Rollers have really evolved now

By Edward Swier

Iljo Keisse had been looking forward to the Amsterdam Six-day for months. The Belgian rider lives and breathes for winter track racing. “It is about to start again, awesome.” On top of that Keisse knew, in Amsterdam he would finally get the much desired and long awaited Antares rollers by Tacx. After a brief test ride, in between derny races, sprints and madisons, Keisse was sold. “This is a huge improvement, rollers have really evolved now. You can adjust it for size, you cannot fall off and they look great too. They are no longer drab and grey, but a nice ‘clean’ blue.” The fact that the Antares is easily transported also pleases Keisse tremendously. “Because I really take my rollers everywhere I go and with all the bikes I carry I don’t have a lot of space left.”

Magnificent cadence
Keisse uses the rollers a lot. “I think I use them more than anyone else. Sometimes I leave late for my training, sometimes even on purpose. That causes me to get in fewer kilometres on the road and I then have to ‘punish’ myself by doing some extra training on the rollers. The cadence is magnificent; I really enjoy riding them, at some 130, 135 rpm. This suppleness is crucial on the track. It is virtually impossible to train this way on the road, or you would have to have a derny at your disposal at all times.”

Ideal position
Unlike his colleagues, Keisse does not ride his rollers in front of a television set. “I always ride mine in the garage.” But Keisse tells his secret; my garage is equipped with a large mirror. “I like to look at myself”, he smiles. “However good my position may seem to be, I keep working at it constantly. When I see myself busy working out I can keep at it for hours without even so much as glancing at my watch.