Shifting gears: A conversation with Will Frischkorn

After nine years as a professional, Will Frischkorn will be moving on from the racing side of cycling and joining the Garmin-Transitions team staff. But before he was able to fully retire, which was planned for the Tour of Missouri, the team had to recall him for two more fall classics, giving him an extended finale. Will talks about that, on his experiences as a professional with the team, and what he his new role will be for 2010.

How did your last couple of races go, especially since they weren’t originally on your schedule?

Missouri was fantastic, and looking back was what I’ll remember as my last real race. To wrap up with a win for Z, and some serious suffering for the rest of us, was a real highlight. I’ve always loved the days where in attempt to protect a teammate you dig way deeper than you ever thought possible.

Paris-Tours, Piedmont and Lombardia were all good fun and having already jumped into my new role headfirst I can say that focus on the races wasn’t quite 100 percent. Or even close! But to go, give what was in a quickly untrained body, and have a few last go’s with the guys was a blast!

What was the last race like for you emotionally?

Lombardia was my final, and it was somewhat hard to believe. At the same time, wrapping up racing was something I was ready to have in the books. I’d been on 4 planes having meetings with a sponsor the day prior, and was already spent on the start line. A few photos from the tail of a fast moving pack, a Moto GP-like bit of road to rail, enjoying the feel of a fast moving peloton on a closed road one last time, and an early departure for coffee and lunch in Como was hard to complain about!

Watching Dan Martin throw down in the last 60k on the TV was far better than struggling around the back of the lake!

What are you going to miss most?

The feeling of being completely and utterly spent. Exhausted. Empty. There’s something remarkably satisfying about being so fully destroyed that in normal human endeavours one doesn’t experience very often. At the same time, the suffering required to get there will not be missed in the least!

What are you NOT going to miss at all?

That suffering. The bad race meals. The long days in the rain. The long days in the baking summer heat. And eating until it hurts, only to eat a bit more, and regarding food as fuel and little else.

What is your new role?

I’m coming aboard on a few fronts. First is to help manage our relationships with the fantastic companies that support Slipstream Sports and to help maximize returns on both sides. I’m out to make sure that we’re on the best equipment possible and take advantage of every little bit of technology available to us.

I’ll also be working to help build our European sales program and help our fans over here have better access to the same great gear that all of our riders do every day.

When/how did the idea of you staying with the team in this new role come about?

In the middle of the season, after a few conversations with JV, I began thinking hard about what was next for me. While I love riding, racing, and that life, I was ready for a change as well. I spent a few months trying to get my thoughts clear and be sure that I was ready to make this leap. With cycling as the primary focus in my life prior to this change, it was not an easy decision by any means. Once I was clear in my own head about that and knew I was ready for the next chapter, we refined the possible role to something that really excites and motivates me, and where I can help the Slipstream brand continue to grow into the future.

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