Tuesday, March 19, 2024

Joanna Rowsell – On the Olympic Build-up

-

HomeInterviewsJoanna Rowsell - On the Olympic Build-up

As the world is gripped by Tour Fever, it’s easy to forget that just days after the Champs Elysees protocols are done and dusted, it’ll be time for the Olympic Games, in London.

VeloVeritas was lucky enough to get an interview with a lady who’s been an integral part of the dominant GB ladies team pursuit squad.

She’s won Worlds gold with the squad in 2008, 2009 and 2012, not to mention silver in 2010.

What’s been your programme between the Worlds and London?

“First of all I had a block of road training based at my parent’s in Surrey before returning to Manchester at the end of May.

“We then had a big block of training on the track and in the gym.

“We have just got back from a training camp in Mallorca to top up our endurance and now we’ll only have track training until the Olympics.”

Joanna poses for the team pic. Image©British Cycling.

It must be difficult training as a group but knowing that some won’t make the final line up?

“There are just four of us now and with the Olympic Team Pursuit being run over three rounds as opposed to the usual two, we may well use the option of swapping riders between rounds.

“We get on well and we all need each other so we are working well together as a team of four.”

Tell us about a ‘big training day in the life of Joanna’ please.

“We have just returned from Mallorca where we have been doing some good volume but also with plenty of intensity.

“A big training ride out there is going to Sa Calobra and back – which is a four-and-a-half hour ride altogether.

“The first climb of Lluc is ridden at threshold for approximately 20 minutes.

“It’s then a relentless rolling road before the descent of Sa Calobra.

“We did the climb twice doing intervals of 20 second sprints, 40 seconds easy, all in 30 plus degree heat, and then rode home.

“We are lucky to have the following car providing plenty of spare bottles (I probably drank about 10 bottles during this ride) as well as energy bars and gels.”

The view back down to Sa Calobra after 10 minutes of climbing – only 45 to go!

What’s the toughest training you do?

“A training camp in Mallorca is probably our toughest block of training as it is high volume as well as high intensity.”

Tell us about your final sessions and taper, please.

“During the taper we would take out the road volume and just maintain the intense efforts on the track in order to recover from the volume of training we have done in the build up.”

How many watts do you average in a three k team pursuit?

“I don’t know what the average is but I would hit a peak of around 1000 watts at the start and then during the ride 500 plus watts on the front and 300 watts whilst on the wheel.”

Who are the main opposition?

“Australia, Canada, New Zealand and America have all ridden quicker than 3 minutes 20 so are our biggest rivals.”

Joanna with her teammates celebrate victory at the Manchester World Cup last year.

Can you give us any clues about ‘trick’ equipment/clothing for the games?

“There won’t be any tricks!

“We have great equipment and for me it will just be the same bike I have been racing on all year.

“Tell us about the London track, please.

“It is a beautiful new track and so smooth to ride.

“The bankings are not as steep as on some other tracks; this makes it good for team pursuiting as it is very important for us to hold a smooth line.”

Have you ever fancied points or scratch racing?

“Yes I enjoy riding bunch races and compete at the National Championships in these events but at an international level my strengths lie in pursuiting and team pursuiting so these are what I compete in and the other girls take on the bunch races.”

No British road race for you, why?

“We were away in Mallorca for a training camp whilst the National Road Race was on.

“It was only the second time I have missed the National RR since 2005.

“It was a shame to miss it but this year is all about the track!”

Will we see more of you on the road after the Olympics?

“Yes I am definitely looking forward to doing more racing on the road next season.

“In previous seasons I have spent time racing in Belgium and Holland and this racing suits me, so I am looking forward to doing more of that next year and maybe some stage races.”

Getting fitted for her new GB Olympic kit.

What do you think of the new GB team colours for London?

“I love the Team GB kit!

“It is great that the flag has been incorporated and I think the kit looks very classy.

“I went to Loughborough a couple of weeks ago to get my GB kit issue and the kit feels great to wear and fits really well.”

Hoy or Kenny – who would you put in the sprint and why?

“That is a tough one!

“I think I would go for Jason Kenny as he beat Chris at the Worlds and that will leave Chris able to focus on the keirin.”

Joanna appeared on the live TV programme Daybreak, pictured here with the hosts.

How do your folks cope with two fanatics in the one house?

“I think they like it!

“None of us were involved with cycling previously but now that Erick (Endura pro) and I are racing, my parents have become big cycling fans.

“They love coming to watch us race and also enjoy watching the pro races on TV, like the Tour at the moment.”

What are you most looking forward to eating/drinking/doing, after London?

“I am really looking forward to having a holiday somewhere hot and sunny without the bike.

“I will also be eating plenty of chocolate!”

Visit Joanna’s site for all the latest news and results.

Ed Hood
Ed Hood
Ed's been involved in cycling for over 50 years. In that time he's been a successful time triallist, a team manager and a sponsor of several teams and clubs. He's also a respected and successful coach and during the winter months was often working in the cabins at the Six Days for some of the world's top riders. Ed remains a massive fan of the sport and couples his extensive contacts with an inexhaustible enthusiasm for the minutiae and the history of our sport. In February 2023 however, our dear friend and beloved colleague Ed suffered a devastating stroke and faces an uncertain future; Ed has lost his ability to speak, to read, and has lost movement on the right side of his body. He's working with speech and physical therapists on rehabilitation, but all strokes are different and each patient responds differently, so unfortunately recovery is one day at a time. Ed ran his own business installing windows, and will probably not be able to work again. Please consider joining us to make a contribution to Ed's GoFundMe page to help stabilise and secure his future.

Related Articles

Marvin Smart – Track ‘Runner’ and Ad Signage Guru

Our old friend and former Six Day man, ‘Brit,’ Norman Hill suggested to us that we should ‘have a word’ with the man who was his Six Day ‘runner’ on the winter boards circuit back when there were up to 17 Six Day races every winter, Marvin Smart, who was also an innovator in the field of advertising on the actual track surface – such an important factor in a Six Day organiser’s budget plans.

Heinrich Haussler – “everything is good with me at the moment”

He’s back; IAM’s Heinrich Haussler was ‘quiet’ last year but in January he grabbed the first major result of 2015; the Australian Elite Road Race Championship. IAM stepped up to Pro Tour status for 2015 and this season could hardly have started on a higher note for HH, with a win in the Australian Elite Road Race Championship – never an easy race to win given the number of Aussies in the Pro Tour and the high standard of their domestic racing. He followed his win up with a whole host of top ten stage placings in the Tour Down Under and in the Tour of Qatar.

Tom Murray – Unfinished Business

Continuing our series about racing in Belgium, we had a chat with Tom Murray last week, who is back racing on the continent after the Plowman Craven Madison team ceased operations.

Jamie Burrow – on Ribble’s New Titanium Gravel Bikes

Sasha Castling, Ribble’s Head of Public Relations put us in touch with Jamie Burrow, Ribble’s Head of Product to talk gravel, cool but affordable machines, and their new SRAM eTap AXS x Ribble Gravel Ti machine in particular.

At Random

Glasgow’s Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome awarded a round of the UCI Track World Cup

Cycling’s world governing body Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI), have today announced that Glasgow’s Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome will host a round of the 2012/13 UCI Track World Cup series, which will see British Cycling deliver an event in which the world’s best riders compete at the venue for the first time.

James McKay Blog – We’re Racing, But…

C’est la vie. After filling most of Saturday with a dozy nine hour drive, the team arrived in the medieval village of Sillans-la-Cascade. We were greeted with a hearty four-course feast, courtesy of the host family who would be looking after us. This set the theme for the week; each meal was both tasty and enormous. With 1000km to ride in the next seven days plenty of fuel was certainly welcomed.

UK Tour de France Proposal Gathers Pace

Representatives from British Cycling, UK Sport and EventScotland visited the Belgian city of Liège this weekend for the Grand Depart of the 2012 Tour de France. With a proposal for the opening stages of the 2017 event being developed, the British partnership experienced the spectacular the Tour first-hand.

Le Tour de France 2011, Stage 10 – a little tourisme

Yesterday we arrived in Rodez as planned, picked up the hire car without any bother, and got ourselves, eventually, after getting lost a couple of times, to the hotel - one of these typical French 'pod' rooms, but it's okay with it's bunk beds and little shower room / toilet. A drive up to the Permanence, aka the Press Headquarters, to pick up our race accreditation, and we'd be all set for a pretty cruisy Rest Day. Only, the Permanence happened to be over two hours drive away, and once there, we found that only Ed's 'creds' were ready - mine hadn't been "approved by Julia" (the head ASO cred issuer).