Swift Training Camp 2008

Training Camps are part and parcel of any professional (And amateur) cycling team and each year the manager will bring together the riders and support staff for a pre-season get together. Each team approaches this sometimes very symbolic event in a different manner. Bjaarne Riis at CSC has his riders completing army assault courses in the road to group bonding and spirit. For others a few rides and group dinners is enough to get the riders thinking themselves part of a team.

We spent a few days with the Pro Elite women's Swift team in Limoux in late February, also staying in this bar rich and cycle friendly town were Plowman Craven.

Our first impression was that the nerves felt at the beginning of the training camp were replaced with smiles after the first group ride on the empty roads around Limoux. It is also interesting to note how each rider 'finds themselves' amongst the hurly burly of the first days, and how some riders rise to the occasion and begin to lead, whilst others take just a bit longer to settle. At the Swift camp, it was plain to see what a class act British rider Emma Davies is and she immediately set to work to help steady the ship.

We sat in the team car with Swift manager Stefan Wyman and we talked about training camps.

Click to see more Swift pictures

What part does a training camp play in a team’s development?
Stefan - For many riders it is first time they meet other riders on the team. It’s also the same for the staff. Certainly it’s the first time the riders spend time together off the bike, so it’s essential that we switch the riders around to ensure no cliques are formed.

Its also a chance for me to see riders perform away from the pressures of racing and try to understand where I can use a rider in everyone's best interest.

Is a training camp the equivalent of the first day at school?
Stefan - I think it is. You have your ‘load and proud’ riders (No names mentioned), and you have riders that sit quietly and take it all in.

It’s important to set the tone for the year and let everyone know we start with a clean slate. I don’t care for reputations; we are one team and will build our own reputation from 1 January to 31 December.

During the camp what do you hope to see?
Stefan - I hope to see people that what to be together. I carefully choose every rider on the team over the course of the previous year. It’s nice to see that the care taken has been worthwhile.

I also hope to see riders that are prepared and getting fit for the early season races. Its only 8 days after we return that we are in Het Volk, and 8 days after that we are in the new edition on Milan San Remo, so I need to see some form coming through.

Do you hope to get to know the riders better?
Stefan -I think you can always get to know the riders better and try to understand how they perform or react in different situations. I don’t run a dictatorship here, I’m here to learn and develop my skills as a DS as much as the riders are here to learn.

I always listen to the riders to see what they think and see if I make the team a better place for them to be. I’ve spent a lot of time here with the DS of the New Zealand National Team and also had a drink (Coffee of course) with Gary Beckett from PCA. It’s always good to see what others are doing and see if you can learn from them.

Fingers crossed more opportunities like this will come up, or I can pass my knowledge onto others.

During the year how often will you have the whole team in the same place?
Stefan -It’s rare to have all of the riders in one place as they all come from so far afield. We are only missing 4 riders here, but to have so many together is real bonus a great start to the season.

I’ve only had good feedback from the girls so far, so something must be going well. I also think the choice of location is very important for a camp. I have never been to such a good area to train. It really is fantastic. We have great houses to stay in, full gym membership, swimming pools, massage, and support vehicles for roads with no traffic at all. Anyone who doesn’t enjoy this place really isn’t going to make it a pro.

John Herety and Gary Beckett
We asked Rapha/Condor/ReCycing.co.uk manager, John Herety and Gary Beckett of Plowman Craven their views on training camps.

John Herety
John told us that the benefits of a training camp are two fold.

Firstly, a warmer climate allows for more intense training, less layers of clothes and more miles. Secondly there is more focus as there are less distractions and than when at home. John said that the second important aspect was the opportunity for the team to bond with rides and social interaction, the team has gone ten pin bowling in the past.

In 2007 the ReCyclin.co.uk team went for two sessions in Majorca, but John feels that camps that last too long are counterproductive and a camp of ten days is best in his experience, to keep focus and the riders engaged. "When I thought about a third camp, I thought I would send them somewhere wet and windy, so the team went to Girvan in Scotland. Funnily the weather turned out to be sunny and better than Majorca at that time!"

Gary Beckett
"Half of team is new for 2008 and the camp is an important opportunity for riders to get to know each other and step to creating a team spirit."

Gary continued to tells us that a camp offers the chance to put the riders through a strict programme of training and although you cannot really replicate a race, you can go someway to it.

"This year we chose to stay in a house in Limoux and I had the riders paired on a cooking rota. Simon Gaywood and Tom Barras surprised us all with a great spread and I took over 3 hours cooking attempting to match them".

Websites
Team - www.teamswiftracing.com/
Swift - www.swiftleisure.co.uk/