Cooper targets North American stage races

Canadian racer Marsh Cooper is about to start his third season with the American pro team Optum-Kelly Benefit Strategies.

Cooper will start racing in Arizona and California. He will target spring stage races like Redlands Bicycle Classic, Joe Martin Stage Race and Tour of the Gila. His teammates will travel overseas to test their legs at higher level events.

“The team is doing a really impressive European campaign,” Cooper told Canadian Cycling Magazine. “I’m going to stay stateside but the team is doing Volta ao Alentejo, Credito Agricola Costa Azul, Vuelta Ciclista a La Rioja and  Vuelta a Castilla y Leon.”

As for Cooper, he’s hoping to be selected to compete in the bigger events in North America later in the year like the USA Pro Cycling Challenge, Tour of Utah, Tour of Alberta and the double WorldTour events in Quebec.

“I like to target a time of the year as opposed to one set race,” Cooper said. “I will look to build through the spring and put a big emphasis on late April and May and carry that forum through the summer.  Then take a solid break and build back up again for the altitude races and of course, if given another opportunity, do the Quebec races.

“It’s important for me to ride consistently throughout the year and always be there for my teammates but also be able to take advantage of the opportunities when they present themselves.”

The team recently held a training camp for the riders to meet in February in Oxnard, California. “The training camp was great,” Cooper said. “We have been in the same town each year and in some ways it’s like coming home. For me personally, it’s the first year I haven’t been injured at camp. It was great to be out with the team and doing the long miles.

“We did some specific team time trail work and also do a mock time trail where we got feedback from an aerodynamic specialist from HED.  We also did some lead out work with sprinters Ken Hanson and Eric Young on the back of the trains.  It was good to get to know the sprinters and get an understanding of how they work.

“On the social front we all went bowling one night. The whole team, men and women. I can tell you that I’m a horrible bowler.”