Excitement is building in the Real Aussie Kids camp as the team prepares to depart for the annual Colorado Tour on the 17th June. This year six riders have been selected to participate in the intensive altitude training camp which will be based in the town of Boulder, the renowned cycling and triathlon hub of the US. For Lachlan Morton(NSW), Pat Drapac(VIC) and Jared Triggs(NSW), this year will be a chance to build on last year’s program, while for Ethan Kimmince(NSW), Matt Fortunato(VIC) and David Edwards(QLD), this will be a completely new experience.
The team will be accompanied by Coach Graham Seers and assistant Coach Athalee Brown, together with team managers David and Annie Morton. This year’s program includes a full and varied race schedule which takes in Hillclimbs, Criteriums, Road Races and Time Trials, including the legendary Dead Dog Classic in Wyoming and the notorious Mt Evans Hill climb, on the highest paved road in North America.
Whilst at the camp the riders will have the privilege to work with Dr Inigo San Milan, Director, Exercise Physiology and Human Performance Laboratory, University of Colorado Hospital. Dr San Milan has had extensive experience with professional European Cycling Teams and currently consults to Team Garmin-Slipstream. The riders will learn how they can monitor themselves for peak performance and avoid overtraining.
Apart from the unique experiences the team will encounter on the bike, they will also experience living in a team environment and pulling together on the domestic front with cooking, washing and cleaning, as well as juggling their school work. The little spare time the team will have will be taken up with experiencing some of Colorado’s highlights such as white water rafting, hiking in the Rocky Mountains and perhaps even spotting a bear or mountain lion.
This unique experience the RAK riders are provided is only made possible with the support of sponsors, Drapac Porsche Cycling, Limar, Argon, Morton Enterprises and Country Energy. Riders will report or their experiences on a weekly basis from Colorado.