<i>The Rock Racing team had a booth at Interbike this year, complete with hot babes and hot cars. This really isn’t earth shattering news, but for one detail. While manning the booth, Frankie Andreu and Rahsaan Bahati became our captive interviewees. If you can’t run, you can’t hide from Alex’s voice recorder.

Frankie was up first:</i>

<b>VN:</b> What races are the team looking to do next year?

<b>FA:</b> Tour of California, Georgia, we’re looking towards bigger road races, stage races. This year we had a great criterium team, next year we hired on some road racers so we can do stage races.

<b>VN:</b> How is this team different than other teams?

<b>FA:</b> With this team it’s almost like there is no budget. With Michael (Ball), he is so involved, and he’s so excited about the whole program, that when certain things need to be done, it gets done. And when he doesn’t agree with certain things, it doesn’t get done. So it’s very different in that way, almost like a month to month budget.

Obviously we have a program that we go through for the year. But he’s very hands on, he controls a lot of what’s going on.

<b>VN:</b> How did Michael get involved in cycling?

<b>FA:</b> He used to race, he loves cycling, he still races on the track, and uh, last year, 2006, they were going to start a track team, and Haldane Morris, who helped put together this team, he was talking with Michael, and said, “You know what, we shouldn’t just do a track team, let’s make more of an impact and do a road team.” And that’s how it started out. And now, next year, it’s really going to be a large road team.

<b>VN:</b> Can you tell us who’s going to be on the team next year?

<b>FA:</b> Aw, come on! You’re not going to make me give that up, are you? (laughs)

<b>VN:</b> Well, we gotta ask… There’s gotta be a lot of bargains out there right now.

<b>FA:</b> There are, there’s a lot of bargains out there. But, most of the guys from last year are coming back, so we got Rahsaan Bahati, K Grand (Kayle Leogrande), some other guys, we signed new for next year, climber Michael Creed, Greg Owenshaw, great climber Cesar Grajales, we signed, fast man Freddy Rodriguez, also, we’re pretty sure we’ve got Chris Horner.

<b>VN:</b> For being afraid to give it up you gave it all up!

<b>FA:</b> Our last strong guy is Victor Hugo Pena. So you’re right, I just gave it all up.

<b>VN:</b> So where’s your tattoos?

<b>FA:</b> (laughs) I don’t have any tattoos. Right now, I think Kayle is the only one with tattoos. We’re not that rebellious!

So, we’re going to start selling jerseys, we got all the fancy setups, all that stuff is done.

<b>VN:</b> Are you going to race Looks next year?

<b>FA:</b> Yep, it’s done.

<i>Next, we triangulated down on Rahsaan and blocked all means of egress.</i>

<b>VN:</b> We know someone in common. You know Corey Pendleton?

<b>RB:</b> Who?

<b>VN:</b> Tall guy, nice guy…

<b>RB:</b> Oh, I call him New York, yeah I know Corey.

<b>VN:</b> Did you ever race in New York?

<b>RB:</b> All I ever did was Bike New York. I never did that New York Invitational, I was kind of at the bottom of the totem pole at that point (Rahsaan was on Saturn). So I did Bike New York twice, it was fun.

<b>VN:</b> You never did the race on the airfield, the Floyd Bennett race?

<b>RB:</b> I did a training race, one day…

<b>VN: </b> …big, flat, bumpy…

<b>RB:</b> …I was staying with my friend in Sleepy Hollow at the time, 2001 maybe, it was a long time ago, it was at an airport base? I got smacked, too, ten, fifteen guys beat me.

<b>VN:</b> All those local guys that know where every crack is… So what’s going on for next year?

<b>RB:</b> Rock and Republic is stepping it up a lot, a lot of big names will be on board…

<b>VN:</b> Frankie already gave it all up.

<b>RB:</b> He did?

<b>VN:</b> Freddy Rodriguez, Chris Horner…

<b>RB:</b> Yeah, hopefully all that pans out, we can work it out. I’m super excited. I’ve never been so excited to keep racing. Usually, this time of year, I’m ready to chill out…

<b>VN:</b> Does that mean your big win this year (Huntington Beach) has affected your enthusiasm?

<b>RB:</b> Yeah, with bigger names coming on, for me, I have to step my game up. If I want to do California, I’m not just going to do it ’cause I’m a sprinter. I have to be able to compete and get to the end, you know, so, that’s what I’m motivated about. I have a family, and that keeps me motivated, just bought a house, that keeps me motivated.

<b>VN:</b> Paying your mortgage keeps you motivated?

<b>RB:</b> You’re absolutely right. You know, to be a team guy, and help the team be successful, if I don’t, I might be racing in the park after next year.

<b>VN:</b> Do you look forward to learning from Freddy and the other sprinters?

<b>RB:</b> I did Tour of Elk Grove, and Freddy and Chris (Horner) were there, and I know Chris well, but I don’t know Freddy well, never really talked to him. And after the race, I went up to him and said, “It was a pleasure racing with you.” I learned a lot from two days of racing just by looking at him. It’d be exciting if we could close the deal with him. I’ll learn so much.

<b>VN:</b> Are you going to concentrate on sprinting again next year?

<b>RB:</b> You know, I joke around, but I said I’m going to a climber next year. Honestly, it’s possible. When I was at TIAA-Cref I did a lot of hilly races that year. I did Philly that year, I’m not going to say it was easy, but I didn’t have a hard time. I was able to compete, I was in some of the breaks.

<b>VN:</b> Yeah, in some of the longer races, it’s not like a crit, where you can just wait for the end and sprint. You have to be there to sprint.

<b>RB:</b> Yeah, I’m really dedicated, determined to work on my climbing. That’s all I’m gonna do. I’m going to climb four days a week. I’m serious. I’m going to climb four days a week. I’m going to leave my family for a few weeks this year, go to altitude. I’m really going to go for it. I figure I have to separate myself from the other sprinters, be like JJ Haedo, kinda do it all.

<b>VN:</b> And you’ll get to talk to Horner, I’m sure he’ll       He doesn’t like to talk at all… Very chatty.

<b>RB:</b> (laughs) I know that first hand! He can analyze everything. How you can be better, what you did wrong…

<b>VN:</b> Is he brutally honest or does he dance around it?

<b>RB:</b> He’s brutally honest, like Erik Saunders. I’ll always call him (Erik) a likeable asshole. He told one of my old teammates to retire. “This is not for you, go race cat 4’s.” And he became a manager.

<b>VN:</b> Maybe he did him a favor.

<b>RB:</b> Well, he did US a favor.