in the future. Tim's SO, Lyne Bessette, is riding on another planet as my Sizzle tells me (Lyne is her idol!) and I even got to view the Romandie TT from behind Lyne in the Fassa team car as she finished second in a world class field. Watch for her this year in Olympics!
My alma mater, Fort Lewis Cycling, has also been tearing it up on the collegiate cycling scene winning just about everything and hopefully they can topple CU (no offense Tyler) come Nationals this weekend. Go Skyhawks! The Sizzle has been showing no mercy over at the Joe Martin Stage Race and next week will be snuggling with me in my CAT altitude tent! I can't wait; I miss her so much, but am very excited for her on how well she is doing this year. It is difficult to be apart for long periods of time, but I foresee her living over here much more next year as she might expand her racing to this continent.
Okay! Whew! That was a long one! I better finish my coffee and get outside; there are lots of climbs to be had today! Until next time I thank you for reading my journal and I promise to update more regularly so you can find out what is going on over here!
Ciao for now,
Tom