..HOME | CONTACT US | JOIN | ABOUT | Tel: 0870 8712000 ........................British Cycling, National Cycling Centre, Stuart Street, Manchester, M11 4DQ
..
HOME | CONTACT
US | JOIN |
ABOUT
| Tel: 0870 8712000 ........................British
Cycling, National Cycling Centre, Stuart Street, Manchester, M11 4DQ
|
Stuart Dangerfield Achieves Goal of Riding the Olympics The British Olympic Association (BOA) has announced that the West Midlands Stuart Dangerfield will represent Team GB at the Athens Olympic Games, which begins on August 13: Simon Clegg, the Chef de Mission for Team GB Athens 2004, said: "I am delighted to welcome Stuart into Team GB. Stuart has been one of Britain's top cyclists for many years now and his experience will count in the Olympic Games. We wish him well as he makes his final preparations before the Athens Olympic Games." David Brailsford, the Team Leader of the British Cycling squad in Athens, said: "Stuart has consistently been one of Britain's best performers in this event. His years of experience will stand him in good stead in the Olympic environment." Biography Speaking to Stuart on the 8th of July, he was just starting the build up for the Olympics after a short period of recovery after winning two of his season goals, the 25 and 10 mile Time Trial Championships, both in championship record times. Asked how he felt about the distance the Olympics race is held over, Stuart, a champion many times over at that distance here in the UK, was more than pleased, agreeing that for him, its pretty much perfect. In what he admits will be his biggest challenge so far, Great Britain�s top time trialist in the UK, Stuart has six weeks to prepare and when asked how his form was now as he starts that preparation, he admits its still very good. One of Stuart�s best ever rides was at the Commonwealth Games in 2002 (4th fastest but disqualified on a technicality) and he says he isn�t that far off that form right now. Stuart, under the eye of his long time coach, Gordon Wright, will now commence training doing a few weeks of endurance work before starting interval work where the intensity of the efforts required is far and away higher than the pace of the event he is training for. He admits you go every close to being sick so intense are the efforts even though paper they don�t look much. One of the key things the athletes have to contend with in Athens will be the heat. In this area, Stuart has an advantage in that each winter here in Great Britain, he heads to Australia during their summer where temperatures of 40 degress Celsius are not uncommon. This, he feels, will be a crucial help in Athens. �It�s not pleasant for anybody racing in such heat but after spending a number of months each year in Australia, I have become acclimatised to it and know what to expect. He explained after being told he was selected for the Olympics.� To prepare for Athens, a final decision has not been taken yet on where he will train but its expected to be at BOA facilities either in Spain or Cryprus. Other notes: How he got into the sport: Stuart has been involved in cycling since the age of 12 (1984) and is still a member of his original club, the Wolverhampton Wheelers. Recovery -- Important part of training: Stuart says that rest and recovery is one of the key areas although even on days when he is recovering from intense efforts, Stuart will still be seen riding his bike doing what is called active recovery. He goes on to add that he is pretty active even when he isn�t training. Where you live now: West Midlands. Training Area: His favourite area for training because of the countryside and hills is Staffordshire and Shropshire although he also likes Cornwall for the same reason and the circle of friends he has to see outside of training. When preparing for events, he will choose terrain similar to what the race is like. Sporting Hero? None now that motivate him but when younger, it was Irish rider, Sean Kelly, Sporting ambition: His main sporting ambition ever since it was introduced in 1996, has been to do the Time Trial at what he says is the pinnacle of any athletes career, the Olympics. He was hoping to go to Sydney 2000 but found a certain Chris Boardman taking his place but Chris retired, Stuart now has his chance at Athens. Most influential person; Gordon Wright, Stuart�s coach since 1995, 9 years. With Gordon organising his training in a very structured way, Stuart says even though he was winning before he met Gordon, that he achieved even bigger success with Gordon coaching him. Stuart explained that Gordon lets him know why he has to do certain types of training when to peak for a certain event and also what training to avoid to avoid becoming sick or ill through over training. Qualifications: Has been a professional rider
7 years, and now races for a company called Science in Sport. The event -- 25 Mile Time Trial: Stuart says that the distance comes natural to him and has done so since he was 14 or 15. He says that mentally, he has the ability to focus on the effort required which comes from the pressure of the occasion. He enjoys the time trial not just because of the success he has achieved in it but also the type of effort required in it, the bikes and so on. Racing against the clock is very special he admits because you�re in control of the effort unlike a road race (within a group). First major highlight: The Commonwealth Games in Canada, 1994 his first major international event. Outlook on his career: Takes each year one at a time. Bicycle Used Now racing in the UK: Argos (Bristol Based), Has been using one for 10-12 years and each year they get better. Major results/goals 2004 25 Mile Time Trial Championship: New Championship record of , 48 minutes 44 secs. His personal best set a number of years ago is 47.47. 10 Mile Time Trial Champion: ,in a new record of 18 minutes 48 seconds MAJOR CHAMPIONSHIP VICTORIES 2003
CAREER ACHIEVEMENTS 25 mile TT Champion: 1997, 2000, 2001, 2002 and 2003
WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS COMMONWEALTH GAMES Representing England BRITISH RECORD HOLDER Career Highlights
|
|
For
Stuart Dangerfield, the current British Time Trial Champion, the
18th of August, 2004 will represent a moment he has longed for all his
racing career, a chance to race the Olympic Games Time Trial. The race
at Athens 2004 will be around 45km on rolling coastal roads where the
riders race over two laps of the Olympic course.
Memorable
Moment: The Commonwealth Games in 2002 at Manchester where he says
racing on home turf in front of his family and home crowd was a great
experience and his performance also showed him he could match and beat
the professionals despite beingbased here in the UK. Although disqualified
on a technicality, he did finish with the 4th fastest time.
British Time Trial Champion (Pictured)
National 25 mile Champion
National 10 mile Champion
Rudy Project National Circuit Champion
European Masters Road Race Champion
