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Wendy Houvenaghel Hitting the Numbers in Worlds Training Camp
Interview posted March 19
By Larry Hickmott (larryhickmott@britishcycling.org.uk)
Wendy during another effort in the Manchester Pre-Worlds training camp.
Not since Yvonne McGregor won at Manchester in 2000, has the medal prospects for a British Woman in the Pursuit looked so good at a World Track Championships. Emma Davies came close in 2002 with 4th but this year, Great Britain has two riders who have strong chances of medaling if all goes well for them, Wendy Houvenaghel and Rebecca Romero. Both are working hard at Manchester this week as they were all last week, and BritishCycling.org.uk spoke to both of them. Here is the interview with Wendy Houvenaghel, a rider who came into the team thanks to one of the many initiatives the team have had in the last few years, this one being the fast track programme.
The cyclist from Cornwall who hails originally from Northern Ireland, has only been full time for the GB team for just over a year and despite limited time on the programme, posted the Worlds second fastest time of the year at Manchester in the World Track Cup (February 2007). Eves dropped on her coach during training reveals that her latest times show that she has lost none of that form as she prepares for her second World Track Championships. Last year, 2006, was a mixed year. Caught in the Commonwealth Games Womens Pursuit event by Aussie Katie Mactier, Wendy came out fighting at the Track Worlds a few weeks later with 5th.
In 2007, the former Time Trialist turned Pursuiter knows that the opposition such as Mactier and American Sarah Hammer at Palma will be very competitive in Palma and that winning the title or even getting a medal, will not be easy despite her times being much faster this year than last. And so, the hard work has continued under the guidance of National Women’s Endurance Coach Dan Hunt, with Wendy working very hard on various aspects of her pursuit after no less than three road blocks in Majorca.
The Majorca training camps Wendy told us, had a different emphasis in each. “The first one was mostly about getting a lot of hours in the saddle and then in the second camp we were doing a little bit more interval type work and then the final one, the emphasis changed again to shorter, more intense sessions.” Training in Majorca saw Wendy and her fellow GB riders enjoy better weather conditions than those here in Britain which were, at the time of the camps, very cold. “Being in Majorca with the sun on our backs, meant that the long training days were more tolerable and easier.”
With the road based training camps over, the team is now in a final track training camp in Manchester and Wendy says “everything is to going to plan at the moment and hopefully over the next few weeks, everything should fall into place for me.”
Right: Last year in France, Wendy was 5th. Since then she has knocked more than six seconds off her personal best.
During the Winter Track Season, Wendy says that things have also gone well, and that because of the warm weather training camps in Majorca, the winter has not felt as long as it has done in the past. This winter, like last, Wendy has been UCI World Track Cup Champion for the Womens Pursuit and asked for a highlight of the World Track Cup competition, she says her ride at Manchester was definitely the big one adding “hopefully in a few weeks that will be eclipsed by the World Track Championships”.
Asked did she feel more pressure on her shoulders now that she has shown herself to be a true medal prospect in the Women’s Pursuit? “The only pressure is what people put on themselves and I am quite good at not putting any pressure on myself. I know I have done the training to the letter and because of that, know if that has been done, then the chances of a good outcome is pretty high. I’d certainly hope to be at the upper end of the field.”
Explaining the difference between last year and this, Wendy says “the biggest difference is I have been able to concentrate on the Pursuit over the last year where as in the 12 months before that, I had perhaps two to three months at the very most to prepare for the Pursuit. So I have had a good steady year of preparation, first on the road and then special Pursuit work. I have also lost a little weight and become more muscular.”
These developments Wendy added, means that she is now pedalling the big gears that she uses quicker than she did in the past which has been reflected in the much quicker times. “I am also experimenting with bigger gears at the moment” she added showing that the search for that little advantage over her rivals is never ending.
And in a weeks time, Wendy and the Womens endurance riders will be heading for Majorca for this years World Track Championships. The past twelve months she explained, has gone very quickly for her. The days preparing for Majorca see her on the track Monday to Friday for a series of race efforts which will either be rolling or standing starts. Despite the repeated race efforts day after day, the legs at the end of the day are recovering well.
“We have a set guide on what we are hoping to do during each week and each day, we review how things went the previous day and decide on whether the schedule needs to be changed. Sometimes we’ll cut back on the number of efforts to be done or sometimes we’ll add efforts to the day’s schedule depending on how I am feeling.”
Whilst talking to Wendy, a quick look around us and we can see there are plenty of Great Britain staff on hand to help her with both her bike or her energy replenishment needs. “I have found the team to be extremely supportive and without them, would not be able to do my job properly” Wendy says of them. “Before training efforts and racing, my coach (Dan Hunt) and I talk about gears to use and Dan will then inform the mechanics before I need the bike”
One of the crucial things for Wendy is the choosing of the gear size to ride for any given effort and Wendy says of that decision making process “conditions do play a big part in that as does the feedback from senior staff because they are the ones who have the experience in that area. So they will advise us accordingly and then we’ll all come to a joint decision.”
Performance manager Shane Sutton and consultant coach Jan van Eijden place Wendy's Sports Institute bike into the starting gate watched by Wendy's National coach, Dan Hunt.
It isn’t all work though when at a major competition or training camp when the riders are brought together in a hotel. In fact, for riders like Wendy doing only one event, there can be a lot of down time although there doesn't seem to be much of that in this training camp! On arrival in Majorca however, Wendy will probably have a few days of getting used to the track during the allotted team training sessions probably one of the most nerve wracking times any rider can experience prior to such a major competition.
Outside of training though in Majorca, the riders are generally confined to their rooms to rest as there are few hotels which provide areas they can gather and relax together except for meal time. Wendy says that she will help fill the time between racing and training by reading books and magazines that she takes with her. Wendy also intends to use the time relaxing to keep in touch with people at home. “I find plenty of things to fill my time with when not competing or training.”
Being in a hotel also means having to sometimes do without the normal food they have at home. Some riders will of course have their favourite foods which they will continue to fuel up with when away but Wendy explained that it depends on what country she is in whether she takes her own food with her. “In the European countries, I find I don’t need to worry about the diet so much. So more often than not, I rely on what is being served at the restaurant.”
We would like to thank Wendy for the interview, one of a number she has done recently including one for the BBC who will be covering the event in Majorca. Wendy now continues her hard work before a taper begins at the end of the week, a period she says she is looking forward to! Then shortly after the rest of the squad, Wendy will head for Majorca to compete in front of friends and family and we wish her lots of luck there.
Related Links
British Team for Track Worlds: >>>>
Biography >>>>
Pre Manchester World Cup Interview >>>>
Manchester World Track Cup >>>>
Other Interviews (many more to come)
