Finishing domestique duties

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Vande Velde's daughter Uma hangs out with her dad. (Image credit: Jason Sumner)

In the world of professional cycling the transition from domestique to team leader is difficult and rare. For every rider that makes the jump, there are dozens who try and fail - or simply never try at all. Garmin-Slipstream's Christian Vande Velde emerged as a leader after years of service to others. Procycling's Jason Sumner caught up with Vande Velde at his Chicago home to find out what made the difference.

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All that changed a year ago when Vande Velde left the comforts of CSC and signed on with the then-fledgling Slipstream team. At the time the Boulder, Colorado-based squad had no title sponsor and no guarantee that it would be invited to the sport's biggest races. But everything fell into place in 2008. GPS-maker Garmin stepped into the title sponsor role, and the newly named Garmin-Chipotle team earned a coveted invite to the Tour de France.

Cyclingnews: First I'm wondering what you're doing in Chicago in the dead of winter? This can't be the best place to get in your base miles.
Christian Vande Velde: It's all about [18-month-old daughter] Uma and being close to both my family and [wife] Leah's. We both grew up around here and it's great for Uma to see her grandparents. And it keeps Leah sane because she can get help when she needs it. [Note: Leah Vande Velde is expecting their second child at the end of January.]

CN: But from a strictly professional standpoint, is it hard for you to be here?
CVV: A lot of the time, yes. If it's dry I can manage because I can get on the 'cross bike and ride the trails around here. But for a lot of December I couldn't even do that because there was too much snow. That was rough. But I got through it and here we are with just two more days before I head to training camp. And I did get some good work done. I've been in the gym a ton and working with a PT, so in that respect I'm really strong right now, maybe stronger than I've ever been.

CN: So what are the trails around here like? It looked pretty flat driving over from the airport.
CVV: Actually there's a huge forest preserve that was formed by a glacier so there's lots of ups and downs. When the conditions are good I can ride for three-plus hours and never see the road. There's tons of great single track. But right now there's too much ice so I have to stay on the road and go south into the cornfields and that's like riding in Nebraska. It sucks.

CN: Do you feel like the bad weather has set you back or are you going to be okay?
CVV: I think I'm okay but I do worry a little. I've been consistent, but I haven't gotten in a lot of good rides. The upside is that I'm strong in the core and back, and that's really important. Besides we ride so much these days that I don't think it will be a big deal. I mean I've done 30,000 kilometers [18,641 miles] a year for 12 years now, so it reaches a point where I need to work on specific things like getting my back strong as much as anything.

CN: What are the key areas that you're working on at the gym?
CVV: Back, hips, glutes, hamstrings - all the core muscles that are weaker in me. We do it with and without weight, so it's different than the old school, squat, leg press, squat, leg press. I'm also doing physical therapy. I was there today and have been doing it twice a week all fall. The big thing is that I have almost completely different posture. Overall I'm as healthy as I've been since 1999. I'm as healthy as I can be right now.

CN: It seems like you've always been battling one ailment or another. Give us the laundry list?
CVV: It's just been a lot of imbalances, weaknesses, overuse injuries. I think it stems from never doing proper PT after injuries like when I broke my arm [at the 2001 Tour de France]. Instead the body is able to do four or five hours holding the bars with one hand, and slowly but surely you start favoring one side over the other. Then all the sudden you're all messed up.

CN: But clearly it's more than just good health. Fair to say your entire outlook has changed?
CVV: Definitely. The switch really flipped at the [2008] Giro when I got the leader's jersey after the team time trial. That was great but then I lost it by a second on the next stage to [Italian Franco] Pellizotti and had to watch him everyday on the podium. I mean I saw him crying when he had the jersey and I was like, wow this is a big deal. That's when I got pissed and wanted to get it back. I had the taste of blood in the mouth.

CN: Was being in the Giro leader's jersey your biggest moment in 2008?
CVV: For sure it was one of them but also winning Missouri. That's a race I wasn't looking at to do anything. I just wanted to work for the team and help somebody else. But I'm really glad it happened the way it did. It forced me to ride as a leader and reminded me that I could do it. It was reassurance of everything I did throughout year.

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