lhbernhardt

Well, the end of fall being the off-season for the professional peleton, we had a couple of celebrities showing up to train and/or race at the Burnaby Velodrome (Vancouver) this week.

On Wednesday, Sky's Rigoberto Uran showed up and rode in our structured training session:



Then on Friday, Garmin-Sharp road sprinter Tyler Farrar was in town. He rode the A races, winning all three, although you could see he was working really hard to overcome some of the faster local guys.



I didn't do any racing against them, but it was an honor to just be in the same pace line with these top guys! This has to be one of the great benefits of having an indoor velodrome, one of only three in North America! (So far...)

Luis

t4mv

Hey, that's pretty cool! I imagine this scene could be repeated at the CSUDH velodrome since it's a pretty killer facility, right Hermes?

So I have a tangential question that these pics raise...as a pro rider (in whatever discipline) are you *always* obligated to wear team kit? What if you went for a Thanksgiving turkey ride with some friends and family, and just wanted to be a "regular" joe? Would not riding in kit immediately put you in the Michael Rasmussen School of Suspicion?... I'm sure money is involved in here somewhere, but, sometimes wouldn't it be cool to wear something that wasn't "business casual?"

gregf83 

I suspect the sponsors want them wearing their kit most of the time. They do make exceptions, however, as I've seen Christian Meier wear a F*** Cancer jersey after he lost his brother to brain cancer.

Luis: Cool pics from the velodrome! I wish it was closer to me, although I hear there are plans to build another indoor velodrome in the Vancouver area.

Hermes

t4mv, Velo Sports Center in Carson gets its share of celebrity cyclists. The Team USA Men's Sprint team workout their every week. The Canadian National team is there quite often and has a couple of Olympians on it. Plus occasionally the national teams of Austrailia and New Zealand. As far as UCI pro team grand tour riders, I have not seen any. Although I heard that Gearge H was there testing his TT bike after going to the wind tunnel.

qcpmsame 

I kind of doubt they are "required" to wear the team kit everywhere, off season, but with the sponsors wanting so much coverage maybe so. Probably they just have so many sets given to them each season they just grab the bag with some kit in it and go riding. Save the shredding accidents they probably have enough sets to equip a small army.

Of course the top line guys can use Pro's Closet on eBay to sell off their stuff. Like any of their kit would ever fit a 238 lbs, 6'-1", 56 year old codger like me. Thank goodness for Nashbar and Pearl Izumi.

Bill

Bikey Mikey

Hmm, they might fit me. I'm only 5'7" and hover around 138~141 lbs.

qcpmsame 

Skinny midget.