Wednesday March 23, 2011
3:19
Fatty: Hi there, and welcome to the live Q&A with Johan Bruyneel. I'm starting this a little early to say a few things I need to, so that once Johan's here we can get straight to the questions.
3:20
Fatty: While we're waiting for Johan to log on, you should feel free to start typing in questions you might want to ask him. That way he'll have a nice batch to choose from once he gets here.
3:20
Fatty: Also, before we begin, you should know that comments are moderated.
3:20
Fatty: What does this mean? Easy. Questions you asked won't be seen unless / until Johan or I decide they should. Otherwise, there would be a constant stream of questions popping up and by the time Johan answered one, the question he answered would have scrolled off the screen long ago.
3:21
Fatty: It also means that if you're a dork and ask a dorky question, it will never see the light of day, and it won't get a response. Not even a "Sorry we didn't answer your dorky question, dork."
3:21
Fatty: Once Johan's here, we'll get started.
3:26
JB: Hello Fatty! The kids are in bed and I'm here!
3:27
Fatty: Welcome, Johan! Lotsa questions already in the queue.
3:27
Fatty: While you're looking through them, I'll take care of introductions and ground rules, OK?
3:27
JB: I see that! And I just sent a tweet and Facebook message out as well.
3:27
Fatty: Dude, you are the king of all social media.
3:28
JB: Ok, I'm ready when you are!
3:28
Fatty: Now, chances are if you're here you don't need an introduction to Johan, but I'm going to give you one anyway.
3:28
Fatty: Johan's complete bio is here: http://www.johanbruyneel.com/about/bio.html. But I'd like to point out a couple of other things.
3:28
Fatty: First, Johan's a great guy in real life. When I wrote "An Open Cover Letter to Johan Bruyneel," (http://fatcy.cl/johancover) he took this silly joke post and turned it into an amazing opportunity. Reacting to his challenge, Fat Cyclist readers raised around $120K for World Bicycle Relief and LiveStrong.
3:28
Fatty: And I got to go to the RadioShack training camp, not to mention the Tour of California.
3:29
Fatty: Which didn't suck.
3:29
Fatty: More recently, when Johan got handed a 2-month suspension from the UCI for having the gall to let his team wear jerseys highlighting the horrifying number of people in the world fighting cancer, I -- impersonating him -- wrote a post called "What I Did During My Winter Vacation" post (http://fatcy.cl/jb-vaykay).
3:29
JB: And you received a Trek bike too!
3:29
Fatty: Which totally made my head spin and my jaw drop. More than usual I mean.
3:30
Fatty: Unlike most people who I poke fun at, Johan tweeted and Facebooked the post. And he told me he'd be happy to take a few minutes to do a Q&A with Fat Cyclist readers.
3:30
Fatty: Which is what we're doing now. Welcome, Johan!
3:30
JB: Yes, Fatty, but I think your fans may be disappointed.
3:30
JB: I think they are expecting me to announce you to the Tour roster.
3:31
JB: But I'm really just here for the chat!
3:31
Fatty: We agreed you'd do that. You mean you've changed your mind?
3:31
Fatty: I've totally been working on my sprint and everything.
3:31
JB: Do we have that agreement in writing? We have the videos from the training camp as well!
3:32
Fatty: Ummm...let's just start with some questions.
3:32
Fatty: I get to ask the first, since this is my party. What are you doing with your time off? woodworking? growing your beard?
3:34
JB: Well I've been trying to spend as much time with the family, but I still have to work as well. Managing 70+ people even if I'm not allowed to go to the races and also having some meetings about some interesting news.
3:35
Fatty: "interesting news" sounds interesting (obviously). is that something you can tell us about?
3:36
JB: Hopefully one day soon, but not yet, my friend!
3:36
JB: You never know if there are any moles on the chat!
3:37
Fatty: I kinda thought you'd say that. OK, you've got around 100 questions that have been submitted. I'm going to sit back and let you answer a few of those.
3:37
Fatty: And I might pick a few favorites myself.
3:37
JB: Ok!
3:38
[Comment From Beth]
Johan - does your daughter like to ride her bike? Do you ride as a family?
3:39
JB: Yes, she loves to ride her bike. She has a pink Trek and we just bought a co-rider seat for Christian ... So soon the four of us will be out riding in London!
3:39
[Comment From Ricardo Collado]
What are the goals of Team Radio Shack for 2011 now that LA is gone?
3:40
[Comment From Nick]
Do you ever get out on training rides with the team or on your own?
3:40
JB: Well I'd say the Amgen Tour of California is one of our biggest objectives with Levi. We also want to have the highest ranking as possible in the overall Teams rankings. And I'll put this out there ... Podium at the Tour de France ... We'll have different cards to play!
3:41
JB: Definitely never ever with the team ... They would laugh at me and use that comedy for the entire year!
3:41
Fatty: Do you think you could beat Jon Vaughters in an arm-wrestling match?
3:41
JB: On my own, I try to get out ... But it's tough with the job and family ... It's good to ride when I have some stress.
3:42
JB: Yes, I'm pretty sure I can ... I also have a bigger engine than him too!!
3:42
[Comment From Raph]
As a swiss very interested in how you rate Fabian Cancellara?
3:43
[Comment From Tyson]
Would you allow the team to wear the yellow jerseys again? Was it worth it?
3:43
JB: By far the best trialist in the world ... And maybe ever!! Very impressive rider in the Classics ... Very fluid motion on the bike!
3:44
Fatty: (pretty sure Tyson means the "28" jerseys -- and a good question)
3:44
JB: The yellow jerseys? There's only one Yellow Jersey ... And yes, we hope to have another one!
3:45
JB: Well we obviously did it for the cancer community ... We had the best intentions, but in the end it gave me two extra months off
3:46
[Comment From Brandy]
What was your best day ever on a bike ?
3:46
JB: Definitely my first stage win at the Tour de France in 1993 ... My father passed away prior to the race ... I dedicated that win to him!
3:47
Fatty: Does RadioShack take the radio ban personally? I mean, it's not like the UCI is banning Saxos. Or Leopards, for that matter.
3:48
[Comment From Scott]
The last 2 TdF's have been great for Horner. Will he be playing a lead role in this year's tour?
3:48
JB: Well we're all a bit concerned about how that can potentially hurt sponsorship. I mean you not only have RadioShack, you have other technology or tech communication companies ... HTC, Movistar, etc. Do you think they want to be associated with a sport that is against technology, communication, advancement?? It's a very big concern.
3:49
JB: He definitely will be a protected rider. He's racing now and looking good. I have very high hopes for him, but we'll go into the Tour with the ability to play a number of cards.
3:50
[Comment From Dave M]
I'm interested in know more about World Bicycle Relief. I know they are very active in Africa and Poor countries. Do they deploy bicycles to diseaster stricken areas where infrastructure is severely impacted, like we're seeing in Japan?
3:50
[Comment From Cécile]
Is Tiago Machado going to race in a Grand Tour this year? I like his offensive way of racing!
3:50
JB: Yes - Tiago will be the leader for the Giro and our co-leader at the Vuelta!
3:51
JB: I've spoken to FK Day about that ... And they are examining what they can do. There needs to be a structured plan in place and as of now, there is not one in Japan, but that's not to say it won't happen.
3:52
[Comment From Matt]
Johan, Thanks for being here. With all the frustration recently between the riders, teams and the UCI, where do you see the future going regarding a newly formed cycling league that maintains the best interests of the riders and teams? Do you think that the new league would be good for the sport of cycling and it's sponsorships? Thanks for your input!
3:53
JB: Well I think all opportunities need to be examined. There are a lot of leagues out there that are more advanced and further along than cycling is at this point. I think all stakeholders need to be heard, including the fans, sponsors, teams, organizers and riders ... Which is now not the case in a democratic way!
3:54
[Comment From PR]
Do you ever fall asleep in the team car during a race and then wake up and drive to get food while forgetting about the race?
3:55
JB: Luckily that has not happened to me yet! But I've had a few passengers who have taken a nap ... Mostly Americans who were struggling with some jet lag!!
3:55
[Comment From David]
Has Levi been doing any specific speed work in order to stay with quick accelerations?
3:56
JB: Levi is one of the most professional athletes I know. When the season starts, I'm confident that he's done the job over the winter to be race ready.
3:56
[Comment From Tyler]
When do you expect to see Ben King in a grand tour?
3:58
JB: It's not planned for this year ... He's a very young rider. I won't shut out the Vuelta, but we'll see how the first half of the season goes. It's important that he develops as a professional rider and we don't rush him into a Grand Tour before he's ready.
3:58
[Comment From BOB McMahan]
What characteristics do you look for when recruiting young cyclists for the team?
3:19
Fatty: Hi there, and welcome to the live Q&A with Johan Bruyneel. I'm starting this a little early to say a few things I need to, so that once Johan's here we can get straight to the questions.
3:20
Fatty: While we're waiting for Johan to log on, you should feel free to start typing in questions you might want to ask him. That way he'll have a nice batch to choose from once he gets here.
3:20
Fatty: Also, before we begin, you should know that comments are moderated.
3:20
Fatty: What does this mean? Easy. Questions you asked won't be seen unless / until Johan or I decide they should. Otherwise, there would be a constant stream of questions popping up and by the time Johan answered one, the question he answered would have scrolled off the screen long ago.
3:21
Fatty: It also means that if you're a dork and ask a dorky question, it will never see the light of day, and it won't get a response. Not even a "Sorry we didn't answer your dorky question, dork."
3:21
Fatty: Once Johan's here, we'll get started.
3:26
JB: Hello Fatty! The kids are in bed and I'm here!
3:27
Fatty: Welcome, Johan! Lotsa questions already in the queue.
3:27
Fatty: While you're looking through them, I'll take care of introductions and ground rules, OK?
3:27
JB: I see that! And I just sent a tweet and Facebook message out as well.
3:27
Fatty: Dude, you are the king of all social media.
3:28
JB: Ok, I'm ready when you are!
3:28
Fatty: Now, chances are if you're here you don't need an introduction to Johan, but I'm going to give you one anyway.
3:28
Fatty: Johan's complete bio is here: http://www.johanbruyneel.com/about/bio.html. But I'd like to point out a couple of other things.
3:28
Fatty: First, Johan's a great guy in real life. When I wrote "An Open Cover Letter to Johan Bruyneel," (http://fatcy.cl/johancover) he took this silly joke post and turned it into an amazing opportunity. Reacting to his challenge, Fat Cyclist readers raised around $120K for World Bicycle Relief and LiveStrong.
3:28
Fatty: And I got to go to the RadioShack training camp, not to mention the Tour of California.
3:29
Fatty: Which didn't suck.
3:29
Fatty: More recently, when Johan got handed a 2-month suspension from the UCI for having the gall to let his team wear jerseys highlighting the horrifying number of people in the world fighting cancer, I -- impersonating him -- wrote a post called "What I Did During My Winter Vacation" post (http://fatcy.cl/jb-vaykay).
3:29
JB: And you received a Trek bike too!
3:29
Fatty: Which totally made my head spin and my jaw drop. More than usual I mean.
3:30
Fatty: Unlike most people who I poke fun at, Johan tweeted and Facebooked the post. And he told me he'd be happy to take a few minutes to do a Q&A with Fat Cyclist readers.
3:30
Fatty: Which is what we're doing now. Welcome, Johan!
3:30
JB: Yes, Fatty, but I think your fans may be disappointed.
3:30
JB: I think they are expecting me to announce you to the Tour roster.
3:31
JB: But I'm really just here for the chat!
3:31
Fatty: We agreed you'd do that. You mean you've changed your mind?
3:31
Fatty: I've totally been working on my sprint and everything.
3:31
JB: Do we have that agreement in writing? We have the videos from the training camp as well!
3:32
Fatty: Ummm...let's just start with some questions.
3:32
Fatty: I get to ask the first, since this is my party. What are you doing with your time off? woodworking? growing your beard?
3:34
JB: Well I've been trying to spend as much time with the family, but I still have to work as well. Managing 70+ people even if I'm not allowed to go to the races and also having some meetings about some interesting news.
3:35
Fatty: "interesting news" sounds interesting (obviously). is that something you can tell us about?
3:36
JB: Hopefully one day soon, but not yet, my friend!
3:36
JB: You never know if there are any moles on the chat!
3:37
Fatty: I kinda thought you'd say that. OK, you've got around 100 questions that have been submitted. I'm going to sit back and let you answer a few of those.
3:37
Fatty: And I might pick a few favorites myself.
3:37
JB: Ok!
3:38
[Comment From Beth]
Johan - does your daughter like to ride her bike? Do you ride as a family?
3:39
JB: Yes, she loves to ride her bike. She has a pink Trek and we just bought a co-rider seat for Christian ... So soon the four of us will be out riding in London!
3:39
[Comment From Ricardo Collado]
What are the goals of Team Radio Shack for 2011 now that LA is gone?
3:40
[Comment From Nick]
Do you ever get out on training rides with the team or on your own?
3:40
JB: Well I'd say the Amgen Tour of California is one of our biggest objectives with Levi. We also want to have the highest ranking as possible in the overall Teams rankings. And I'll put this out there ... Podium at the Tour de France ... We'll have different cards to play!
3:41
JB: Definitely never ever with the team ... They would laugh at me and use that comedy for the entire year!
3:41
Fatty: Do you think you could beat Jon Vaughters in an arm-wrestling match?
3:41
JB: On my own, I try to get out ... But it's tough with the job and family ... It's good to ride when I have some stress.
3:42
JB: Yes, I'm pretty sure I can ... I also have a bigger engine than him too!!
3:42
[Comment From Raph]
As a swiss very interested in how you rate Fabian Cancellara?
3:43
[Comment From Tyson]
Would you allow the team to wear the yellow jerseys again? Was it worth it?
3:43
JB: By far the best trialist in the world ... And maybe ever!! Very impressive rider in the Classics ... Very fluid motion on the bike!
3:44
Fatty: (pretty sure Tyson means the "28" jerseys -- and a good question)
3:44
JB: The yellow jerseys? There's only one Yellow Jersey ... And yes, we hope to have another one!
3:45
JB: Well we obviously did it for the cancer community ... We had the best intentions, but in the end it gave me two extra months off
3:46
[Comment From Brandy]
What was your best day ever on a bike ?
3:46
JB: Definitely my first stage win at the Tour de France in 1993 ... My father passed away prior to the race ... I dedicated that win to him!
3:47
Fatty: Does RadioShack take the radio ban personally? I mean, it's not like the UCI is banning Saxos. Or Leopards, for that matter.
3:48
[Comment From Scott]
The last 2 TdF's have been great for Horner. Will he be playing a lead role in this year's tour?
3:48
JB: Well we're all a bit concerned about how that can potentially hurt sponsorship. I mean you not only have RadioShack, you have other technology or tech communication companies ... HTC, Movistar, etc. Do you think they want to be associated with a sport that is against technology, communication, advancement?? It's a very big concern.
3:49
JB: He definitely will be a protected rider. He's racing now and looking good. I have very high hopes for him, but we'll go into the Tour with the ability to play a number of cards.
3:50
[Comment From Dave M]
I'm interested in know more about World Bicycle Relief. I know they are very active in Africa and Poor countries. Do they deploy bicycles to diseaster stricken areas where infrastructure is severely impacted, like we're seeing in Japan?
3:50
[Comment From Cécile]
Is Tiago Machado going to race in a Grand Tour this year? I like his offensive way of racing!
3:50
JB: Yes - Tiago will be the leader for the Giro and our co-leader at the Vuelta!
3:51
JB: I've spoken to FK Day about that ... And they are examining what they can do. There needs to be a structured plan in place and as of now, there is not one in Japan, but that's not to say it won't happen.
3:52
[Comment From Matt]
Johan, Thanks for being here. With all the frustration recently between the riders, teams and the UCI, where do you see the future going regarding a newly formed cycling league that maintains the best interests of the riders and teams? Do you think that the new league would be good for the sport of cycling and it's sponsorships? Thanks for your input!
3:53
JB: Well I think all opportunities need to be examined. There are a lot of leagues out there that are more advanced and further along than cycling is at this point. I think all stakeholders need to be heard, including the fans, sponsors, teams, organizers and riders ... Which is now not the case in a democratic way!
3:54
[Comment From PR]
Do you ever fall asleep in the team car during a race and then wake up and drive to get food while forgetting about the race?
3:55
JB: Luckily that has not happened to me yet! But I've had a few passengers who have taken a nap ... Mostly Americans who were struggling with some jet lag!!
3:55
[Comment From David]
Has Levi been doing any specific speed work in order to stay with quick accelerations?
3:56
JB: Levi is one of the most professional athletes I know. When the season starts, I'm confident that he's done the job over the winter to be race ready.
3:56
[Comment From Tyler]
When do you expect to see Ben King in a grand tour?
3:58
JB: It's not planned for this year ... He's a very young rider. I won't shut out the Vuelta, but we'll see how the first half of the season goes. It's important that he develops as a professional rider and we don't rush him into a Grand Tour before he's ready.
3:58
[Comment From BOB McMahan]
What characteristics do you look for when recruiting young cyclists for the team?
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