Natural talent is freaky (take 2)

[PPWTF]

Cycling?s One-in-a-Million Story

Overworked Wall Streeter Buys a Bike to Stay Fit, Discovers an Elite Talent

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052970204908604574334741597350028.html

 

Little more than a year ago, Evelyn Stevens was just another

associate on Wall Street, working 50-hour weeks with an investment fund

and trying to stay in shape by sneaking the occasional jog.

Then she bought a bike.

On Sunday, the 26-year-old former college tennis player will compete

in the Route de France, a six-day race that draws some of the world?s

top female cyclists. And here?s the part nobody, not even Ms. Stevens,

could have imagined just a few months ago: She might just win.

The story behind Ms. Stevens?s dramatic rise from nowhere to the top

echelon of an international sport isn?t the usual clich? of hard work,

sacrifice and perseverance. In fact, if there?s a lesson aspiring

athletes can take from this, it?s that it helps to be blessed with very

good genes. The truth is that Ms. Stevens is one in a million: She was

lucky enough to stumble into the exact pursuit she was born for. 

Ms. Stevens still has not gone through the complete battery of tests

that gauge athletic potential, but the tests that have been conducted

on her show remarkable results. She is capable of producing a huge

amount of leg power?measured in watts?for someone her weight and with

her training history. With less than a year on the bike, Ms. Stevens

could put out 310 watts of power for five minutes when she was tested

by Mr. Koschara this past spring. Most women at her weight of

120-pounds can put out only about 220 watts, he says, while the elite

professionals can produce around 350.

Full length article is way to long to post in full here, but makes for amazing reading - just goes to show; there's no substitute for natures finest advantage

 

 

[Gasping]

Now I know where my share of talent went to.

[Hog_]

50 hours is a long week? Americans are sissies!

 

Nice story though.

 

 

 

[PPWTF]

 

from Wall Street to Columbia - HTC in all but 3 short years.... amazing

 

http://velonews.com/article/95106

 

http://www.velonews.com/article/97553/

 

The number one women?s team for three years running will return at full force for 2010. Columbia-HTC signed rookie sensation Evelyn Stevens.

 

?We had heard a little about her mid-season, and we did a little

checking on her,? Stapleton said. ?We got to see her face to face in the Route de France.

She?s very impressive. She?s probably the strongest up and coming

American right now. Smart, motivated, extremely fit. And she can

survive in Europe. That?s the big challenge for American women.?

 

PPWTF2009-09-07 23:13:59