Did you learn anything watching the tour?

[starship]

Has anyone else learned something about cycling while watching the tour. Techniques, equipment, what ever.

One thing I noticed is that most riders on the tour keep their knees pulled in tight to the bike.

One my ride today, I caught a little head wind, dropped down into the drops, pulled my knees in, (like those on the tour do) and spun. Picked up to 22-23MPH and my heart rate dropped? Less wind resistance? I don’t know, but it sure felt good!

 

[SLS]

Originally posted by starship
Has anyone else learned something about cycling while watching the tour. Techniques, equipment, what ever.

One thing I noticed is that most riders on the tour keep their knees pulled in tight to the bike.

One my ride today, I caught a little head wind, dropped down into the drops, pulled my knees in, (like those on the tour do) and spun. Picked up to 22-23MPH and my heart rate dropped? Less wind resistance? I don’t know, but it sure felt good!

Let's see - How not to ride in a peloton, that you still need to pay attention around you when talking to your team manager, rain can suck especially on corners, if the person in front of you did it - you can to...
Truthfully over the years, I have learned alot about the sport - I am just wondering this year which race I am watching - the Tour de France or the Tour de Crash

 

[starship]

My first time to watch the tour, you mean they don't aways crash!

<VBG>

 

[velomanct]

isn't it proper cycling technique to keep your knees in line with your legs, or close to the top tube?

i don't know why anyone would ride with their knees pointing out.

 

[starship]

Because many of us were never taught the proper Technique, What I know I have read from Bicycling mag, and watching this tour. As soon as I can keep up, I will start group rides with the local club!
49, overweight, and riding all I can!

 

[Aztec]

Yeah, I've learned that Chris Charmichael can't/won't answer a single training question directly! The dude hedges and hems/haws out of everything. Al Trautwig (I think that's his name) even asked the V02 question TWICE and CC still didn't answer it.

 

[starship]

Humm, Does Chris have a web site for training? How did you ask him questions?

Anyway, have a super day!

 

[Aztec]

Originally posted by starship
Humm, Does Chris have a web site for training? How did you ask him questions?

Anyway, have a super day!

He does a spot on OLN's coverage of the TdF.

 

[gntlmn]

Well, I did learn that if the peloton is rolling along at a very fast clip, the crash rate goes way down. This is because the riders don't have a chance to bunch up, and it is more likely that gaps will develop in the peloton, further spreading the riders.

They have had much trouble with crashes this year because about 5 teams are insisting on being in the front to protect their lead riders. There just isn't enough room for that. It used to not be so hard to maintain a position in the front. Lemond used to do it, Indurain, and Armstrong as well. But now it seems that they all want to do it at the same time.

 

[ric_stern/RST]

Originally posted by Aztec
Yeah, I've learned that Chris Charmichael can't/won't answer a single training question directly! The dude hedges and hems/haws out of everything. Al Trautwig (I think that's his name) even asked the V02 question TWICE and CC still didn't answer it.

what did you want to know about VO2max, or were you just making a point?

ric

 

[Aztec]

Originally posted by ricstern
what did you want to know about VO2max, or were you just making a point?

ric

Just making a point. Trautwig asked him at least 2 or 3 times to give some relative V02 values after Charmichael had said that Armstrong's was 80 or so. His answers were so oblique that he would've made politicians proud. This is a pattern with him -- he'll say something that sounds interesting, he'll get questions about it, and then duck for cover. Lame.

 

[ric_stern/RST]

and probably, closer to the upper 80's mL/min/kg (88, 89??)

ric (65 mL/kg/min) the last time i was tested!

 

[the brother]

Originally posted by ricstern
and probably, closer to the upper 80's mL/min/kg (88, 89??)

ric (65 mL/kg/min) the last time i was tested!

I read somewhere that LA was a lowly 83 ml/mg/min in comparison to Big Mig's 93ml/mg/min!!
Not always size that counts but what you do with it

 

[the brother]

Sorry. I got my facts wrong.

Greg Lomond quoted as having a VO2 of 92.5 and LA 83.8 quoted on World of Endurance but no dates so not sure if LA's is past or present.
mine is 76.2ml/kg/min at the moment.

Originally posted by the brother
I read somewhere that LA was a lowly 83 ml/mg/min in comparison to Big Mig's 93ml/mg/min!!
Not always size that counts but what you do with it

 

[kennf]

I've been watching the Tour for 20 years, but I am constantly amazed at the pro's ability to just motor on the flats at over 30 mph. I'm not talking about drafting behind the pack, I'm talking about guys like Floyd Landis just sitting at the front cranking out miles like they're on a leisurely training ride! As for the 40 mph pace in the last 5 Km-- that's just inhuman.

 

[El Loto]

Has anyone else learned something about cycling while watching the tour. Techniques, equipment, what ever.

One thing I noticed is that most riders on the tour keep their knees pulled in tight to the bike.

One my ride today, I caught a little head wind, dropped down into the drops, pulled my knees in, (like those on the tour do) and spun. Picked up to 22-23MPH and my heart rate dropped? Less wind resistance? I don’t know, but it sure felt good!

I must say i have learnt most of my technique from watching the tour. I have a hardtail MTB so when climbing instead on placing my hands on the top of the grips i hold the end of the handlebars. It makes going out of the saddle much easier. I also have learnt to keep a consistent cadence and not to over or under-gear myself.

 

[dhk]

I must say i have learnt most of my technique from watching the tour. I have a hardtail MTB so when climbing instead on placing my hands on the top of the grips i hold the end of the handlebars. It makes going out of the saddle much easier. I also have learnt to keep a consistent cadence and not to over or under-gear myself.

1) Lance can climb long 8-10% grades at 90-100 rpm in his 39/23....that's about 12-13 mph if I'm doing the arithmetic correctly, or at least double my speed.

2) HR's seem to be much lower than I expected. On the final laps of the Champs D'Elysee yesterday, with about 2-3 laps to go, the OLN screen showed O'Grady's HR at 145, then 153, out of 190. That's only 80% of his max. By comparison, I'm often higher than 80% for the last hour of a tough club ride, especially when it's hot in July.

 

[ric_stern/RST]

1) Lance can climb long 8-10% grades at 90-100 rpm in his 39/23....that's about 12-13 mph if I'm doing the arithmetic correctly, or at least double my speed.

and consequently, while using 'normal' sized gears, it's impossible for anyone outside of LA to pedal at a high cadence on such grades! (because the rest of us can't produce that power for as long as required)

2) HR's seem to be much lower than I expected. On the final laps of the Champs D'Elysee yesterday, with about 2-3 laps to go, the OLN screen showed O'Grady's HR at 145, then 153, out of 190. That's only 80% of his max. By comparison, I'm often higher than 80% for the last hour of a tough club ride, especially when it's hot in July.

as you fatigue through an event such as the TdF, or race on consecutive days (for mere mortals) your HR becomes depressed even though your power output stays the same.

ric

 

[Doctor Morbius]

DHK, I noticed O'Grady's HR also. I was under the impression that these guys are just super fit and are able to produce mucho power/speed at a low HR. I've read where Lance does much (5 to 6 hours worth) work at 60% of MaxHR, which for him is only about 125ish BPM all the while he's riding 20 MPH.

I was just under the impression that all of the TdF guys had super-mega fitness levels, which I'm sure they do. However, in that last stage they were riding around 30 MPH for those laps and a HR of 145 - 153 for O'Grady sounds phenomenal.



Ricstern, I like your expanation better.

 

[ric_stern/RST]

DHK, I noticed O'Grady's HR also. I was under the impression that these guys are just super fit and are able to produce mucho power/speed at a low HR. I've read where Lance does much (5 to 6 hours worth) work at 60% of MaxHR, which for him is only about 125ish BPM all the while he's riding 20 MPH.

he trains with power output rather than HR, and his HR may look low because of the rest periods involved when e.g., descending. I don't believe he actually trains at 60% HRmax, as this is too low an intensity to elicit adaptations.

I was just under the impression that all of the TdF guys had super-mega fitness levels, which I'm sure they do. However, in that last stage they were riding around 30 MPH for those laps and a HR of 145 - 153 for O'Grady sounds phenomenal.

Ricstern, I like your expanation better.

i don't know what O'Grady's HRmax is, but it'll decrease during the TdF, while power remains the same (or drops a much smaller amount).

you can see data on various TdF riders that i wrote here http://tdf.polar.fi/tourdefrance/

ric