With mild temperatures (75 degrees F) and quiet Californian roads, Bjarne Riis' men of Team CSC...
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Tales from the peloton, February 13, 2006
With mild temperatures (75 degrees F) and quiet Californian roads, Bjarne Riis' men of Team CSC headed out for another training camp in the picturesque surrounds of Solvang, CA recently. Dave Zabriskie instigated the trip to Solvang after riding with US Postal on their annual sojourn to the town, which is conducive to long, uninterrupted rides with some testing terrain.
Bobby Julich is another American rider who had trained in the Solvang area when he rode for the LA Sheriff's team in 1994 before transferring to Motorola, and by all accounts the 34-year-old was glad to be back in familiar territory ahead of what he hopes will be another fantastic season in 2006. Cyclingnews headed out as the team went on a brief two hour ride ride to shake any jet lag from their legs, joined by Directeur Sportif Bjarne Riis, who oversaw proceedings at the back of the bunch.
With riders such as Lars Bak, Jacob Piil and new addition to the squad Stuart O'Grady all present, CSC certainly has a gun squad coming into another season where they'll be expected to do big things. The addition of O'Grady will bolster the team's chances in the classics, and the Australian is keen to perform well in this year's one-day races throughout spring. With a number one team ranking in last year's Pro Tour, Riis will be out to make sure his team is set to repeat that achievement in 2006; the multiple training camps are testament to that fact and his focus on teamwork means riders spend as much time together as possible before the big races begin.