Q & A Roving Interview - Tim Johnson
Photo courtesy of
The Bean Team.
This week NashvilleCyclist.com roving reporter & (infrequent) diarist Christian Foster caught up with Tim Johnson Bessette (Team Leader of Jittery Joe's-Kalahari Pro Cycling Team) to discuss the ins-and-outs of a newly acquired life in Dixie, jet-setting, racing w/ the Euros, mud, getting dropped by his wife, and color treatments from sponsoring salons. Hope you enjoy!
12 Apr 2005
CF for NC.com - From Bean Town to Bromont, QC to Bean Team Town,
how has the (temporary) relocation to Athens, GA been treating you
and the wife?
TJ: It's been great for us. We were always heading out west for SB
(Santa Barbara, CA) for training in the winter, but after our
friends Gregor and Shannon moved to Italy it was time to look for a
new place. When I signed with Jittery Joe's-Kalahari and saw how
great Athens was, it was a no-brainer to drive down here and put
down the roots.
CF for NC.com - Your typically just returning from sunny Southern
California this time of year. How has a winter spent in North
Georgia benefited you in terms of your preparation for the '05
season?
TJ: I think physically I'm right on track to have a good season. The
weather here in Athens has cooperated for the most part so I didn't
miss any big training days that I would have had in Cali...How bout
that day in the mtns during training camp!?
CF for NC.com - No doubt, that was an epic! Upper 30's and rain
in the valleys then sub-freezing with snow and sleet at the
summits...like Brasstown and Hogpen aren't scary steep enough on a
dry day!
CF for NC.com - Speaking of prep, you just returned from an epic,
10-day, whirlwind trip to South Africa for the Giro del Capo, tell
us about that?
TJ: I think South Africa is an incredible place. Obviously there are
some serious issues with the country itself (politically) but it's
such a beautiful place. We were staying in Stellenbosch which could
be considered a twin of Napa, CA. Vineyards and huge estates nestled
in the hills. Cape Town was an hour away, we had 2 stages there
including the last day which was the Cape Argus Pick 'n Pay
Challenge. It's a race that has 35,000 participants. It's the
largest timed race in the world...It was crazy to line up at 6am and
have 35,000 people follow behind us on the course! People were still
starting the race at 11am and trying to finish the race as it was
getting dark that night! I think the team really benefited from the
race, we all were able to work on the basics of bike racing,
positioning, energy conservation and riding in echelons...Also it
was nice to have a really hard race to try and put all of the hard
training we did over the winter in use.
CF for NC.com - Ok, so give the NC.com readership a little insight
into bike racing and international travel. I have a feeling it's not
quite as glamorous as it may appear behind those little curtains,
what really goes on up there in first class?
TJ: First class eh? Hmmm, can't exactly tell you about that one! But
I did have 7 Trans-Atlantic flights last year and learned how to be
a 'good traveler'. It's important to try and travel well so you
don't end up stressing about little things and falling apart at the
seams. Take Jonny Sundt on the way to and from RSA (Republic of
South Africa). Jonny was lucky enough to sit in the middle of 5
seats for all the flights! That's almost 40hrs of travel and Jonny
was happy as a clam right in between Jared of Subway (pre-diet) and
gramma-big-bladder who never needs to get up. He's a stud.
Photo courtesy
Tim Johnson Online
CF for NC.com - You spent '04 in the canary yellow kit of Saunier
Duval-Prodir (a UCI Pro Tour Team for '05), tell us a little bit
about your experience across the pond...
TJ: I had a great year with them last year. I'm really thankful for
getting the chance to try my hand at the highest level. I know now
that I'm not super-talented and that my body type and style of
racing isn't particularly suited to long tours in Europe. One thing
that I found is that there are over a thousand professional bike
racers in the world. Just pure numbers say that there are loads of
guys with more physical talent than me.
Photo courtesy of
The Bean Team.
CF for NC.com - And the new team for the new year, what are your
thoughts/impressions heading into spring with Redlands on the
horizon and the Tour de Georgia, figuratively and literally, just
around the corner?
TJ: Redlands was an eye-opener for all of us. We weren't sure where
we would stand with the rest of the teams in the US. After all of
the boys worked so hard to bring back a breakaway on the hardest day
of the race, Trent (Lowe, Jittery Joe's-Kalahari/Subaru-Gary Fisher
climbing ace) blew everyone away on the slopes of Oak Glen, I think
we answered a lot of those questions.
CF for NC.com - The TDG will bring names like Phonak, CSC, and
Credit Agricole to home soil. What about the flipside of that, is
there any chance that we'll see Tim Johnson and JJ-K in Europe come
'06 and/or '07? Is JJ-K interested in this possibility/opportunity?
If so, what will it take to get the boys in orange a start at the
semi-classics and smaller European tours?
TJ: We are becoming more and more competitive on the domestic
circuit. The JJ's-K riders and the organization that runs the team
have been growing each year, so traveling more and racing larger
races are definitely on the horizon. It will take a boost in the
budget to get us on the start lines of a half-year euro schedule,
but we can do more one or two race trips like South Africa as we are
now. We are lucky to have riders that aspire to compete in bigger
events because that keeps everyone motivated to race and win.
CF for NC.com - So tell us a bit about your obsession with getting
down and dirty on that cyclo-cross bicycle? Can we expect to see Tim
Johnson duking it out with names like Wellens, Nys, Pontoni, and De
Clerq come fall?
TJ: Cross was my first love and something that I'll always want to
race. Changing my team situation this year had a lot to do with
getting back to my roots. I can't wait to be back out there and
trying to whoop up on those guys. I've been out of the sport for a
few years and the game has been raised quite a bit. I'll have my
work cut out for me.
CF for NC.com - And your fellow countrymen (be it the USA or Canada,
whichever one your claiming these days): Geoff "Deaner" Kabush,
Jonny "Il Gato" Sundt, Ryan "Tree Farm" Trebon, Jonathan Page, and
Adam Craig to name a few, what do you have to say for this group of
hoodlums? Will they be challenging across the way with you? Is the
North American scene "there" yet?
TJ: I heard from Trebon the other day that he'll be based in Europe
for the entire season along with Page. I'm trying my best to get
Kabush over there with me a little this fall. I'm really impressed
with what Page and Trebon have done on the world stage. Page has
been racing in the front group at World Cups and I know what that
takes...very impressive.
CF for NC.com - What would someone of your stature in the world of
cross offer up as advice to an eager-to-learn, soon-to-be newbie
cross nerd like myself?
TJ: Cross is such a fun sport for a beginner. The races are short
and intense and no matter how your race went, you'll feel like
you've accomplished something. Contrary to what some people say, you
don't need any special equipment when you start out. Just get out
there and race and have fun.
Photo by Guy Maguire
CF for NC.com - You knew it was coming, how 'bout that wife of
yours Lyne Bessette? What's her story this year? Last I heard, she
was doing the rogue-samurai thing this time around, out to single
handedly dismantle the powerhouses of Quark (her former team) and T-Moblie?
TJ: Lyne has made some changes with her cycling career. She's been
racing at the highest levels for 8yrs now, she has won a lot of
races and has traveled all over the world. I think she was just
ready for a change of scenery and eager to take advantage of the
life that we've made. She wants to keep racing and riding her bike,
mostly for fun. She's planning to come back to a full schedule in
'06 and through the Beijing Olympics. To do that, she needed to step
back a little.
CF for NC.com - Lastly, both you and Lyne have recently "inked"
deals with a salon (Karma) in Athens, GA. Can we expect to see
"do's" that will rival the madd styles of Audrey Lemieux (Quark),Bruno
Langlois (see VeloNews, April 11, 2005, Mr. Personalities, pg. 54)?
TJ: Lyne sniffed out the Karma deal herself. She dropped in for a
hair cut and before she knew it, they had signed pictures hanging
from the mirrors! Of course, I had to get over there and get my mop
chopped...The cool thing is they've signed on to be our official
Salon and will be working with us all year. Can't wait to get my
hair colored...
Keep up with Tim Johnson and Jittery Joe's-Kalahari by visiting his team's site at
The Bean Team.