Scott Sunderland forum chat

Anonymous · April 2007

Next Tuesday, April 17th, the Procycling forum will be featuring a 'live' chat with Team CSC directeur sportif Scott Sunderland. It will be an afternoon 4pm UK time (5pm Europe, 11am USA East, 8am USA West) session.

As we did last time, forum members will be able to pose questions to Scott, so if you're a guest lurker and want to participate, then please register. We'll do our best to have Scott answer all the questions, but bear in mind that this might not be possible.

---
Jeff Jones

European News Editor, Bike Online Project

andyp · April 2007

First question for Scott;

How badly did the crash in the Amstel Gold race in 1998 affect your career?

Andy

BrianS · April 2007

How has pro racing changed since you retired?

Not that your old like me!!!

Brian.

www.braveheartfund.com

campagchris · April 2007

Hi Scott its great you doing this thanks.
Have you high hopes for JJ Haedo in the Tour de France points competiton,or is it a bedding in season for him.Will we see him win a classic.

BrianS · April 2007

What does it feel like to see your team win Paris-Roubaix again?

How do you celebrate victories as a director?

Great job,

Brian.

www.braveheartfund.com

ivancarlos · April 2007

Is there anything that you miss about racing?

I have pain!!!

auskadi · April 2007

Scotty

Congrats mate.

Martin H

vinocough · April 2007

Hello Scott is their any chance Team CSC will sell their range of casual clothes in the UK,without having to import them.
Congratulations on taking another Paris-Roubaix the team must be well pleased,and are you expecting more classic wins this season.
Thank You

Scott Sunderland · April 2007

Hi Andy,

It's a tough question. I was found having a 20% disability after the accident, and as you can imagine that's no small handicap for any athlete. It's not possible for me to say how badly it has affected my career really... I do know that it has greatly influenced my performances on the bike.It has affected my daily life, still does...

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by andyp

First question for Scott;

How badly did the crash in the Amstel Gold race in 1998 affect your career?

Andy
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Scott Sunderland · April 2007

Hi Brian,

The biggest change must be the Pro Tour. Although there is still a lot of work to be done to make the concept really work, I think it's the best thing for the future of the sport.

And man, after the party last Sunday, I did feel old ;-)

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by BrianS

How has pro racing changed since you retired?

Not that your old like me!!!

Brian.

www.braveheartfund.com
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Scott Sunderland · April 2007

Hi Chris,

JJ hasn't done a season here in Europe before, so this year is a big learning experience for him. For now, his biggest task is to get used to the European races and peloton. In the Tour of Italy, we will expecting to see him up there rubbing shoulders with the other big sprinters. The Tour the France is far away as yet.... we''l see what happens; you just never know.

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by campagchris

Hi Scott its great you doing this thanks.
Have you high hopes for JJ Haedo in the Tour de France points competiton,or is it a bedding in season for him.Will we see him win a classic.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Scott Sunderland · April 2007

It was an awesome experience. The energy started building up on Saturday already, and during the race, the excitement just grew as the finish got closer....
Bjarne and I were confident that one of our boys would be on the podium on Sunday and the atmosphere in the car was just buzzing. It was a fantastic feeling.

As a director, I can have that extra glass of wine too!

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by BrianS

What does it feel like to see your team win Paris-Roubaix again?

How do you celebrate victories as a director?

Great job,

Brian.

www.braveheartfund.com
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Scott Sunderland · April 2007

No, not really Ivan.
I'm still in the midst of it, I still go out on the bike training with the boys when I'm at the races. My coffee shop ride with my old training bunch is something I can still enjoy also.
The buzz of helping a fellow team mate win a race off the bike is still as big as when I was helping them on the bike !

But, now I have the choice if I go out for a ride in the rain or not !

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by ivancarlos

Is there anything that you miss about racing?

I have pain!!!
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

campagchris · April 2007

Scott has Carlos got a good chance for a tour victory this year. Thanks

Scott Sunderland · April 2007

Hi Vinocough,

All the Team CSC clothing is sold via the webshop only.
Please check the team's site for anything you'd like.

Concerning more classic wins; I hope they are on a roll now and that next weekend we can celebrate again! E.g. Kroon, F.Schleck and Voigt are ready to get more top results over the coming weeks!

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by vinocough

Hello Scott is their any chance Team CSC will sell their range of casual clothes in the UK,without having to import them.
Congratulations on taking another Paris-Roubaix the team must be well pleased,and are you expecting more classic wins this season.
Thank You
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Echappee · April 2007

Excluding the Grand Tours, if you could only pick (as a rider)one race to win, what would it be and why?

Scott Sunderland · April 2007

I certainly think so. Carlos is working very hard towards the Tour de France, and the Tour of Spain after that. If everything goes well in the coming months, we expect Carlos to be ready.

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by campagchris

Scott has Carlos got a good chance for a tour victory this year. Thanks
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Scott Sunderland · April 2007

Hey Echappee,

For me, the World Championships are the biggest one-day race there is to win. Why? Because you can wear that great jersey all year ;-)

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Echappee

Excluding the Grand Tours, if you could only pick (as a rider)one race to win, what would it be and why?
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

campagchris · April 2007

Scott,the Monte Zoncolan looks like a very hard climb in this years giro.Whats the hardest climb youv'e seen or been over,and whats the hairiest descent.What gears will the team use will you go to a triple for the zoncolan.Again thanks

Echappee · April 2007

Some directors continually bellow out of the team car at their riders during time trials while others keep to just time updates etc. Which method do you adopt?

Scott Sunderland · April 2007

I did that climb in the Giro 2003. It is probably one of the steepest climbs I have ever done. The first ten km are ok, the last three are very steep. I used the same gearing as most other riders, that was a 38/27.
A triple is not likely, but using compact cranks yes, eg 36/25

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by campagchris

Scott,the Monte Zoncolan looks like a very hard climb in this years giro.Whats the hardest climb youv'e seen or been over,and whats the hairiest descent.What gears will the team use will you go to a triple for the zoncolan.Again thanks
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Scott Sunderland · April 2007

Depends on the rider. Some riders benefit from being yelled at ;-) it makes them dig deeper, others just find it very annoying.

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Echappee

Some directors continually bellow out of the team car at their riders during time trials while others keep to just time updates etc. Which method do you adopt?
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

campagchris · April 2007

Thanks very much and good luck for the rest of the season

bjorn · April 2007

Scott,

driving the team car usually looks crazy, squeezing by riders with millimeters to spare or making sure to not swerve while the team mechanic fixes the derailleur at 40 miles an hour. Is that something you practiced before your first race as a driver? Or is your career as a directeur sportif already over if you don't have the greatest driving skills?

Congrats on a great "Dust of the North" on Sunday!

bjorn

Scott Sunderland · April 2007

Hi Bjorn,

Spending 18 years in the pro peloton helps you to anticipate movements of other drivers and riders. Same thing with the press motorbikes which you have to keep an eye on. I did follow a private advanced drivers' course which was very helpfull. It is not easy.

In Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne I got a comment from the VIP who spent the day in the car with me. He was amazed on how well I know the size of my car, indeed millimetre work some times.

And yes, sometimes you do see one of the team cars without a left of right mirror after a race...

The riders' safety is priority. All team directors will make sure that a rider can pass, even if they have to bang up their own or another car to give him enough space.

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by bjorn

Scott,

driving the team car usually looks crazy, squeezing by riders with millimeters to spare or making sure to not swerve while the team mechanic fixes the derailleur at 40 miles an hour. Is that something you practiced before your first race as a driver? Or is your career as a directeur sportif already over if you don't have the greatest driving skills?

Congrats on a great "Dust of the North" on Sunday!

bjorn

<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

vinocough · April 2007

Hello Scott,In hindsight was it a good Idea to let Ivan Basso go.

Echappee · April 2007

Did you see me on Sunday? Sector 25 Saint-Python & sector 7 Templeuve. I did wave...

Scott Sunderland · April 2007

There were a lot of things to take in consideration. Bjarne's main worry was the continuation of the team; with or without Ivan Basso.
Team CSC and Riis Cycling employ more than 70 people. Something like what happened to Ivan before last years Tour, puts everybody's job in jeopardy. Bjarne made this decission knowing very well that Ivan might go on and win the Tour for another team. Hindsight hasn't come into it as yet; let's wait untill the Fuentes mess in Spain is totally cleaned up...

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by vinocough

Hello Scott,In hindsight was it a good Idea to let Ivan Basso go.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Scott Sunderland · April 2007

If you were that sweaty person covered in dust, with a big smile on your face, then yes, I did see you.... along with 100.000 look-alikes.

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Echappee

Did you see me on Sunday? Sector 25 Saint-Python & sector 7 Templeuve. I did wave...
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

bjorn · April 2007

Thanks Scott, very impressive. Wish drivers here in the US would know the size of their car, but it's tough if your auto is so big that you need binoculars to see your right mirror...

Good luck for the rest of the season,

bjorn

Scott Sunderland · April 2007

Dear readers,
Sorry but have to run now. If you have any more questions, feel free to post them. I'll try to answer them at a later time.

ciao
Scott

Scott Sunderland forum chat

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