Martin Kohler, Stage 3 Tour Down Under (photo by eltham_mob, Flickr)
While all pro-cyclists look for opportunities to finish first, at 26 years-old Martin Kohler’s main role is to provide support to help more senior BMC Racing Team riders win. Now he finds himself leading the 2012 Santos Tour Down Under (TdU) going into the most crucial next to the last stage of the race.
Kohler’s performance at the TdU has been a lesson in how to parlay the skills of a talented support rider into success as a team leader.
Skill 1: Dig, and keep digging. Kohler is very good at finding the breakaways. He rode in the break during Stage 1 of the TdU. Instead of resting on Stage 2, he did it again. Yesterday he worked hard to maintain position in the front group over a climb, and he recovered the race lead.
Skill 2: Be humble. “Tomorrow is a new day,” Kohler said yesterday after the race. This comment sounds like the recognition that anything can happen in a bike race, so you just go out and do your best, again.
Skill 3: Harness the power of the team and remain a teammate. When asked how it felt to have his teammates riding for him, Kohler told Australian media, “it is extra power for my legs. I hope I can pay it back with a good result.”
If Kohler and the BMC Racing Team can defend the ochre jersey on Willunga hill, Kohler will likely be the second Swiss overall winner of the Tour Down Under; Martin Elmiger won in 2007, riding for AG2R Prévoyance.
According to his website, Kohler’s next race is the Tour of Qatar, February 5th – 10th.
Martin Kohler's bike at Tour Down Under (photo by eltham_mob, Flickr)
A little bit about Martin Kohler
Swiss-born Martin Kohler lives in Vilters, a valley town at the base of mountains in the northeastern part of Switzerland near the border with Liechtenstein. With all these mountains, it’s no wonder Kohler made time for cross-country skiing before heading south to Australia for the Santos Tour Down Under. Based on the interviews he’s provided to the Australian media during the stages, it doesn’t sound like he was dreaming of wearing the ochre jersey in 40 degrees centigrade as he cut tracks in the Swiss snow.
In a March 2010 interview, Martin shared that he prefers to take things day by day. If he has a mantra, it could be what he shared in the second part of that interview when he said, “There’s only one thing: keep going.” (English via Google Translate).
He speaks German, English, French, and some Italian.
Kohler enjoyed many sports as a kid, including skiing, cross country skiing, ice hockey, football, jogging, swimming, and hiking.
As an adult, according to a February 2010 interview, Kohler likes to play the guitar and listens to Gotthard and Nickelback among other bands. Action movies and Australia make his favorites list. When it comes to food, he likes “every kind of pasta, but also a good pizza or sometimes fondue. :)”
Kohler’s website (German) includes comments on his races and race calendar.
Follow Kohler on Twitter: @martinkohler7
Career highlights:
- Grand Tour participation: Giro d’Italia (two days as KOM leader) and Vuelta a Espana
- 2011 Swiss national time trial champion and 3rd, Swiss national road race
- 2010, 8th, Stage 1 (TTT), Tour of Qatar; Jayco Sprint Leader for stage 1, Tour Down Under
- 2009, 11th, Stage 2, Circuit de la Sarthe
- 2008, 1st, GP Kyburg
- 2007, 1st, Stage 4, Tour de l’Avenir
Teams:
- BMC Racing team, 2008 – present
- Bürgi’s Cycling Team, an elite racing team, 2006 – 2007
Expressing gratitude for the Flickr account of eltham_mob.
Tour Down Under support vehicles (photo by eltham_mob, Flickr)
Dotsie Bausch, Lauren Tamayo, and Sarah Hammer in 2010 World Championships team pursuit, (photo by Steve Ryan, Flickr)
“You need to ride together as one big motor. So the more in sync you all are the better your motor will run.” — Australian Olympic track gold medalist Graeme Brown describing the track team pursuit competition.
Dotsie Gausch, Lauren Tamayo, and Sarah Hammer lived in two different countries. Despite racing or training together less than eighteen days, they set a new women’s team pursuit record of 3:19.569 at the Pan-American Games in May, 2010. That means circling three kilometers of track together, with just centimeters between each woman’s wheel and the wheel of the teammate in front of her, constantly rotating position at an average speed in excess of 53 km or 33 miles per hour.
This threesome and eight other women received places on the U.S. Olympic track long team from which the Olympic team will be selected. Those chosen to participate in the team pursuit in London represent perhaps the United States’ best hope to win a track cycling medal at the 2012 Olympic Games in August. If they succeed in standing on the podium, they will break the U.S.’s twelve year no-medal streak in the track discipline of cycling.
The Americans will have to outrun teams from three countries with traditionally strong women’s team pursuit results: Great Britain, Australia, and New Zealand – assuming all qualify for one of the ten available slots for this Olympic event.
On February 17th – 19th the American women will test the new Olympic velodrome track and their strength at the fourth UCI Track Cycling World Cup event. If the Olympic velodrome lives up to its creators’ dream of earning the reputation as the world’s fastest track, the American women may just break their own record.
—————-
In the team pursuit two four-man or three-woman teams start the race on opposite sides of the track. Each team tries to catch the other or finish in a faster time than the other team. Riders on each team take turns in the lead position.
Track cycling resources
- London’s Olympic velodrome, photos and description.
- Detailed news on track events at trackcyclingnews.com.
- Overview of track racing from Cyclingnews.
- How to win a team pursuit, BicyclingAustralia interview with Graeme Brown.
With gratitude to Steve Ryan for sharing the photo above on Flickr via Creative Commons.
Levi Leipheimer at the 2011 Tour of Utah (photo by Mary Topping)
Today the USA Pro Cycling Challenge (UPCC) announced an opportunity to experience the race in a manner similar to the riders on the invited teams. It’s called the Carmichael Training Systems’ (CTS) USA Pro Cycling Challenge Race Experience.
According to the press release, amateurs can apply for a slot on a “team” and ride the course together before the real competitors roll across the same road. It sounds similar to a team time trial; if the amateur team doesn’t pedal fast enough and the peloton bears down on it, the team will be pulled off the road. The announcement doesn’t indicate how many riders will constitute a team.
If selected, the amateur applicant can participate if she or he pays the sum of $10,500. Gulp.
The obvious question follows: how many serious amateur cyclists can afford that kind of entry fee? Enough, because CTS runs a similar event during the Amgen Tour of California for $11,500 and according to the CTS website, it is sold out.
Affording strong cyclists the opportunity to ride past the same fans that will cheer on the peloton is fantastic. Their presence on the course will require additional coordination to ensure their safety and the safety of the riders on the invited teams, so the number that can participate must be limited.
One question remains. Will there be any scholarships for amateurs who would love to test their endurance and skills against professional cyclists but already stretch the patience of significant others and the household budget to pay for travel, racing fees, and equipment?
The press release follows below.
——————————-
Fans of the USA Pro Cycling Challenge will have the opportunity to experience the race like the pros through the Carmichael Training Systems’ (CTS) USA Pro Cycling Challenge Race Experience. Through an exclusive partnership between CTS and the USA Pro Challenge, a privileged few amateur riders will be selected for the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to ride every stage of the 2012 USA Pro Challenge as a team, just hours before the professionals. These lucky amateurs will eat, sleep and live like professional cyclists for all seven days of the race, August 20-26, 2012. Retired professional cyclist and CTS Founder Chris Carmichael will be leading the selection process and riding with the team during the event.
Participants of the CTS USA Pro Challenge Race Experience will work together as a cohesive unit, borrowing tactics and strategies from the pros. In a serious point-to-point effort, the riders will have to push themselves to stay ahead of the fast-approaching pro peloton.
“With the altitude and the length of the climbs in Colorado, this promises to be the hardest Race Experience to date,” commented Carmichael. “The USA Pro Cycling Challenge has been instrumental in helping us create a truly unique experience for devoted amateur cyclists. It’s an insider’s view of what it’s like to live and work as a professional cyclist.”
“We were so impressed by the number of people that came out to watch the inaugural USA Pro Cycling Challenge that we wanted to create even more experiences for our devoted fans in 2012,” said Shawn Hunter, CEO of the USA Pro Cycling Challenge. “The CTS USA Pro Challenge Race Experience gives amateur cyclists the unique opportunity to see first-hand what the professional riders go through for their love of the sport.”
Included with the CTS USA Pro Challenge Race Experience is access to the VIP tent in each finish city, accommodations, meals, amenities and post-race massages, just like the pros. The cost of this exclusive race experience is $10,500 and applications are currently being accepted from riders who believe they can successfully complete this challenge. Interested athletes can visit www.trainright.com/upcc-2012 to apply for the CTS USA Pro Challenge Race Experience team. There is no cost to apply, but riders must be at least 18 years old to participate, and applications must be completed by Feb. 29, 2012. For information on this and other official USA Pro Cycling Challenge travel packages, visit www.usaprocyclingchallenge.com/travel-packages.
About the USA Pro Cycling Challenge
For seven consecutive days, the world’s top athletes race through the majestic Rockies, reaching higher altitudes than they’ve ever had to endure – more than two miles in elevation. One of the largest cycling events in United States history, the 2012 USA Pro Cycling Challenge will feature the best of the best in professional cycling, competing on a challenging course through some of America’s most beautiful scenery.
Referred to as “America’s Race,” the second annual USA Pro Cycling Challenge will take place August 20-26, 2012, a week proclaimed by Governor John Hickenlooper as “Colorado Cycling Holiday”, and travel through 12 host cities from Durango to Denver. More than 1 million spectators are expected to once again line the route to see if Levi Leipheimer will defend his title as reigning champion, while millions more around the world watch the race live on television and online through the Tour Tracker.
More information can be found online at www.USAProCyclingChallenge.com and on Twitter at @USAProChallenge.
About CTS
Founded by Olympian, US Olympic Committee Coach of the Year, and bestselling author, Chris Carmichael in 2000, Carmichael Training Systems (CTS) inspires and empowers the athlete in EVERY BODY to perform at their best. The company offers personal coaching, training camps, and performance testing services to athletes of all ability levels. CTS is the Official Coaching Partner of Ironman and Ironman 70.3. For more information on CTS, visit www.trainright.com.
The USA Pro Cycling Challenge Race Experience is one event in “Chris Carmichael’s Epic Endurance Bucket List” (http://trainright.com/coaching/bucket-list/). Other events on the list include the Leadville 100 and the La Ruta de los Conquistadores. These epic events target the adventurous endurance athlete and feature various packages of CTS coaching, camps and race support. “There’s a hunger out there for big challenges,” commented Carmichael. “The demand is there as well. Over the past two years we’ve filled every one of the Epic Endurance Bucket List packages in days.”
Tour Down Under Ochre Leader's Jersey
Media outlets have named Andre Greipel, Simon Gerrans, Cameron Meyer, Edvald Boasson Hagen, and Alejandro Valverde as possible favorites to win the overall 2012 Santos Tour Down Under. Here are some outsiders who could sneak through these marked men and possibly win.
- Steele Von Hoff (UNI SA – Australia). Von Hoff and Nathan Haas raced for the same team last season and they both lit up the road; Von Hoff won 18 races in 2011 and came in sixth in the 2012 Australia National Championships road race. He landed in the Garmin camp for 2012 like Haas, but on the Chipotle Development team. The non-Aussie peloton might not be as familiar with him as Haas, which could allow him to surprise the non-Aussie favorites. Von Hoff sprints very well.
- Heinrich Haussler (Garmin-Barracuda) is very motivated; he frequently mentions that he must perform this year because it is “a contract year.” He’s a strong sprinter and demonstrated he’s going well by finishing third in the warm-up Down Under Classic. Nathan Haas has described Haussler as “Australian through and through.” Haas is the new kid on the team. As long as Haussler is strong I think Haas will ride for him to help an Australian and more senior member of his new team win.
- Romain Feillu (Vacansoleil – DCM) or Jose Joaquin Rojas (Movistar). Stages 2, 4, and maybe even 3 have slightly uphill finishes in the last kilometer and these two sprinters are good at uphill finishes. Both fared well during the 2011 Tour de France and finished in the first group at the Down Under Classic. If the favorites don’t amass enough time bonuses with top three sprint results on most stages, these two could have a chance.
Here’s a theory. Since the Santos Tour Down Under (TdU) happens so early in the road racing season – or basically launches it, team composition should follow this formula:
- grand tour contenders won’t participate because it’s too early for them to rise to good form,
- classics guys will ride it because they need to achieve great performance very soon,
- domestiques can race the TdU and still work hard throughout the season to support their team leaders,
- Australian riders get a place because as a WorldTour event it’s their biggest home race.
The Garmin-Barracuda roster for the TdU fits the theory pretty well.
In the last few years Ryder Hesjedal started lots of stage races. But he finished second at Amstel Gold in 2010 and top 10 the same year in several classics-style races such as the Clasica San Sebastian and Gran Prixs Montreal and Quebec. Of course a.k.a. “weight of a nation” rode well in 2010 overall, the year of his seventh place in the Tour de France. Perhaps Hesjedal will be counted on for Garmin-Barracuda’s spring campaign this year.
David Millar and Ryder Hesjedal during 2012 team presentation after-party (Mary Topping)
Martijn Maaskant, Heinrich Haussler, and Andreas Klier fit the “classics” guys definition.Haussler, along with Nathan Haas, also contributes an Aussie presence to the squad. 2012 is Haas’ first year with the team. At 22 years-old and based on how he’s described his current form, Haas falls into the domestique category. He’s said his program should include some spring classics such as Amstel Gold.
Jack Bauer told the media his schedule will include spring racing. Also new to the team, Bauer joins Haas in the domestique category for the TdU and he’s likely to support Robbie Hunter and perhaps Haussler in several stages that could end in bunch sprints.
The team formula theory holds up with one exception: it lacks a sprinter category. Hunter’s role should be competing for sprint wins. Just tonight Hunter tweeted, “So finally the start to the season, gonna be super fast. Don’t think I’ve ever seen so many sprinters at TDU before. Bring it on!!” [abridged quote]
Team Garmin-Barracuda’s Santos Tour Down Under Roster:
31. HESJEDAL Ryder (CAN)
32. BAUER Jack (NZL)
33. HUNTER Robbie (RSA)
34. HAAS Nathan (AUS)
35. HAUSSLER Heinrich (AUS)
36. KLIER Andreas (GER)
37. MAASKANT Martijn (NED)
Previous TdU overall winners competing in 2012
Seven of the eleven past overall winners ride this year: Cameron Meyer, Simon Gerrans and Stuart O’Grady all now on GreenEDGE; Martin Elmiger, still on Ag2r; Andre Greipel, now with Lotto-Belisol; Luis Leon Sanchez now on Rabobank; and Michael Rogers on Sky.
Past overall winners:
2011 Cameron Meyer (AUS) Garmin-Cervélo
2010 Andre Greipel (GER) HTC Columbia
2009 Allan Davis (AUS) Team Quickstep
2008 Andre Greipel (GER) Team High Road
2007 Martin Elmiger (SWI) AG2R Prévoyance
2006 Simon Gerrans (AUS) AG2RPrevoyance
2005 Luis Leon Sanchez Gil (ESP) Liberty Seguros Team
2004 Patrick Jonker (AUS) UniSA
2003 Mikel Astarloza (ESP) AG2R – Prevoyance
2002 Michael Rogers (AUS) AIS
2001 Stuart O’Grady (AUS) Crédit Agricole
2000 Gilles Maignan (FRA) AG2R
1999 Stuart O’Grady (AUS) Crédit Agricole
The Santos Tour Down Under (TdU) UCI WorldTour road race begins on January 17th and concludes on January 22nd. The six stages of the 14th edition of the TdU take place in or near Adelaide in south-central Australia. There’s a pre-race treat in the form of an evening criterium on January 15th called the Down Under Classic, which may cause some to think the TdU begins on the 15th. The Down Under Classic is a separate UCI Road Criterium event; riders circle a 1.7 km loop in Adelaide.
Unique quality one: ochre
Promotional materials draw attention to the ochre color of the overall leader’s jersey as unique to the TdU. Organizers introduced the ochre color in 2006, and write that it is a color “which is strongly associated with Australia.” Ochre?
The Merriam-Webster’s Collegiate Dictionary can help here. It defines “ochre, also ocher,” as “an earthy red or yellow and often impure iron ore used as a pigment, especially the color of yellow ocher.”
Tour Down Under Ochre Leader's Jersey
Aboriginal Art Online provides some fascinating information about ochre as a material used for pigment in artwork:
“Ochre is the main pigment used in rock art and is plentiful across most of Australia. Pieces of ochre, including some showing signs of wear through use, have been found in almost all of Australia’s ice-age sites. Most have been radiocarbon dated and the dates range from 10 000 to 40 000 years…As well as rock art, ochre has many other uses in modern Aboriginal ceremony, and is repeatedly found in association with burial not only in Australia but also in other parts of the world.”
One article explains that ochre has also been ground to a power for body painting.
Red ochre rock painting of birds could be 40,000 years old
Unique quality two – addition to UCI calendar
The Santos Tour Down Under gained UCI ProTour status in 2008, which leads to the second unique characteristic of this race. According to race documents, it was the first southern hemisphere event to be listed on the UCI WorldTour calendar.
More to come, here, on this great race.
Province of San Luis in Argentina
[updated 1/21/2012]
Timmy Duggan, Ted King, and Levi Leipheimer are scheduled to start the Tour de San Luis, a seven day stage race that begins on January 23rd in Argentina. With climbs on every stage aside from the time trial and South American teams who will want to demonstrate their skills, this race promises to be difficult and exciting, even without what’s been described as a potential “showdown” between two riders.
Michael Rasmussen, now riding on the Continental team Christina Watches – Onfone, and Alberto Contador should race as well; their appearance together has generated dramatic comments about the two meeting in Argentina since Contador won the Tour de France in 2007 after Rasmussen got pulled from the race. Neither Rasmussen, Contador, nor the Americans competed in the race in 2011.
The race website also lists Vincenzo Nibali, Tom Boonen, Sylvain Chavanel, Rinaldo Nocentini, José Serpa and Philip Pozatto as starters. Five UCI WorldTour teams will send riders, including AG2R La Mondiale, Liquigas-Cannondale, Movistar, Omega Pharma – Quick Step, and Saxo Bank.The Professional Continental teams include UnitedHealthcare, NetApp, Farnese Vini, Caja Rural, Androni Giocattoli, and Andalucia. See below for the additional thirteen teams expected to compete.
The Tour de San Luis is part of the UCI America Tour calendar and rated 2.1. Nibali won the race in 2010; in 2011 a Chilean, Marco Arriagada, claimed first place overall. Arriagada received a recommended four year suspension from the UCI in 2011 as a result of five positive tests. The Chilean Olympic Committee was rumored to have reduced the suspension to two years effective January 2011 based on Arriagada’s appeal. However, further research after the initial date of this story confirmed Arriagada is suspended for four years.
Both the Americans and Europeans can expect twelve hours or longer of flight time to Buenos Aires followed by travel to San Luis in the province of the same name for the start of the first stage. They’ll likely experience temperatures in the high 80’s Fahrenheit or warmer; last year riders experienced 104 degrees on the last stage. The province of San Luis lies in just about the center of Argentina. The country’s official language is Spanish, though it’s said Argentinian Spanish sounds more like Italian.
The route covers 1051km in total. The stage 4 19.5 km time trial is relatively flat and sandwiched between the two mountain top finish stages. Stage 5’s final climb averages 8.75% and features some pitches at 14 – 15%. Sprinters should have a shot to win on three or four of the stages. Cyclingnews covered the race in 2011 and will follow it in 2012 as well.
Continental Teams
Christina Watches – Onfone (Denmark)
Tavira / Prio (Portugal)
Clube Dataro de Ciclismo (Brazil)
Comcel Coldeportes (Colombia)
Additional Teams (non-UCI)
San Luis Somos Todos (Argentina)
Funvic (Brazil)
Teams to be selected from Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Cuba, Ecuador, Paraguay, and Uruguay
| stage | km | stage type | |
| 1 | 189.3 | sprint | |
| 2 | 145.3 | sprint | |
| 3 | 168.2 | mountaintop finish | avg gradient = 6.7% |
| 4 | 19.5 | TT | |
| 5 | 160.6 | mountaintop finish | avg gradient = 8.75% |
| 6 | 201.0 | possible sprint | |
| 7 | 167.1 | sprint | |
| 1,051.0 |
Top Ten General Classification, Tour de San Luis 2011
1 Marco Arriagada (Chi) Chile 25:51:54
2 Jose Serpa (Col) Androni-Giocattoli 0:00:38
3 Josue Moyano (Arg) Argentina 0:01:49
4 Eros Capecchi (Ita) Liquigas-Cannondale 0:01:50
5 Miguel Angel Rubiano (Col) D’Angelo & Antenucci 0:02:42
6 Jorge Giacinti (Arg) Argentina 0:04:36
7 Gerardo Fernandez (Arg) Argentina 0:04:56
8 Antonio Piedra (Spa) Andalucia-Caja Granada 0:05:24
9 Camilo Gomez (Col) Colombia 0:05:38
10 Luis Mansilla (Chi) Chile 0:05:50
Road closure sign in Golden for 2011 UPCC
While it may seem planning for the 2012 USA Pro Cycling Challenge (UPCC) is dormant, the host city local organizing committees (LOC) have begun to sink roots into the race.
- The race begins on August 20th in Durango. The Durango Herald reported that the city’s LOC consists of twelve committees that include city officials, community members and “lovers of bicycles” to coordinate planning of the race. Durango is going all-out to attract as many visitors as possible. Plans involve a week-long festival prior to the race and a cycling village at Fort Lewis College inspired by athletes’ villages at the Olympics.
- Golden’s looking for a new logo and advertised on its race website for submissions due by February 10th.
- Host city LOC representatives will gather on January 18th and 19th to share experiences and learn about their roles as LOCs.
Pro-cycling teams are thinking about the race.
- RadioShack Nissan Trek already posted the race on its website calendar.
Volunteers can sign up for course marshalling and media can request credentials to cover the race via the UPCC website.
Still reminiscing about the inaugural 2011 UPCC? Here’s a couple of ways to re-ignite memories or start dreaming about the 2012 race. Enjoy 146 photos and the video titled, “It was a cycling circus” via the local CBS news website.
Green thong man on Rabbit Ears Pass (D.J. Molny)
Sometimes it appears there is absolutely nothing to write about. This assessment is not entirely true. It usually means anything worth writing about takes some work and feels too daunting. Staring at the computer seems like a good subsitute until two hours pass and you realize you haven’t written a single word.
It’s moments like these when a Google search can come to the rescue. Enjoy this selection of links from a search on “animals on bikes.”
- Someone in Australia initiated a collection of sculptures featuring animals on bikes. Have you seen anything like this?
- A Flickr user assembled photos of live animals on bikes.
- In this video, a dog pedals.
Welcome to part two of Off the Beaten Road with Ted King, pro-cyclist on the Liquigas-Cannondale Pro Cycling Team. Here Ted’s answers to ten mostly quirky questions are revealed.
Ted King, USA Pro Cycling Challenge (photo via D'Andrea Worrall)
In part one, How did Ted King Answer These 10 Questions?, readers chose one of two replies to each of ten questions ProVéloPassion posed to Ted, the reply they thought he had selected. Scroll to the bottom of this post to find out how well readers’ guesses matched Ted’s replies.
But 100% accuracy isn’t the point here. Afterall, it’s hard to know how anyone might have responded when faced with picking one of two answers to some truly goofy questions.
The point was to have some fun with a different type of interview. Ted helped not only by participating in this venture; he also provided comments along with each response so cycling fans can learn something new about one of their favorite pro-cyclists.
Thank you Ted King, and thank you to all the readers who visited to vote on the questions in part one. Enjoy Ted’s responses.
Q2. If I could only choose one person to cook for me (other than myself), it would be: my mom -or- Julia Child
Ted: That’s tough. My mom is an amazing cook and her hearty, homecooked meals every day growing up laid the foundation for my predilection towards the culinary world in my life. But since we’re apparently living in a world of hypotheticals and since I’ve never had Julia Child cook for me, I might give that a whirl.
Q3. I believe Elvis has been reincarnated as Dave Zabriskie with his new sideburns: yes -or- no
Ted: What? No, not a chance. DZ is Wolverine. Not the King.
Q4. When it comes to romance, I am more like: Al Roker -or- James Bond
Ted: Hmm, I need other options. I’d lean towards James among these two choices, but I’m fortunately neither of those.
Q5. It took me this long to get off training wheels: I didn’t need no stinkin’ training wheels -or- too long
Ted: I was off pretty quickly. Dad taught me well.
Q6. Boulder, CO, is a mecca for pro-cyclists. I’d be a better cyclist if I had been born there: yes -or- no
Ted: Arguably yes. But I also wouldn’t have grown up playing hockey until I was 18. And I probably would have burned out since the level of competition there is absurd. So the one word answer is yes. The longer response is that New England rocks.
Q7. Given the choice between having 1 or 6 kids, I would choose: 1 -or- 6
Ted: One. I want a family, not a circus.
Q8. I would rather pedal like: Jacques Anquetil -or- Raymond Poulidor
Ted: My grasp of cycling history is infamously poor. So since I don’t know who this Ray character is, I’ll go with Jack. He was a smooth operator.
Q9. This life goal is more important to me: work for National Public Radio (NPR) -or- work on a lobster boat
Ted: I’ll go all-in and err on working for NPR. [Editor’s note: the question originally read, “This life goal is more important to me: be a guest on public radio -or- work on a lobster boat.” Ted said, “Having already accomplished both of those, I don’t know which I prefer.” Since he’d already been a guest on NPR, we changed the question to read, “work on NPR.”]
Q10. My favorite Christmas song is: White Christmas -or- Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer
Ted: I’m all about the classics. White Christmas, no brainer.
——————————————————————————————
| Readers’ Thought Ted Would Say… | ||
| Question | % Readers selecting | |
| 1. Deserted island food | Fluff – 72% | Pumpkin – 28% |
| 2. Cook for me | Mom – 84% | Julia Child – 16% |
| 3. Zabriskie is Elvis? | Yes – 75% | No – 25% |
| 4. Romance | James B. – 33% | Al R. – 67% |
| 5. Training wheels | No need – 79% | Too long – 21% |
| 6. Born in Boulder? | No – 86% | Yes – 14% |
| 7. One of six kids | Six – 57% | One – 43% |
| 8. Pedal like | Anquetil – 64% | Poulidor – 36% |
| 9. Life goal | NPR – 59% | Lobster – 41% |
| 10. Fav Christmas song | Grandma – 58% | White C – 42% |
| (The replies Ted selected are italicized) | ||
ProVéloPassion 