Jesper Bondo Medhus

Today I will present a tri athlete, Dave Simonsen, who has finished three iron man competitions. He is currently training 5-6hrs pr week on an indoor trainer which has a calibrated power tap rear fly wheel.

Name: Dave Simonsen
Power meter: Cycleops Pro

How would you describe yourself as a cyclist?
I am a three-time iron man triathlon finisher, and my strength is long, slow distance. My weakness is power over long distance. I typically do much worse during the 2nd half of the bike leg of a triathlon.

What are your previous experiences with power meter training?
I have recently purchased a power meter, so my experience is minimal. I have recently started using a Cycleops Pro 300PT.

What is your main goal with the Power Meter Project 2007?
I would like to increase my power to an average of 200 watts during a 112 mile distance. I also would like my power during the second half of a 112 triathlon bike leg to equal the first half.

The first rider I will introduce you to is Paul Skiba, who raced as a professional in the early 90’s. His current training amount pr week is 12-15hrs, less in recovery weeks.

Name: Paul Skiba
Age: 46
Power meter: SRM Dura Ace

How would you describe yourself as a cyclist?
I’ve been a cyclist and a fan of cycling for the last 23 years. I took up cycling in the mid-80’s when I found myself stationed in Naples, Italy where I worked for NATO. I rode primarily on the road during this time. In the late 80’s and early 90’s I took up mountain bike racing. I lived in Boulder, CO and raced for a team that was headquartered in Chico, CA. I rode as an expert on the Grundig World Cup for 2 seasons. After a near fatal accident I returned to the road as a recreational rider. During the last few years I have returned to the road race scene as a master racer.

My strength as a cyclist is my ability to hang with the fastest racers in the pack. My weakness is my inability to separate myself from the fastest racers. My endurance is good. My climbing is good. My sprint is good. None of the above are great.

Read the full interview with Paul Skiba