July 17, 2003 – Behind every great champion is a very talented coach. Bernard Hinault, Greg LeMond and Laurent Fignon all had Cyrille Guimard. At this year's 100th anniversary of the Tour de France, Lance Armstrong is going for Tour de France win number five, and he is going to need all the help he can get. Luckily for Armstrong he has Chris Carmichael, coach extraordinaire, in his corner. Carmichael was not the most prolific racer but was probably the wisest when it came to training and optimizing what the body has, and make the best use the body's resources. Before the Tour began, we had the wonderful opportunity to talk to Chris about his past, Lance and his training program.

Pedal: As a coach you have a very impressive list of clients including 4-time Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong and US Pro Champ George Hincapie. What other talented cyclists have you coached?

Carmichael: I also currently coach Walker Ferguson-Gary Fisher (www.fisherbikes.com/team/), Will Frishkorn-Saturn (www.saturncycling.com/indexIE.htm), and Dave Zabriskie-USPS (www.uspsprocycling.com/)along with a very limited number of select master level cyclists.

Pedal: As Lance is getting older, has his program changed much over the years?

Carmichael: The basis of Lance's training has remained similar since his comeback from cancer. We continue to build his aerobic system but his training might only change a little depending on his racing and what each course demands. An example would be last year's Tour, with the absence of Jan Ulrich, we spent more time climbing than on time trialing.

Pedal: From what we understand the key to your Carmichael Training Systems (CTS) approach is to focus on developing your body's ability to absorb, deliver and transport oxygen. Can you give us a brief description on how you do this?

Carmichael: Without a strong, well-developed aerobic system, your body will need to relay on your anaerobic energy system in order to meet the demands of the event. These will ulitmately mean you will not have much success in any endurance sport. We work on building and strengthening the aerobic system through periodized training programs that focuses on pedal cadence and terrain and energy system development. Prior to working on speed and power on the bike, we properly prepare the aerobic system to handle the heavy workload.

Pedal: You were part of the famed 1986 7-Eleven team that rode the Tour de France. Can you tell us what it was like to be on the pioneer North American team riding at the Tour?

Carmichael: Fantastic!! It was a great opportunity that I don't think any of us realized the full impact of what we were doing at that point. I often look back on the role that the 7-Eleven team had in shaping US cycling during the 80s into the 90s and I believe its impact is still being felt.

Pedal: What an incredible ride in 1986. Alex Stieda won the Maillot Jaune then lost it in the Team Time Trial and then Davis Phinney winning the third stage. What are your memories of that Tour?

Carmichael: I remember that most of us really didn't know what we were doing. We just simply raced aggressively and loved racing and knew the only failure we could have was NOT to attack. Following wheels was not an option.

Pedal: Looking at your old teammates: Alexi Grewal is a minister, Jim Ochowicz is the Director of the US Cycling Federation, Davis Phinney runs his cycling camp, Ron Kiefel runs his own shopS do you ever hear from the other team mates?

Carmichael: Yes, I am still very close to most of my old teammates. I speak to Och 2-3 times per-week. These guys are special people and we will always be a close knit group of friends.

Pedal: In your years of racing you have raced against some of the greatest names in the sport, Bernard Hinault, Laurent Fignon, Sean Kelly, Greg LeMond and so many more. Does anyone stand out and why?

Carmichael: Sean Kelly was the toughest, Hinault was the most determined. Steve Bauer was perhaps the most underrated successful pro.

Pedal: What is your best memory on the bike?

Carmichael: My first race in 1969 at 9 years old! I finished third which won me a trophy.

Pedal: And your worst day on your bike?

Carmichael: Crashing at the 1986 Paris-Roubaix.

Pedal: What is your opinion about the UCI's push to make helmets mandatory?

Carmichael: I always wear a helmet when I ride.

Pedal: You've had an incredible career: you've competed at the Olympics, the Tour de France, you were awarded “Coach of the Year', have helped Lance win four Tours and authored several booksS what's next?

Carmichael: I am proud of my accomplishments as an athlete but I never really met with great success as an athlete. I like to think that I am a better coach than I was an athlete. I am being inducted into the US Bicycling Hall of Fame on May 25. It is an honor to be nominated by my peers for contributing to the growth of cycling in the United States. I also have my first book, The Ultimate Ride, coming out in late June, which is also currently available for presale on amazon.com. I have co-authored a number of books but this will be the first one I've authored. I'm also looking forward to strengthening my business, CTS. We have shown steady growth over the last three years and look forward to continued growth. We are adding more and more camps every year for both cycling and multisports, and we also look towards continued growth in that area. CTS is also expanding into US pro sports like Hockey, Baseball and basketball. We are also opening a CTS Performance Center at the Aspen Club which will offer state of the art physiological, biomechanical testing services for all athletes.

Pedal: If you could give our readers one piece of advice to become a better cyclist, what would it be?

Carmichael: Make sure you are having fun on the bike and think about working with a coach. Don't try to include too many hard workouts into your training week. We find most cyclist tend to overtrain because their training lacks proper structure. Regardless of whether you are looking to be a competitive cyclist or just riding for the fun and physical benefits of it, a coach will help you reach your goals. For more info on CTS you can visit our web site at www.trainright.com.