March 12, 2010

Interview / Cafe Chat by: Chris Fontecchio
The Podium Cafe
http://www.podiumcafe.com
 

As fans we frequently commodify athletes — attach labels to them to indicate their value. My favorite example, as a Red Sox fan, is the discussion of who is the team’s “ace,” or top starting pitcher. Recently, reporters who should’ve known better asked Josh Beckett, a notoriously prickly dude, about it, and he responded with palpable disdain. Didn’t answer at all. And I can sympathize: not only the lack of sympathy for Boston sportswriters but the concept — what does that label mean to him? Why would the identity of yesterday’s pitcher matter when today it’s his job to find 27 outs someplace?

We fans do this in cycling too — and it’s not “bad” or even always wrong. The results justify our “sprinter rankings” discussions or predictions of who will win Paris-Roubaix or climb up a grand tour podium. In the sport’s rarified air, you can find guys commodifying themselves as “captains” and protected riders. Hell, last year we even enjoyed the distinct pleasure [cough] of watching Lance Armstrong and Alberto Contador wrestle each other for the label while their DS vainly insisted that it didn’t matter.

But commodifying has its limits back in reality. Even if Lance and Bert couldn’t hear Bruyneel’s message, “just race your bikes” is something that resonates for a large percentage of the peloton. Take the case of Garmin-Transition’s Steven Cozza. The 25-year-old Californian defies easy commodification: he’s not a cobbles behemoth or a mini-mountain goat. He rates his own abilities as climbing and time trialing but was famously seen on the front of Paris-Roubaix last year for a few hours. We spoke via email last weekend and he shifts easily from discussing winning the world’s biggest one-day race to riding in support whenever his team asks him to. In short, he’s a bike racer, he just wants to race his bike. Check it out:

PdC: Generalizations are bad, but among the European peloton are the classics guys known for any particular traits of personality?

SC: Yes, Classics guys tend to be very very mean. We are not like those wimpy French stage race guys out there. Us Classics guys have mustaches and chop firewood for training. For example, I ate rattlesnake for dinner last night. I’m gluten-free, so rattlesnake is one of my favorites.

You can see where this is headed… Join us, on the Flip:

PdC: So you recently said that you dream every day of winning Paris-Roubaix but your website lists climbing and time trials as your strength. At this early age are you trying to figure out where you best fit in?

SC: You know I try never to count myself out. Why put limitations on ourselves? There are too many jerks already out there telling us negative things and my ears are closed to all of them. You just got to believe in yourself. Anything is possible.

PdC: It sounds like in your heart you’re a classics guy. So how did you become a “classics guy”? How far back does this connection go?

SC: I like the Classics and see myself going far with these races, but I just love racing my bike and the harder the race is the better it is for me. This is why the Classics suit me so well.

PdC: Staying with Paris-Roubaix, last year was your first full-on running? Had you raced over those cobbles before turning pro?

SC: I’ve raced since I was 17 in Belgium. I have spent many years racing over those cobbles and absolutely love it.

PdC: So being in a long break [Cozza was part of a lead group at the 2009 Paris-Roubaix], was that like being a kid in a candy shop? What did you think about it?

SC: Yes, it was. I was very excited. It was a really hard break to make in a cross-wind section. It was like having a front row seat at the movie theaters, except I was in the movie. I love every minute of Paris-Roubaix because of the challenges it presents. There’s never a dull moment, that’s for sure.

PdC: In a race that long and difficult, did you have hopes of staying away? Or did you think, it’s Paris-Roubaix, we will be chased down?

SC: Yes, of course. It’s happened before and it could happen again. You just never know. I wasn’t in the break just to be in the break. I was in the break that day to try and win that freakin’ race. I want to be the first American to top the podium one day. Those are larges ambitions, but you’ve got to dream.

PdC: To finish after being in the break was a real accomplishment. How close do you feel to being strong enough to competing in P-R?

SC: I feel I can already compete in the best races in the world. Ive had quite a bit of injury and bad luck over the past year. When I put all this bad luck behind me I’m going to come out swinging.

PdC: Are you hopeful of a spot on the team’s Tour de France roster? Is that a pretty big key to your development?

SC: Yes, I would love to race and be competitive in the Tour de France someday. It’s something all pro cyclists want to aim for.

PdC: What do you do to train for the classics? Do you head up to Belgium far enough ahead of time to get in some training? Or is the plan to keep racing, generally raise your fitness and see where it gets you?

SC: It’s a little of both. It’s very important to get some long kilometer days on the bike. After some of the 200k race,s we will go out for another 50k just to be ready for Roubaix. Since I am nursing a broken clavical that I had operated on after my crash in Qatar, my approach is a bit different. Long training days and motorpacing until I can race again.

PdC: Are there places around Girona that help mimic the climbs of Flanders or the Pave of northern France?

SC: No. Nothing can mimic these climbs. You have to go there to train on them to really be great.

PdC: You’ve mentioned climbing as part of your arsenal. Did you get a sense of the Tour of Flanders and whether that might be a better race for you?

SC: Flanders has short steep climbs in it. You don’t need to really be a pure climber which I am not. The Flanders climbs are perfect for me and I really enjoy this race as well. I think I can ride very well in Flanders in the future.

PdC: Between P-R and Flanders, how are the rhythms of the race different?

SC: They are actually very similar. The best guys use the cobbled sections to make the selections in both races. It’s just that one race has short, steep cobbled climbs and the other does not.

PdC: Right now you’re a young rider on a team that’s put together a front-line Classics team. I gather your job (if you’re healed) is to support them?

SC: I’m 25 years old. I wish I could still use the ‘I’m young’ comment, but I am half way to 30 now. Whether I’m riding in support of my team or taking over a lead roll, I don’t really care. I just love to be able to do my job on the bike whatever that entitles. When I’m given a clear mission, I give it 100% no matter what it is in the race.

PdC: But you have ambitions to win P-R and presumably others. So how do you get the team to give you a chance? By getting results elsewhere? Driedaagse West Vlaanderen, de Panne, Eroica, stuff like that?

SC: Yes, that and to be there if something happens to our leader to take over the main role.

PdC: In what races do you expect to have more of a leadership role?

SC: When you are going the strongest you get the leadership role. That’s just how it works.

PdC: Do you worry at all about people thinking of you as a domestique? Is there a danger that guys get “labeled” by doing good support work? Or are these labels and distinctions just something for people outside the sport?

SC: No not at all. There are 200 guys in a bike race. Not everyone from every team can fight for the win. Teamwork really is important in winning a bike race and if it wasn’t for the domestiques, the leader would never win. It’s just how it works and to be a great domestique is a great accomplishment. Not every guy can do the work of a great domestique.

PdC: The collarbone — what’s the prognosis now? What kind of training do you do to preserve your fitness?

SC: Three weeks on the trainer and now back on the road. My first race back is Volta Catalunya. For more up-close updates, check out my web page at www.stevencozza.com and join my Race For Kids Fan Club while you’re at it.

Do check out his site. He writes well, with candor, and is passionate about his charitable work. He also talks about his hectic life lately, which (along with a non-functioning Skype connection) is why we did this by email rather than the preferred, more conversational phone interview. Guy’s got a lot on his plate as he struggles to get race-fit as soon as humanly possible.

Couple things I found interesting. First, following up on my opening theme, he makes a good case for shedding labels. After our discourse I have started to see those “I just wanna race my bike” comments you see all the time from riders not as banal but as sincere attempts to explain that racing isn’t about commodities. Everyone is a bike racer racing his bike, whether he’s asked to take a leading role or a support one. I should know better — the team concept of cycling isn’t exactly new to me — but chatting with Cozza is a nice reminder that the athletes don’t typically categorize themselves. Performing at such a high level requires a ton of hope, including for many guys the hope of winning the big race someday but in the context of teamwork, where everybody’s contribution is valued more or less equally. Cozza’s goal is to be one of those guys, do everything he can, and see where the chips fall.

I was also a little surprised to hear him say that 25 isn’t young. Obviously he would know more about this than me, but it’s worth wondering whether American riders can be held to the same standard as Europeans (for whom 25 is at most just entering their prime). Even guys like Cozza who went to Europe straight from high school still don’t tend to have the background in racing that the homegrown riders there do. Look at Tyler Farrar, who started really putting together his immense talent at age 26. Or Christian VandeVelde, who “exploded” onto the scene at age 32. Or even Armstrong, a wet-behind-the-ears World Champion but not a Tour de France winner until his late 20s. Cozza may believe it’s getting close to now-or-never, but I’m not so sure.

Photo by Doug Pensinger, Getty Images Sport

602nds with Steven CozzaPosted by CycleGirl on 24th Feb, 2010 in Featured Articles, Interviews, Road Cycling | 0 comments

602nds had a chat with professional cyclist Steven Cozza, whilst at home recovering from collarbone surgery after his crash at the Tour of Qatar.

Steven currently rides for UCI Professional Team Garmin-Transitions. Steven resides in Petaluma California, where he bases himself during the European winter, with the rest of the time he is based with team-mates in Girona. Steven specialises on the road in time trial, climbing, stage RR & the classics.

Steven started racing at 15 years old after breaking his shoulder in a high school wrestling match, and then raced in Europe when he was 16 with an Italian Junior Team and also the USA National Team. He has competed for USA at the World Road & TT Championships as a junior, U23 & Elite rider. In 2005 Steven won the USA U23 ITT Championship. Steven is well known for being a character in the Peloton with his “moustache” taking on its own identity back in 2008.

Hope you all enjoy this 602nds interview with Steven.

602nds: What is the one race you would like to win before you retire from cycling?
Steven: Paris – Roubaix. Every day, I dream of winning that race one day. Last year was my first time competing there and I had a great time racing in the breakaway all day.

 602nds: What is your personal cycling goal for 2010?
Steven: Well now that I destroyed my collarbone in just the first race of the year, my new goal is to come back as strong as possible and as soon as possible before the Belgian Classics.

 602nds: What is your all time cycling moment?
Steven: Oh boy, this is a tough question. I have had a lot of great cycling memories over the years. I would have to say being in the breakaway at the 2008 TOC while my moustache was in top form and seeing a whole family of kids and parents all wearing fake moustaches cheering me on up one of the climbs. I thought that was really cool to see that a family was having a good time watching the race and cheering me on. I love seeing the fans smile as we race by. I really loved racing in the Tour of Poland last year because the fans were just so happy to have us racing through their towns. That really inspires me to keep racing my bike.

602nds: Who/What inspired you to become a cyclist?
Steven: I started racing BMX bikes and then mountain bikes. When I was 15, I broke my shoulder in a high school wrestling accident. I couldn’t ride the mountain bike for a whole year so I rode on the road. This was in 1999 when Lance won his first Tour de France. Since then, I have been in love with the sport of cycling.  

602nds: Do you have a tip for someone who is just started out riding?
Steven: Yes of course, have lots of fun. Never forget that you ride a bike because of how fun it is and because of the way it makes you feel. We all have our bad days and the days we don’t want to even think of touching a bike, but overall, it should be fun. Never quit on your dreams and never count yourself out because of what others may say. Listen to your own heart.

602nds: Do you have a ritual you do before all your races, or a lucky charm etc…?
Steven: I used to have a lot of rituals and superstitions. It started getting nuts and I got too carried away with them all. I just go out now and ride my butt off.

 602nds: If your iPod was broken and it could only play one song continuously. What would it be?
Steven: It would have to be “I’m Too Sexy” by Right Said Fred. This song is one of my all time favourites.

602nds: Is there one rider in the Peloton that you always end up having a chat with whilst riding?
Steven: It’s always a good chat with Danny Pate. He talks non-stop.

602nds: Everyone has an opinion on the Footon-Servetto kit, what are your thoughts?   Would you be happy wearing it?
Steven: I’m not sure what this one looks like.  If it’s as weird sounding as their name, I’m sure it’s pretty awful. I think my team definitely looks the best out there in the peloton.

602nds: We know that sports stars all over the world are talked about being “Role Models” for the sport they are representing, the fans & media can’t get enough of the stars when they are at the top.  But, when they fall from grace the media & fans can be nasty & unfair.
Do you think that the term ‘Role Model” should also involve these sports stars private life?  Should there be a line where the fans & media shouldn’t cross?
Steven: It really depends on the athlete himself. We all have our different personalities. If you take a guy like Muhammad Ali, he would have invited the whole paparazzi over for dinner. He loved the attention and he could make people smile by just being himself. I think that is so cool when an athlete of great status opens his doors to the rest of the world. Cycling is one of the only sports in the world where the fans can truly get up and close to some of their favourite athletes. It’s part of the sport of cycling. We all signed up for it when we decided to be professional cyclists.

602nds: We know that you are now recovering from having an operation on your collarbone, what do you do to keep yourself busy all day?
Steven: This is not the only time I have had to come back from injury. I am very good at keeping busy. My girlfriend, Jen, arrived the other day as well to help me out since I only have one arm right now. My days consist of riding the indoor trainer as hard and long as I can. I am also doing workouts in the gym to keep my leg strength as strong as possible.

602nds: Are you a beer or wine man? And what is your Favourite?
Steven: I’m neither a beer nor wine man. I prefer a nice glass of orange juice or a glass of agave nectar mixed with rice milk after a hard training ride.

602nds: You have started the “Race for kids Fan club” on your website, Can you tell us a little about the cause & why you chose to do it?
Steven: The “Race for Kids Fan Club” is something I decided to start to raise money for disadvantaged children around the world. Fans of mine can join my fan club by donating to one of the selected youth charities on my web page and in return they will become official fan club members - as well as receiving an autographed racer card and earning the chance to win cool Team Garmin prizes in our monthly drawings. I have always believed in giving back and helping others in the world. The Race for Kids Fan Club inspires me so much when I am out training 4 to 5 hours a day, rain or shine. My goal is to raise over one million dollars for children charities.

602nds: How can the readers become involved in the cause?
Steven: They can go to my web page (www.stevencozza.com) and become an official member of my Steven Cozza Race for Kids Fan Club.

602nds would like to thank Steven for taking the time to answer our questions. We wish him all the best for the 2010 Cycling Season, and a speedy recovery from his latest injury.

If you want to keep track of  what Steven is up to, you can follow him on twitter or his facebook fan page.

602nds encourages all readers to support Steven’s cause “Race for Kids Fan Club” .

Photo Courtesy of Kristof Ramon

Visit Kramon’s Flickr gallery for more images

Posted February 14, 2010
Interviewer: Ties Lange interviews Steven Cozza

www.cycling4fans.com

* This interview took place prior to Steven’s injury at the Tour of Qatar

1. What do you think of a prohibition of radios in professional cycling? May you explain your opinion?

Steven: I don’t see a good reason for banning radio use in professional cycling. Racing can be very dangerous and getting warnings on conditions up the road can keep us those of us racing out of trouble. The team’s follow car is our support during the race and the radios just improve the comunication from support car to the racer. Plus, the media could use it to add more excitment to watching cycling races. How cool would that be if the fans watching the race on TV could hear what guys like Christian VandeVelde are saying during the race!

2. Are you already preparing yourself for the time after your cycling career? If so, how are you preparing yourself?

Steven: Yes, I’m preparing by saving as much money as I can. I’m not yet sure what the future holds for me but that’s the exciting part. Right now my focus is 100% on my cycling. Everything else will fall into place.

3. Should professional cyclists play a more important part in cycling politics? If so, how could this been achieved?

Steven: Yes, of course. I think there should be a cyclist chosen from every Pro Tour team to be ambassadors of the sport. I think professional cyclists need to speak up against the doping. I think a two year ban is not enough. The penalty needs to be at least four years for a doping violation and a life ban for a second violation. We also must be careful that a cyclist isn’t penalized if he or she showed positive because of a tainted supplement. We take supplements because the sport is so demanding on our bodies. I’m not sure if that would be possible, but if it is actions must be taken to protect the innocent.

4. How important is tradition in professional cycling of today?

Steven: Tradition is important to a certain extent. I think a lot of the old theories and ways of thinking in cycling are wrong. I’m glad that my team Garmin-Transitions is taking the sport of cycling to a new level with science to help us be our best for races in a clean and healthy way. Our sponsors fully support this. We even have a sponsor called POM that provides us with free radical fighting pomegranate juice.

5. For which fellow cyclist do you have (or had) the greatest respect?

Steven: I’ve looked up to many professional cyclists since I started racing at the age of 15. Since then, they have all tested positive for drug use. I want to guarantee for anyone out there who may look up to me that I will never let them down the way my past heros have. To answer your question, I’d have to say my favorite current professional cyclist is Jens Voigt. I love his racing style and attitude.

6. What has changed in professional cycling since the beginning of your career (or in the last five years)?

Steven: The sport’s attitude has changed. I’d say that the majority of racers now are against any form of doping. My whole team is and we speak out against it. My team has even hired a company to test us for banned substances throughout the year along with a blood passport by USADA and WADA that I already have to give blood to. This winter I was tested over 4 times. That wouldn’t have happened 5 years ago, but its happening today and that’s a great thing.

7. A private question: Are you having a dog and if so, what’s its name?

Steven: Ha. Great question. I love dogs and I really miss my Teddy girl. She was an awesome Australian Shepherd that passed away from cancer in 2008. Someday I will have another dog, but I will adopt one instead of buying one from an expensive breeder or a pet shop.

8. What are your main goals for the cycling season 2010?

Steven: My main objectives for the spring are of course the Classics. I love Flanders and Roubaix. As long as I do my job, whether that is being a support rider for Martijn Maskant or Johan Vansummermen, or winning a race myself, I will be happy. I still have not won a pro race in Europe yet, so that is a goal of mine as well.

9. Which main objective would you still like to achieve in your cycling career?

Steven: I would like to win Paris Roubaix someday. I believe I can. We will just have to wait and see.

10. How are/were you preparing yourself for the cycling season 2010? Where is / has been your training base?

Steven: I spent the winter training in my hometown of Petaluma, California. It’s where my family lives and the training there is the best in the world. My coach, Dario from www.wholeathlete.com, also lives there. He set up a really great training program for me this winter during the base training months. I worked my butt off this winter and now its time to start racing. I look forward to seeing the payoff of all the hard work.

11. How many annual training kilometers do you usually ride?

Steven: Anywhere from 500 to 700 kilometers in a week. It really depends on the time of the year.

12. Your favourite cycling race? Why?

Steven: I like every race I’m scheduled to do.

13. Which is the most difficult and which the most beautiful climb?

Steven: Eroica in Italy is the most beautiful race I’ve ever done. I really look forward to racing that one again this year and would like to win it someday. The dirt sections in the race are awesome. All the races are difficult. I can’t choose one in particular that is the most difficult.

14. Just a little advice for an amateur cyclist: Which nutritional supplements are you – or professional cyclists in general – taking during a 3 week grand tour?

Steven: I say eat healthy. Don’t starve yourself like some cyclists do. It’s important to eat a variety of healthy foods. My favorite is rice, chicken, fish, and vegetables. I don’t take very many supplements because I eat healthy. Since our team worries about us accidentally buying contaminated supplements, we get iron, fish oil and multi vitamins through the team nutritionists.

 Wednesday, February 03, 2010  10:51:06 PM PT

by Edmond Hood

The last time we spoke to Garmin’s Steve Cozza was after the 2008 Paris – Tours; where he produced another solid performance from a consistent and promising year. But the 2009 season wasn’t a good one for the Californian; we caught up with him at his Girona summer base, just after he had returned from the Garmin camp in Calpe, to discuss his hopes for 2010.

PEZ: How was the winter?
Steve: The winter was good, I was training in California and the weather was fine. October I mostly rested, but during November and December I built up the miles. My girlfriend, Jen moved from Georgia to be with me, so that was pretty cool.

PEZ: Have you thought about spending the winter in Girona?
Steve: I’ve thought about it and I think I probably will, in the future. I had health problems last year; after the Tour of Missouri we decided to end the season early, rest, then start to train sooner, rather than later. I had stomach problems which turned out to be irritable bowel syndrome – so no more dairy or wheat products for me.

Cozza is back to 100% and ready to go in 2010.

PEZ: Did you do any of that shark fishing over the winter?
Steve: Yeah, I took some friends out shark fishing and we went trout fishing in the Sierras, that was cool.

I did a few charity rides over the winter, too – it’s fun to give your time and help.

PEZ: Were there any high spots in 2009?
Steve: Not really, it was a quiet year, I was pretty sick for the whole season and couldn’t develop any power. But every year is a new year and I learned some lessons in 2009 – never give up, keep training, keep trying. I’ll be taking that new mental strength with me into 2010.

A healthy Cozza is a force in any bike race: a big, powerful engine.

PEZ: Did Bradley jumping ship affect team morale?
Steve: It’s tough because he was a good team mate and we’ll miss him; but it was his decision – I can’t judge him on what he did, I haven’t been in that position.

Morale in the team is great, we have a strong roster; we have GC riders, classics guys, climbers, time triallists and sprinters – we’re not a one sided squad.

PEZ: Will there be a Garmin v. Sky niggle?
Steve: I don’t think so, we’re going out to win, so it’s not just Sky we have to worry about – we have to be competitive against all of the rival teams.

PEZ: How was the training camp?
Steve: We had a two week camp at Calpe. We good some good rides in – it was excellent training. We also met up with our new sponsors, Transitions – they told us all about their lenses and glasses. Their lenses react to the conditions; they’ll change with the weather – you only need one set of lenses, that’s so cool!

A happy Cozza back in the early days of Slipstream. That wasn’t all that long ago.

PEZ: How’s Tyler Farrar?
Steve: He’s definitely in good form already; he’s looking for a stage win at Qatar. There’s an opening team time trial there, so if we can put up a strong ride in that, we can set him up for the overall, if he gets stage wins.

PEZ: Will Christian Vandevelde ride the Giro as Tour prep?
Steve: I don’t think that Christian will ride the Giro, it clashes with the Tour of California and that’s a big objective for us.

PEZ: What’s your programme like?
Steve: Qatar, Oman, Het Volk – then the Italian stuff; Eroika, Tirreno, Milan – San Remo. Then I’m back to Belgium for all the major Northern Classics.

Cozza is a fast man on a TT bike.

PEZ: New Felt TT bikes, I hear?
Steve: They’re really nice; Felt have always been one of the most aero TT bikes around and this year we have Mavic as a sponsor so they’re even better. We tried them out at Calpe but I’m looking forward to racing on mine.

PEZ: What are you looking forward to most about 2010?
Steve: The Belgian classics, particularly Paris – Roubaix and the Tour of Flanders – they’re my favourite races. We have Martijn Maaskant and Johan Van Summeren, I want to be good for them, but also able to take my own opportunities if they arise.

I’m also looking forward to seeing how my new website stevencozza.com works out – my dad has done a pile of work on it. Fans can sign up, make a donation and they’ll get an autographed card from me – but they’ll also put themselves in line to win cool prizes; autographed team jerseys and stuff like that. All the proceeds from the site go to disadvantaged kids.

PEZ: 2010 will be a success, if . . .
Steve: If I’m consistent, like I was in 2008. I have big ambitions, I want to be a top rider and play a strong supporting role for teammates like Martijn. But I want at least one pro win, this year – and I want to be good in the Eroica, I love racing over those dirt roads!

***
The man sounds ‘full of it’ as we say in Scotland (that’s a positive comment in Scotland, not like in America) – we wish him all the best for 2010 and we’ll try not to leave it for a year until we catch up with him next time.

January 7, 2010
Interview by
Jacob, Cat 4 racer on the cusp of greatness!

It had been a few weeks off for our intrepid hero, and during that time he had grown a moustache, befriended the entirety of the Garmin-Slipstream team, and also convinced them to get a masters in Sports Science, so they can stop paying for doping testing and just do it themselves. This curious bunch expressed their thanks in an endless supply of Chipotle burritos, and Jacob had had nothing else to eat for the past two weeks. He felt like this would be his key to victory. And also having Dave Zabriskie and Steven Cozza working for him couldn’t hurt.

Jacob: So Dave, what’s our plan for today?
Dave: Jacob, having a moustache means having no plan.
Steven: It does the work for you. It’s like a robot butler that creates cycling strategy for you.
Dave: Like a DS and domestique riding above your lip.
Steven: It is the essence of excellence.
Jacob: Wow…
Dave: The essence of comfort is in DZ Nuts. We’re not just chamois cream, we’ve got a whole line of accessories.

Jacob: Wait, how did you just place a hyperlink into our conversation?
Dave: It’s the power of the moustache.
Steven: You’d be balls crazy not to ride with DZ Nuts protecting your junk.
Dave: Well put Steven, well put.
Jacob: Whoa, what’s going on here?

Steven: Looks like two large moose-
Dave: Meese?
Jacob: Mooses?

Steven: Moosi’i? Uh…One moose is bucking horns with another.
Jacob: Well if they wanted a pissing contest, they could’ve pulled off to the side of the road.
Dave: Perhaps they’re trying to impress the ladies?
Steven: Interestingly, most of them are gone.
Jacob: Ironic.
Dave: Perhaps their crotches are enflamed?
Jacob: I’d prefer not to consider that option.
Dave: Jacob, alls I see are opportunities…
Jacob: Perhaps you can give me a free sample so I can endorse it to my friends?

Dave: No can do.
Steven: Would you like a free burrito though?
Jacob: No thanks, it’s the last lap, I can’t be fumbling with a burrito.
Dave: We better set ourselves up nicely for the sprint.
Jacob: I’m nominally a crappy climber, but I’ll do what I can.
Steven: We can help, right Dave?
Dave: Right Steven. Moustaches, flying V!!

Dave: I’ll use my sexy TT legs to get you to the finish Jacob!
Steven: I’ll hold down the right side so that you don’t get boxed out!
Dave & Steven: Flying V! Huzzah!
Dave: Go Jacob! Unleash those thunderthighs of yours!
Jacob: Raaah!

Jacob: 4th!

Dave: Oh yeah…just like big Z planned…

November 23, 2009

After another year of racing with his team Garmin – Slipstream, Steven has settled into a fresh training routine for the upcoming 2010 season and is enjoying showing his newly relocated girlfriend, Jen, around northern California. She had some time to compile several questions that Steven’s fans have submitted. Below, she gets the answers in an interview with Steven himself.

Jen: What is it like living in Spain for part of the year? Do you speak Spanish? What do you do during your free time over there?

Steven: Living in Spain for my job is a dream come true. The people and the culture of Spain are incredible. By now, yes, I should be able to speak fluent Spanish but not quite there yet. I sure am learning though from my Spanish friends.
When we’re not training on the awesome roads of the Catalun region, I sometimes head out to the Costa Brava for fishing, snorkeling and just laying on the beach.It’s also nice just strolling the 1000 year old streets of downtown Girona.
——-

Jen: How many bicycles do you have?

Steven: The team gives us one training bike in the USA and one in Spain. We have a Felt F1 and a Felt AR race bike to choose from while at races along with time trial bikes as well. My own personal collection includes a few Felt cruiser bikes, a cross bike and a mountain bike.
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Jen: What was your favorite moment of racing this year?

Steven: Well I guess it would have to be riding in the break all day at Paris Roubaix. I love that race and am totally hooked.
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Jen: What is the tattoo that sticks out from the sleeve of your jersey?

Steven: The tattoo on my left shoulder is two huge Koi fish. For me, it’s a symbol of perseverance and fortitude. I also like fish and the water.
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Jen: Do you get to ride first class on planes when you fly?

Steven: No way, haha. Definitely don’t get to ride first class on the plane. Our sponsors do and some of the top riders have it negotiated in their contract, but I personally think first class is a waste of space that they could be using to fit more people on a plane. It’s also ridiculously expensive. One time I did get to fly from the Tour of California to Girona (Spain) on Doug Ellis’s private jet. I have to say that was one cool experience that I’ll probably never have the chance to do again.
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Jen: What is your favorite snack to take on training days? (if not Clif bars, which are one of your sponsors)

Steven: Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches are my favorite.
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Jen: What sort of music are you listening to these days?

Steven: I always love Nirvana, the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Tonic, Emerson Hart, Def Leppard and The Offspring.
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Jen: Is the mustache going to make a comeback?

Steven: Of course. I hope my fans print off the stache I have on my web site and wear it at the races I’m in. That would be cool and a lot of fun.
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Jen: Do you guys train as a team or do you train on your own?

Steven: A little bit of both. Since just about the whole team lives in Girona, it makes training as a team very easy.
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Jen: What is the average length of a training ride at this point during the season? And how many days a week do you train?

Steven: At this time of the year, I’m doing anywhere from 15 – 20 hours a week. 5 – 6 days of training a week. It’s a mix between mountain biking and road biking. Right now, I really prefer to ride with people too, but I usually train alone since we spend a lot of time in Guerneville, CA.

Interview September 2009

Nathaniel Brewster’s cycling blog is mylanternrouge.blogspot.com

The Interview

Nathaniel Brewster- “Congratulations on Zabriskie’s win in Missouri. How was it defending the yellow jersey those last couple days? Any close calls?”

Steven Cozza- “Helping to defend DZ’s Yellow Jersey was very tough. I haven’t had to dig that deep in a long time and I loved every little bit of it. I was so tired the day after the race was over we did a ride with our Garmin sponsor. There were 200 people on the ride and I had to get in the car half way thru the ride. I left every last drop of energy I had in the race to help protect Zabriskie’s lead.”

Nathaniel Brewster- “When does the ‘off season’ start?”

Steven Cozza- “Its different for everyone. My off season started the day the Tour of Missouri ended.”

Nathaniel Brewster- “Do you use rollers,trainer or both?”

Steven Cozza- “Only use them when I have a broken bone and can’t ride outside. Otherwise won’t touch them. I enjoy the great outdoors.”

Nathaniel Brewster- “Do you own a tandem? And who would you like to ride one with?”

Steven Cozza- “No I don’t own a tandem, but they are great bikes for the blind to use to enjoy cycling. I helped raise money for the Earle Baum Center of the Blind, in Santa Rosa, California
(www.earlebaum.org) to purchase 5 tandem bikes a few years ago. I loved taking a great rider named Sean who was blind out on the tandem whenever I could.”

Nathaniel Brewster- “Have you witnessed changes in the domestic scene with the advent of races like the Tour of Missouri and Tour of California?

Steven Cozza- “I think having more races like the TOC or the TOM in the US is a great idea. The fans are awsome here in the US and it would be great for the domestic scene to get a boost with races like these.”

Nathaniel Brewster- “Those Garmin Edge computers are pretty snazzy. Do you find yourself lost without one?”

Steven Cozza- “I’m an Eagle Scout. One of my favorite off season things to do every year is to walk into the mountains with food and just a sleeping back. Bishop, California is my favorite place to start hikes out of. I dont even bring a map. Having a “Garmin edge” is a great tool to train with. I am so so so glad they are my team’s sponsor. Awsome company and an awsome product line.”

Nathanieal Brewster- “Garmin’s training philosophy seems pretty progressive. Do you have a personal coach and program? Or is your training more team-centric?”

Steven Cozza- “Yes Dario Fredrick (www.Wholeathlete.com) is my personal coach. He’s help get me through the “ups and downs” of professional cycling. I reccommend him to any serious cyclist and or weekend warrior.”

Nathaniel Brewster- “Ever use those ‘Space Legs’? Do they work?”

Steven Cozza- “I do use them when I can. Do they work? Who knows. I think they help. If anything they look cool and funny to wear.”

Nathaniel Brewster- “Are you a DZ Nuts convert?”

Steven Cozza- “I use DZ Nuts for Shaving Cream. It actually works great.”

Nathaniel Brewster- “In the day’s break at Roubaix ‘09. Certainly an accomplishment. Was it as difficult as you imagined?”

Steven Cozza- “I love the Roubaix race. I am addicted and its definetily in my eye for the next ten years. I love the cobbles and feel so at home on them. It was a real pleasure to race in the break all day at my first Paris Roubaix. The fans kick major ass.”

Nathaniel Brewster- “Will you do it again in ‘10?”

Steven Cozza- “Yes. I’ll be there in ‘10. I know I can be strong in the final for Martijn our classics leader. I want to save myself for the last 80 kilometers to help him win. When my opportunity comes I’ll be ready.”

Nathaniel Brewster- “What’s your favorite ‘hometown’ race?”

Steven Cozza- “Our old Tuesday night crits in Santa Rosa. I sure hope they bring them back.”

Nathaniel Brewster- “How long do you live in Europe each year? Do you speak any foreign languages?”

Steven Cozza- “I only spend the winters months back home. November thru December usually. The rest of the time I am in Spain working on my Spanish.”

Nathaniel Brewster- “How often do you replace your cycling shoes?”

Steven Cozza- “Once every 3-6 months of racing.”

Nathaniel Brewster- “You’ve had your share of injuries as a pro. What’s your advice for those who hit the deck and break something?”

Steven Cozza- “Enjoy your time off. Everytime I break something I always come back stronger and have the best races of my life.”

Nathaniel Brewster- “Does the mustache have performance enhancing qualities?

Steven Cozza- “Yes the mustache gives me “super powers”, ha ha. I cant wait to grow it back for the 2010 season. If you go to my web site www.stevencozza.com on the home page you can print the “stache” to wear at the races I’m in. Hope to see my fans wearing the “stache”.”