Ma
Behind the Helmet
Watt next , Stevo ?
Having worked his way through the ranks of competitive cycling , Steve Saunders is now a respected coach and trainer , and has been influential in promoting the Wattbike , the indoor bike trainer that delivers performance insights for every rider , through his Johannesburg-based company , EMT – Equipment Motivated Training . – BY KYLE DEELEY
MA : Who is responsible for your skills on a bike ? SS : I ’ d say I have the basic skills for racing , to manoeuvre in a bunch or avoid crashes in races , developed through participation in track racing , road racing and mountain biking . Most importantly , it was thanks to watching people better than me in each of those areas . Always strive to improve !
MA : What would you say is the coolest thing you can do on a bike ? SS : I have just learnt to wheelie my road bike , but I still don ’ t have the confidence to do it with cleats on . Other than that , normal abilities like track standing in the traffic or flicking objects out of the road with my back wheel .
MA : Was riding competitively a big focus for you growing up ? SS : I was just out having fun racing friends , but yes , the competition was important in driving me to improve . Competition is a hard master , though , as it often beats you down . My advice is , never stay down !
MA : What is your favourite cycling memory ? SS : A race win a teammate took in Mossel Bay at the Tour De Eden many years ago . It was a very tough run in with many teams jostling for position from about 20km out , but I managed to pilot Bill Moore to take the win in a crazy sprint .
MA : Any crazy crashes in your years of riding ? SS : In 1998 on a training camp with the Minolta team , I overcooked a corner on the way down Robbers Pass into Pilgrims Rest . The back tyre burst and I slid across the road and under the back of a truck . The truck ’ s wheels crushed my bike , helmet and glasses and I just managed to get myself out of the way , but ended up with massive facial injuries and a few broken ribs . It taught me that taking risks is not always worth it , but I did learn that a lot of people cared , as I had an incredible number of visitors the two weeks spent in hospital .
MA : If you could have one cycling-related poster on your wall , who would be in it ?
SS : Eddie Merckx or another one of the classic 60s / 70s / 80s riders . It would be a black and white picture from a race like Paris Roubaix , probably reflecting grit and determination . That era may be criticised for drug-taking , but it produced some incredibly tough athletes .
MA : How does all your experience on the bike impact what you do now ? SS : Having raced for over 25 years , I have built up a big network of people who know me and trust me . Since work is mostly about your networks and relationships , I can honestly say I owe my livelihood to cycling .
MA : Has the Wattbike ethos changed your own way of training ? SS : Wattbike ( Eddie Fletcher Sport Science and the rest of the team ) and their methodology focus on consistent improvement in performance , looking at the biomechanics of cycling . I now make sure I get two sessions a week on the Wattbike and it has made a crazy difference to my cycling efficiency .
MA : What is the most exciting place your job has taken you to ? SS : I was extremely impressed by the UCI WCC centre in Aigle , Switzerland – the environment , the mountains , the facilities , the people and what they have achieved , plus a lovely sense of tradition . Meeting Fred Magnin was a privilege , too . I must say that Wattbike was the reason I got the opportunity , and they let me ride the 200m wooden velodrome , which I wouldn ’ t get off of until they switched off the lights !
MA : What are your thoughts around cycling in SA , with more youngsters making the leap to go ride in Europe ?
SS : These jumps are mostly though the interest of private companies or individuals and I feel that the governmental bodies have lost control of how the sport should be getting directed . Mass participation is the Russian roulette selection system for youngsters to get noticed . Club ethos exists , but there seems to be very little opportunity . Having said that , organisations like the UCI World Cycling Centre ( WCC ) and JP Van Zyl are doing a great job overall , but they need to be placed on top of the mass participation events to give youngsters a constructive mechanism to access proper coaching and development opportunities .
MA : Do you have any advice for those looking to enter the cycling world ?
SS : Take in information from all spheres , but do not get caught in any one dogma . The skills cross-over between the different aspects of cycling will make you a much better cyclist , so I say to roadies to try mountain biking , to mountain bikers try road racing , and to all , try track cycling .
Images : Courtesy Steve Saunders
42 ISSUE 94 MAY 2017 / www . modernathlete . co . za