The Bloomington and IU community has long been exposed to the benefits of the bike racing scene courtesy of the tradition-rich Little 500. But a sect of local citizens and students don't confine their craft to just one late April weekend. Chris Kroll, a sociology major who graduated from IU in 1988, is vice president at the Old National Bank in Bloomington, has been racing with the locally-based Team Tortuga for two years and is the cycling group's director.
Indiana Daily Student: How did the group come up with the name Team Tortuga, and how does it relate to your mission? \nChris Kroll: The founding members "borrowed" the name from an amateur sports club from the East Coast. Tortuga is Spanish for "turtle," and the old fable of the tortoise versus the hare is our motto: Win through persistence and perseverance.
IDS: Is it true that you "rescue" turtles in the road while on a ride? \nCK: Of course, it's our duty! Several times during the year we'll ride past them, stop, and help them on their way across the roads.
IDS: Who can join the team and what are the membership requirements? \nCK: Anyone interested in cycling and racing can join. We always have many newcomers to the sport each year. We also have some hard-core veteran racers. It's quite a diverse group. The membership requirements include living in the Bloomington area and representing our sponsors in a professional manner.
IDS: How did you get into cycling? \nCK: Several people were influential, including an older brother who rode Little 5 and raced as I do today and a friend whom I bought a bike from and rode with while living in Indianapolis. It was also due to chronic injuries from running that forced me to find alternatives to exercise.
IDS: What are the personal rewards of amateur competitive cycling? \nCK: Many. It fills a competitive need and is a great way to stay in very good shape. The social aspect is probably the most fulfilling. I have met so many new and now life-long friends.
IDS: How friendly are the motorists around Bloomington and out in the Hoosier hills compared to other areas you've biked?\nCK: Rare is it that we have problems with motorists around Bloomington, or anywhere for that fact. Occasionally we'll have an incident, but it's isolated and is usually a non-event. The key is for us to respect the laws of the road and ride appropriately and for the motorists to do the same. "Share the road," as the signs say.
IDS: Cycling technology is becoming more aerodynamic with lighter materials, in bikes as well as apparel and accessories. Has cycling become a sport in which the best bike, instead of the best cyclist, wins? \nCK: Absolutely not. One of my best racing accomplishments and finishes was done with a bike that had lower-end components. A lighter bike is certainly more efficient, but the first place to turn when improving things is the rider's weight and fitness.
IDS: What's the most recent high-tech item you've purchased? \nCK: I just put carbon fiber bottle cages on my bike. I won't tell you how much. They were quite expensive.
IDS: Why do cyclists shave their legs? \nCK: Most think it is for aerodynamic purposes. It's not. It actually started when it was found that the skin heals faster without hair after a rider crashes. For most, it's simply a right of passage and a sign of being a competitive rider. \n \nIDS: In "Breaking Away" the Cinzano team is depicted as less than sportsmanlike. Is that behavior typical in bike races? \nCK: No, not at all. This is a humbling sport, and most riders respect this fact and respect all other riders. Our races are always clean and fair. We're out there to have a good time.
IDS: Lance Armstrong won a record sixth Tour de France. What does this mean for American cycling? \nCK: A continued wave of enthusiasm for the sport. He has done more for cycling in the world than any one person could ever accomplish. The cycling world owes Lance an awful lot for picking up the sport and carrying it on his shoulders.
IDS: Armstrong is dating singer Sheryl Crow, and they're getting lots of media attention. Is that kind of publicity good for cycling? \nCK: His personal life is so well-known that anything happening in his life will receive lots of attention. It's all good.\n-- Contact staff writer Bill Meehan at wmeehan@indiana.edu.
