Hey Mr. Tally Man...

... tally me race results.

2011
Starts- 311
Top 10- 148
Top 5- 77
Podiums- 39
Wins- 9
State Championships- 1

Overall participation and results were really up in 2011. 2012 looks to be even bigger and hopefully better. The Team Indiebike p/b Angie's List talent pool continues to get deeper and wider with a mix of proven winners, up and comers and those just looking to have a good time. This year the team looks to continue to increase its presence at both road races and crits around the Ohio Valley region with some additional strength and numbers in the women's and masters categories. Also look for Team Indiebike to make an even bigger impact on the OVCX and ICX cyclocross series as more and more riders catch cross fever.

Power to the People

I'm not trying to depress you by pointing out that you will simply never achieve the level of performance that it takes to compete at the highest level of cycling, but that is likely one implication of this post. The following table shows approximately where you stack up in the realm of competitive cycling based on your watts per kilogram (W/kg) output at different intervals. As some of you may be familiar with an 8min test, to find your spot on the chart I suggest figuring your W/kg for 8min and moving up one or two lines on the 5min column.

After training and power testing for 3-4 years now and upgrading through the ranks as my ability, both in terms of power and racing tactics, has improved I can vouch that as I have gone from a clueless Cat5 to the cusp of making the jump to Cat2 the power profiles contained in this chart have been pretty spot on. In fact my power output while in racing condition last year places me precisely in the overlap between the Cat3 and Cat2 ranges. This is exactly where I find myself, able to consistently finish in the top 5 of Cat 3 races and unsure about my ability to hold on for dear life with the Cat 1/2 crowd.

It is important to take into consideration the timing and conditions of your power profile before taking your "ranking" on this chart to heart. While my power at race fitness places me in the range I shared above, my current numbers following several weeks of rest and low intensity riding after a fall of grinding, muddy CX races are not going to be a good reflection of overall potential.

Several members of Team Indiebike p/b Angie's List have just recently "tested in" at the beginning of their early season training. Whatever those numbers are remember this is the baseline. As you add more intensity into your workouts and spend more time at and above threshold that W/kg number will creep up closer to its true limit. Also, as some of those extra winter kilos melt away the effect will be even greater. Depending on how your body responds to training you can try adding roughly 5-10% to your baseline power test now to get a rough estimate of where you may be once racing begins in a couple of months.

So you may never product 6.0 W/kg (410w for a 150lb rider) for 30 minutes and be able to repeat that multiple times in a four hour span. Most of us wont. Even so, knowledge is power so take this information for what it's worth and make the most of your training to find your limits and push beyond them.

2011 MVP

There is one rider this year for Team Indiebike p/b Angie's List that by far stands out among the rest, Sierra Siebenlist. In 2011 nobody on the squad racked up more starts (34), more podiums (11), more wins(4), and more championships(1) than Sierra. That's only including road and cyclocross events. Outside of Team Indiebike she also competes in mountain bike, track and BMX disciplines.

Sierra commented earlier in the season that she has never trained and pushed herself as hard as she has this year with the team. We are just glad that Team Indiebike p/b Angie's List has had some part in her success. From going out to do extra hills at training camp to hanging on for dear life on some drop or die Tuesday night shop rides Sierra has put in the hard work it takes to earn her results. Sierra isn't just a great racer though, she is also an amazing teammate. You can usually count on a batch of delicious cookies waiting for you at the end of each race thanks to Sierra. In addition to her generous baking she is always ready and willing to help out the team in any way she can.
At the culmination of the 2011 season Sierra has gone out at the top of her game. On December 17th Sierra won the Elite Women's Indiana State Cyclocross Championship. It was a cold muddy day that required equal measures of endurance and skill. Her impressive performance was even recognized in an online article published by Cyclocross Magazine. As the recently crowned Indiana State CX Champion, Sierra was eligible to race in the Elite Women's field this past weekend at the US National Championships in Madison, WI where her former Marian University teammate Katie Antonneau finished second overall.

Team Indiebike p/b Angie's List is proud to say that Sierra will be back on the roster in 2012. We are extremely proud of what she accomplished in 2011 and will all use it as motivation to try and keep up with her in 2012.

Thinking of you...

Time to pour some out for my homie Brad "Papa Bear" Sheridan. I know how much you enjoy kicking back and sipping a nice glass of Chardonnay.

Backyard Cross - CX isn't over...

We are well into the month of December, the OVCX series has ended, but cyclocross racing is still going strong in the Ohio Valley region. Five races remain in the Indiana Cyclocross Cup series and some of the most exciting racing of the season is yet to come as the temperature drops and snow begins to fall. This weekend is the first of two double headers featuring Depot Cross in Ft. Wayne on Saturday and Backyard Cross in Bargersville (just south of Indianapolis) on Sunday.

Sunday's Backyard Cross is a race that you can't afford to miss. The course is set up in an undeveloped subdivision with a fantastic variety of terrain. There are open fields, wooded patches, a good chance for a log laydown that you cant bunny hop, plenty of off camber stuff along the banks of the lake, a little pavement and probably a good amount of mud mixed in throughout. This course is a hidden gem that has a chance to become the crown jewel of the series.

This year Team Indiebike p/b Angie's List is stepping it up a notch as well. The team tent will be set up and heated. Inside you will find us serving up hot dishes of Yats cajun creole food to warm your soul as you cheer on the action.

Central Indiana racers have spent the past few months making regular trips to Cincinnati and Louisville to race OVCX. Now its time for OH and KY racers to get in their cars and show some love to the other up and coming series in the region. Backyard cross will be well worth the trip.

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Milestones

We just ran the numbers and Team Indiebike.com p/b Angie's List is approaching 300 race entries in 2011. By the end of the cyclocross season we will easily exceed that mark. We will have a full stats at the end of the year. Stay tuned to find out what is in store for 2012 as the team continues to develop and increase its presence.

The "Grovel" lives up to its name

In case you are aren't already aware, the Gravel Grovel is a mass start race in southern Indiana that covers 60+ miles of mostly gravel roads that traverse some of the state's hilliest terrain. Some of the descriptions of this year's event included pharses like, "that hurt", "I was in a dark place for a while", and "most brutal race I have ever done." In spite of those ringing endorsements, more than 160 racers came out for the challenge on the Saturday after Thanksgiving.

For a few the suffering paid off handsomly. Recent Team Indiebike addition, Scott Baumer, managed an exceptional 11th place finish among some pretty strong regional talent. Cory Swihart came across the line 23rd in spite of the fact that most of his recent training has been sharply focused on short, intense efforts in preparation for one hour long cyclocross races. Others, well lets just say they survived long enough to still get a hot plate of delicious etouffee from Yats after crossing the finish line.

You can see full results posted here