Stetina diary 3: Damage Control

by Peter Stetina on May 5, 2011 11:17 AM EDT in Rider Diaries

Giro-main_small_medium To me that's all a TTT is. I see it this way: Every team starts out on the ramp as the winner, and the team to screw up least (aka limit the damage) wins.

You see, at this level, the percentages are so small and all the teams have super powerful riders and specialists (we have Farrar, Millar and Lancaster as our aces here). So what really creates the big time gaps are when someone is dropped, misses a turn, corners too slow and we have to re-ramp the speed up instead of using precious power at full throttle, ect.

And even things so small count in the final verdict. Such as one of your strong guys getting excited and pulling through a little too quickly can completely blow one of the weaker riders and the weaker rider will open a gap in a few rotations later. Everyone is at their 100% limit already, so the team that does win will be the one to commit the fewest errors. I hope that is us.

We had our pre-Giro TTT workout today. It was a little messy as we worked out the kinks, but it was fast, very fast. It's only at high speed that issues are highlighted. My position in the rotation is right between Millar and Farrar, I was handling it ok for a flying 5k, but I'm definitely nervous for the real test (and for my first grand tour!!!) on Saturday. With an inner city course only 20 minutes long and so many corners, it will all be about damage control. 'Til next time, Pete

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Sorry about the big mass of words. Apparently my iPad doesn’t like paragraph spaces. So just read really slow and let it marinate. Same end result
For the rest of the Giro updates, I’ll have gavia post it from me

by Peter Stetina on May 5, 2011 11:20 AM EDT reply actions

Neat to hear about it from the inside, man - thanks!

Looking forward to whatever you have the time for in the Giro. Though we all know recovering takes a lot of time!

My fruit bowl is full of sex wax--gavia

by Douglas Ansel on May 5, 2011 11:27 AM EDT up reply actions

No probs!

We can always fix that sort of thing :)

Good luck with the Giro! First grand tour, yay! Defo send me whatever you want along the way, look forward to hearing your stories.

by Jen See on May 5, 2011 11:35 AM EDT up reply actions

no worries

Great post – and fascinating.

Good luck on Saturday and for the rest of May. You can bet that this particular collection of DDIFP (TM, Mark Cavendish) will be cheering you on

Warning... not everything I say should be taken entirely seriously

by addict on May 5, 2011 12:21 PM EDT up reply actions

+ many

"I’m hoping for the Mortirolo-Gavia combination, then we can ride down to Bormio for ice cream." Emma Pooley on the Giro Donne

by civetta on May 5, 2011 3:32 PM EDT up reply actions

When will you recon the course itself?

Just before hand?

I suppose it’s difficult (impossible) to train on an inner city course.

Thanks for the write up?

moo

by Willj on May 5, 2011 11:32 AM EDT reply actions

sorry for that inadvertent last question mark :)

moo

by Willj on May 5, 2011 1:05 PM EDT up reply actions

That's ok?

by Jens on May 5, 2011 1:24 PM EDT up reply actions

I like Sweden?

moo

by Willj on May 5, 2011 1:53 PM EDT up reply actions

Why is everyone talking like Queenslanders?

by Drongo on May 5, 2011 7:18 PM EDT up reply actions

very interesting take

i always thought of TTT as being won by the fastest group of guys/most watts. never looked at it from the least errors perspective.

no need to worry. you’ll do just fine. enjoy your first GT.

and thanks in advance for the VDS points saturday.

"Ants don’t worry, they operate like a fantastic team, they accept obstacles and deal with them in a positive manner, they don’t complain and remain positive. An ant doesn’t work on emotion, is proactive and always chooses the ant role."

by ant1 on May 5, 2011 11:33 AM EDT reply actions

Thanks Pete, Good Luck Saturday.

Sign seen at entrance of local bike shop, " \o/ spoken here.". - Okay, I made it up, but wouldn't that be cool?

by flying dog on May 5, 2011 11:34 AM EDT reply actions

Right between Millar and Farrar

My temples are thudding just thinking about it. Ride the rivet!

by dinomite on May 5, 2011 11:44 AM EDT reply actions

Not afraid you'll struggle to get over Millar in the end and slow down the group?

by broerie on May 5, 2011 2:36 PM EDT up reply actions

Good luck Loopy! You'll do great and we'll be yelling for you!

by JustJoshinYa on May 5, 2011 12:07 PM EDT reply actions

Best of the luck on the TTT

and all of your first Grand Tour. Thanks for sharing with us!

by paisley on May 5, 2011 12:51 PM EDT reply actions

Man! Talking about the view from inside the Peloton!

Thanks to you Pete, we now have a first row!
Lots of lots of lots of luck! And be safe over there!

"I love bike races warm up, warm down, cobbles mountains or flats."
perezbike

by holmovka on May 5, 2011 1:50 PM EDT reply actions

Thanks for the inside scoop again

And good race in Romandie. I just watched the taped highlights last night and saw you off the front, I imagined a bunch of loopy PdC fans doing the same and cheering your efforts.

"It's a lovely thing, feeling that momentum. If you're lucky, it's also about grace." Tim Winton

by sminer on May 5, 2011 2:32 PM EDT reply actions