They may sound like a lounge singing duet, but there's no schmaltz to these guy's mission; they're trying to build a career playing to that most demanding of houses - a six day crowd. We caught up with the two 22 year olds - Guy from Indianapolis and Austin from Orange County - a few days into the six days of Grenoble.
PEZ: How did the two of you get in involved in cycling in the first place?
Guy: My dad was into cycling, but the biggest influence was growing up in the Lance era, watching him win all those Tours. Now that I'm on his development squad, it's a dream realised - hanging out at his house, getting to drive his cars! I couldn't believe it, when Axel Merckx called me and asked if I wanted to join the team. I'm team mates with Olympic riders like Taylor Phinney - it's a nice team and they have no problems with me riding the winter tracks.
Guy East.
Austin: My parents were into cycling, it was just something we've always done. I got into BMX first and then when the LA track opened, I started to cross train there. I got into it and eventually did well in the U23 Nationals. I was with the BMC U23 team, but I'm not sure about what I'm doing for 2010.
Austin Carroll.
PEZ: Why track, we thought all the young guys wanted to be Lance or Tyler Farrar?
Guy: I ride both track and road, but I'd love a career in the sixes, it's something I've dreamed about. The atmosphere is great and the lifestyle, all in this completely focussed bubble - I love it.
Austin: I'm a road rider, the sixes are for fun and fitness. I really enjoy racing in Holland, I like all that cross wind riding, up there!
Guy cooling down after the chase.
PEZ: Who were your role models?
Austin: Lance, Erik Zabel - and Bruno Risi, once I started paying attention to the sixes.
Austin: Stuart O'Grady - he's a rider that can do everything, road and track. I was into Tyler Hamilton, too - but that was before all that stuff happened - and George Hincapie.
Austin in the wheels.
PEZ: Your first amateur six was?
Guy: Amsterdam in 2007, it took us two years to learn the ropes, there's not much madison racing in the US and there's a lot you have to learn. That's why we came to Europe.
PEZ: You got this ride by winning the UIV cup.
Guy: Yeah, that's the competition for U23 six teams, some of them aren't full sixes, just three days. They take your best four finishes to count for the championship - we won at Munich and Dortmund and had second at Gent. One of the prizes is that it gets you into a couple of "full" sixes, the following season.
Carroll and East formed a very successful duo at the U23 level - now they're moving up to the big time.
PEZ: What do you think of this race?
Guy: It's a nice race, a good one to learn in because the programme isn't so intense. It's just a shame that I was sick for the first two nights - that didn't get us off to a good start.
Austin: And now I'm sick! There's a bug going round; coughing, bad throat - it's a good race, but I wouldn't mind if there were a few more races in the programme.
PEZ: And is it how you thought it would be?
Guy: Pretty much, but it's much more organised than I imagined it would be. At the amateur sixes, you just turn up and ride, you have to do pretty much everything for yourself. But with the pros you have the traditions, your soigneur, the washing gets done, for instance - all the food is prepared and everyone knows exactly what's going on.
PEZ: What are the career plans?
Guy: A pro career where I ride road in the summer and do the winter sixes. I know that some teams aren't keen on their riders doing the sixes, but I think that the unique exposure you'd give a sponsor with a US guy in the sixes would marketable.
Austin: Definitely a pro in Europe - doing one day races.
PEZ: Will we see you at the Worlds in Copenhagen?
Austin: We're not sure yet, it's too early, it will probably be February before the selections are made. There's us plus Daniel Holloway and Colby Pearce to cover the points, scratch and madison.
PEZ: What do your friends and family think of your lifestyle?
Guy: My family has a tradition of being involved with education, so it was hard for them to take, me not going to high school. But now they see how serious I am about it, they're very supportive and come to watch me race.
Austin: They love it! They come to watch me, whenever they can.
PEZ: What do you miss about the States?
Guy: I do a lot of hiking and rock climbing back home - I miss that. And 'In and Out' burgers - I really miss those!
Austin: My own bed, good coffee, my dog - and Mom's home cooking!
PEZ: Could you live in Europe?
Guy: Yeah, Spain, it's nice weather and tranquillo - the Italians are too crazy for me !
Austin: Southern Italy would be good for me.
PEZ: And will we see East & Carroll in the maillot jaunes at Grenoble 2010?
Guy: I'd like to think so, we want to do a lot better, next time; neither of us have been at our best, here - but c'est la vie !
***
They've even got the language nailed! With thanks to Guy and Austin - you never know, Pez might even be running for them, one day!
The first fourteen stages of the 2010 Giro d'Italia are going to be the standard, delicious Giro fare. The final final seven days are going to be the ... More....
Four nights down, two to go. The racing was hot in Grenoble, the sideshows, arguably, just as hot. Edmond Hood was on the scene, working hard, making ... More....
The dust has yet to settle from the storm of Interbike, but the rains have started here at PEZ HQ, and that means time to strap on that piece of rain ... More....
Yes – it’s been a couple weeks since our last post, but we’re back and rollin' with more Interbike goodies, and the wait is worth it – Here’s what’s ... More....
So we're back from Interbike 2009. The hangover is very nearly gone, the feet are not close to normal, the back is still sore, but nothing itches ... More....
Zen masters let go of ego; teenagers are in the middle of creating one. That makes it a good time to coach mental skills with teens, and also a good ... More....
Cyclocross season is steadily progressing from the early season of warm and dry race days to the downright miserable and ugly weather that define the ... More....
As fall is settling upon the Northern Hemisphere many cyclists are looking forward to both the crux off their off-season and starting to plan for ... More....
With Lombardia and the end-of-season emphasis on all things Italia, what better way to begin the off-season transition than enjoy some quality miles ... More....
Post-Giro Roadside: I love Scotland; but there’s no Gazzetta in the morning, most of the coffee tastes like John Wayne brewed it beside the ... More....
Post-Giro Roadside: The Centenary Giro has only been over for a few days, but my personal trip to the Corsa Rosa ended back on Stage 5. With ... More....
Roadside Recap: As we make our merry way through the rounds of the PEZ Looks Back, Ed is up for his retrospective on the Tour that was. As the ... More....
Amongst all the gloom and doom of sponsors pulling out disenchanted with doping scandals, and races folding, winter track racing does have its ... More....
They may sound like a lounge singing duet, but there's no schmaltz to these guy's mission; they're trying to build a career playing to that most ... More....
The best team pursuit rider, ever? With national, world junior, Commonwealth, world senior and Olympic titles to his name, Aussie, Luke Roberts ... More....
Here at Pez we pride ourselves on being on the case of who's up and coming - but sometimes even Pez misses the boat. The first we heard of Tom Faiers ... More....
The cheer from the cabin next door to ours - below the Grenoble velodrome - told us that the result Flanders had been holding its breath for, had ... More....
An epic day of rain, pain, and suffering is now behind me, and I’ve got the lactic acid as proof after suffering through a super-tough, 3-climb stage ... More....
Sometimes my best rides have been those with the least forethought, the least amount of time, the most luck, and just plain looking for the squiggly ... More....
Soup, on many levels, is one of the best things to eat this time of year. It’s warm, it’s a great way to stay full without over-eating (when ... More....
The Wounded Warrior Projects Soldier Ride provides rehabilitative cycling events for severely injured service members. Soldier Ride is not about ... More....
Race report: Alejandro Valverde stayed upright to seal his Vuelta victory – the first Grand Tour win of his career. On such a short stage, ... More....
Race Report: Today David Millar won his 5th stage in all his Vuelta’s, he was given one of the swords that Toledo is famous for along with the ... More....
John Murphy has been promising big things for a long while now. The rider has moved consistently up the ranks over the past six years starting as a ... More....
They call it the ‘World Championship of Six Days’ – Munich. And the 2009 winners were – Bruno Risi and Franco Marvulli (Switzerland) from world ... More....
It’s still the off season, but BMC are gradually plugging the holes in their 2010 race roster, while Lotto are trying to do the same for their 2010 ... More....
America will never be Belgium, but as of 2009, it does have its own hardman Classic. In its first professional edition, the Tour of the Battenkill ... More....
Here at PEZ, we adore the mud-filled fun of the cyclocross season, but it's an all too rare event to be able to cover the racing like we do during ... More....
I was at the coffee shop the other day answering questions about those funny gold cranks on my bike (which, during the winter when I am riding my ... More....
We love bike racing at PEZ. We really do. Just like our favorite pros though, there's a time at the end of every season for pause, a time for ... More....
