This week, the Cannondale p/b Cyclocrossworld Professional and Development Team traveled to Cannondale's headquarters in Connecticut for their preseason preparation for the long season ahead.
Their week started before I arrived to the scene, with the group getting immersed into the side of the bike industry that racers don't often see. Everyone from Tim Johnson to Harrison White got to meet with the sales reps, accountants and the other folks who ensure that the business side of the brand is running smoothly. The following days were filled with technique training, riding, team building exercises and dialing in the elements of their cyclocross bike before the season begins.
Use the slider below to look at how one of the largest professional cyclocross teams in the United States gets ready for the season.
Dialing in the Machines
Stu Thorne made sure the bikes were ready for race speed. © Andrew Reimann / Cyclocross Magazine
The week also got the rest of the Cannondale p/b Cyclocrossworld.com crew ready for the season, as team manager Stu Thorne and the other team mechanics worked directly with the athletes to make sure everything was running smooth.
After the cyclocross practice was over, the athletes headed over to the GURU Academy center, specializing in performance fitting and getting body positions dialed in. GURU is a relatively new fitting brand, and alongside Cannondale, it is operated by Dorel Sports. Everyone from Stephen Hyde to Emma White were offered a comprehensive walk-through by the professional fitters at GURU, including all of the minute changes that help find ways of maximizing the watts and comfort for cyclocross-specific conditions. I was also able to put my leg over one of the fitting machines and walk through the process. Be sure to stay tuned to our upcoming Issue 30 for a comprehensive look at cyclocross-specific fits.
Hyde gets some fitting pointers from the gurus at Guru. © Andrew Reimann / Cyclocross Magazine
