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.
Working as a Team
Trebon is all smiles before he set out on the course. © Andrew Reimann / Cyclocross Magazine
On the day before the teams parted ways and headed home, everyone was invited to a local adventure course, with rope obstacles, rock climbs and zip-lines stretching between trees and providing challenges not exactly specific to cyclocross, but forcing everyone to work together.
“It’s a good reminder of what you’re doing,” Ryan Trebon said of the week. “Sometimes you can get lost into thinking you’re doing something grand, but this is just about having fun, running around, making things enjoyable.”
“During the season, [the Juniors] race in the morning, and we race in the afternoon. Many of us are busy doing our thing, and no one has time to sit around and interact, you know joke around. This is such a great way for the team and the kids to get over the nervousness of thinking ‘oh, that’s Tim Johnson, oh it’s Ryan Trebon.’ We are able to put racing aside.”
“But I think the best part is bringing these kids and showing them what goes on on the other side of the brand and the company. Some of these kids are 14-15, and they get to see the people who do the other work, like the accounting and accounts management. That’s cool enough for me, because some of the people I met are just as big of cycling fans as product people.”
Be sure to stay tuned for full interviews with the riders as they head into the season. More info: cannondale-cyclocrossworld.com
