Steve Tilford

I don’t really understand the schedule that Bradley Wiggins is doing this season. Last year he won virtually every time he clipped in and this year he has decided to change his training and hole up in Tenerife and “practice” climbing. He says – “We’re working more on the explosivity in the climbs. I don’t like it. It’s the worst part of training. We do a lot of that at altitude; we’ve been two weeks at altitude doing that,” he said. “Sometimes the stuff you don’t enjoy doing, it’s the stuff that works. If you only do what you like doing, you have the Bradley Wiggins of 2010.” But, later on he goes and states – “This year, I am training more than racing. I almost prefer the training camps to the racing,” Wiggins said. “You learn from the previous year. This year has been harder because the stuff we did last year, it’s a continual thing. The training we do now, I never imagined we’d do three years ago.” As normal, Bradley contradicts himself and he can’t decide if he likes training or not.

Forget the Bradley Wiggins of 2010, he should want to be the Bradley Wiggins of 2011. It seems like many other guys are having their issues this year and he would be fine if he could just beat his team mates, Richie Porte and Chris Froome.

It seems like doubling up the Giro and the Tour is in style this season. Cadel announced that he is doing it also. But, Cadel has been racing this year, not just training. Cadel is a little more old school than Bradley, it seems, and likes to race his bike.

I really don’t get the not racing deal. It seems to me, that bike racers race bikes. And they train to get fit enough to race and then they race. It would be like being a basketball player and you prefer to go to the park and shoot free throws than play an actual game. It doesn’t make any sense to me.

My friend, Rod Lake, had an extra power meter sitting around and he sent it to me and I installed it on my bike yesterday and rode. First time in my life I’ve ridden with a power meter. I hove no idea how this is going to change anything I do riding. Hopefully it will give me some important information that I can use to race faster, but I don’t know what that information will be as of yet. But, I guarantee that I’ll never be a Wiggins type that prefers training to racing. I can and never will be a fan of guys like that.

Beggars can’t be choosers.

We all needed a little more of this yesterday after watching KU melt the last 3 minutes of the game yesterday.

A bunch of people came over for the game last night and I made pizza.

I think I made 7 or 8 pizzas. It was the first time that I’ve ever had left overs.

Here is Dennis cooling down his dog Hawkeye on the picnic table. It’s been pretty nice the last couple days, in the 60’s and Hawk is used to cold Wisconsin temperatures.

Today is Easter. We dyed eggs last night, which is always fun. It has been pretty nice the last few days here in Kansas. I’ve been on my bike 5 days and now have 270 miles for the new part of the season. I can’t say they have been easy miles. It is usually pretty windy this time of the year and even though it hasn’t been crazy windy, it is hard. I’m so glad the sport of cycling rewards longevity and prior effort. My butt is still sore after more than 3 hours in the saddle, but that isn’t such a big deal. My arm doesn’t seem to be getting any better, but I’m finding out that it is going to be a real slow process.

Battenkill in just in a couple weeks. I’m going to be missing that race too. I don’t think that I’ll be racing much in April, if any at all. I can barely stand up off my seat, so my arm is still stick-like. Even after my arm gets working better, I’m thinking that I should get all the surrounding muscles back up to speed so when I fall, my arm isn’t back at square one. Maybe so actually weight lifting may occur.

The Tour of Flanders is this morning. It’s probably my favorite race of the season. I’m picking Fabian Cancellara for the win. I believe he is going to have a pretty hard time shaking Peter Sagan, but think he is smart enough to not pull the guy to the line and eventually ride away from him. There is quite a bit of advantage having done the event so many times previously. But, it’s a long, hard day, so anything can occur.

The live video coverage starts at 5 am this morning and the race finishes around 9:30 CST, so don’t miss it. Here is a link to Cyclingfans.com, which has all the English links. Or here at Steephill.tv for more of the same.

One Kansas team is in the final four. Wichita State beat Ohio State last night and are going to Atlanta to play next weekend. That is a pretty big deal for them. I love the energy these collegiate players have this time of the year. It is so enjoyable to watch.

Okay, better be done with this and try to get some sleep. If I have my normal sleep schedule, 5 am is going to be a piece of cake for me. I’ve been awake at that time probably 28 out of the last 30 days. That and most of the other times all night. Chocolate is good for you in many different ways, so don’t be bashful about partaking in a few chocolate morsels. Happy Easter!