Interview with Team Canada at Copenhagen, Denmark

This is the final weekend of the Track World Championships in Copenhagen, Denmark. On these two days of racing, Team Canada has three athletes competing: Tara Whitten, Travis Smith, and Monique Sullivan.

On their Friday rest day, these athletes sat down and answered a few questions about their racing and training.

Whitten is competing on Saturday March 27 in the omnium and on Sunday March 28 in the points race.

How are you feeling going into the omnium?
I’m feeling much more prepared than last year because I had a chance to work on all the individual events including the 200 and the 500 and I’m more confident in my abilities in the bunch races as well.

Congrats on the new Canadian record in the team pursuit. Tell us a bit about how this feels.
We’ve competed in four international events this year and at each event we’ve set a new Canadian record. We’ve shown that we’re continuing to improve. We have a clear idea of where we need to go for London in 2012.

How is the racing going for you overall at the Track World Championships?
I was hoping for a better result in the individual pursuit but my focus has been more on the team pursuit and omnium because of the new Olympic program and I think that will show tomorrow.

Your last race is on Sunday with the points race. What are your goals/expectations for this race?
I think I’ve improved a lot in my points race abilities over last year and I’m hoping I’ll be able to race a smarter race and use my abilities at the right moments and I think I’m capable of winning a medal if things go well.

Training for and racing at a World Championships is extremely demanding physically and mentally. How do you prepare for the mental side of racing?
The ominium in particular is a long day and last year it was a new experience and so this year I tried in training to simulate an omnium so that I would be prepared for being able to warm-up and cool-down and to re-focus for each event.

What’s next for you after the Track World Championships?
I’ll be taking a bit of a break to drive back from Los Angeles to Edmonton with a stop in Moab to visit my parents who will be on vacation there, then it will be some road races and Pan American Championships and back to school.

How did you get involved with track racing?
A man named Roger Tetrault was involved in both the cross country ski club and cycling community in Edmonton. I was skiing on the National team but he convinced me to try track and I loved it and I was good at it.

Smith is competing in the sprint competition on Saturday March 27.

How are you feeling about your racing so far at the Track World Championships?
I’m happy with how the team sprint went because my lap was my fastest time yet, so you can’t ask for more than that. I missed out by less than a meter. So it’s hard to say how I was feeling in that race because I only had two races. I am most looking forward to the sprint.

When did you decide you wanted to be a track racer?
It started in 1997 when I did my first track race and loved it. It was similar to my background as a swimmer because there’s an event then you sit around.

Any tips for young cyclists interested in track racing?
With this sport there’s a lot of tactics, bike handling, and skill. I think it’s a very pure form of cycling. It teaches how to ride smooth, efficiently, and fast. I would recommend kids get involved in a local cycling club or bike shop and try it. I love how it makes me scared and excited at the same time.

What are you goals/expectations for your next two days of racing?
Coming in my goal was the 200 meter and qualifying near the top so I could make the next round and keep moving through.

What’s next for you after the Track World Championships?
Snow Boarding in Mammoth and vacationing with my wife who is my biggest supporter/sponsor. Then it’s back on the bike to get ready for the next two years leading in to the 2012 Olympics starting with the Pan American Championships in Aguascalientes Mexico in May.

How are you enjoying Denmark?
This year Denmark has been nicer than I remember, we have had sun this year. In the past it’s been grey and gloomy which made it hard to get over jet lag and made for a sad trip. The hotel we are in this year is nice too and that helps.

Sullivan is racing on Sunday March 28 in the keirin.

Tell us a bit about what it is like to race at a World Championships. Is it different from racing at World Cups?
There’s more pressure and everyone is riding for the ride of their life, which unfortunately hasn’t been happening for everyone. But everyone is doing what they can to make that happen.

Congrats on the personal best in the 500 meter time trial. Tell us how this feels to set a new personal best?
I was happy for the improvement, but I was hoping to go under 35 seconds.

What are you focusing on going into the racing on Sunday?
I think I do have the speed I need, I just need to race tactfully smart and I just hope I do it on the day.

Do you have a favorite track workout to share with us?
Motorpacing!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I like that you get to go really really fast and it doesn’t feel really hard. I like 1.5 laps at speed behind the bike and then half a lap on your own.

How did you get involved with track racing?
A friend of the family told me about the cycling program at the Olympic Oval in Calgary and that’s how I got hooked.