Monday

Training hard in the Napa Valley

Hello all,

I have been in the Napa Valley of California for the past week, at our Kodak Gallery/Sierra Nevada training camp. things have been going very well, we`ve put in 5 to 6 hours every day with a few good climbs and plenty of head wind. the weather has held out for us for the most part, and when the sun does come out it warms right up. it`s starting to be shorts and jersey weather again.

i`ve gotten to know all of my teammates and i have to say we are getting along great, much better then other starting camps i`ve been to. i think everyone is motivated but also relaxed at the same time. a big part of this is that we are running a bit lean on the roster with a few students and injuries reducing our fighting number. everyone is going to get to race; i`m worried about racing too much! I`m stoked with the mix of riders, both talents and personalities.

we`re about to wrap it all up tomorrow with a photo shoot and media day, and then home to Goldi for more training on my own roads. i`m enjoying my teammates`company, but home living is always better.

Cheers, BJM

posted by Benjaminiac at Monday, February 28, 2005 0 comments  

Sunday

I just got my new bike!

I just got my new bike!

Hi all,
Check out the latest version of the Serotta Ottrott ST for the Kodak
Gallery/Sierra Nevada Pro cycling team! this one will be my training, stay
at home bike, so I've mounted the SRM on it. Check out the shiny new Mavic
wheels, I'm stoked to be back on Mavic. Great stuff. I've put in a few
rides and I have to say that the geniuses at Serotta somehow improved on my
great bike from last year. The fit is perfect, the ride is sublime, the
bike dropped weight, and everything's new so it works killer.

When I first thought about the colors we have to work with (Kodak being red
and yellow, while Sierra Nevada being green and yellow) I was hoping that we
would not be too christmas-like or Rastafarian, depending on the amount of
yellow involved. I am pleasantly surprised by the paint scheme: it is racy
and eye catching with a lot of synergy, but is not garish or overdone at
all. Great job Serotta. For displaying such bright colors, I actually
think it's a bit muted...i know it could have been very different.

Now to see what the kit looks like...

Cheers, BJM

posted by Benjaminiac at Sunday, February 20, 2005 0 comments  

Tuesday

A big thanks to Bret

I have to give a big thanks to my good friend Breton Veach who has helped me arrange and rearrange this site. I met Bret in college 8 years ago; we were both looking for someone to bike with and party with. I've got bret on the biking thing, but he does have the slight edge on the party scene so i think we've come out alright.
Bret's now re-planted himself in his native Boston, and much happier for it. he never was a dirty hippie-type, and Santa Cruz was never quite chic enough. we definately don't get to see much of each other, but when we do it counts. Bret came out for the wedding last fall, had a great time in SC, looked sharp as a groomsman, and then-BOOM-jet set back east. I got out to Mass. for some CX racing in the fall, and stopped in to visit just as the Sox won the series. I've never seen such a wild scene, it was a great night to remember.
here's to Bret. Thanks man.

posted by Benjaminiac at Tuesday, February 15, 2005 0 comments  

Monday

Hi, and thanks for visiting

Hello, and thanks for visiting jacquesmayniacs.com. this site is going to cover my racing during the year, plus side projects, random tangents, shameless plugs for my sponsors and other cool people who help me out, and updates on other Jacques-Maynes', namely my twin brother Andy and my wife Goldi. so stay tuned, and have fun! I know i will. Cheers, BJM

posted by Benjaminiac at Monday, February 14, 2005 0 comments  

Thursday

The future site of professional cyclist Ben Jacques-Maynes

Hi all. This site will be a way for me to communicate my experiences as a professional cyclist for the Sierra Nevada Cycling team with the cycling community and general public.

posted by Benjaminiac at Thursday, February 10, 2005