Ted King is one of the toughest cyclists out there and he proved it last year at the Tour de France, when he competed on Stage 4 with a separated shoulder. But now King, 31, is back with a vengeance and this weekend will once again begin his quest for the sport’s highest honor.
It certainly won’t be easy for the New England native, who is a member of the Cannondale Pro Cycling team. King is the only American on the team and knows he has something to prove – and that he’s got the backing of an entire nation. We recently got the chance to speak to King about the Tour de France, what it would mean to win it and much more.
CraveOnline: After a difficult start at the Tour last year, you exhibited courageous perseverance riding with a separated shoulder. Do you have something to prove this year?
King: I never would have guessed how much my early departure defined such a big part of my career, which is just earning the start at the Tour. Bouncing across the globe the past 12 months, meeting people, friends, fans – it’s stunning how quickly folks are empathetic, and then even apologetic, about how my 2013 Tour went. They offer tremendously heartfelt wishes and hopes. It’s humbled me how much people care. In a sport with very few guarantees, just getting to the Tour is an honor; it meant a lot to be chosen last year and means even more to be back again.
Crave: Approximately how many miles is the 23-day event – and can you talk about the route?
King: That’s a question aimed much more for the curious fan. We take each day one at a time. To tick down the thousands of miles would drive you mad! That said, if you convert to kilometers, they go by much faster! I do know we race through four countries, so we’ll call it the Tour de France, de England, de Belgium, de Spain.
Crave: What would it mean for a member of your team to win the Tour de France?
King: We come into this year’s Tour with big ambitions, but which are totally in line with what we’ve come to expect at Cannondale Pro Cycling. We’re bringing a stellar lineup, including one of the best cyclists of this generation in Peter Sagan. Winning a stage for anyone on the team would be huge – taking home the green jersey is the ultimate ambition this month.
Crave: What’s it mean for you to put on that neon green and race for Cannondale Pro Cycling?
King: It’s awesome. This profession is a massive culmination of so many things; the years of hard work, as hackneyed as it sounds: the blood, sweat, and tears, plus the relentless dedication it requires. I still feel like a New England kid who’s made it on the world’s greatest cycling stage. To be there with Cannondale – a New England company producing the world’s best bikes – it’s really something special.
King: Yes. Very.
Crave: With the event beginning right after July Fourth, we have to ask: what’s it like to ride for the United States and to be the only American sponsored by Cannondale Pro Cycling?
King: As a professional cyclist and amateur culinarian, it’s given me a wonderful appreciation for a properly cooked al dente pasta and delicious risotto. My language skills have been honed over these four years with Italians, Polish, Slovakians and Slovenians, native French speakers and even Aussies and a New Zealander. Plus, I’ve learned that undoubtedly Chianti is one of the greatest places on earth. I planted my flag firmly in the ground, so to speak, during team initiation back in 2012, when I belted out our national anthem. It was quite an international experience since there may have been both cheap grappa and Budweiser involved.
Crave: Can you talk a little about the King of the Road Challenge event you have coming up and why it’s so important to you on a personal level?
King: I would be honored! This fall we’re thrilled to be hosting the fourth Krempels King of the Road Challenge – think of it as an amalgamation of great riding with your best friends, plus soon-to-be-best-friends, on stunning New England roads during the most amazingly scenic time of year, capped off with a massive BBQ, burritos, pizza, and – the clincher – an amazing beer garden. Oh, plus maple syrup shots to help kick-start the action. Even though we come with a line-up featuring Olympians and national champions, the KKotRC is open to all ages, all abilities, with a strict emphasis on fun found through the bike. The beneficiary is the Krempels Center, which is an organization near to my hometown in Seacoast, New Hampshire for adults and their caregivers living with brain injury. My father’s stroke nearly twelve years ago is an everyday reminder how difficult and life changing a brain injury can be. All info can be found at KingChallenge.org.
Crave: Do you ride often for enjoyment, when you’re not training or competing in races and what specifically drew you to cycling?
King: Oh my word, yes. The competition of racing is what drew me to the sport, so to be part of the biggest races in the world like the Tour de France – an event I’ve been watching as long as I’ve been even mildly interested in cycling and is known across the globe – is an indescribable honor and privilege. Often now it’s the adventure that I embrace the most. After a long and brutal season lasting 10 months or more, lots of guys park their bike in their garage and swear it off for months. Those crisp, cool offseason months, where there are no specific intervals or rigorous training rides, are the best. The 200 Not On 100, the Vermont 50, or Take A Kid Mountain Biking Day are what plant the ear to ear smile on my face.
Ed Miller is a contributor for CraveOnline Sports. You can follow him on Twitter @PhillyEdMiller or “like” CraveOnline Sports on Facebook.
Photos courtesy of Cannondale
