SOLE Blog

April 7th, 2011

Catching up with Team Archibald Genetik SOLE leader, Charles Ostiguy

As the 2011 road bike season approaches, SOLE caught up with Charles Ostiguy, (leader of Team Archibald Genetik SOLE road-racing) to see what is exciting, inspiring, and challenging them for their upcoming race season.

When did your love of cycling develop?

When my son was born in 2002, I had to let go of whitewater kayaking since it was too time consuming and in all truth, I was ready for a change. I had spent the previous 12 years full speed ahead as a kayaker and I didn't find it all that much fun anymore in the water. Cycling was a clear choice, I had always been curious about the sport and it appeared to be a family-friendly activity. From recreation to competition, there's only a thin line that I quickly crossed.

Who or what inspires you to keep competing?

I was lucky enough to chose a sport in which you don’t have to be 16 years old to be performing. That said, if you want to be in the top tier, you need to be training year round and this definitely is a great driver. I love competing, speed, and the unsuspected amount of strategy that's involved in a road bike race.

Is there one thing that you are the most excited about for 2011?

Our potential as a team. It's our third year and we have a great group of people, both on and off our bikes. There are no major road blocks other than finding our chemistry. Hard work could lead to great results, that's very exciting for someone who started this team from scratch.

What does an average week of training look like for each member of the team?

Anywhere from 6 to 10 hours/week on and off the bike. We train together twice a week from April to September. Besides that, everyone has their own in-season training plan and off-season activity: cross-country skiing, running, swimming.

Overall, 2010 was very successful for Archibald Genetik SOLE, is there anything the team hopes to improve on?

Win as a team. Period.

How is Archibald Genetik SOLE preparing for the 2011 race season (individually and as a team)?

Individual training camps are already happening as we speak. Some have travelled to Virginia, the Boston area, and Florida. There comes a moment when training in your basement is not an option anymore. We are having our team training camp on April 15-17. This is usually the official start of our season as a team.

What is the team's greatest challenge?

Believe in what we can accomplished. In other words, stop looking at those who can beat us, but calling out loud how we're gonna beat them.

If you could give one tip to a beginner cyclist, what would it be?

Try everything: road, mountain, cyclocross, etc, and go see a specialist to buy your bike. You won't measure how much these guys can do for you unless you have a bike that's well fitted and that suits your needs. Enjoy!