Rider Highlight: Trey Harrison wins the VeloTek Grand Prix Stage Race
Source Endurance Master's athlete Trey Harrison recently competed in and won the Master's 40+ category at the VeloTek Grand Prix Stage Race. Great work to Trey and his team. Best wishes for the Dirty Kanza!
Name: Trey Harrison
Event & Category: VeloTek Grand Prix Stage Race Master's 40+
Brief event/course description: 3-stage stage race.
- 0.7 mile uphill time trial
- Flat 40min. crit
- ~60mile rolling road race
How’d the race/event go down for you?
Time trial was just okay. Got 3rd place (~35 riders started I think). Probably rode too easy in the first half as I had a lot left over at the end.
Criterium was basically just stay safe and conserve. Maintained position. I ride for a great team, OKC Velo. My teammates took care of me and also had a teammate score the victory in the criterium.
Road race started with me in 3rd GC by six seconds with teammate (and cyclocrosser extraordinaire) Paul Bonds in first. We had many cards to play. Main strategy was to make sure someone from our team won, cover any dangerous attacks, and get as many on the podium as we could. With a teammate up the road, I covered an attack by a GC threat on the first big hill of the race. This enabled a break of five to become established, including two of my teammates who were further down on GC. I drove hard for ~15 min. until break was clear. Won time bonus on lap one hill/finish line. Kept group together until the last couple of miles. I won the stage and time bonus on the uphill finish. Our break was five minutes clear of field. Team ended up with 5 of the top 10 GC placings. Couldn't have went any better.
Which coach do you work with and how did your training help you prepare for the event?
Adam Mills- he has had me on a steady diet of increasing intensity. As someone who works fairly long hours, quality counts. Lots of interval workouts have given me a level of fitness that I haven't had in a long time. I'm 49, and yet my power and success is as good as it has been in a decade.
What advice do you have for someone up and coming in your cycling discipline?
Sounds like a shameless plug...it's not-- consider hiring a proven coach. As someone who has been a life-long athlete AND teaches anatomy and physiology, I have a firm grasp on many aspects of training/fitness/health, yet I have had the greatest improvements in my career due to having proper coaching. The ability for someone who can objectively analyze your data/goals/health-fitness status and then help you realize your goals is invaluable.
What is your next event?
Unbound Gravel. Yikes!
Check out some of the other successes Source Endurance athletes have had.