Spring Swing

Instead of making excuses about not blogging because the intensive process of writing, I will now attempt the impossible (for me): a micro blog recapping all the recent racing and events.

Back in March you followed along as I checked in with live updates from the Cape Epic. That race in a nutshell: it represented the very best of teamwork and preparations, but resulted in a very poor placing. It was definitely not the performance we wanted, but we worked really hard and learned several new recipes for humble pie – and found most pair well with South African wine.

Nonetheless, added some incredible memories to my collection: The orange swirl of the dust sent flying by the wind of helicopter blades created a scene like that of a Desert Storm movie, and it would set the mood for Stages 3 and 4; I won’t forget the camera moto that spun head over end next to our dirt peloton. Plastic bits from the crash sprayed me, and my ears rang as I winced to avoid viewing the carnage from the wreck.

The action and the drama of the Epic are real! Athletes in full peak ride the highs, and others who are barely surviving each day experience the lows. We experienced a bit of it all. The days are transient and a moving camp supports the entire event. We have trouble downing our breakfast food at 4:30 a.m. because of stomachs-turned-trash-compactors. Erik was woozy from bee sting medication after an encounter with a killer bee that had him swollen and sore for days. There is a special kind of thirst you only get in 110+ degree-days, and when those days turn into freezing cold nights spent in tents… you must be doing something epic.

I did love riding the Cape Epic trails with Erik, and I took a few moments to absorb the vast sun-cooked environment of mesas and jagged mountains with lakes of sand and salt-swept farms.

Hugs and thanks to the staff: Gio, Paul, Torsten, Dirk, Peter, Craig, and Rosanna for all the dedication and energy they put into the race and the care they provided us. Over 25% of the teams didn’t make to the finish this year, but we did so that’s something.

Back stateside and Cape Epic memories still looping in my head, I rested. Legs battered 8 days in a row shrunk down from elephant cankles to normal. It was about the worst jet lag ever – like a space travel after suspended animation thaw, I imagined. You know you’re wrecked when you go to grab a spoon to eat your yogurt and you look up and realize you’re standing in the bathroom? Uh, oh.

I did recover after a week of slow-mo and few beers. My kids had Spring Break so Erin, Conrad, Bea and I went to Bath County Virginia’s Homestead resort for a couple relaxing family days including fishing with the kids, a nice fancy dinner, and champagne on the house. I blasted some local Strava KOMs and felt back to full power for the first time in April!

The Harris Roubaix gravel road race was short and sketchy! I got away on the last lap for the win. Erin, the kids and I painted Easter eggs, ate chocolate and rolled around in the flowers. Ah spring, but the allergies were wicked.

Conquer the Hill was a good tough test. This race could have been called “turn, brake, sprint, drops, berms, then climb steep short hills 200 times.” Yeah, it was pretty tiring but fun. I won after attacking on my friend – as only friends do – with ruthless abandon. Mr Keck Baker was mean on the track, I thanked him for the sparring session and hope he will return the attack on a future training ride.

Now I’m in a 3-week block of racing my spring swing. Sea Otter Classic was a successful launch for Canyon in the USA. It was great visiting with the fans and media.

Whiskey 50 was a barn-burner with a world-class field. My teammate Kristian Hynek battled the Specialized armada. We attacked; got attacked on; fought dust, dangerous trails, and huge climbs; and raced strong, but not consistent. We did net 3rd and 5th places for some cash and cool whiskey flasks.

Next stop on the pain train is Arkansas for USAC Marathon National Championships to sample the region’s pork BBQ and single track that I hear is outstanding.  A step on the podium? Stay tuned for the next exciting installment on my fun full-gas spring swig.

For Team Topeak-Ergon, I’m Jeremiah Bishop.

Jeremiah Bishop and Team Topeak-Ergon at the 2017 Cape Epic

The Absa Cape Epic (March 19th to 26th) is the toughest mountain bike stage race in the world and is being held for the 14th time this year. Eight days of dust – eight days of pain – eight days of absolute exhaustion – that is what the 1,300 participants can expect on their ride through the untamed wilderness of South Africa.

Even for the elite athletes of Team Topeak-Ergon, the race poses a huge challenge time and time again, and can only be tackled with the necessary team spirit. Jeremiah Bishop is paired with Erik Kleinhans to support Alban Lakata and Kristian Hynek in the quest for the podium.

The race features everything that the South African border area has to offer; from merciless gravel roads, crisp inclines, technical downhills, flowing single tracks and adventurous river crossings.

Follow the team’s adventure with live reporting throughout the event from Team Topeak-Ergon; on Twitter; on Facebook, and through event-based coverage and real-time results.

#SandSaltSpirit
#CapeEpic

Racing the Tankwa Trek

The deep soreness in my glutes and quads is something I only get from racing. Over the past two weeks, I’ve had six high-level race days spread over three events – the most ever for me this time of year. Of the three races, last weekend’s Tankwa Trek three-day stage race was the toughest by far. It’s legit! (Lots of media on the event’s Twitter feed.)

Each day, my Topeak-Ergon teammates and I woke early for the 6:30 a.m. stage starts. We stayed in campers in the race village, and there was a lot of preparation fumbling around in the dark. In the early morning hours before Stage 2, a thunderstorm rolled through the desert and provided an unusual wake-up call. It was a stark sight filled with weary sleep-starved faces around the breakfast tables that morning.

Throughout the race, the sight of bandaged bodies, broken bikes, a few broken bones, and one fatality from stroke were reminders of just how intense these races can be. All this carnage came from only three days of epic-style racing; the Cape Epic looms with eight full days!

As a team, our race at the Tankwa Trek was good; it was not what we wanted, but it was what we needed. The race served as a yardstick of our form and fitness. It was a chance to practice our roles on the team and fight through the challenges that the desert and world class competition could throw at us.

Our team was faced with some unlucky mechanicals – the kind that can happen to anyone at anytime: a few flat tires, and a broken derailleur caused by a renegade stick. Our competitors the Bulls were on point riding strong and steady. Christophe Sauser had a setback when his teammate Sam got sick. The South African Telecom Team rode really well. Lucas Fluckiger and Nicola Rorback succumbed to a stomach bug.

In perspective, we really should be satisfied; as a team our cohesion has never been better. We laughed, had fun enjoying awesome trails, and even drank some wine at a post-race braai (traditional South African barbecue) at my teammates Erik’s house.

The past thee weeks of preparations and training in the rough, hot desert has toughened our minds and bodies. The challenges we will face in March will be nothing new and for that reason I think that we can pull together a strong Cape Epic. We are doing all the preparation it takes to endure as a team. At Cape Epic, more than at any other race, the best team wins!

In the next four weeks, Team Topeak-Ergon will have time to make the final adjustments for the biggest mountain bike stage race in the world. See you at the Absa Cape Epic!

– Jeremiah

Wow, First Race Win of 2017

The Fairtree Capital Simonsburg Contour Stage Race, held just a short ride away from our base camp here in Stellenbosch, was our chance to get in some speedy race practice. It’s one thing to train hard, but the rhythm, tactics, and constant focus required in racing takes practice.

During the first stage, my teammate Kristian Hynek attacked from our steady charging lead group and I went after his surge. This got us a small gap, but then Kristian flatted and regrouped with our other teammate Alban Lakata along with Dominik Buska of Future Cycling. I got a small gap on the chasers, but when they took a wrong turn off the course, my lead was magnified. I crossed the finish line to take the win and the leader’s jersey going into the second stage.

For those of you into power data, below is a screen shot of my work from Stage 1. As you can see, the hills were sharp at the beginning and end. From the KOM on (the last 40 minutes) is where you see the race really heated up. NP close to 355 for me at 72 kilos. I’d say the hard thing to see is how winning versus finishing well in mountain bike race requires closing speed or the ability to still put out high power efforts. Here I did a 850 watt surge and many at 600 to accelerate out of turns while getting my heart rate down on the very short descents.

Day two had some tough single track, and Kristian came back looking to prove his form. He attacked late in the stage on the serpentine single track climb of Never Say Never. A ripping downhill that was really fun followed. I was hot on Kristian’s heels and he and I both almost crashed racing the descent!

In the final kilometers, knowing the over all win was safe, I drove the pace and Kristian came around for the stage win.

A perfect ending to the weekend was hanging out at the after-party under the big tent listening to music and chatting with the racers and enjoying the first taste of Champagne in 2017!

Thanks to Team Topeak-Ergon for the support and great equipment that stands the toughest races in the World.

Ready to Race

This season’s training has been good, but tough. Getting older makes you wonder if you can still make the magic happen on the racecourse. I’m excited because all the explosive power work and strength work from the past couple of months is paying off. Going into the race season, I feel ready for flight and I’m sure I can do some fast racing again this year!

My first big season goal is to help Team Topeak-Ergon win the 2017 Cape Epic. Kristian Hynek and Alban Lakata will lead the charge, and I will race with Erik Kleinhans as the super support team.

In order to arrive at the Cape Epic more prepared than ever before, my team will spend several early-season weeks together training in South Africa.

This “Cape Camp” starts with Grabouw, Race #1 of the South African Marathon Series. This race happens to take place on one of the Cape Epic courses, so it’s a great opportunity for us to scout it out.  Next we will do some summer training and recon the other courses. Being on the course gives us a chance to get a feel for the terrain, the layout and imagine how the racing could play out given the conditions. The sand, heat, hike-a-bikes, and leg-crushing climbs all hold surprises. The raw landscape presents hazards that can cause mechanicals and has the potential to cause race-ending crashes!  This homework should pay off and make the difference in taming the Cape Epic beast… or at least appeasing it!

My home base for the next several weeks will be Stellenbosch’s relaxing Ride In. It’s a place I’m familiar with, as our team’s home-away-from-home when we convene for the Cape Epic. It’s a great base of operations, as a ride center and with a nice coffee spot.

If I have an odd day off, I’d like to go fishing for shark or help with some local trail work, but I have a hunch we will be pretty busy on the bikes if we do it right!

Toward the end of this trip, our final test will be the Tankwa Trek Stage Race. Competing in this race will assure we have all the wrinkles ironed out and that we are working together as a well-oiled machine.

Afterward Tankwa Trek, I will come home for a few weeks. I’ll tune up the top-end of my fitness, and look forward to racing Virginia’s Monster Cross, before returning to South Africa to take on the Cape Epic.