Col D`Eze Recon - Fun in the Côte d`Azur

The final time trial of Paris-Nice will take place on the Col d'Eze which is a climb that starts from the heart of the seaside city of Nice in the Côte d'Azur. Last Thursday we loaded up the bikes and headed to Nice for a day of fun. We made a recon video and also tracked the ride on Strava. Hope this gives you some insight into what is in store. We will be back on the mountain tomorrow. Two weeks ago, in Lucca, we promised Tejay VanGarderen that we would be in Nice cheering our "asses" off for him, and that`s where we'll be.

Live Strong, Train Safe, and Live Well!

Bill and Liam

A Taste of La Dolce Vita in Lucca

I have often wondered "what is the deal with Lucca, Italy?" How does an ancient walled city located in Tuscany, 30 kilometers from the Méditerranéen coast, become a stealth center for professional cycling? I figured there must be a reason that Mario Cipollini, Taylor Phinney, Ben King, Tejay Van Garderen, and Phillipe Gilbert- just to name a few - have chosen to base out of Lucca for much of the year. Liam and I had discussed this topic on many occasions; and, in the end, we decided a training trip to Tuscany was the best way for us to figure it out for ourselves.

Lucca - old city and surrounding wall

Last week all the stars aligned (Liam had a school vacation, the weather forecast looked excellent, my wife, Tavi, could stay with the boys). The window was open for us to be able to break away from our lives in France for a three-day cycling trip. The plan was classic "FatherSonTour"-- ride our bikes, check out the city, meet up with friends, and, of course, experience first-hand the pizza, pasta and gelato that makes this town famous.

Liam taking it all in

Lucca would not disappoint, in fact, the trip went well beyond anything we had ever dreamed. I had a clue that things were going to go pretty well when I started e-mailing back and forth with Ben King before we left France. Ben was "down" for pizza and gelato with us in Lucca on Friday night! We first met Ben at Levi's Gran Fondo a few years ago. He was fresh off a win at the US Pro Road Championships. Since that time Ben has ridden for team Radio Shack and he puts in a monumental amount of hard work and sacrifice for his team. Ben's work ethic and attitude are first-class. That is just how Ben rolls. Liam really looks up to Ben, and the fact that he would take the time to spend an evening with us was very, very cool.

Impressive architecture throughout the city

We left our home in France on Wednesday afternoon, and, 5 hrs later, we arrived in Lucca at the Piazza Santa Maria which is located at the entrance to the heart of the old city. Lucca is known for its fully intact Renaissance-era walls and ramparts which surround the old city. When I first heard about a walled city I had pictured something closed-in and a little claustrophobic, but in reality the structure is built in a way that adds and enhances to the allure and appeal of the city. Although the wall is about 6 meters high, you don't feel crowded by it; and the 4 km tree lined path running around its top makes for excellent cycling, running and promenades. Over the years, residents of the city must have felt the same way because, as Lucca expanded, instead of tearing down the walls, they just built the new city around outside of them.

Liam up on the ancient wall

The Lucca wall quickly became the centerpiece of our three day trip. It formed the book ends to almost every ride we did in Lucca. We would start our rides with a spin around the wall to get a warm-up before heading out into Tuscan countryside and into the surrounding mountains and towns. After the rides we would finish up with a victory lap around the wall as we returned to the city. We got the idea of the victory lap from Ben King's Lucca rides on his Strava profile. So if you are in Lucca and looking for some ride ideas, Strava is a great place to start.

On Thursday, our first day of riding, we had a basic idea of where to go, but the roads around Lucca are a little confusing. Unlike the States, roads in Italy are not laid out on a grid. They kind of curve around everywhere. The best way to get around and find the general direction you want to go is to read the road signs, but you need to know the names of the small surrounding towns and where they are located in order to do this. Neither Liam nor I speak Italian so that added another layer of complexity. ("Do we want to head towards Camaiore, or Cappannori ?" Two similar names that are, at first, easily confused if you don't speak Italian).

First day in the Tuscan hills

Day 1 - We headed out of town following the river to the North. We didn't know exactly where we were going, but we found some roads that climbed up to beautiful little hamlets perched on mountain sides with terraced olive orchards dotted by peaceful little churches and monasteries. We got some great video of the day's ride with our new Go Pro camera. GoPro® HD Cameras can be mounted on a bike helmet or bike frame making it is possible to have two hands on the handlebars while filming. These days it is never easy to follow Liam up a mountain, but it is a whole lot better with both hands.

When we got back to town we grabbed a late lunch at an outdoor cafe in a little sun soaked Piazza in the old city. It was here that we had the pleasure of meeting Jessica (Phillips) Van Garderen who was grabbing a quick coffee after a ride of her own. Jessica is a professional cyclist from Aspen, Colorado who lives in Lucca for part of the year with her husband Tejay Van Garderen, who is also a professional cyclist with team BMC. It was really fun for us to talk with a fellow American, especially an American who is passionate about cycling. Jessica is really cool. She is also very modest. We only found out later that she was, in fact, the 2009 US national time trial champion. After our conversation Jessica offered that, if Tejay was up for it, perhaps we could all start out on a ride together the next morning. Wow, only in Lucca!

After a few e-mails back and forth it was confirmed -- we would meet Tejay and Jessica the next morning for coffee, and then all start out on a ride together. Jessica had one condition for the ride, and that was that Liam come up with some questions to ask Tejay. (I think she will make an excellent parent someday). That night over a pasta dinner at Da Leo (a restaurant that I highly recommend), Liam was tossing around question ideas. I was just shaking my head a little in disbelief of what an incredible next day we had in store -- morning coffee and ride with Tejay and Jessica Van Garderen and a Friday night out on the town for pizza and gelato with Ben King. The Tuscan cycling gods must have been smiling on us.

The next morning, we met Tejay and Jessica at a cafe just off the Piazza Santa Maria. Tejay is an extremely talented bike rider. At age 23 he already has 2 grand tours (La Vuelta and the Tour de France) under his belt. Liam was very impressed by all this, but what he found even more interesting is that Tejay had been riding competitively since he was 10 years old. Liam could really relate to this.

Over coffee and hot chocolate Liam asked the question that he had chosen. The question to Tejay was "who have been his mentors in cycling?" Tejay's response was really cool. He said that he had had many mentors over the years, but that the first one he can remember was his father. His dad, who still races in a masters group, was his first mentor and he taught him the basics of cycling. I think I related to this as much as Liam did. I have been and continue to be Liam's mentor, but very soon, Liam's cycling ability will start to pass mine. I don't know if Liam will become a professional cyclist. It is a really tough sport and a very long road ahead, but if he does choose that path he will need some really good role models and mentors. In many ways that is what our trip to Lucca was about. For three days Liam had the opportunity to meet up with and spend some time with first-class young professional bike riders that could quite possibly be showing him the ropes in ten year's time.

Tejay and Liam talking about the Pro peloton

During the ride, Liam got to ask Tejay some more questions like "what it was like riding in the peloton of a grand tour?" It was a great morning and both Liam and I learned a lot. After about 20k, we parted ways as Tejay had some intense training to do on his time trial bike. (He is preparing for Paris-Nice, an 8-day tour, which starts on March 4th). Jessica continued with us on the ride leading the way to one of her favorite loops in Lucca. It was a beautiful ride on a mountain circuit up past the village which is know as the birth place of the fictional character Pinocchio.

After the Pinocchio loop, Jessica showed us another killer little loop in Lucca itself. This route was complete with a classic-style, cobble climb that had a beautiful view of the city. Half-way through the loop we stopped by a beautiful villa which is the Italian branch office of SRM. SRM is a company that was founded by engineer Ulrich (Uli) Schoberer who in 1986 designed and patented a system for measuring an athlete's power output while cycling in competition. Liam got the opportunity to spend some time talking power meters and watts with technician and super cool guy Rob Love. We may see Rob again this year in France when he passes by Provence on his way from London across Europe to Italy on a new custom motorcycle.

Talking power meters with Rob at the SRM house

That evening, Liam and I headed to the Antica Drogheria to meet up with our friend Ben King for what is quite possibly the best pizza in Italy. The Drogheria is an old general store that has has added a wood-fired pizza oven. It is a bit eclectic, which only adds to its appeal. The mouth watering pizza also enhances the effect!

Possibly serves the best pizza in Italy

It was great to see Ben again. When we met up, his sun-burned face gave him the appearance that he had just come off a stage of the Tour de France. It turns out, Ben had put in a monster ride that day - with 3500 meters of climbing. On Strava he appropriately named the ride "I need a Pizza ASAP." It was definitely a well earned pizza and gelato. We had a lot of fun chatting about cycling and life in Europe. Ben related some of his race experiences from his first year as a pro. We talked about seeing him pass by in Paris-Roubaix at the Trouée d'Arenberg last April. It was cool to hear his first hand account of racing the Queen of the Classics, the "Hell of the North." It was also good for Liam to hear from Ben just how hard it is to be a professional cyclist.

Ben and Liam out on the town

After pizza, we headed over to the new city where Ben showed us his favorite place for killer Italian gelato. We had fun making a little video in the gelateria, and the ice cream was really, really good! Ben walked us back to the Piazza Santa Maria and we said our goodbyes. When you are training hard, at 9:30pm the eyes start to get heavy and you instinctively head towards the barn. In Lucca, on a Friday night, this is just about the time that people start to head out to dinner. Although Liam was tired, he was also very happy. It had been a huge day -- one that Liam will likely remember for the rest of his life.

Great ending to a perfect day in Lucca

The next morning, before heading back to France, we got in an early ride all around our new favorite Tuscan training grounds. There is one word that is a perfect description for the riding in and around Lucca - "phenomenal." The cyclists we met on our trip all agreed. If the weather is good, Lucca is the place to ride. Well, the weather was great with sun and temps in the high 60s°F (18°C) for all three days that we were there. The company was also great. We met up with some really awesome folks who were willing to take the time to give us an introduction to a city -- a home away from home that they obviously loved. In the words of Ben King, the area "kind of sucks you in." Well, we're hooked. Now that we have a taste of "la dolce vita," we will be planning more trips to Lucca - si certo!

Live Strong, Train Safe, and Live Well!!!

This is Bill and Liam signing out.

In France the Meal is Serious Business

Getting in the all important lunch - Mountain bike outing

It took me awhile to realize the full extent of the importance and place of the meal in France. I knew that the French like their food; I also knew that the food was a cultural thing, but I never realized just how deep this goes. All meals are important in France, but lunch is the most important. It seems that the whole country shuts down for this mid-day meal. Lunch is usually served between 12 noon and a half past the hour. It will last anywhere from 1 to 2 hours. The French also do not believe in lunch on the go. The idea of grabbing a sandwich and eating it on the run is barbaric to the French. I once made the mistake of eating a sandwich on a street corner of Paris. I got all kinds of strange looks, however, the looks of horror were usually followed by a polite “bon appetite.” It just took the people a few seconds to recognize that my barbaric act on the curb was actually a form of the sacred ritual of eating a meal, and, once they had made the connection, their instinctive manners and meal etiquette kicked in.

It is a cultural thing and people need to be accommodated. In all the major department stores you will find restaurants, and at noon, sure enough, you will find people sitting down for proper meals. Cloth napkins, real silverware, entrees, main courses, wine, cheese plates, and desserts are all very common - even at the local sporting goods store cafeteria.

Proper meal presentation and prep is all important

I don’t think there is any aspect of French life where the lunch priority principle doesn’t apply. I was a chaperone for Liam’s school mountain bike team a couple of weeks ago. It was an all-day biking “raid” (serious group riding) on some pretty radical trails out in the local mountains. It was cold and the conditions were very difficult with lots of snow and ice on rocky trails. We biked for a few hours in the morning - doing a loop to end at the parking lot just in time for lunch. I was thinking that we would just grab our sandwiches, and then head back out on the bikes....Not a chance. I quickly realized my mistake when we got the looks of disbelief when Liam and I grabbed our sandwiches out of the car and almost started eating. No, it would not go down this way, not in France. We would all sit down together at some very cold stone benches in near freezing temperatures and enjoy nearly an hour lunch. The adult accompagnateurs were at one bench and the kids were at the others. We had our sandwiches, but there was also cheese, fois gras, wine (yes, even on a mountain biking trip), some small cakes for dessert, and coffee and tea at the end of the meal. I made the mistake of asking for some tea mid-way through the meal. (When you stop riding you get cold quickly). Although I was given the tea, I discovered that it was not proper etiquette. The French all waited till the end of the meal to have their tea and coffee because that is just how it is done. Never mind that we are sitting out in the woods on a mountain bike trip. It was a nice lunch with great conversation, but not what I had expected. After lunch we hopped back on the bikes for another three hours of riding (red wine and all).

Snowball fight after lunch

Another example of lunch taking priority over all occurred last weekend at Liam’s first swim meet here in France. Liam has started swimming again with a club at the piscine Alain Bernard in Aubagne. Liam had been away from competitive swimming for 2 years and he was starting to miss it. Swimming is really an important piece of his training and the conditioning really pays off on the bike. More about that in a future blog post, but for now back to the importance of the meal here in France.

The Benjamin Group of Liam's new swim club

Liam was swimming the 800 meter freestyle and the 50 meter back stroke in the morning and then he had a butterfly event in the afternoon. I noticed on the schedule that there was 2 and ½ hours between the sessions. I have been in France long enough to know that the lunch principle had to be involved. When we arrived at the meet the organization was handing out flyers that included directions to a cafeteria where the entire competition would meet for lunch. At 11:30 the competition stopped, the pool facility was locked up tight and everyone (teams, coaches, parents and judges) got in their cars and headed a few miles down the road for an hour and ½ lunch. We ate together as a team and it was very enjoyable, but the whole affair seemed somewhat odd from the American perspective. After the meal everyone got back in their cars and headed back to the pool, where at exactly 2 pm the doors were opened and the meet continued where it had left off.

In France the people take their meals seriously, because it is during these times that human relationships are cultivated. I guess back in the US we would be known as lunch snobs - turning our nose up at fast food and paper napkins. I think that after you become used to eating in this "civilized" manner it is hard to go back to grabbing lunch on the run, not to mention, what havoc it wreaks on your new found digestion.

By the way, Liam won the 800 meter freestyle on Sunday in his first competitive swim meet in two years. It must be due to all those great meals he has been having!

Live Strong, Train Safe, and Live Well!

Bill and Liam signing out.

Tête et Jambes - A Win in Marseille

There is saying in French :"Tête et jambes" ... "Pour gagner une course de vélo il faut avoir la tête et les jambes, mais surtout la tête." In English it means: "Head and legs. In order to win a bike race one needs both to think with your mind and have good legs, but most important is the mind." There is a lot of insight in this simple statement. It was one of the first things that was said to the boys when they joined their cycle club here in Provence. Coming from America, we are generally power riders. Lots of heart, great legs and the desire to get out there and just "get 'er done." That is a great spirit and attitude, but it doesn't always win bike races. In a bike race one has to know when to lay it down and when to conserve one's energy. You have to also be able to read the guys or gals you are racing against. It is almost like a game of Texas hold'em, but you pretty much know that everyone is holding good cards; it is more a question of when and where to play them. Last Sunday in Marseille, at the first race of 2012, Liam played his cards perfectly.


Arrivée of the first Pro race of the 2012 season

The Gran Prix de La Marseillaise is the first professional bike race of the year here in Europe - it is the season opener. The pro race is 150 kilometers long and finishes in downtown Marseille in front of the football (soccer) stadium. Before the arrival of the pros, there is a youth criterium-style race that takes place. The youth race is part of the Gran Prix and takes place all around the stadium on streets closed to traffic. It is well organized, and is timed so that, 30 minutes after the youth race and awards, the kids are all able to watch the arrivée of the pros from a great location right on the line. The youth competition is part of the budget of the race, a way for the organizers to give back to the community in their support of youth programs.


Le métier - warming up for the race
Because it was the first race of the year, the date was marked on the calender and all the boys were very excited about it. When we arrived to start the warm-up and get oriented with the course layout, Liam had some doubts. Because of construction around the stadium, the circuits of the criterium were shortened and there were many tight, technical turns. It was also raining most of the morning so the course was wet and slippery. Liam rides best on hills and where there are sections were he can open it up and power. This course was very different and he would have to adapt. We talked about the course and decided that Liam would ride the course like a cyclocross race, but with the only difference being that it was taking place on pavement. He wanted to get into the first group, make sure the tempo was high enough so that it thinned out the field, and then he wanted to be patient and wait. He was feeling that he had pretty good legs so he wanted to make a move early but not too early. He thought that he would make this move with either three or four laps to go to the finish.


The start

The plan went very well, and Liam pulled off a win in the first bike race of the 2012 season! He is now 2 for 2 here in France on the new Trek Livestrong bike. He is indeed an inspired rider.


Happy Liam

I was able to get most of the major parts of the race on film. What you don't see in the video is that, on the last part of the first circuit, Liam had a slight crash, he put a foot down, but got back up and going quickly, and was able to catch back up to the lead group. This is where the experience of racing cyclocross and mountain biking throughout the fall and winter has really paid off.


FatherSonTour Cycling project ready to roll

Aidan and Roan (Liam's younger brothers) also had very good races. They are all maturing and improving as riders on the bike. It is fun to be a part of it all as "Directeur Sportif" of the FatherSonTour cycling project!

Live Strong, Train Safe, and Live Well,

This is Bill and Liam signing out

And its…2012… Round and Round We Go

Happy 2012 - May your year be filled with Joy!

Here in France, one thing that stands in marked contrast to our experience in Southern California is the intense difference between the seasons and the speed at which they pass. There is not a huge difference between summer and fall in California, the two begin to blend into each other, and it is nearly impossible to say when one ends and the other begins. It could not be more different here. “Boom” down comes the curtain and the total scene changes. One day we are out in the pool listening to the cicadas, taking in the intense heat of the sun. The next day we are bundling up against the wind and biting cold coming from the North. Gone are the sun filled afternoons that seem to last till midnight. The trees, as if responding to a stage cue, promptly start shedding their leaves, and, in unison, the whole landscape starts to pull back its outward vibrancy.

Mild Fall and Winter this year - great for riding!

I didn’t really like the fall and winter here last year. It was a rude awakening of sorts after living in the eternal summer of Newport Beach. This year, however, the intense differences are starting to grow on me. Instead of looking at the cold as an inconvenience, I am starting to appreciate the changes that the season brings. (I must admit that this winter has been very mild compared to last year). The whole French culture adapts in response to the changes in the weather. Take the clothing for example - the bright pastels are replaced by browns, blacks, dark reds, and greens. The food changes from the lighter summer fare to more hearty meals like roasts and winter soups. The rosé is put away until the spring and it is replaced by the darker red wines of Bordeaux, Burgundy, and the Rhone valley. We are invited to parties to celebrate the wine harvest, the olive harvest, the release of theBeaujolais nouveau and, of course, Noël and le Jour de l’An. It is impossible to separate the food and wine from the culture of France. Just as the food and wine change with the seasons, so do the meals and social events that revolve around them. This is a concept that I (kind of) got the first year we were here, but now I am starting to get these things in a deeper more profound way. For the second year in a row we brought in the New Year eating and drinking with our French friends here in Auriol.

Winter vines on the mountain bike

It could be said that our time in France is kind of circular as we go round and round with the seasons, but it is really more of a spiral. With each turn we get a deeper, clearer understanding and insight into French culture. This spiraling journey also gives us a clearer and deeper bond as a family. Suddenly things that seemed very bizarre start to perfectly make sense. For example, take the incredibly time consuming tradition of French greetings. At first, I thought it was crazy to come into a room and be obligated to go up to each individual and give him or her either a biz (a kiss on both cheeks) or a handshake depending on the level of the familiarity. Each time a new person enters the room; you would have to start the whole process over again. It takes 10 minutes of kissing and hand shaking just to get our monthly vélo club meeting going. Now, this tradition is so second natured, that the old way of coming into a room and simply sitting down to start a meeting seems very impersonal and out of touch. It seems that the obligation has now turned into a joy.

Vivre les fêtes

All the boys are going through their own cycles with school, friendships, and their athletic accomplishments. So as we head into another year of our French adventure on and off the bike I’d like to take this opportunity to wish you a very happy New Year – may it be filled with much love and joy and may your dreams come true.

Live Strong, Train Safe, and Live Well!!!

This is Bill and Liam signing out.

L’art du Départ (The Art of the Start)

Liam Rolling at a Cross race near Avignon

Cyclo-Cross is a wild hybrid sport that takes road biking, cross country running, mountain biking and trail running, and somehow manages to merge them all together. The sport is primarily done on a cyclo-cross bike. The bike itself is a hybrid, taking the light frame of a road bike, beefing up the fork and wheels, and using a sort of skinny mountain bike tire. The handlebars of the bike are like that of a road bike, with the exception of an extra set of brake levers in the front. There is also more clearance between the actual brakes and the wheels; because quite often you ride through mud. Cyclo-cross is fun, but it is also physically demanding and very technical. The courses are usually over single track made up of some combination of mud, sand, loose dirt, and rock. The riders often have to dismount their bikes and run or jump over obstacles with the bike on their shoulders.


Cross terrain can be tough

Last year, the first year of cross racing for the Flanagan boys, was a tough initiation. Falls were common, their starts were horrible, and the technical tight turns and descents were intimidating. It takes awhile to learn and adapt. It also takes a lot of courage to stick with something that, at first, you are not great at. It is hard to go from always being on the podium (in the top three) to being back in the mid pack at 15^th or 16^th. By the end of last year’s cross season Liam did manage to crack the top 5, and was often in the top 10, but each race somehow left him a little disappointed. I guess when you are 10 and 11 it is hard to sit back and be patient with yourself (I can’t say that it is easy at 43 either.)

Liam started cross training this year in Late Summer

By the end of last year’s season Liam was getting the technical turns, dismounts, obstacles, and the descents, but when we looked back at what went wrong it often came down to the start. In cyclo-cross the start is all-important. You can’t win the race with a great start, but you sure can lose with a bad one. In Liam’s category you have about 40 kids all gunning to get into the top five positions within the first 100 meters of the race. If you are much further back it becomes nearly impossible to catch up and very difficult to pass in the single-track sections.

We started really focusing on starts at the end of this summer. It takes a lot of practice and motivation to be able to generate that type of explosive speed from a stand still. We worked on imagery (from hair on fire, bees chasing you - to the more zen “powerful volcano warrior”). In November it all started to click. Not only were the starts getting faster, but Liam’s ability to put in bursts at speed started to come together as well. His cadence (the revolutions per minute he could turn over the pedals) also markedly improved.

First Cross Podium finish at La Ciotat

A few weeks ago, at a tough race in La Ciotat, Liam succeeded to get onto the cyclo-cross podium for the first time with a third place finish. Then, last weekend to show that it was no fluke, he finished in third again at an even bigger regional cross race at Les Pennes Mirabeau. At that race, last Sunday just outside of Marseille, he had a beautiful start. It was like watching ballet – a work of art. It was a choreographed burst of speed, a high cadenced dance on the pedals, a zen flow through the tight turns, and then out on to the single-track in the lead!

The Art of the Start

Practicing a little Zen into the turn

Benjamin Division Podium at Les Pennes

On Sunday, after the junior races, there was a pro race that we watched in the afternoon. The pros raced over much of the same course that the kids had raced over. There were several Tour de France riders at the event. It was a little off-season cross to keep their skills sharp. Rémi Pauriol (the mentor of the boys’ vélo club) won the race. Professional riders Rémy de Gregorio, Yoann Bagot, and Maxime Bouet also raced. The riders were really cool with the kids, before the race they took a lap of honor for a retiring pro, and the kids were able to ride along side by side with the pros. It was one of those relaxed, down-to-earth home town events. Very different from the times we see these guys in July at the Tour were there is a lot more hype and pressure.

Chilling with Pro cyclist Maxime Bouet before the start

Maxime on Course

Pro Cyclist Rémi Pauriol mentor of our club

Rémi on course going for the win

Pro Podium at Les Pennes

It was one of those events that gets you pumped to be a cyclist, in fact, with mild weather the whole Fall has been really great for cycling. And I have to say that year 4 of the Father Son Tour is off to a great start.

Live Strong, Train Safe, and Live Well!!!

Bill and Liam

* Note to the guys who have been following the blog. You may have wondered what happened to the end of our season last year (ie.. Levi’s Granfondo, Livestrong Challenge Austin). We had (or at least I had) a rough ending to our last season. I Won’t spend too much time on it – I had to have minor surgery to remove a basal cell carcinoma (this is a form of skin Cancer that for the most part is very treatable) in Switzerland in August – I started riding too soon after the surgery and the incision got infected. We had to cancel our trip back to the states. It turns out that you use the muscles in your upper back for almost everything, and it is an area that can be very hard to heal. It is all good now, and good thing because if I lost too much of my conditioning I would have to buy a moped or an electric bike to keep up with the boys!

One Word - Dedication

It is true that winning is not everything, but, man, it is certainly great to work really hard and have it all come together! I think the story of our first year in France is a story of dedication. It is a story of obstacles overcome. Occasionally, it had its share of set backs and bumps in the road, but in the end it is a story that shows that hard work and keeping your chin up really does pay off.

Bringing it home in Marseille

When we arrived in France a year ago Tavi and the boys hardly spoke a word of French. We where changing houses, schools, leaving friends behind, and moving to a new country, where we literally knew no one. Tavi and I had a long talk and agreed that we wanted to put the boys ages 6, 8, and 10 directly into a French public school. There were other options – international schools were just 15 minutes away in Aix, but I had the feeling, that, if the boys could get through the first few months, over the long haul the public school would be much better in the end for their assimilation into France. We told the boys that it was going to be tough, but that, they could do it – we smiled a lot, put on a brave face, and talked it up. Underneath the cool façade, we, of course, had our doubts and fears. Could they actually do it? What would we do if it didn’t work out?

Brothers

I still remember the boys' first day of school in France. The boys soldiered into their new school, however, just before disappearing into the building hesitantly looked back at us with the expression that said “are you really sure about this?” It is hard enough to start a new school and make new friends, but to do so in a place where you don’t fully understand the culture or speak the language is very, very difficult. The boys sat in class on their first day and didn’t understand anything that was being said in the classroom. “Hello, what’s your name?” was the extent of their new classmates English and the boys didn’t speak much more French. It was difficult and I think at times all the boys had their doubts that they were actually going to be able to do it. For the first few months we would ask the boys how their day went after school. “Terrible” was always the response. It was tough – tough to learn the language, tough to make new friends, tough learning how a new culture works and not to be misunderstood. Some days the boys were in tears.

Sometimes it is a difficult road ahead

Then one day, just before Christmas, we asked the question about how the day went, and we got “OK.” It wasn’t a “great” or “super” but it wasn’t “terrible” either. This was the day that I knew that we were all going to be all right in our new home. Soon the boys started receiving invitations to birthday parties, having sleepovers and actually getting some praise from their teachers. They started to get compliments on their French. It didn’t all come at once, and there were a lot of difficult days, but they did it.

One pedal stroke after another

All through our first year in France, the boys were also working hard on their cycling. They are all big fans of riding their bikes. I must admit that, as a parent, I planted the seed with my love and enthusiasm for the sport. They have now taken that involvement to a new level. We have a tennis club down the street, and handball is big in our town as well. The boys like those sports, but it would seem that, for now, their true passion is cycling. They have all chosen to stick with it.

Just as there was a new language and culture to learn with the boys’ French school, there was also a whole different rhythm to riding and racing bikes in France. It took a while to adjust and adapt to the French way. The boys worked really hard. Liam had some early success in his very difficult category, but then had essentially a whole year of what we call “paying his dues.” There were many races in which he felt he could have done much better. In some races there was bad luck – a flat tire, a crash, throwing a chain. That is bike racing. It is a crazy, hard sport. It is a lot of fun, but in order to excel at it you need a lot of dedication. In this day and age of attention spans of a nano-second, Liam is an 11 year old with a ten-year plan, and he sticking to it. I do admire him for that.

Finally, in the last few weeks, everything here has come together as we head into our second year in France. The rentree (when all the French come back from their August holiday and return to school and work) went by, for the most part, without a hitch. The boys now, after all, speak the language that their classes are taught in - which is a huge plus. It was the smoothest start to any school year that I can remember. We now have lots of great friends in our little French village. Liam has moved up to middle school, called “college” in France. He made the school mountain bike team that had four national champions last year. We had a return to road racing last weekend with a few wins in Marseille. It was a difficult field on a very hot, hilly course that was well suited to the Flanagan boys’ strengths. Both Roan and Liam won their categories!

On this day - it all came together for Liam

Roan on the podium in Marseille

Liam has really gone the extra mile this year. He knows what it takes to do well here. Roller sessions after school, longer rides on days off and weekends, cross training, eating and sleeping well are all part of his routine. I guess it all comes back to that one word - dedication.

Rolling at home after school

Now, as we head into our second year in France, we are all even more thrilled and excited to be here continuing with our great adventure. And, to make things even better, we speak the language well enough to get what is going on -- at least -- most of the time.

Live Strong, Train Safe, and Live Well!

Bill and Liam signing out

Racing in the Land of Tall Girls on Flat Fast Courses in Assen, Netherlands

Year two for Liam - now the Assen veteran


The Team - L'eqipe Franco-americane Aubagnais

Assen is a small town in the north-east corner of Holland. It is probably best known for the Assen TT motorcycle and formula 1 racetrack. To us, Assen has come to mark the boys' biggest bike race of the summer - the European Junior Cycling Tour - a six-day stage race for kids that takes place every year around the 1^sst of August. It was our second year in a row at the event, and I suppose it is becoming a bit of a tradition. You get hooked on the atmosphere of this race, which has become a sort of jamboree of youth cycling – a mini Tour de France. It is complete with camping, time trials, criteriums, classic road stages, cobbled sectioned omloops, and they even have podium presentations complete with podium girls and flowers. All you need is a little rock music and you could call it Cyclapoloosa.

The podium after day 1 in Liam's Catagory IV, the girls are one year older and it seems one foot taller than the boys in the catagory

Always great to see reporter Jose Been

Friend and Assen local legend Bert Prent

We spent the week in Holland camping, racing bikes, making new friends and catching up with friends we have made along the way. It was great to see Jose Been, a friend and reporter who has covered the race for the last two years. Also, several of our Dutch friends actually made the trip to Assen to spend a day and see Liam race! Gaby Zwaan came out for the second year in a row to spend the day and have lunch. I think Assen is really growing on him! Always great to see Gaby - the guy has got lots and lots of energy. We wish him well in his upcoming opening in New York. Our Dutch friends and Livestrong leaders Annemiekeh and Karen also came out and set up a Livestrong information booth at the opening ceremony. These guys really work hard at raising money and awareness in the global fight against cancer. It was great to see them, and hopefully we will see them again in Austin at the end of October.

Friends and Livestrong leaders Annemiekeh and Karen

Fellow artists Gaby and Aidan

This year the Youth Tour had 800 or so kids, ages 8-18, mostly from Europe, but also from as far away as Australia. It is really a great venue for the boys to improve their cycling skills, discuss cycling strategy with fellow race participants, and learn to handle both the successes and set backs which naturally come with a bike race that takes place over six days. Professional rider Eric Zabel who was at the event with his Young Heros Canyon Cycling Project, called the event “cycling at its most pure and best.”

Back at camp watching one of the races with our friends the Tveters

Sofiane on the way to winning the sur place competition

The only draw back to racing in Assen is that it is located 1400 Kilometers from our house in Provence. It is a long, long drive. This year all three Flanagan boys were racing, and we also brought along Sofiane who is a friend and fellow teammate of the boys. Liam had told Sofiane about the youth tour, and it had really captured his imagination. The trip was a big deal for Sofiane, as it was his first time out of France, and, in fact, first time north of Lyon. It turned out to be a grand undertaking. I got just a little taste of what it is like to be a director sportif for a cycling team with our team of four from the Velo Club Aubagnais. It is tough work! During the trip we passed through Luxemburg, Belgium, Holland on the way there, and Germany and Switzerland on the way back. 2800 kilometers covered in the car and many on the bike. We used rides in locations all over Europe to break up the trip. It was really quite the European cycling adventure. We went through a lot of pasta and even more bananas. Four boys can really eat when they are cycling everyday.

Base camp for the week long race

The Assen Race Report –

Day 1 – Prolouge- was a flat fast time trial. The course was an out and back kilometer along the canal in the center of town. There was a start ramp and timing just like in the pro races. Liam was 29^th Aidan was 25^th and Sofiane was 49^th in there respective categories. The competition was tough and many categories had over 70 riders in them. Roan raced the Fat Tire division as he is not old enough to race in the 1^st category.

Sofiane getting ready to roll on Day 1

Liam bringing it home on day 1

First taste of racing for Aidan on Day 1

Roan mixing it up in the "fat tire" division

Day 2 criterium – What stood out most for the boys on this day was the speed. All races were extremely fast. Liam was 30^th and finished with the first group in the same time. Sofiane was 25^th and also finished with the first group. Aidan finished 25^th and lost some time. Roan experienced his first criterium in the fat tire race.

Day 3 Classic road stage. –The toughest thing for me on this day was getting all the boys out to their different start locations. The race was a true point to point race from the surrounding towns all finishing at the Wheeler Home where we were camping. This had been Liam’s hardest day last year, so this year he was extremely focused. He had a good race and finished with the lead group in. Sofiane also did very well this day and both boys were moving up the general classifications. Aidan had a good race, but lost some time to main group. The day was a rest day for Roan as there was no Fat Tire race this day

Day 4 Time Trial on the famous Assen TT race track - This is really a highlight of the race. The cyclists are able to ride a time trial on the actual motorcycle / Formula 1 track. All boys had time trials from 2k to 8.5k. Liam had a great day and had a 17th place finish which put him in the top 20 in the general classification. Sofiane was starting to feel the strain of multiday racing and had some trouble in the final kilometers. Aidan and Roan raced their first time trial.

Aidan rolling on the famous Assen TT

Liam had a great 6 k time trial to finish in 17th in 10min 03 seconds

Day 5 Omloop - An omloop is like a big criterium course and in the Assen version it comes complete with its own section of pavé (cobblestones). This was a tough day. Speeds were high and the course was technical. Liam had a touch of wheel and subsequent fall. He could not bridge back up to the lead group, but finished at the head of the second group in 25th for the day. This was the hardest day for Sofiane as he just didn't have the legs. Aidan had his first taste of the cobbles and really liked it with a 24th place finish. Roan had the dayff as there was no Fat Tire race.

Liam trying to get back to the group after the crash on day 5

Sofiane and Liam five days in - Cycling is a tough sport

Day 6 Final Criterium - The last stage of the Tour is a criterium which takes place on a course all around the main campground of the race. All the boys did very well this day and were able to finish in the main groups.

Final results-

Sofiane finished in 42nd place in Catagory VII

Liam finished in 25th place in Catagory IV

Aidan finished in 26th place in Catagory II

Roan finished the Fat Tire Race and had lots of fun

It was another great year of making friends and racing bikes in Assen!

After the race, the "team" rolling in Heidelberg, Germany

Livestrong, Train Safe, and Live Well!

This is the Flanagans signing out!