February 22, 2003 (Vancouver, B.C.) – Who would have thought it? The Burnaby Velodrome successfully hosted its first indoor velodrome racing weekend of the season on February 15-16, and current National Team mountain biker Andreas Hestler (Rocky Mountain/Crystal Decisions) showed up! The event saw over 60 riders entered, and despite his inexperience on the track, Hestler won the individual pursuit. Hestler, he's been racing mountain bikes since 1993. A past Olympian and multi-time national team rider, he's also a coach, a personal trainer, an advocate of the sport, and a key member of the Shore Group, based in North Vancouver.

Hestler: A little tired actually.

Pedal: Was this your first race experience on the track?
Hestler: You betcha, I've only been track racing for about two and a half months.

Pedal: How does it compare to mountain biking?
Hestler: No brakes, you can't pedal, no back-pedaling-with mountain biking you do a lot of back-pedaling and coasting when you ride technical sections. I was a bit nervous.

Pedal: Are you thinking of continuing with track racing?
Hestler: Oh for sure, absolutely!

Pedal: Who's your coach now?
Hestler: I do a lot of consulting with Yuri (Kashirin) about programs and organization.

Pedal: Working out the overall picture more or less?
Hestler: Yeah. But next year, I don't know if I want to tell you this – my big secret.

Pedal: Uh-oh. Tell me! Tell me!
Hestler: Well no, I don't know if I want to tell anybody this (he sighs!). Because we have the track here in Burnaby, I'm going to try and spend a bit more time on the track at the end of the year.

Pedal: You won the individual pursuit this past weekend? Are you planning to attend the provincials?
Hestler: Yes, I think I will make provincials.

Pedal: What about the track Nationals?
Hestler: No, I can't do Nationals. It conflicts with the TransRockies event. But if it fit on the schedule, I would do it. It's interesting because track is moving more over to a winter schedule and with the Burnaby facility here, I'm keen to look at doing some World Cup track events next spring.

Pedal: That sounds great and it's an interesting shift for you!
Hestler: Yeah, I'm pretty psyched about that actually. Of course I don't know. I looked at the times from the Moscow World Cup this weekend. Real fast!

Pedal: Too fast?
Hestler: It's too soon to say. I need another year of training!

Pedal: How do you find the technical aspects of track racing, like the start? Those things come to play with experience, but even getting the round up in the pursuit from the standing start. It's all about technique.
Hestler: Yes, it is. I just don't have that comfort factor yet. Once I'm more familiar with racing on the track I'll be able to have that extra edge.

Pedal: Good technique means saving valuable energy.
Hestler: Yeah, the pursuit was the last event I competed in this past weekend. I was super tired.

Pedal: Best of luck this season and thanks for talking with us!
Hestler: Thank-you.