The Tuscon Citizen has the story, which notes that Asheville is also home to one of these unique centers where bicycle riders can get performance testing and advice:
Modest beginnings – in this case a small, old single-floor house on Winstel Boulevard by the Rillito – beget great accomplishments.
With that credence, Tucsonan Gord Fraser has begun his second career with the same mind power that fueled his bicycle racing days. Except it isn’t he who’s doing the grinding.
The former Tour de France cyclist, 38, helps run Carmichael Training Systems on Winstel, one of three centers nationally where expert or novice riders can go for coaching and performance testing.
“Some people have simple goals, some big,” Fraser says. “Some may want to beat their buddies on the Saturday morning ‘Shootout’ (a 60-mile loop, which begins at the University of Arizona, heads south on Mission Road to Pima Mine Road and returns via Old Nogales Highway).”
And some might be more motivated after watching the Tour de France, which begins Saturday and ends July 27.
CTS was founded by Chris Carmichael in 1999, a few years after he became Lance Armstrong’s coach. When the two met in the early 1990s Armstrong was a world class cyclist, but not close to winning the first of his seven Tour de France titles.
When Armstrong began to win, after returning from cancer, Carmichael’s coaching prowess became known worldwide.
“It’s people getting elite type coaching at whatever level,” says Jason Tullous, Fraser’s business partner.
Tullous, 35, a former racer, moved from Flagstaff to take the position of co-director.
“We break down the demands of each sport,” Tullous said. “The methodology is pretty basic. It focuses on three energy systems, the aerobic intake system, lactate threshold and V02 (maximal oxygen consumption).
Tucson became the third CTS training center last fall. Colorado Springs, Colo., and Asheville, N.C., are the other sites.
The “situation room” resembles an airport control tower as staff analyzes athletes – cyclists, triathletes, runners, even motor sports drivers – performances through sophisticated computer technology. Fraser relates that local walk-ins are increasing.