Mauro Vegni - on organizing the Giro d'Italia

As the road season is back on tarmac (or snow for those living in northern Europe), I turn to look more behind the scenes of organizing events, the Giro in particular. I was able to get in touch with Mauro Vegni, operations director and RCS executive, to get to know more about him and learn how the RCS approach the organization of the giro.

Vegni interrupted while enjoying a gelato

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Mauro Vegni - coincidents shape lives
At a very young age he got involved in cycling as he moved to Rome from the small city of Cetona in Siena district. As one of the rare moments when coincidence happens to set direction to a life, his closest  neighbor turned out to be Franco Mealli, long time organizer of cycling events and owner of the Velo Club Forze Sportive Romane. From his early teen years Vegni followed Mealli around, watching and learning.
"Master" Franco Mealli put me up front quite soon and I became actively involved in the Tirreno-Adriatico, Giro del Lazio, Giro dell'Umbria, Giro di Puglia Ruato d'Oro, Trofeo Pantalica, Trofeo dell'Etna, Settimana Ciclista Internazionale - just to mention professional races."

Before turning 25 years old Vegni becomes managing director and often takes over the reins of the sporting event, managing on his own, upon appointment by the patron. Having learned from Mealli through the years, Vegni quickly pays attention to the different details necessary to organize events. Vegni becomes more and more involved due to the health situation of Franco Mealli. In 1994, Vegni is heading the decentralized management structure in four different race fields. A very demanding job which required the utmost dedication and commitment to succeed. On the following year, the transfer og the cycling races belonging to Velo Cluc Forze Romane to RCS Sport becomes effective, making Vegni move to Milan under the watchful eye of Carmine Castellano.
In 2003 he is charge of the entire cycling department and in 2005, when Castellano concludes his career in the RCS Sport, Mauro Vegni is the one to jump into the Giro d'Italia and the other classical races of the RCS flagship car, calling the shots.

A lifetime in cycling has also granted Vegni different federal appointments, like member of the Professional Council, a body of the Italian Cycling Federation.

Creating a Grand Tour
Having years of experience Vegni still enjoys making the giro as good as possible.
"The good result of a great giro is related to a number of fundamental key factors:

The technical and sport side: a stage race, important like the Giro is, cannot leave out of considerations such elements as effort, tradition, routes, thus without omitting innovation and respect vis-à-vis the athletes. In short, a hard but well balanced route (is what I look for).

The choreographic aspects: a huge event as such cannot disregard collateral and choreographic activities which shall turn it into an important communication opportunity: samples of the foregoing are the Olympic Games opening ceremonies"

"Phase one is what I call the "Construction of the Giro project", starting from the city which will host the Giro d’Italia “Big Departure” it shall be necessary to begin designing a route presenting a technical soundness. (As the thumb rule there are) Two/three time trial stages, six/seven sprinters’ stages, five/six summit finishes, five/six average mountain stages, providing that the most significant stages are planned during week-ends.

Once the plan is ready then starts the period in which to liaise with local institutions so as to identify the approximately 40 locations able to host one ore more stages of the Giro d'Italia."

"Phase two is the "Technical on-site inspections", which are the time when the Giro project effectively takes its shape, when the RCS Sport and Host broadcaster’s teams visit the stage locations, defining in detail all the areas which will be interested by the race: the finish area, the, race headquarters, the departure area, the last kilometers and the distance of transfer to kilometer zero, etc."

All set - in the flagship car

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Inspections - details are everything

During spring and summer several RCS officials are on "site inspections" at cities hosting the arrival or departure of the (next year's) giro. 

"A typical on-site investigation day can be summarized as follows: 

- Morning: RCS Sports team, together with the technical finish representatives and the TV crew take part to a first presentation meeting together with the members of the local organization committee (or stage committee). On this occasion all organization requirements and the support requested to the stage committee are expounded to the last detail.
Following the meeting, and after examination of the local committee possible requests, the teams proceed to the identification of the various areas, finish, open village (the sponsors’ village open to the public), race headquarters (the headquarters of the organization which host the press room, the conference room and the other organization-related offices).
During this phase all necessary steps are taken and the finish feasibility is assessed, also based on the kind of stage (sprint finishes require wider roads, etc).
Starting from such areas, then parking facilities, deviations for flagship cars, helicopter landing pads and so on, are due to be identified.

- Afternoon: RCS Sports team, together with the technical finish representatives and the TV crew move in the departure location. After a first presentation meeting with the local committee all the areas interested by the departure are identified. That is to say: the signature podium area and the departure village, the parking facilities for teams’ buses, the transfer route to kilometer zero, etc. Also in this case all remarks that will then be necessary for drafting the technical notes and the location maps are duly addressed.

- Evening: Once arrived in the hotel the work of the organization goes on with the drafting of the technical remarks and preparing the drawings and the location maps which will then be sent to the local organization committees in order to have all interventions required to realize the stage duly taken care of."


One could wonder how much personnel Vegni would need to make the Giro happen, but in fact it is not as heavily manned as I expected it to be, at least in the planning phase. 
"Only considering the technical-sport aspects, the planning phase activity, which allows to start from an idea and to then reach the final design of the Giro d'Italia, ties down 5 persons.

The on-site inspection phase requires two teams:
1 RCS Sport team composed by approximately 20 persons including people in charge, technicians and designers holding specific skills as regards departure, arrival, race headquarters and last kilometers 
1 Host broadcaster team composed by approximately 10 persons, in order to  control, under a TV broadcasting standpoint, the production requirements of each stage 

Always considering the sole technical-sport aspects (without counting all the forces operating in the logistics, marketing, press fields, etc.), the operative personnel dedicated to the event amounts to approximately 160 persons."

Glory days - Vegni with Acquarone and Scarponi in Denmark 2012

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As Vegni look into the crystal ball he glazes backwards to, comparing the old days to the present. 

"The Giro d'Italia has changed a lot in respect to the past, especially for what concerns the approach and the philosophy grounding the event: a real demand for innovation linked to an increasing attention to internationality, trying to avoid habits and repetitiveness. This becomes a concrete reality through taking some more risks, looking for new and original spots: Zoncolan, Galibier and Assisi, by way of example, derive from this approach.

But there is more, the stage’s planning and feasibility technical assessment phase has taken a  highly professional aspect, leaving nothing to chance or to last minute management."

Teamwork, spirit is one more important factor, which for sure represents a great added value, he adds. 

Rapha and Team Sky - a challenge for rapha branding?

The news that Rapha is teaming up with Team Sky became a well known fact to everyone on the 30th of August. Exciting news in many ways, as Team Sky is well-known for its high demands when it comes to quality and "marginal gains", while Rapha has managed to picture itself somewhere between the high-end manufacture line and lux. The downfall, at least for Rapha's part is considerable, as any supplier to one of Britain's top performance brands. At the same time, remember Rapha is not new to the racing stage, they have supported Rapha Condor Sharp (RCS) a pro-continental team for several years benefiting from experiences in tech drawn from there.

Branding
Much can be said and written about branding. Worldwide consultants paid by the hour compete telling us as consumers and corporations how necessary it is to be visibly out there. So what is branding? Branding is linked to many aspects; sales, marketing, strategy, storytelling, identity etc. The American Marketing Association (AMA) defines a brand as

name, term, sign, symbol or design, or a combination of them intended to identify the goods and services of one seller or group of sellers and to differentiate them from those of other sellers.   

Therefore, it is logical to link psychology to branding, to get consumers to believe that a product/brand is the only one that can meet the standards or solve my "problem."

Upwards, downwards or sideways
It didn't take long before both Team Sky boss Brailsford and Rapha CEO Simon Mottram released the usual carefully written statements surely approved at multiple levels in both organisations. Usually I'm not that interested in them, as many tend to be "attributed quotes" as the eminent Inner Ring has written about earlier.

How will the deal between Sky and Rapha affect consumers?

Yesterday I tweeted exactly that, mentioning that I look forward seeing what will happen to the brand. I must admit I like the brand. The way they have build their brand along the years, particularly the stories and pictures. I also have some clothing, very happy with some of it, not so with every piece of clothing.

When a manufacture sponsor a team, there surely (as well as hopefully) there will be an increase in sales. That's the point in the first place, right? Rapha has managed to link itself somewhere near the lux-scale in clothing today, upscale pricing isn't, of course, in itself a sign of quality, but Rapha has managed to brand itself to that too. Based on activity on twitter when Rapha is being mentioned, it seems people either like it or hate it, not so much in between. Much of the criticism have been regarding pricing. Today, a number of Rapha products are being made in China by KTC, albeit designed in the UK. As volume increases, will we see lower prices? Claims have been made that some manufacturers have operated with one clothing-line for pros and one for the others. Of course, pros might have made to measure jerseys, as they tend to have slightly less arms than most, but if the fabrics are two very different, some people might react. My opinion is that you get what you pay for and perhaps is this the way it will and needs to be. Alex Murray called this "diffusion line" earlier today, "slightly cheaper materials/manufacture, but same look."  

What I surely think Mottram didn't expect when he co-founded the brand in 2004 is the possibility to find a replica jersey in a mobile trailer sales-out at the foot of Alpes d'Huez. Another way of viewing this is that you actually succeeded in building a great brand since people are copying your products.

Summary
What will come out of the Sky-Rapha deal will be exciting. The people behind Rapha have been very consistent and thoughtful in their branding up to now, so there is nothing indicating this will not go the way they have planned. If they are able to meet the formidable focus Sky have on R&D, details and "marginal gains". A chance like this for a manufacture is a once in a lifetime shot so why not grab it with both hands?

To us consumers? Hopefully a lower price on their products, as the volume most likely will increase. If Rapha want to differentiate between the highest end of products and the products for recreational riders, please do so. After all, as Alex Murray wrote, one can still earn lots of money on cheap(er) things:

Thoughts on teamwork and the tour

Almost there

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Let me start by apologize for the few posts I've written during the tour. Blame work, and partly that I have enjoyed watching cycling all day and evening. Instead, I have tweeted more, microblogging so to say.

Today we witnessed Bradley Wiggins and Team Sky winning the 2012 Tour de France. I feel a bit uncomfortable saying it out loud, because the race continues for two more days, three if you count the parade in to Paris. Freak accidents and mechanical breakdowns could happen. We've seen Michael Rasmussen loose a podium some years ago during the last TT, crashing twice and throwing the bike into the woods wearing the climbers jersey. But by the looks of things, Team Sky have this one under control, the same control they have had of the tour.

Some have critisized the tour of being boring and predictable, and that Team Sky "ruined" the excitement by being so strong. I think the reason is not just one, but several.

• First of all the route sort of favors the TT specialists, that we've known since the route was unveiled last October, everybody understood that.
• Secondly, the crash at stage 6 injured many riders and some even left the race. Crashes the first week is nothing new but difficult to avoid as nervousness and inattention haven't let go yet.
• Our expectations to the tour. Fans want to see dancing pedals and furious attacks around every corner as well remembering this tour as the best ever. Preservation of team's goals once its in within reach as well as UCI point system and physical limitations, are some of the reasons our expectations weren't met.
• Total domination by Sky is another reason as they are just too strong to combat.

Oiled maschinery in action - "We've trained for this."

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Ambitions aside
I have previous written about this issue and all of you who follow professional cycling are aware of this. Sometimes it be painful to watch, as riders setting their personal ambitions, dreams and aspirations aside for the team's decision. Sky have done that this year to the fullest. The tour is one of the very few races, if not the only one in cycling, where 2nd and 3rd are not the first losers.

Today we all witnessed the climbing skills of Chris Froome, he is, in my eyes anyway, the best climber of all the riders in this year's tour. It is hard to watch Froome not getting another stage as "payment" as almost all had wanted that to happen. It's easy to have this perspective, at least when we are not certain of the communication between the two riders in question and the team car. Wiggins said after the stage that he had given Froome the "go" to get the stage win but Froome chose to stay with him. I have yet to see any comments by the DS.
People have speculated if Froome can win a tour himself in the future, and I have no doubt he will, if he's got the same support as Wiggins. It's also important to remember that Froome knew what he signed up for, he's newly renewned his contract, and is paid to help Bradley win. This is the objective perspective of course. Froome will be a giant in the years to come, he's been struggling with sickness the last couple of years but is back now. Imagine where he will be in two years of solid training by Kerrison in Sky?

I have written about Wiggins and Froome earier this tour, you can read that here.

Edvald Boasson Hagen who was free to go during two stages early in the tour, after that he has set his own ambitions aside selflessly. Towing an insanely amount of kilometres at the front, today he even pulled the main group to the bottom of the last climb, loosing several climbers in the making. What could he have done if he was not destined to work for Wiggins? Froome said in an interview today that he though EBH could win the yellow jersey one day and that he was totally blown away by EBH's capacity.

Same goes with Mark Cavendish, the reigning WC, the best sprinter of them all, reduced to a mere shadow of himself (or his capacity). Seeing carrying water bottles and being supportive of Wiggins is fine and he's got one stage so far.
It is easy to say that "yes, this is what they all should do." That is correct, but these guys are not just anybody. It takes a certain mindset to be a professional cyclist, and it takes a certain mindset to be as good as these guys are.

It is a bit ironic that Radioshack-Nissan lead the team competition. Today we saw Klöden riding past Zubeldia without helping him, Zubeldia being #5 GC prior to today's stage but dropping quicker than the US interest rate. So much for that, team competition is obviously more important. So Radioshack-Nissan is on track to win the best team competition for being a bunch of individuals. Lovely.

Danish dynamite
Who else but Chris Anker Sørensen? Trying hard for almost the entire tour to succeed in a brake, today he tried to fetch a newspaper out of his spokes in-flight, cutting three spokes in the process. The result was visible for all. Florence Pommerie, one of the tour docs, changed his dressings three times, claiming CAS "didn't have any pain, it just bled much." As of now, it's uncertain whether CAS will begin tomorrows stage as he undergoes surgery as we speak. Riis was quoted saying that CAS didn't have much flesh on two of his fingers left.

Danish dynamite

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Swede Kessiakoff deserves a mention too, fighting for the KOM jersey for two weeks, only to be bypassed by the clever Voeckler the last two days. Today's KOM battle was almost more interesting than the GC.

Summary
One could say the 2012 tour de France is over, but we've got a couple of stages left. The design of the very tour, incidents and injuries during the tour, the fans' expectations and the Team Sky domination are some of reasons this year's tour have been quite predictable.

Always nice but at the same time frustrating to see good riders giving up their own ambitions to meet a "higher" goal set by the team. Payback will come and hopefully everyone will be happy. After all, this is teamsport.

The tour de France is soon over. But fear not, the Olympics are soon here as well as Il Lombardia and the Worlds.

Tour de France - the origins of the history

Dreyfus stripped of rank

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Now you may think this is all about L'Auto and advertising for sales, as we know the story of the tour quite well. But, as always there are more interesting facts to consider. Spies, treason, secret meetings in Paris - Captain Alfred Dreyfus didn't know his conviction would be one of many factors leading to the birth of the pinnacle of the sport - the Tour de France.

In the early 1890s the Dreyfus affaire rocked France. The young artillery officer Alfred Dreyfus was convicted for treason. Young Dreyfus had allegedly sold French military secrets to Germany via the German Embassy in Paris. Solitary confinement in French Guinea can scare the strongest of men, Dreyfus was sentenced to life imprisonment in 1894. Luckily for him, he just spent five years there.

Later new evidence came to light, suggesting that Dreyfus was innocent, as another French officer was responsible for the contact with the Germans. Still, Dreyfus was sentenced to prison for many more years, based on a dodgy claim by the French military. Words of the framing of Dreyfus spread quickly and during the next years France was divided on the matter. The debate raced on for years.

Newspapers, sales and lies 
Comte Jules-Albert de Dion, strongly believed Dreyfus was guilty, one time debates became so heated he hit the French President in the head with a walking stick. The incident resulted in 15 days in prison and a 100 francs fine. Meanwhile, the editor of the largest sports newspaper, Le Velo, Pierre Giffard, thought Dreyfus was innocent. Giffard wrote many articles in a way that made de Dion to drew swords with a couple of other anti-Dreyfusards such as Adolphe Clément and Édouard Michelin, who opened a rival newspaper, L'Auto.
Of course, the appointed editor of this daily newspaper was Henri Desgrange, picked partly because of his reputation as a cyclist, partly due to his abilities as a reporter and partly because his network in cycling. Back then Desgrange owned a velodrome together with Victor Goddet.

Those early days...

Low sales did not please the backers whilst Giffard smiled and clearly enjoyed the smaller newspaper's struggles. As you probably know, the tour was started to generate increased sales. Desgrange has got most of the cred for starting the tour de France. A fact most are not aware of, is that the idea was proposed by a young journalist named Géo Lèfevre. The 26-year old was poached from Giffard some time earlier. As normal when big hairy goals appear , doubt and hesitance filled the room inside 10 Rue de Fauborge in the Montmartre area of Paris. Until Goddet, who held the financial director position, enthusiastically handed the doubtful Desgrange the keys to the safe saying: "Take whatever you need."

The rest is history.

Why change a winning coach?

Science - the solution to all problems?

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Yesterday we learned that Edvald Boasson Hagen (EBH) ends his professional relationship with his personal coach over many years, Fredrik Mohn.

Earlier today, a gentleman named Peter, asked me on twitter if I could comment on the importance of coaching, something I can try to do now.


Relationship
Fredrik Mohn and EBH have been working together for a long time, the last seven years, Mohn has been working closely with Edvald.
Back in the day EBH was recognised as a talent quite early. Like many other talented riders, he was good while being young, something that can easily tip both ways as the years go by.
At the age of 17 he was a part of the junior national team, trained by Gino Oudenhove, now team manager of Joker-Merida. He was still improving, but suddenly the results didn't came as easily as before and EBH felt sick. Several riders rode him straight off their back wheel; something was not right. Gino Oudenhove had a good impression of Mohn already back then. Mohn wasn't carrying a degree in physiology, he didn't even had a career as a top athlete he relied on, but still brought out the best in many young riders from different clubs. Mohn is actually educated as a goldsmith, something people have joked respectfully with over the years, as Mohn indeed has turned some riders into gold.

Oudenhove felt EBH needed new impulses and gave Mohn the job of bringing young EBH back into shape. Mohn, who is known to be thorough and very methodological in his work, changed some of Boasson Hagen's program and EBH began to respond to training once again. "It got a lot to do with communication. I tell the riders to write detailed training diaries I, in return I read everything and give them feedback", Mohn says in this article in the newspaper Nettavisen. In addition to this, Mohn surrounds himself with the right people with background from physiology, nutrition, and medicine.

Later EBH joined Oudenhove at Joker-Bianchi (now Joker-Merida), the season before T-mobile bought him was special, as he really made himself a name by winning many races internationally.

This stage he timed the sprint perfectly...

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Change is (almost) always good
In addition to be a slogan for paid-by-the-hour consultants, this has also been the foundation for all physical training the recent years. Always shock/surprise your body, always vary your intensity etc, you know the drill.

On top of this it is no surprise a team like Sky, or any other team for that matter, want more control over the training. After all, the team have paid millions of € and want to have ROI. Will it work? That is the million dollar question and one that only time will tell. EBH is surrounded by some of the best coaches in the business, Sky is known for combining science and training. Their focus on detail, which perhaps was too much their first year, seems to be more relaxed these days yet still very high on a positive note.

According to procycling.no, EBH will be working with Tim Kerrison, who is known for his outstanding job with Wiggo the last couple of years. Also in the coaching team is Kurt Asle Arvesen, fellow Norwegian, who bring experience and perhaps some mental coaching to the table.

Will it be another success story? It all depends on if the rider himself believes in the concept and if the communication is present. It worked for Wiggo, Julich works fine with Froome and Nordhaug, but chemistry is mighty important in sports. Either have a very good chemistry with your coach, or an extremely good sense of professionalism, coping with bad chemistry but still believing in the concept. Oudenhove says it right, if a rider need new stimuli, it is the right time for a change.

Summary
Team Sky want more control over their assets and their ROI, but changing a coach can go both ways. It all depends on whether the rider believes in the concept. To have the upper hand a rider need to continue develop him or herself, making sure the opponents are left behind. Maybe a change of coach from time to time is good? Either within the existing team, or on a brand new one.

The giro - the core and the beauty

There is something about the giro. For many years, my focus was solely on the tour and the classics.  The standard way of approaching the sport as a fan, I suppose. But as in-depth knowledge and interest increases, so does the horizon, right? The sport is constantly evolving, races started as a mean to sell newspapers now evolved into multi-million dollar arenas for business, brands and R&D. All rather neatly tied together in an eternal battle, organisers vs organisers, town vs. town and country vs. country. To the enjoyment for thousands of fans all over the world.
Many have written their reviews of the giro 2012, and probably way better than me so I felt a need to do something a little different, I wanted to explain why the giro has become dear to me.

Development on all sides
For many, being the little brother is a constant struggle, always struggling to gain the upper hand. For others, being that kind of brother is all good, being the "attacker". After all, choosing to set a new course is a lot easier with a small organisation than a big one. I don't know if or how the organizers behind the Giro, the RCS, felt during the years. Plus the fact that the RCS really are not a small organisation as a whole. Just take a look at some of the interests they have on this "wheel of fortune".

Wheel of fortune 

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The giro organisers have set a new course. Those of you who know this blog have probably seen the interview I did with giro boss and twitter nice guy Michele Acquarone before he became giro general, as well as the one with marketing and communication manager for the giro, Marco Pansana. In these interviews we get to know more about the individuals working there and the ideas that formed into strategy for the RCS.

True to the core
For what is worth the giro hasn't changed much. From the outside that is. Still considered the second largest of the GTs, still taking place in Italy (mostly), and it features many of the climbs the race has given us epic memories from. So far so good. In business, this is called "true to the core". The giro has found its place so to speak. It is not the pinnacle of the sport, that is obviously the tour, but why pick a fight when there is plenty for both? 

As Acquarone tweeted earlier; "the giro is the toughest stage race in the world." How is that for a vision? I'm sure it will have an appeal to riders, not only the ones originating from Italy. It can tip both ways, as the RCS learned during and after  the 2011 edition of the race, which ended in Zomegnan's exit. The RCS claims to have found the balance this year, but still say the giro is "the toughest race in the world's most beautiful place."
As a sidenote I remember a conversation I had with the eminent photographer Jered Gruber during RVV. Knowing that Jered is deeply connected to G'bergen I asked what he thought about the route change this year. His response was something like this: "It's not that I disagree with the changes, it should change from time to time, but there are so many other beautiful places in Belgium!" This is one of the many challenges an organiser face, how let people (the TV viewers) see different parts of the country, while being true to its core?

Much have been said about the RCS' social media strategy, and I see no point in repeating my post from before. The basics is that they have made themselves available, both to me who has interviewed some of them, and to everyone else. Not only clever and by no doubt a strategic choice, both interviews and everything else they do related to media, but at least they are open about it.
Being able to navigate in the technological landscape of today will benefit the RCS, reaching out to fans and communicate with them will strengthen both the brand, build loyalty and keep the interests from fans without much hassle than a mobile phone. At least I have kept my interests in the giro and even wanting to learn more.

Seeing is believing
Another reason I like the giro because of the country. Being one of cycling's holy grails, Italy has been a home to not only champions but bike manufactures for decades. Some of the finest riders the world has seen origin from Italy, Coppi, Bartali, Binda and Moser to mention a few. Historical climbs and roads frame a race from a spectator point of view, bringing the Dolomites, Alps and Apennines to the TV. Breathtaking scenarios, spectacular descends. However, I truly believe the RCS can learn a lot from Jean-Maurice Ooghs, the gentleman responsible for the TV images from the tour. With 260 cameramen, 2 control rooms (one international), 4 helicopters, 5 motorbikes 1 aeroplane and 27 TV cameras the possibilities to get more out of the lenses then previous years should be there.

With the news today that RCS may be sharing tv rights money with teams, this economical aspect should have high focus. As the eminent INRNG once wrote, the majority of the viewers don't tune for the cycling but for the scenery.

The Dolomites

Photo by Rüdinger Kratz, downloaded here.

With as much as 2085 (2011 numbers) media representatives present, divided as 1021 accredited journalists, 433 photographers, 371 operators and 260 TV-radio operators, a big chunk of the effort needs to be to take care of those. The last thing an organiser wants to deal with angry and fed-up journos.

Culture, food art and fashion
These are some of the things I associate with Italy. These are matters I hope the giro is able to provide during the three weeks of racing. Because the giro, to me at least, is far more than just racing. Small clips from Italy's hidden treasures, with famous food, small mountain villages and white roads will without doubt boost my interest and enthusiasm to Italy as a place for my future vacation. With a slogan saying the world's most beautiful place, it sort of commits, doesn't it? Development in business says that those who are able to combine two or more specialities and use the synergy effects, will make it big. So that's next then, combining fashion, TV image rights, food, art and culture.

Summary
I have much respect for the organisers of the giro, not only because they have been available for me and every other cycling fan, but because of a mix of different things. They have managed to find their place which they seem to be standing comfortable in, being true to their core but still keeping a modern touch. A balanced giro with time bonuses in the beginning of the race will amp up the sprinters, giving a extra touch to the race. I'm hoping to be able to get to the opening, after all it takes place in Denmark. The giro might find it useful to really take advantage of the possibility to showcase the whole country. Displaying culture, art, geography, food and fashion needs to be taken seriously too.

BMC training camp video compilation

It's the season for pro teams training camps. For some riders it is the second training camp with their new team, for others the very first. The nervous first chatter is (hopefully) over by now and the first 6 hours training rides are accounted for. The team is divided into groups depending on goals, social reasons, leadership reasons, season plans or simply due to transfer of experience.

Team BMC has been in Calpe, Spain for several days now, building the team by merging the different riders and staff together. The team to the very dynamic Sean Weide has made many videos from the camp, i have gathered some of them below. Like last year, Team BMC use social media well, in addition to releasing videos on their YouTube channel, they also have an audio line.

Here you can watch some of their latest videos for some insight in the training camp:

All about the details

Healthy or not?

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Being an athlete is not for everyone. A nomadic lifestyle with several hundred days of travel each year, staying in cheap motels along busy highways in southern Europe. All that while your family is living on  another continent. So next time you're watching a cyclist on tv, and openly expressing your envy in him/her sporting SRAM red and a $10000 bike, have that in mind. And this is before I have begun with the countless hours on the bike over several years in every weather possible. Most of us have the advantage to choose most of the times we're going for a ride, a pro hasn't.

From time to time I think this is an issue most tend to leave out, persistence and attention to details, every single detail. Let's go through some of the basics:

Several years ago I got to know the nutrition plan belonging to a WC in biathlon. Speaking of details, I had never seen anything like that, completely broken down every meal possible with calories, vitamins and minerals to every vegetable and dish. If I remember correctly, the MS word document was around 35 pages. 

Double Olympic gold medallist Olaf Tufte says he don't sacrifice anything, he "just prioritize differently for some years", apparently aware that most athletes, at least those who succeed, have only a few years on top of their game.  

I admire people who know stuff I don't, that is something I've been doing my entire life. Not just limited to sports, I might add. People who invest so much time in themselves and their body over so many years, while others study and gets MBAs, really need to know their machinery; their own body to perform at their best. How does the body reacts to 8 hour sleep versus 10 hours? Is there a difference between the amount of sleep before a race and training? What kind of food do I eat before a race, two days before to be at my very best? This level of detail makes you wonder how some athletes continue to fight the ADAM, while having such focus on detail on every other aspect of their life.

Imagine the level of detail needed in a GT like the giro or the tour. Remember Nibali was flown down from some mountain top finishes in helicopter to maximize the recoverytime. One thing is the strictly physical part, another is tactics, press, sponsors, waiting time for massage and dinner. Not to mention the work I know pretty well, the mental training needed to stay focused when needed. 

What does it take? Talent or training? A mix of both probably. Famous writer Daniel Coyle writes in "The Talent Code", that a mix of talent, motivation and coaching is the way to go. If I remember correctly, he says that anyone with a certain basis of skills can be a champion, given the amount of one or more of the prevois mentioned factors. 

Speaking of details, Hushovd finished his Christmas vacation in Grimstad earlier this week and flew to the Caribbean with his family. Did he bring his bike? No, but rumours says he brought his Bont cycling shoes and his own pedals to use on a spinning bike. Guess what, I'm pretty sure he partly chose the hotel with just that in mind.    

Assos Zegho - eye candy or simply dandy?

I don't know the exact number but I'd say the majority of the pros use Oakleys. Some, like Aberto Contador, use Giro, others swear to Rudy. I remember seeing Ulrich in Rudy glasses, of course he had to choose an Italian brand, after all he was riding Bianchi. Briko was very popular when Mario Cipollini was around, not only to cyclists but skiers too.

Riders argue they need glasses against the merciless sun in southern Europe, or its magnificent ability to block wind and road dirt. It also helps to  avoid bee and wasp stings, something Jonathan Vaughters experienced back in the day, read that here. Nowadays, glasses are a normal part of the outfit. When riders like Cavendish lead the points classification during the tour, Oakley is faster draw than most when it comes to equip the rider with a matching green pair of Jawbone, Fast Jacket or Radars.

R&D by Assos
In search for a new pair of bibs I logged on to Assos and suddenly found myself staring at a pair of glasses I haven't seen before.

I'm talking about the Assos Zegho.

Eye candy or simply dandy?

This is a joint venture between Carl Zeiss Vision and Assos, produced exclusively for cyclists, with the apparently ground-breaking ability to ensure no optical distortion. Which is quite good since the lens is curved to fit the face. With a 180 degree field of vision, it is easy to check surroundings. According to Bicycle Haus, where you read more about them, the weight is 27,5 grams and the nose piece is adjustable to each individual nose, something many will appreciate. Prices varies between €299-349.

You will not find the glasses in shops just yet, the release date is the 13th of November.

If you want to check out the Asso promo video, click the link beneath and you will be able to see it. Sorry for that, my technical expertise came to a halt, if anyone have a solution, I'll be happy to learn how to get that into blogger.

 http://content.bitsontherun.com/previews/SQYBwr5r-R9FNwGfA

The Maglia Rosa project - the RCS keeps innovating

Photo courtesy RCS

One of the biggest happenings of the year took place this week, the Eurobike. This annual event is arranged in Friedrichshafen, Germany and is where you can get a view of the coming season's newest gear, bikes and clothing.

On the 1st of September, the organiser of the Giro, RCS and La Gazzetta dello Sport, presented a brand new project; "Tweet your Maglia Rosa". The event was presented at Eurobike and was hosted by the famous Italian brand Santini, a long time partner of the Giro d'Italia, and the very designer and producer of the famous Maglia Rosa.


The Project
The project is all about interaction with fans on social media platforms, twitter and facebook. The project, as I see it, is two parted. Firstly, fans can decide how the design of next year's pink jersey will be like. Go to this facebook page to vote. Secondly, the RCS has decided that a total of twenty tweets will be printed inside the Maglia Rosa, ten from fans and ten from professional riders who have worn the jersey before. One selective tweet from a fan will also be placed on the collar. Like the RCS writes in the press announcement:

A selection of 100 tweets, divided by geographical origin, will be posted on the Giro d'Italia's facebook page. The fans will then vote and choose the ten best tweets, worthy of being printed on the 2012 Maglia Rosa.  

To show your support and participate, simply tweet what the Giro means to you by using this hashtag: #Magliarosa, and do so before the 15th of September.

Imagine the current leader of the Giro relaxing at the hotel, admiring one the best known jerseys in the history of cycling, reading your tweet.


RCS vs ASO and social media
The Giro organisers have an understanding of social media that is one of the highest of the industry. The way they interacted with fans during the 2011 Giro was nothing short of impressive. The way involved fans and riders during the race with live updates, pictures from behind the scenes, asked questions and made people feel welcome to join the conversations. A text book way of using twitter as a social media platform.
The RCS - La Gazzetta dello Sport the press release says that they "aim at showing that is possible to combine the past and the history of a symbol as the Maglia Rosa, with the present and the future of communications represented by the web and the social networks, to create closer links between the Giro d'Italia and its many fans , through innovative and interactive global media".

Well, it is a press release and one could expect a press release's content to be full of promises and gold plated words, but so far, the Giro d'Italia has delivered the goods.

I was very happy when I discovered the ASO was going to use a specific twitter account during the tour, and I sort of expected the ASO to rise, if not over the bar so to it. After all, with regards to the amount of feedback the RCS got after and during the Giro, I certainly had anticipated the tour to be full of nice updates and innovative solutions when it comes to social media. That is how the corporate world operates, to borrow solutions, modify and develop, no? But that didn't happen. So here is to ASO, being conservative is one thing, being far back in the pack is another.


You can read the press release from RCS here, uploaded by @wielerman: http://t.co/XawPUbp

Transfer season - not everybody continues as cyclists

From front of the peloton to the back - transfers just as important

Photo downloaded here.

It is transfer season indeed. Every single day we read about riders changing team, staying with present team or just rumours, more or less accurate depending on the source.  The newest “rumour” on the notebook is that of Tony Martin, going to Omega Pharma – Quickstep. Apparently, this is just a rumour, because others, like Daniel Benson of CN, say that Martin has yet to sign the contract. Confused yet?

Not all riders are going to continue on the bike. Some will not seek the roads again, having studied while riding or due other reasons. Some continue behind the wheel of a team car, taking up on the important role as DS or rider developer. Why is this worth mentioning, I hear you ask. Well, firstly it is a topic many have neglected so far, which in itself makes it interesting. Secondly, a move like this is crucial for the future of the sport, something that should interest all of us.

For the rider making that leap might find it difficult in the beginning. Some might find it hard not being in the spotlight themselves for a change, knowing that the world does not rotate around them anymore, some will experience a feeling of not knowing if he has what it takes. The team owner might fear the Peters Principle, since great palmares as a rider, not automatically guarantees any success as a DS.

If we look at cycling the recent years it has evolved and it has done so in many ways. Like @sofaboy wrote in his post recently, “it’s time to start believing again”. We can all irritate our heart out on behalf of some decisions made by the UCI and we can debate this over and over again – so we should. But in addition to this perspective, culture can arguably being built from the bottom and up. This means that we should follow closely what happens inside teams, not only who the riders are, but also who is doing what, who’s coming from where stating what earlier. We should demand some answers from teams who hire people with dodgy backgrounds. Yes, as Brailsford said earlier: “it is difficult to find skilled people nowadays who hasn’t got a past”. Well, that may be true some years ago, but I don’t believe it is wise to hide behind that conclusion any longer. There are many talented people out there with a burning desire to help riders and teams develop further. 

I want those riders who continue as DS, or in other positions in teams, to be the best. They must have integrity, respect in the peloton, they must have something to contribute in order to make a difference. It could be that my expectations are high, perhaps too high, and it may be that I will be disappointed. Still, this is my view and hope. Luckily, I can think of many riders who can fill such positions when the time is right. Arvesen at Team Sky, Pinotti at HTC to mention a few.

So let’s not forget that transfer season brings hope to the evolvement of cycling from inside teams’ staff too.

Cycling teams and social media - why BMC stands out

For those returning readers, will probably recognize Dale Carnegie's book how to win friends and influence people of 1937.  It is considered a bible for communicators and marketing advisors and I mentioned this book in an earlier post. Why do I bring that one up now? Classic literature is special to me. Not that I don't like the writers of today, but imagine a book that has survived 500 years, still being read by hundreds of thousands of people, tells me that book has to have something very special to say. Machiavelli, Hobbs, Popper are still read today, by students, leaders and all sorts of people really.

The good old days

Now, marketing has evolved the latest years. This is a natural thing and it's why consultants and people in the PR-business charge as much as they do, they are supposed to give their clients the upper edge.
Much water has run under the old bridge since the internet came. Back then, companies hired some geeky teenager, still living in his/her parents' basement, to build a website. And that was basically it. Now, with the social media hype, things are different. I will not bore with the obvious technical details, like that people are online 24/7, and everybody has a facebook account, but it's all about expectations.

Picture downloaded on http://www.napleswebdesign.net/tag/advertising/

The code
Expectations can take many forms. They can be given, presented to you if you like, also known as advertising, and they can be expressed to others, like a dialog. There are others as well, but I'll leave them for now.

Social media is about dialog, it's branding, it is meeting other people's expectations, on his/her terms. Brands use this to meet a strategy within communication and/or marketing, but it's not that this is all controlled, dark and with a purpose. It is to all's best. Imagine the distance that existed between teams and fans earlier. The only chance to get info from a team was to go to a race and hang around the team bus, to be a journo, or buying cycling magazines. Nowadays, it's merely a tweet away.


Transparency, openness, availability, interaction, fans oriented. These are all the buzz words of today and you will probably recognize most of them on the communication strategy every team have. Or do they? Do teams prioritize social media today? Based on a quick check on different websites, no. Team Sky have a nice website, it's clean and tidy, some nice technical extras like pictures turning color from B/W.

The good, the bad and the best
Teams are of course on twitter, and based on their followers, popularity varies. On the other hand, I'm more concerned with quality rather than quantity, so I'm not judging based on followers.

As I mentioned, meeting fans and journos on what they experience as their home turf, on their terms, is key. Teams who use their twitter feed only to send out results, only to retweet their riders' tweets and don't follow anyone else, is not doing the trick. Personally, I think Lampre's feed is like that, to some extent Katusha as well. If I want results, I go to Cyclingnews.com. No, I want to know other things, as a fan and as a consumer, I want to be met and being seen by teams. How else can I bond with them?
One team who really have shifted their social media strategy is BMC. I tweeted about this yesterday, and instantly, I got feedback from other fans thinking the same. Shauna Staveley tweeted me and said that she believed this is the work of Sean Weide, who tweets under this account.

BMC interacts, they have a strategy behind their work, no doubt. They are available, they interact with fans when the feedback is positive or negative, and very important; they have interesting stuff they tweet about. Small videos, behind the stage info, all the small things I like to know. They also have a strategy towards journos, mentioning journos by twittername and involving themselves with them. It's all natural and open so I don't have a problem with that. Human nature is human nature whatever the person do for a living, so that is fine. Combining info with tech, good pictures from pro photographers gives an impression of professionalism.

So other teams, look and learn. BMC is the new leader of the pack and other teams: It's okay to peek and learn.

Team BMC lead the way - for now

   
What team do you think is the best utilizing social media today?

Carbon vs Alu vs Steel vs Titanium

What to wear?

Downloaded from www.geekologie.com, here.

Yesterday, @FlashingPedals asked a question on Twitter that caught my interest: "Bicycle Trivia: name the last rider to win a classic using an Aluminium framset." 

Many besides me tried to answer that one, including @sprinting4signs, @inrng and @euanlindsey, probably more as well.
The question has many interesting nuances; the brands and their wish to influence us consumers is one, economics is another, fashion a third.

The basics
Cycling is one of the easiest sports available, basically you just need a bike (preferably a helmet as well...) and your off to let your mind drift, work out or see the countryside. Simple as that. Or not? Some people will ask you how often do you plan to train? Do you have a certain goal? Depending on the answer, you can easily find yourself walk out a shop €3000 lighter, even if you plan to use the bike only during the weekend. It is a jungle out there, and to navigate through a jungle, it helps having been in a jungle before. How about that paradox? The solution I suggest is to consult some "experienced" guys/women on twitter, explain the situation and get some answers. They could recommend stores where the staffers are known to be frank, known to put the customer where they should be and never to sell equipment over your scale (provided you're not lying in the first place...)

Weight vs performance
"Everybody should be riding carbon", I hear from time to time. A guy at a bike shop told me this just a couple of months ago, and I knew immediately that I wouldn't be buying a bike there. Weight is important but it get way to much emphasis. Can't believe people who only want what the pros have, or those select a carbon bike 1,5 kilograms lighter than an alu bike just because it is lighter. Especially if that person carries a couple of kilos extra behind his belt. Now that is where you can shave some kilos my friend!

Bikes perform differently depending on material, on riding style and function. The quality of the frame, the quality in the work merging the different parts together reflect the bike far more than just the material. A steel bike can be just as good, and far better for a rider, depending on several factors. The bike have to ride good, it have to feel good. If you can get a customized aluminium or steel frame, the chance of that being far better than a mass-produced carbon bike is very high.

People often focus too much on the frame and what groupset is on the bike. How about wheels? Where do you think you can make an effort with limited money? Like everything this is all part of an equation. Find out what you like, what you need is probably the most important. Seek some qualified expertise and buy yourself a bike that suits your need. Who knows, maybe you'll get surprised?

Enjoy this great video directed by Ben Ingham, made by RSA and Rapha. Brought to my attention by @FlashingPedals

Team Luxembourg showdown 1.2

I'm going to summarize my impressions and thoughts over last evening's show in Luxembourg. To be honest, it didn't quite live up to it's hype. Then again, what does? Ken Sommer and Brian Nygaard had promised a "spectacular show", "American style" - that didn't happen. It was something new, that's for sure and well orchestrated indeed, but the roof was never on fire. The team managed to present themselves professionally and the roster is indeed impressive. That is the most important matter. An exciting mix of older, experienced riders like O'Grady, Bennati, Voigt and Cancellara, of course there is the Tour's runner up Andy Schleck and his brother Fränk, as well as younger riders with promising futures ahead. The fact that Brian Nygaard apparently had hired half the cirque de soleil to perform during the show, didn't quite do it for me but proves that the team is not afraid to do things their way. I like that in a team, to do their best to be different, establish a rhythm of their own. The flip side of that coin is that the higher the expectations, the higher the fall. Just ask Team Sky which many believe failed to live up to the expectations given prior to the season.

This was just a show, remember? The team's roster is very robust and will be a force to follow in the season.


A rare guest
What surprised me the most is the visit from Pat McQuaid, I can't recall seeing McQuaid at any other team presentation before. That said, it might have happened, I've been mistaken before. It doesn't matter if he got invited by Nygaard, Luxembourg Cyclist Federation or the Prime Minister himself; the signal effect is significant. There are great riders on the team, and I find it super that McQuaid has taken his time to be with riders, staff and others in the industry, but then he must do so to every team. Time will show.

He also said that something like: "...this team has everything cycling is proud of". At the same time Kim Andersen, the leading DS, was present among the team's staff. There has been some controversy regarding Kim Andersen amongst people connected to the industry lately, due to him being one of very few in cycling tested positive five! times in his career as a cyclist.


Back-up and marketing
Earlier yesterday, the Schlecks, Cancellara and Flavio Becca took the opportunity to meet and greet with the Prime minister Jean-Claude Juncker, even offering him a jersey. Mr. Juncker also showed some sportsmanship trying the jersey on.
There were rumours that the team was partial backed financially by the Luxembourg state, but I have not been able to confirm that.

The Schlecks, Luxembourg Prime minister Juncker, Fabian, Lucien Lux and Investor Flavio Becca.
Pic by Gerry Huberty

Sponsor Trek is rumoured to put in 3 million € in total which should give the team a good start along with Becca's cash. Mercedes, energy company Enovos, Luxair, Shimano, Speedplay and Schwalbe are the other sponsors. This should indicate that the money will come from Becca, Enovos and Trek, while the rest supports with gear only. That helps enormously though. For more about how the team started check this Velonation article here.

Still it is a bit strange that Becca being a businessman, apparently does not want to promote his own company in the team name. However, he's been given a fair amount of marketing time already with the team and it will probably just be more. 

Jersey side

The clothing is quite simple in a good way that is, at least to me. Nothing spectacular there. Reminds me a bit of Sky and Garmin, but it's definitely not as Sky-ish as Garmin's. Don't know if the names and flags on the collar is going to work for the fans watching on TV or by the road but a lot can happen during the season with regards to R&D. 

Picture of Schlecks & co: wort.lu

Branding - why Rapha stands out in the crowd

In 1937 Dale Carnegie wrote a book called how to win friends and influence people. Not very humane and empathic for a title, is it? This is considered one of the first self-help books ever made, more importantly, it is considered a bible for communicators and marketing advisors still today.

Some brands are more catchy than others, as normal you might add. Why is it that some brands "get to us" more than others? We somehow identify with certain brands more than others. Who's choosing who?  No matter the answer, does it really matter? If cyclists are vain and by definition concerned by what they look like, it does matter.

My story

Three years ago I was on a plane reading an in-flight magazine. There was this small picture and a mere four lines about two friends who had started a cycling brand called Rapha, they specialised in quality clothing for the rider who wants the little extra. I took a note of that brand and decided to investigate further. And before you ask, no I don't own any stocks in the company, and I have never received anything I haven't paid full price for. What I enjoyed the most on their website was the stories. The stories about the nature of cycling, why the company was founded and those "epic" pictures taken by Ben Ingham that illustrated rides adding depth to the stories. And of course I like to think of myself as a guy who believes quality does matter. Basically I think the brand touched my feelings when it comes to cycling. The same feeling I got when I read the words of Phil Deeker's for the very first time (described in my very first blog post). This is what I relate to when it comes to cycling, and because of that I should be a part of it. On the other hand it could might as well been what I wanted to be a part of. To Simon Mottram, it probably doesn't matter as much but I like to think of myself to be as conscious as possible when I make my decisions.

What a brand Rapha has become. They are actually the best company I've known when it comes to branding, at least in the cycling industry. Today when globalisation is only a mouse-click away, branding is virtually impossible if you don't possess and/or deliver the life, goods or style you're claiming to have.

To me Rapha adds a further dimension celebrating the suffering in cycling. Like the ride celebrating the 100 years since the Tourmalet was first climbed in the Tour. Also the soon finished Rapha festive 500km which is set to enhance winter fitness during the food fiesta Christmas has become adds to the position Rapha's gained in the market. Very clever.

Not to mention the news concerning ASO and Rapha recently, where Rapha will be strategic marketing and product partner to ASO. This is of course a result to what Rapha has accomplished so far both product-wise but also their ability to share powerful stories cyclists can relate to. in today's world of information overload, only the ones with the strongest stories within their niche will survive.

  

I have some of their kit, and I'm very satisfied. I don't know if my bib or jersey are much more stylish than others, but I'm very comfortable with the quality of the products I have. I have tested some brands and I have to say that the quality Rapha gives is very good. If doing a blind test, would I know I'm wearing Rapha or Assos? Probably not. Maybe that proves I'm just a product of marketing managers and not that conscious I'd like to be.

To me simplicity and quality rules, but when the products are this pricey as they are, I might check elsewhere next time. But I know I'll get back to Rapha, if not to shop, but to get into their world by reading stories and look at the pictures.