August 3, 2008 (Aigle, Switzerland) – We are heading into the last weeks of preparation for the Games here at the UCI center in Aigle, Switzerland. The training has been going very well with Gina (Grain) and I both getting just what we need at the facilities with Richard’s (Wooles/Cycling BC Head Coach) help, and the help of the other staff here at the UCI center.

So far we have been balancing our time with track sessions and a fair amount of road work as well. Both have been very easy to manage due to the fantastic riding available here on the road and the great condition of the track. This situation has made focusing on the task at hand much easier and because of this our training goals are being met and we are heading into the Games with the best preparation we could have asked for.

Personally some highlights from the camp thus far have included listening to an Alpen Horn as I climbed up to the local ski resort after a hard session on the track. We still have a week remaining here in Switzerland before heading to Beijing and after the hard block of work last week we will be looking for some good quality on the track to sharpen ourselves even further for the Olympics without building any fatigue.

As it stands Gina and I are both feeling very good about where we are, leading up to these last weeks before we compete, thanks to the support of Richard and Cycling BC, as well as the Canadian Olympic Committee, the CCA, and all the other many people that have helped me get to where I am today.

Thanks,
Zach Bell