Rebuttal to Wenzel
Richard Fries
Nov 2001
Editor's
noteElsewhere on this site you can read articles by Joe Friel and Rene and Kendra Wenzel discussing issues of how to balance a winter season of 'cross with the regular summer racing season. These articles recently prompted a heated response mailed to me (11/19/01) from Richard Fries, publisher of The Ride magazine, which is incidentally the journal of record for the burgeoning New England 'cross scene. Read on. --Dave Carr
Rebuttal
by Richard Fries, Ride MagazineDavid, I went on your site for info on 2002 nats. I really liked your site. I'm a cross nut and had yet to come across this site.
I found the Wenzel article disturbing and flat out wrong regarding cyclocross. Who are these Rasputins?
Eddy Merckx, Bernard Hinault, Roger deVlaemink, Henrik Djernis, Thomas Frischknecht, Sean Kelly etc., etc., etc. all raced 'cross. Alison Dunlap seems to hold her own too, eh?
To make wacky assumptions about Frank and Mark McCormack's performances deteriorating is just wrong. Coming off his '98 cross nationals win, Frank was on his best season ever, having won the Tour de Langkawi and the Sea Otter, only to suffer a near fatal crash in Japan. That's been his problem, not cyclocross.
Mark has toned down his cross racing since winning the SuperCup series in 1998, sticking to a local regimen. He has continued to post great results.
Bart Bowen won the U.S. Pro Road title having raced a full season of 'cross.
[Wenzel are] suggesting they would do better if they raced less 'cross? Baloney.
"Ya ride once a week with a hard hour on the weekend. Sounds like a good off-season regimen for me," said Frank McCormack, who defends 'cross. Despite tapering way off of cyclocross racing in recent years, his results have not improved [meaning that 'cross hasn't held him back any].
Meanwhile, Tim Johnson, the Greg LeMond of American 'cross, has won two Mount Washington Hill Climbs and posted as promising a rookie season of any pro in recent memory.
And don't forget, this is show business. That's what pays all the bills. If cyclocross season gets you front pages of magazines, national titles, exposure and sponsorship, then it's a lot better for your career than sitting still and fondling your heart rate monitor all winter.
There's no physiological basis for the assumption [that 'cross racing hurts your summer performances]. Some athletes simply fatigue of the stress and demands of racing. Fine, don't race 'cross. But if people find they enjoy cyclocross and have success at it, then go for it. There no reason it cannot be integrated into a successful road or mountain bike season.
I fatigue of these elitists who seem to think there's a correct way to be a cyclist. Some riders simply love 'cross and succeed in that element. They actually race the summer as their off-season, but are capable of contributing to a road team at a high level or competing in mountain bike racing at the highest of levels.
Ask any cyclist if they would prefer to win some empty road race in Idaho in June or win in front 8,000 spectators at the Presidio in December.
Of note is that Carmichael Training Systems has appointed former cross star Craig Undem to retrofit their program to include a cross regimen. Their test pilot for this regimen is the talented cyclocross star, Jonny Sundt.
Meanwhile, all of us 'cross fans are waiting for Dirk Friel's big breakout year under dad's tutelage. And the Saturn team held its own this past season despite the termination of Mr. Wenzel.
It's bike racing. Get out of the way.
Regards,
Richard FriesGo back to the NVV Cyclocross Circuit