There’s a great deal of excitement surrounding the young US talent Luke Lamperti, but no one – not even himself – knows quite what sort of rider he is or will become as he embarks on his first WorldTour season with Soudal Quick-Step.

Originally from California, Lamperti began riding dirt bikes at the age of three. Over the recent seasons, he has emerged as one of the most sought-after young riders, showcasing his prowess with numerous victories and promising potential in sprints and one-day races. Packing an impressive speed, the 21-year-old is keen to show what he is capable of, not just in bunch sprints but also in the Classics, which he is very fond of.

In one of our latest podcast episodes, Luke Lamperti shares his experiences and insights on crit and kermesse racing and his career. He discusses his training, favorite race courses, and the importance of comfort and trust in the pack. Luke also talks about his transition from US racing to European racing and his goals for the future.

From his affinity for Castelli gear to his race-day nutrition strategies, Lamperti provides a comprehensive glimpse into the life of a professional cyclist, offering invaluable insights for both amateur enthusiasts and seasoned professionals keen on crit racing.

We hope you’ll enjoy this fully packed and insightful episode with Luke Lamperti of @soudalquickstep

(00:00) Introduction

(03:06) Luke's Background and Journey into Cycling

(4:51) Return to Castelli

(7:56) Transition from US Racing to European Racing

(9:21) Move to Girona and Signing with Soudal Quickstep

(21:17) Crit and Kermesse Racing

(27:18) Training for Crit Racing

(31:36) Tire Size, Pressure, and Nutrition for Crit Racing

(34:00) Ending


LUKE LAMPERTI
The easiest answer is to race a lot. The more you race, the more you'll get comfortable with it. I think you still have to do hours to train for crits. It's not like you can ride 10 hours a weekend. If it feels good and you're comfortable, that helps with being relaxed and all of that. Whereas if not every corner, if you try to ride 25.

SOREN JENSEN
How would you describe the Belgian crack of death?  Hey everybody and welcome to the Castelli podcast.  I'm really excited to have Luke Lamperti on the show. You guys have definitely seen his name in the news, in the States and in Europe. In recent seasons, Luke has become one of the most thought after young riders due to his long list of victories and impressive potential in sprints and one-day races. At only 21 years of age, Luke has made a big career step into the world tour after three seasons with Trinity Racing and has a remarkable palmares for his age, including becoming the youngest US Pro criterium champion. A race he won three times back-to-back, stage winner at the Giro Next Gen, Tour of Japan, Tour de Bretagne, Tour de Taiwan and the list goes on and on. This interview with Luke was recorded in January and before the Americans settled into life in the world tour, notching up three second places and a third place since turning pro with Soudal Quick-Step at the start of the year. And after finishing seventh in a reduced bond sprint at Kuurne-Brussel-Kuurne and his monument debut at Milan Sanremo, the voyage of discovery continued for the 20 year old with a proper run at some big couple classics like Brugge-De Panne and then getting more intense with Gent-Wevelgem and Dwars door Vlaanderen this week. For most riders, their spring classic debut can be something of a baptism of fire. Harsh conditions, bad luck and a little in the way of experience can quickly unravel a neo pro's best intentions. But Luke Lamperti isn't your typical first year pro. So without further delay let's welcome Luke and congrats on the two year signing with Soudal Quick-Step.

LUKE LAMPERTI
Yeah thank you very much, it's nice to be back with you guys and nice to be on the show. Thanks for having me.

SOREN JENSEN
It's amazing to have you here. Luke, first of all when I've been looking over the results from the last couple of years and especially representing an Italian brand I've always been curious to hear about your, if there are any, Italian roots because with Lamperti and your brother Gianni, what's the story here?

LUKE LAMPERTI
Yeah, I think we have Italian family on my dad's side, quite a ways back, but yeah I think our names just turned out really Italian. My brother's Gianni and I'm Luciano, it is my real name on my passport actually. So I go by Luke, but yeah,  definitely we have Italian roots in the family, but quite a ways back, quite a ways back in the family but for sure originally from Italy.

SOREN JENSEN
Do you know what part of Italy?

LUKE LAMPERTI
Yeah, just outside of Lucca.

SOREN JENSEN
Tuscany nice. Tuscany is so beautiful place.

LUKE LAMPERTI
Yeah very nice area.

SOREN JENSEN
Those are where back in the 90s all the Italian pro cyclists would stay.

LUKE LAMPERTI
Yeah many guys from the 90s were living there. Yeah a lot of actually directors I've had that started in Italy were racing there and living there.

SOREN JENSEN
Cool. You're from Southern California, now based in Girona, Europe, the make of cycling. But let's start the show by having you tell our listeners where you are from exactly and how you got into cycling.

LUKE LAMPERTI
Yeah, so I'm actually from Northern California near San Francisco, about one hour north of San Francisco; Sonoma County Sebastopol specifically for those who know the area and yeah, it's really a nice spot to grow up as a kid really good riding all of that but yeah, how I actually got into bicycles is I raced motocross when I was really young. That's what my dad did was dirt bikes and then kind of started training on a bicycle when I was 10/11 and then eventually just switched kind of just happened me and my brother both were really into bicycles at the time and doing both and then it came time to make a bit of a decision what we wanted to do and yeah we started racing bicycles from then on and since then I've been kind of full gas on the bike.

SOREN JENSEN
That's why you always have so great technical skills on the bike.

LUKE LAMPERTI
Yeah, I think it plays a bit of a part to it. I mean, obviously it's a bit different, but of course I grew up on two wheels and you grow up at speed and doing that stuff, it helps you a lot with the bike for sure.

SOREN JENSEN
It does. Do you still ride your mountain bike once in a while?

LUKE LAMPERTI
Yeah, I still really enjoy riding the mountain bike. I raced a lot when I was younger on the mountain bike and then my first year with Trinity, when there was a bit less road after COVID year, I did a little bit on the mountain bike as well and then still I like to train on the mountain bike. I have a mountain bike in Girona, a mountain bike in California so when I'm back home for off-season I ride a bit and then during the season I try to get in a few mountain bike rides when I can so yeah I really enjoy still being on the mountain bike.

SOREN JENSEN
Yeah that was cool also just to detach yourself from everyday life.

LUKE LAMPERTI
Yeah it's just something a bit different, mentally it's refreshing as well but you're still riding.

SOREN JENSEN
In Girona, do you also go and shred the trails with Nathan Haas once in a while, also coming with a background of mountain biking?

LUKE LAMPERTI
Yeah, actually I have rode with him a few times, I don't know him super well, but yeah I've seen him around Girona and met him here and there, but I haven't rode with him much.

SOREN JENSEN
Also because you both have different programs and yeah.

LUKE LAMPERTI
I think there's a lot of guys in Girona, but for sure everyone is super busy you know, everyone's at this race, that race; he's doing different stuff like everybody has such a different schedule, you see people but you're in and out all the time so you never know who's actually there and who's not.

SOREN JENSEN
Have you been by the Castelli store there in Girona, the flagship store?

LUKE LAMPERTI
I've seen it since it went and actually I've had my place there and it's been really cool to see it kind of come to life there in Girona and become a popular spot.

SOREN JENSEN
Yeah, it's definitely popular. I'm actually hitting up there Friday after a few days here with the team.

LUKE LAMPERTI
Very nice. It'd be nice to stop by another, actually where Castelli, it'll be nice to go in and say hi.

SOREN JENSEN
Oh yeah, you should. I mean, Luisa and Oscar are fantastic. The two guys we have there in the store can always bring by for a good Italian coffee whenever you want. So, Luke, another thing is also which I'm really excited about is that it's great to have you back in Castelli. You rode two years for Lux wearing Castelli. That was 2019 and 20?

LUKE LAMPERTI
Yeah, 2019 and 2020 I was with Lux and I wore Castelli then. So, yeah, it's nice to be back.

SOREN JENSEN
Do you have a favorite Aero suit, jersey, bib short, jacket or accessory?

LUKE LAMPERTI
Yeah, I think one of the things that I really miss that I'll get to wear again is the base layer, the merino wool base layer was one of those things in winter that you really don't see it and a lot of people don't see when you ride because you have a jacket or a jersey on over but it's one of my favorite pieces of clothing I've ever had and I think to to have that again will be really nice to wear and it's not something that someone sees, so it's not always something you can be like oh I'll check out my base layer, but it's really nice so on the cold days for sure it' really good.

SOREN JENSEN
We'll get into this in a bit about your schedule for the season but you're definitely going to need some of that warm weather gear or the fall weather gear especially coming into the classics or pre-classics. It depends I don't know if you already have a list of the spring races that you’ll be doing.

LUKE LAMPERTI
Yeah I have a bit of a schedule. I start in Mallorca so you never know what you need there. It could either be a lot of rain or it could be pretty nice but I start there and then either Berserker or Oman and then yeah to the kind of the pre-classics. None of the big classics but I do a lot of the pre-classics. I'll be at Kuurne on opening weekend so start there so yeah for sure we'll need a bit of the winter gear.

SOREN JENSEN
Yeah with the Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne, wow I still remember that. Yeah that was the 2010 that we outfitted the whole Cervelo Test Team in the GABBA. First time the world really saw that all stealth black short sleeve, almost waterproof jersey that those guys were wearing compared to the rest of the pack wearing big heavy rain capes like para suits and stuff. So let's rewind back a little. How did you then from Lux make the leap from US racing to European racing?

LUKE LAMPERTI
Yes, we spent quite of our time actually also in 2019 with the national team in Cid, Netherlands. They have a kind of a hub of USA Cycling and we did a lot of races that year with the junior national team in the Nations Cup. So again, Wobblegum and Roubaix and all that stuff. And yeah, I think that's what kind of got me really into the European racing and a bit more noticed on the European scene. And then the next year, 2020 was COVID year, so there was no junior racing and that was my last year junior. But in the middle of the year, I'd started to talk with quite a few different under-23 teams and I knew I wanted to make the jump to Europe it was just kind of a matter of which  team I thought was best and yeah I had the connection with Specialized also through Lux and I had a good relationship with them and yet Trinity also was already my agency before I went to the team and so I had kind of those two connections with Trinity and Trinity were trying to make a step up so they were a bit less known of a team at the time a bit more just known for Pidcock then and I think they made quite a big jump up that next year and I was really happy I joined the team then, so I joined the team the beginning of 2021.

SOREN JENSEN
That was also when you moved of course into Europe.

LUKE LAMPERTI
Yeah so that year I spent most of my year in Europe, a little bit of time in Girona quite a bit of time in Belgium and then at the end of the year I, in about November, I got an apartment in Girona and since then I've been based in Girona during the season and then yeah just back to California for the off-season.

SOREN JENSEN
And also Trinity it must have been between brackets an easier transition to Europe because you know it's everyone speaks English on the team; it is an English team but it's also a team that has fostered so many talented cyclists. Some of them who also just like yourself made the leap to the world tour, like you mentioned Tom Pidcock, we have Ben Turner, Ben Healy, I mean they're all graduated from the team.

LUKE LAMPERTI
Yeah, first off it's a really good environment, I think it definitely is a lot easier being a British-based team, a lot of the staff speak English and everyone speaks English, so it's easier to integrate into the team, and then yeah, there's a lot of, there's always older guys to look up to that are turning pro, like you said, my first year. They're on the team, Ben Turner and Ben Healy, Tom Gloak, we're all guys who are on the team who now are pro and I think you have those guys to look up to. And then a few years later now I turn pro with the team and there's younger guys and it kind of is a, they have a really good, really good program there for turning guys pro and doing it, yeah, in a good environment. I think everyone there is really happy.

SOREN JENSEN
How was your first race in Europe and how did it go?

LUKE LAMPERTI
My first race, I came over with USS Cycling when I was 15 to do a cremess block when I was a newlingen. So we did like six cremesses in Belgium.

SOREN JENSEN
Summertime?

LUKE LAMPERTI
Yeah we did it in August normally I think. So good weather. Yeah it was really good weather but I can't remember my first race exactly. I think it was a kermesse for sure in Belgium. I'm not sure which one, but I remember it just being really hectic, like we showed up and there was a hundred kids there and it's just so much different than the U.S. like there was so many kids and quite hectic, but then like we realized those were just like every day in Belgium, like every day you could do a kermesse or Saturday, Sunday, Wednesday, you could only race three times a week as a newling. And then yeah, every Saturday, Sunday, Wednesday, there would be four options and 150 kids at each one. But yeah, I think right from the start, we actually were quite successful on that block. I think we won three of the six races with the national team then. So I think it kind of hit the ground running and our age group, yeah, I think we took confidence from that and it kind of just built throughout our junior years and we were able to have quite a successful junior career with the national team over in Europe, which helped all of us kind of move on to the 23 ranks and then turn pro.

SOREN JENSEN
Yeah, I remember also my first year, first or second year at under 23. I also decided just to take a couple of months, which ended up to be almost a year in Belgium, racing Kermesse and then racing some of the bigger races under 23 on the weekends. But just like you said, during the week, we had a training program, but we would just go and do the Kermesse races and then you would look at your, back then it was the SIM power meter, and you would just do the TSS that you're supposed to do that day or those power numbers and you either just drop out when they were done or you would do it full on a race. But I remember, I think one time for me, I flat it in a morning crit in summertime or Kermesse, but you know, then in the afternoon there was another race. You know, so you're always like, you just like pull out like, okay, I'm not even going to try to catch back on I'm just gonna go and do another race in the afternoon. So with your background as US crit champion what do you prefer, crit racing or Kermesse racing?

LUKE LAMPERTI
I really enjoy both I think I haven't done we did a bit of Kermesses on Trinity I've only done a few of the pro ones but I really enjoy kind of the free style of racing that you get with Kermesse. And I think that's really nice. Like it's kind of just an open race where everyone feels like they can really race this and that is controlled and it's not high stakes. And it's a bit for training, but it's still a serious race which makes it a nice mix of fun, but really hard. Like there's some of the hardest races you can do, I think because it's just full gas racing the whole time with no control and you're attacking and going off the front and then eventually normally a group of 15 guys go and that's the end. But, and then with crit racing, it's a lot, it's very tactical, which I really like the tactical side of all of it, like really thinking about what's happening and knowing what to do because everyone can go really hard for an hour, it's less, I think it comes down to less about the legs and a lot about how you play the race. And I really liked that aspect of it. I'm really thinking about the race. I've always enjoyed the tactical side. So to pick one is really hard. I think yeah now I probably do less US Criterium so I'd probably have to say that because now I get less opportunity to do them so I think when I can go back and do US Crits I think it's really nice opportunity to be able to.

SOREN JENSEN
Do you think it's easy to do Crit Race self-supported versus a Kermesse? I mean you come in there with no team.

LUKE LAMPERTI
I thin a lot of the Kermesses actually a lot of guys go unsupported with no team so I think it's you're in quite an even playing field whereas now in the US there's quite a lot of crit teams so I think when you show up without a team you're at a bit of a disadvantage but also you only have to play off yourself so there's less going on but for sure you had a bit of a disadvantage now because there's pretty good crit teams in the US I think you you're racing against other teams where that Kermesse a lot of guys just go for training like you said they ride there and do it and ride home or they're there for training, so you get a lot of guys who are really good but on their own as well. So then you kind of, you're not a team, you're racing against each other, but there's a lot of other guys with the same goal who are riding for themselves, so I think that helps quite a bit, whereas you don't have that as much anymore with US crit racing, whereas in the past a lot of guys were on their own and then now it's all kind of the bigger US crit teams that are racing against each other.

SOREN JENSEN
Do you still see today in at the Kermesse races, so I'm talking about my experience 20 years ago, where even on one of those days where you're out there and actually just riding the Kermes for training, but you knew that if you were working for another team, because you were there just self-supporting because it was just a training, you could still cash in some money if you would close some gaps and you still had to do that effort anyway. Do you still see that this around the Belgium Kermesse races today?

LUKE LAMPERTI
Yeah, I think you still see it a bit. I think now a lot of it's more of like, I'll help you out if rather than cashing in a bit of their prize money, I think you get a bit more like, I'll help you out because you're a good friend or we're training partners, but you're on a different team. So it's more of just like, I will do you a favor. Rather than like, I'll take a bit of your prize money and like there's a given agreement that you'll get a bit of it. I think it's more of just doing a bit of a favor but for sure you see guys helping other guys or two guys who train together all the time on different teams who race together a bit at a Kermesse on on the weekday.

SOREN JENSEN
How would you describe the Belgian crack of death? Maybe you can also describe this to all listeners here what it is.

LUKE LAMPERTI
Yeah I think in a lot of Belgium they have concrete so it's there's concrete squares instead of tarmac on the road and you have the gap in between when it I think when it freezes and expands over time eventually you have a like a small gap just a little bit wider than your tires and if your tires go in there you're kind of game over but, yeah, you don't want to get your wheels stuck in there because this can be quite deep in different spots and if you get stuck in there all of a sudden your bike comes to a stop so it's quite dangerous but something everybody knows about when they're racing in Belgium.

SOREN JENSEN
I think that was one of the first thing I was so scared about ending up in that you know center crack there every time or you just have to try to jump over but I think you just get used to it and you of course you come in with your big experience and technical skills so that was one thing and I think another lesson I learned after my first race was coming through one of the corners with 60 plus kilometers an hour and I would just barely touch the brakes and I would have this big dude behind me saying you know, Ferdome, Ferdome, Ferdome, you know like why are you braking now you know and of course he was right I mean suddenly you know a small gap to open up which I had to close after so I think those two things were the two like hard lessons that I learned back like 20 years ago and it's probably still the same today.

LUKE LAMPERTI
Yeah, you learn those ones the hard way for sure. You close gaps all day and at the end, you don't have any legs. You learn that lesson quick. Yeah, it's a quick one to learn.

SOREN JENSEN
So Luke, how did everything fall into place getting a World Tour contract with Soudal Quick-Step?

LUKE LAMPERTI
Yeah, so the last few years, I actually did a camp with the team at the end of 2021 after my first year under 23 with Trinity. So I had been on a camp and had a bit of conversation with the team and then 2022 I had a okay season like a lot of top fives I was consistently always there second, third, fourth, fifth but never never really won anything never made that big step and so I decided to do another year under 23 just this last year in 2023 and yeah that third year really is what made the difference for me and this last year I was able to start the season and get a win and then kind of keep that momentum rolling and at the beginning of the season I had quite a few wins and I think that really helped my conversation with quite a few teams. But for me I really wanted to go to Quick-Step, it's kind of a dream team for me to join Soudal Quick-Step and to have that opportunity and make it become a reality after a good start to the season and signing with the team was kind of the goal and then to get there and sign with the team worked out.

SOREN JENSEN
So yeah, it's really exciting that the strongest and biggest classics team from the last two decades. So as soon was I here especially with the guys like Lampaert, Julian Alaphilippe, Asgreen and then you know all these guys there are a lot here also you can learn because you placed 10th at the Junior Paris-Roubaix if I'm right. So with classics do you hope to ride in your first years in the World Tour?

LUKE LAMPERTI
Yeah my first years probably do less of the big classics like Flanders and Roubaix but eventually that would be the goal is to ride some of those with the team and for sure yeah it's they have quite a long history in the classics the team does and a lot of good riders today still on the team who' done big things in the classics I think to be teammates with those guys and learn from those guys slowly in the smaller races and then stepping up into the bigger races will be really nice over the next few years so yeah I think the history they have in developing young riders and sprinters and classics riders is really promising and you had to be a part of that hopefully is what I look forward to.

SOREN JENSEN
Yeah, no, definitely. There's definitely much to learn, but also you're learning from some of the best here in the game, but also that whole team spirit that is around. I mean, they call themselves the Wolfpack, but you definitely, I don't know if you also felt it these first days here with the team, that you are together here in Calpe. It's definitely something that we as partners, that we always felt welcome more than just a sponsor of the team but part of the team but also you see them out there at races that team spirit is something I think you need to look back to an under 23 or junior team to find.

LUKE LAMPERTI
Yeah I think the environment within the team and the riders and the staff and the partners and everyone is something that yeah it's really special I think everyone's really close and really welcoming even these first days of camp how welcoming everyone is and you really feel a part of the family already, you know, like I've only been here a few days now and you already feel really, really a part of the team.

SOREN JENSEN
Now that you're on a Belgian team, what's your preferred way to eat frites? Ketchup or mayo?

LUKE LAMPERTI
I'm a ketchup guy, yeah, I've always been a ketchup guy but actually a mix as well, like sometimes go for both and then mix it a bit but normally I'd say ketchup if I were to choose one.

SOREN JENSEN
What about then, fries or waffles? Sweet or salty guy?

LUKE LAMPERTI
Yeah, I think I'm more of a fries guy than waffles, but I do love waffles as well, so it's a hard decision. I mean, that's a hard decision.

SOREN JENSEN
Well, let's go for the waffles then in the morning, like pancakes and then.

LUKE LAMPERTI
Waffles in the morning and then, yeah, definitely waffles over pancakes, but waffles in the morning and then fries later on, for sure.

SOREN JENSEN
Nice. Okay, Luke, so we only got 15 minutes left, so I just wanna pick your brain here on crit racing, since we have one of the best in the game here. So crit racing takes place all over the country, in the States and in Europe as well. This means that all the causes, climates and race conditions are different. In your opinion, where should we start to shape our perspective around upcoming events and what are the key things that we should consider when thinking about participating  in an upcoming crit race?

LUKE LAMPERTI
I think there's, yeah, in the US it's really growing the crit racing scene and there's a lot more a lot more hype around it every year and it's growing. I think if you're gonna look at, yeah, going to crit racing I think your best experience is to go to Tulsa Tough first. It's like kind of the biggest one in the US. It's a full weekend, Friday, Saturday, Sunday of crit racing and I think if you're gonna go for one one race go to those three days and I think you'll really see what it's about you have a really good fan base that are really cool city and really good racing and I think that's the best place to start if it were to be up to me that's the the heart of US crit racing I would say that's the one race I've only been able to do at one time but it's been yeah it was a really really cool race I think if you're gonna start at one race that's the one. One big cycling party the whole weekend. Basically, yeah. Yeah, that's a lot of, I mean, crit racing is kind of just about the party and then there happens to be a bike race on the side. And they do a really good job of that.

SOREN JENSEN
As an amateur cyclist, someone who would like to get into crit racing, what are the key things that you need to look at? Maybe your skills before, you need to look at at least, okay, what are your strengths and weaknesses? Are you better uphill? Are you better on the flat? Should you be looking at, also when you're looking at like in the States  where you've got races all over the place, also the climate, that probably also depends. We talked about Belgium, racing in Belgium in spring is probably going to be very humid, wet, cold, as we know, versus summertime in August. How would someone who would have to will approach coming in the starting crit race and what should they look at first?

LUKE LAMPERTI
Yeah I mean you can first start with the local crits but to maximize your strength you have to see what courses are good for you obviously like any race there's gonna be different courses for you so just as in Tour de France there's climbing days, sprint days, time trial days in crit racing there's also days that are a bit hillier and a bit flatter but I think anyone really still can win a crit, it's just you have to first look at how you can win a crit. If you're a guy who can win it off the front, if you're a guy who can win it in a sprint, kind of are your ways to win the race. And if you're off the front, you need to be in a small group or can you be solo. And I think if you look at it like that, then you can break it down a lot easier from the start. So if you can win it in the sprint, then how do you make it come down to a sprint or be in the group that goes to the line to win. And then if you need to be solo, figuring out what course or how you can do that. And I think that's where you kind of start with crit racing. There's a bit less variety, obviously, if you're just a pure climber, it's gonna be hard to be more of a crit racer for sure. I mean, there is crits that have quite a bit of climbing, but they're far and few in between. It's less of what crit racing is. So yeah, you have to really look at how you can win a crit before, if you're looking to win it. Like you have to think about that before you start.

SOREN JENSEN
And then we also have the parkour or the course because then you have the typical four corner crit race that usually takes place in downtown and then a more maybe technical, I don't know what you call it, eight corner crit. Yeah. We got a little bit of everything.

LUKE LAMPERTI
Yeah there's definitely also variants in the parkour so you can have a really simple crit that's just four corners and a lot less to think about just really fast and and then you can also have very technical crits in different areas with a lot of corners and tight roads and a different pavement for different pavement and stuff like that so you can have a big difference there which obviously if it's a lot more technical than it if you're better technically or more punchy then it can favor you a bit more than a guy who can just roll around four corners and have a good sprint so there's that difference as well for sure.

SOREN JENSEN
Yeah that's probably more those races with the eight corner create a how you call them lots with some of uphill downhills corners you know changes in pavement those are probably more difficult technically as you said but also to be able to control it as a team, isn't it?

LUKE LAMPERTI
Yeah I think it's actually with a lot more corners it's a bit easier to control it as a team at the end of the day for an hour you can only ride so fast if you have enough guys on the front a team can only ride 60 k's an hour, you can only do it so long. So if you have guy chopping off on the front, you can kind of control that as well as with the corners. If you have a team on the front, only so many guys can pass you in 50 meters, 75 meters in between the corners, 100 meters. So if you don't have long straightaways, it's harder for guys to pass. So by the time someone attacks and gets around six guys, they already can only get a two second gap and then you can bring it back. So I think when there's a lot of corners, it can actually be a bit easier to control than if there's just four corners, because then it's a bit more of a drag race, if that makes sense. So yeah, it depends on the team and the strength of the team, but I think if it's technical, it can be almost easier to control if you have a strong team.

SOREN JENSEN
What is your favorite race course?

LUKE LAMPERTI
For sure, my favorite course is in Knoxville, where I've won all three of my national championships. But yeah, I always say one day I'm gonna have put on my own crit there. Now that nationals isn't there anymore I want to put on a crit in Knoxville on the same course but I think more technical I think for me I like quite a technical crit just yeah it's always kind of what I've enjoyed and it makes it a bit more interesting than four corners can be on the boring side of things so the more technical it makes it a bit more interesting and more going on and more to think about during the race and can bring in more tactics and all of that so I quite enjoy a bit more technical.

SOREN JENSEN
Yeah. But also I think for crit racing, I assume it's similar to track racing. First thing first is that you need to develop this level of comfort, being in the big pack, touching each other's handlebars or knuckles when you're in the field, touching shoulder, you know, being in this little stressful, uncomfortable situation for a lot of cyclists.

LUKE LAMPERTI
Yeah, I think, yeah, once you develop kind of being comfortable in the field and trusting the guys around you then you're yeah, then you're off to a good start for sure and you have to have that comfort before you'll be able to really survive in the races because if you can't be comfortable in the group then you're either in the wind the whole time or wasting energy, so like any race, I mean same within Europe you have to be comfortable in a middle group to get some draft and trust the guys around you.

SOREN JENSEN
Because remember sometimes of course a race on a lower level than you, but I remember some guys there gripping the handlebars to death, you know, throughout the race. You could just see the muscles were fully activated, you know, the tricep, the biceps. That's not the most, that was the best way to rise a criterium.

LUKE LAMPERTI
Yeah, no, it's not the most efficient. Luckily, there are hours you can be a bit more tense than in a five-hour race, but for sure you have to be relaxed in any racing to be able to think straight, keep your heart rate down and all of that.

SOREN JENSEN
Also, I think the only time that you need to be all activated is when you go for the max sprint. How do you think people, they can practice a level of comfort? Talking about amateurs and just people just getting into crit racing here, is that joining group rides, finding bodies that you can always ride together and build up that confidence over time?

LUKE LAMPERTI
Yeah, I think the more, the easiest answer is to race a lot. The more you race, the more you'll get comfortable with it. But obviously you can't race all the time, so if you have a local group ride, then yeah, that's a good way to do it. When you're training with more people and riding next to someone all the time, you get more comfortable riding close to someone if you're training next to them every day. And yeah, those are the best ways, is just doing it really. There's no at-home practice on your own with it. You just kind of have to do it to learn it.

SOREN JENSEN
So how would your training program look like preparing for a crit race? You know what you have to do, you know the recipe, you know, developing a high max power fast sprint, how would the training program look like?

LUKE LAMPERTI
Yeah, I'd say I've never trained specifically for crits. I've always kind of, yeah, I've always trained for the road, that's what I've been focused on is obviously becoming a pro on the road. So I've always done kind of the road racing side and then jumped into the crits. I think you still have to do hours to train for crits. It's not like you can ride 10 hours a week and be a really competitive crit racer. You still have to train the hours and do just as much. Maybe you can get away with a bit less, but you still have to train if you want to be at the top level of crit racing and the guys who are doing quite a bit of hours. So I think you train very similar to how we train on the road. You can get away with a bit less and a bit more efforts. So a bit less hours, a bit more efforts maybe, but you have to do quite a bit of high intensity. And then also it's being good at the right time. The season is a lot shorter and everything is kind of packed into like May, June, July, August, instead of February to September. So it's really being good when it counts, I think not being really good in January, but making sure you're really good in that time, May, June, July, that time of year.

SOREN JENSEN
Sometimes on a training rise, they will always force us to accelerate out of the corner zone, just a normal training ride, just to get that routine in, into the legs and high cadence. I mean, of course, you look at me, I'm not really, I was never built for crit racing. I was just there just using more as a training, but they offered Kermesse, but it was definitely good training there. But also when you go into a breakaway, or when you're in a breakaway, you might end up with the guy who has an FTP of 420 and you also have another one maybe with 300. You know your competitors, you know what their strengths and weaknesses are. This is a breakaway of 3-4 people. Keep this breakaway up front. You also need to be able to have the whole team or the whole group work together. How can you encourage some of the riders, especially the one with the lower FTP?

LUKE LAMPERTI
Yeah, I mean your breakaway is only ever going to be as good as the weakest guy so you can only go as fast as he can go you know if you want to keep him in the brake. So I think you have to, everybody has to ride a bit to that person's level and then the other guy is just going to save a bit more and he can pull a bit longer but he's not going to be able to go much faster because then you're just going to leave the other guys behind. So you have to ride efficient and ride kind of to the weakest guy in the brake if you want to make it work all day. But in crit racing it's a bit more full gas in the breakaways. And if you get dropped out of the break, you get dropped out of the break. You're not doing 180 Ks, 200 Ks with these guys.  So you can, uh, you can afford to have a bit less guys and just go full gas.

SOREN JENSEN
Full gas. Yeah.  We do another episode on aerodynamics and the importance of the aerodynamics since 75% of the aerodynamic drag is coming from the rider, the cyclist and the rest from the bike and the rest of the equipment, the wheels. But I know also that you like to ride, you have done it the last few season, 28 mil tires for crit racing, tubeless, I assume, or?

LUKE LAMPERTI
Yeah. Yeah.

SOREN JENSEN
Is there a reason for the 28? Have you tried to go up and down?

LUKE LAMPERTI
I like a wider tire, kind of always have. I've always enjoyed a 28 and then I train on a 30, 32, or 30 or 32, but yeah, I've always just kind of enjoyed the 28s and the feel of a 28. And then, yeah, I think things are provin that it's a bit faster.

SOREN JENSEN
Better grip traction.

LUKE LAMPERTI
Yeah, better traction. And I think a lot of it's just that feeling like with Kurt racing, you can do a lot of testing, but if it feels good and you're comfortable, that helps with the being relaxed and all of that. Whereas if not every corner, if you try to ride 25s, you might, you might be stressed in every corner and thinking about it, and then that can also be maybe more wear and tear on you than if you're just comfortable on the 28 and I think just what feels good can sometimes be better than what tests good if that makes sense in your racing.

SOREN JENSEN
What would your tyre pressure usually be?

LUKE LAMPERTI
Normally in PSI I'd run about 70 PSI front and rear normally for crits.

SOREN JENSEN
Yeah and for cobbles and wet days?

LUKE LAMPERTI
Yeah I mean wet days we can go down to 50, 45, 50 somewhere around there PSI for cobbles, wet days. And you can run lower and lower all the time now with tubeless, so it's only getting lower.

SOREN JENSEN
Lower, yeah. Last thing, one of the big questions that always get based around is nutrition. How does your nutrition usually looks like on a race day, before a race, or directly after the race?

LUKE LAMPERTI
Yeah, for me, I think the morning of the race, having a nice breakfast. Normally, I'm not too picky of an eater. I'll kind of have whatever the team has the morning of a race, whether that's rice and eggs or sometimes oatmeal or porridge is also good. I'm happy with oats as well. So, yeah, I'm just about kind of getting enough the morning of the race and then making sure you have a good coffee before the race, which isn't always possible. But if you have a good coffee, then it's a good day. And then after the race, normally the team has a meal there of whether it's pasta or some sort of rice. You normally have something with some carbs in it for after the race. So that's kind of the go-to.

SOREN JENSEN
Do you usually go to the gym all season or just in the off-season?

LUKE LAMPERTI
Normally just the off-season and then try to maintain a bit throughout the year, but I don't do a whole lot of gym personally actually. Normally just mostly in the offseason.

SOREN JENSEN
Luke. It's been amazing to have you on. There's been some action-packed 40 minutes of content here. It was great to get to to know you. Unfortunately I have a few more questions, but time is running out if you need to go down there.

LUKE LAMPERTI
So yeah, we'll be back for we back for another episode for sure.

SOREN JENSEN
Exactly it sounds good.

LUKE LAMPERTI
Thank you guys for having me on I appreciate it.

SOREN JENSEN
Thank you Luke and good luck for the season.

LUKE LAMPERTI
Thank you .