FlavioZappi’s Blog

Cycling coaching for amateur or elite starting now!

I’m very pleased to offer my service and advise on training and racing at every level from cyclosportive to road racing, criterium and tt…

My believes are very much on hard work first, and they are sitting between old school and the new scientific approach.

I’ve starting training again in October 2008 after more than 20 years out of cycling and with 15kg over weight. Start racing after just 6 months and moving from cat4 to cat 1 during the rest of the 2008 season.

I know how to come back after a period of inactivity and I can tell you what to do because I did it to myself.

I was and I’m still very interested in the scientific application in to cycling but not all of them.

I develop my career during the 70′s and 80′s and a lot of those details are still very important, more over the tactics are still actual and always very applicable.

I do not do training plan over the phone or e-mails without seening you first .

I need to go out on a bike ride and see you riding to check your position and see what fitness level you are, then I can plan accordingly to your goals and your time.

Then keep update over the phone or e-mails to check your progress.

Regular visits are necessary and physical test may be necessary to establish appropriate training floors.

Call me for an informal conversation: 07944877321 Flavio

September 26, 2010 Posted by flaviozappi | Training | Leave a Comment

1989…my first training camp and coaching

It was 4 boys from USA.
From left to right Volkmann (assistant organizer), Mark Duff, ? and Karl Achtermann.

It was 1989 and I wanted to make some money by organizing training camps for cyclists in USA and Mark Volkmann did a great job by posting a little advert on the cycling paper were all cyclists needed to search races to compete.

I met Mark in Miami and we become very good friends, training every day in the everglades was great November and December 30/35 degres just perfect, we raced in Florida and in Texas.
I remember him for been the first rider to train with who use his helmet (?!!?) something very odd for me at the time and a funny little mirror attached to it, but realize very soon how very strong guy he was.

I think he still race now at the age of 40 and doing very well in time trial somewere in S.Francisco bay area.

The rest of the boys the only thing I know is that Mark Duff is now running a succesful bike company called….
www.Veloforma.com by chance the team was called Veloforma, and I’m very pleased the esperience stayed soo much in his heart.
Down below few images with Karl and some swiss friends…

I’m not sure about this photo of Karl and his “friend” drinking session…does not look very comfortable!
I’m very interested to know what is up to now Karl and the ginger boy at the first photo, I dont even remenber his name

Down below a photo taken at the start of a race in Varese area with Bombini good friend of mine later become manager of the same team taking Eugeny Berzin to win the Giro d’Italia.

September 23, 2010 Posted by flaviozappi | Training | 2 Comments