Q & A Interview - Zach Taylor

If you were riding through Belle Meade or West End in Nashville a few weeks ago and imagined seeing a TIAA-CREF jersey you would not be mistaken.  Atlanta native and TIAA-CREF team member Zach Taylor was in Nashville training with friend and US National teammate Zach Bolian.  NashvilleCyclist.com was able to catch up with Zach Taylor during a short lunch break while he and Zach Bolian rode through downtown.  Find out below what he had to say about his recent success, his trips to Europe, and his future plans on the bike.

Zach Taylor has two Junior National Championships on his palmares by winning the Time-Trial in 2003 and Criterium in 2004.  In 2003 Zach also placed second in the Criterium, and in 2004 placed second in the Time-Trial.  He is a proven high caliber rider who is flying off the front at the end of races with the results to prove his selections.  Zach has also won a stage in the prestigious Junior World Cup event Tour of L'Abitibi, and he's won a stage in the Belgium stage race Tour of Koksijde. 

The last few seasons Zach has raced for the Fulton Flyers, Hot Tubes and the US National Team.  For 2005 he has made the jump to TIAA-CREF under the direction of former pro and Tour de France stage winner Jonathan Vaughters.  TIAA-CREF is the premier development cycling team for in the United States.  Watch for Zach to become another top Junior to develop into a professional in either the US or Europe, and if recent success is any indication you can expect to hear his name more often in the coming years.

5 Apr 2005

NC.com - You have made a steady, but significant progression the last few years.  Talk about how riding for Fulton Flyers and Hot Tubes has developed you into a top national amateur.  Also, who was your coach or coaches that guided you through your early development?

Zach Taylor - When I rode with Fulton Flyers, the coach of the team was Tim Hagner. He lived about 15 minutes from me and helped me a lot. He taught me a lot about racing and training. I learned a good bit from the older riders on the team as well. When I rode with Hot Tubes, Toby Stanton was my director. He taught everyone on the team a lot about strategy and also about the cultures and important things about the places where we raced. He really likes to talk, so I got to hear a lot of good stories about racing from him. My coach for the past two years was Brian Walton. He gave me my training plans and told me how to approach different races. He introduced me to a much more structured approach to training. This year, I am working with Ben Turner, the road manager for Team TIAA-CREF. It has been going really well and he has helped me work through the injuries I had this off season.

NC.com - Now you're part of a top US development team called TIAA-CREF, and surrounded by teammates that are the best of the best.  With increased expectations on such a highly visible team has your approach been any different this year as opposed to the past?

Zach Taylor - This year, I am trying to be a little more serious about training and getting good rest in. I am also trying to watch my weight a lot more than last year. I am going to be doing a lot more climbing in the next couple years. In the junior races, I could solo away before climbs, or easily chase back if I got dropped, but in the pro fields I won’t be able to do that. I know there will be a lot more competition this year, so I am trying to take everything more seriously. My approach to racing is a lot different as well. In the junior field last year, I was pretty sure one of my teammates or I could win any race we entered. This year, some of my teammates can win the bigger races we do, but I am thinking more about supporting them and trying to learn from being in the bigger races, rather than trying to win myself.

NC.com - Talk about your teammates and the talent that surrounds you at TIAA-CREF and on the US National team.  Who are some riders we should expect to read about soon? 

Zach Taylor - There are a lot of guys to look out for. Will Frischkorn should be doing really well this year. Last week, he got fourth in the prologue of the Tour of Normandy. Ian MacGregor and Craig Louis should also be riding very well. Tyler Farrar is winning lots of races in Europe right now, so he is a guy to watch too. There is a lot of talent coming up right now, so there should be some surprises too.

NC.com - You and your teammates on TIAA-CREF and the US National team are all part of the next generation of US riders to compete at the highest level.  The Olympics, US domestic and European professional racing are on the horizon.  Do you discuss this opportunity with them, or is it something you guys even give thought to?

Zach Taylor - It is definitely something guys think about. They talk about wanting to get on Pro Tour teams more than getting to the Olympics, but the Olympics is something they think about too. There are some guys who are still in it just for fun, but I would say the majority want to make a career out of it.

NC.com - While on the US National team you're competing against the best talent the world has to offer.  Describe the level of competitiveness in Europe for amateurs and the challenges Americans face on and off the bike while in Europe.

Zach Taylor - Europe is just hard. When you go over there, it takes a while to get used to the time change. Once your there, you have to get used to different food, different culture, and different germs. We don’t have any resistance so some of the viruses and bacteria over there, so its really easy to get sick. Both times I raced there this year I got sick. So off the bike it is hard to adapt, but on the bike it is just crazy. The style of racing is completely different and it is much harder. There is a lot more competition.

Zach Taylor racing in Europe at Junior Worlds.

NC.com - When you're back home in Atlanta how do you spend your time outside of cycling?  What other interests do you have?

Zach Taylor - I am in school now, so that takes up a lot of time. I guess when I have spare time I like to read a little. Before I started racing, I was pretty into whitewater kayaking. I was not able to ride in January and February this year because of a knee problem, so I tried getting back into that a little bit. Most of the time though, I just focus on school and riding.

NC.com - You're also attending the University of Georgia.  What do you plan to study, and how are you juggling time between school, training, and racing abroad?

Zach Taylor - I really don’t know what I want to study. I guess right now I am majoring in bike racing, with a little basic classes on the side. I am trying to get a lot of the basic classes out of the way so if I find something I am actually interested in I can start taking those classes. It is also good so that if I take some time off to race I can come back to school and not have a full four years of school to go through. My course load is pretty light this semester, so its not too difficult to get my work done. The problem is with traveling. When I went to the team training camp, I missed a week of class and had trouble catching up.

NC.com - Provide some insight into TIAA-CREF Director Sportif Jonathan Vaughters and coach Colby Pierce.  Both have done what  all young riders hope to experience.  Talk about their impact as the leaders of your team, and describe their approach to young riders.  

Zach Taylor - Jonathan and Colby are really dedicated to the development of the riders on the team. Jonathan was really supportive when I was trying to get over my injury. There was no pressure to try to get better for a certain race. He just told me to tell him when I felt I was ready to get put in the race rotation. I know Jonathan and Colby also are coaching some of the guys on the team. Ben Turner, the team road manager, is coaching me right now and he is great too. I think its pretty cool to be around these guys because they have experienced so much more than I have, and I can learn a lot from them.

NC.com - What areas of training do you focus on mostly, strengths/weaknesses, and how would you describe your philosophy towards training?

Zach Taylor - The past couple years, I have focused solely on time trialing. This year I am going to try to develop my sprint a little more. I have never really done sprint workouts because I was always doing TT intervals. I also want to improve my climbing just so I can stay in the pack in the bigger races. My focus right now is collegiate nationals, which is not a very long race, so I am working mainly on intensity. After collegiate nationals, I am going to work on getting more endurance for longer races like U23 nationals.

NC.com - You've won a junior national TT championship, a junior national criterium championship and qualified for Junior Worlds twice.  I'd imagine those impressive results would have built up your confidence.  Were those goals you hoped to achieve at the time, or did you ride yourself into the situation by seizing opportunities?

Zach Taylor - Since I started racing, I wanted to win Nationals. When I won the TT, I was very lucky because I had one of the best rides of my life, but I also trained very hard to get myself to the position to have such a good day. At the beginning of 2003, I didn’t expect to do nearly as well as I did. I had no expectations of going to Worlds. In 2004 however, I was training specifically to try to win Nationals and do well in the TT at Worlds. Unfortunately, I had a bad ride at Nationals and lost the TT by 5 seconds. The next day, I had a really bad ride at the Nationals RR. The altitude and climbing killed me and most of my teammates. Going into nationals I really only cared about the TT. I wanted to help one of my teammates win the RR, but didn’t really think at all about the crit. After the TT and RR ended up badly, my teammates and I wanted to destroy the crit to save face. We attacked from the gun, dominated the race, and went 1-2. I guess the successes I have had have all been some combination of training for specific events, and taking advantage of opportunities that came up.

NC.com - I understand the 2004 season was difficult due to an early season crash, you rebounded nicely, but then training for 2005 began with some knee pain.  How have you kept your focus during those times of physical struggle? 

Zach Taylor - I didn’t have any trouble keeping my focus during my knee problems, but keeping my sanity was another issue. I had a lot of trouble with my sinuses last winter and had to get surgery. I had a bad recovery, and when I finally got better my knee problems started. I didn’t get them worked out until mid-February. At one point, a physical therapist told me I would probably never ride a bike again. It turned out he didn’t know what he was talking about, but it still had a pretty big effect on me. Pretty much all I thought about was bike racing, and how much it would suck if I couldn’t ride any more. It was hard to keep a good attitude, but I got through it and think I am a better person for having been there. I realize how lucky I am to be able to ride and most of the time I try not to take advantage of it. I also realized that on any training ride your career can end in a split second. A stupid mistake by you or someone else and you can fall and have a career ending accident. It has made me think more about having a backup career other than cycling.

NC.com - What are your major goals for the 2005 season, and what races do you have marked as ones to help you achieve those goals?

Zach Taylor - My main goal is to improve. I need to learn more about racing strategy and just get stronger. I would like to do well at the TT Nationals this year, but other than that, I am going to try to ride my best and get good experience.

NC.com - This sport has afforded you the opportunity to see and do things you wouldn't have otherwise experienced.  You've traveled abroad, raced internationally, and been exposed to the sport at a high level.  What are a couple of the coolest things that have impacted you the most to this point?

Zach Taylor - It has been really good for me to experience different cultures. It has given me a lot of perspective on life and the world in general. The international racing has given me a lot more experience in intense races. Some of the junior racing we did in Europe was insanely physical, so I learned a lot about bike handling and pack skills

NC.com - What are your long term ambitions?  Ready to get that UGA degree and work all your life, or will you pursue the bike and earn your living on two wheels? (NC.com recommends the latter)

Zach Taylor - I wish I knew what my long term ambitions were. I love racing, but it is really hard to make a living doing it. There are a lot of things that can go wrong. I want to have a backup career, so I need to get an education. I am thinking of racing in the spring and going to school in the fall. That way I will eventually get a degree, but I can still get in a lot of good racing. For the next couple years I am going to see how school and racing goes and make my decisions as I go. One thing I am really lucky about is that my parents are being really supportive of both school and racing. It would be impossible for me to be where I am without their help.

Keep up with Zach by visiting his team's site at TIAA-CREF.