It's all about the.........data!

Morrisseeee

Interesting article here about the last (counting) day in the Vuelta, this link shows Nibali's SRM data, it makes interesting reading. Also on this site are other people's data, like the sprinter, what's his name, ye know Cavendish's friend, .........Greipel
More reading from TDF.
Here's another link to calculate your own power,............yikes, mine's not good, room for improvement :rolleyes:
Generally, that article (and others) from the TDF is suggesting that today's top pros are not producing 'mad' levels like they did in the EPO riddled years, where the author (LeMond & others) are suggesting that a (thick) line be drawn in the sand around 6W/kg, and that anything above that would show warning signals as to doping.

leftism

Not entirely sure about that 6W/kg line in the sand....

6W/kg is the average power output produced by international male persuiters capable of sub 4.30 in the 4km IP. Are we to assume that all persuiters under 4.30 are dopers?

petethedrummer

I think they usually mean 6W/kg for around 20 or 30mins. Someone will know the correct figure. But its definitely longer than 4 minutes 30 seconds.

Morrisseeee

Not entirely sure about that 6W/kg line in the sand....

He does point out that it's not a definitive 'line' but that it is a kind of 'junction' point where warning signals are starting to go off.

they usually mean 6W/kg for around 20 or 30mins

Yep, he's definitely talking about certain sustained efforts, like the Tourmalet or Madeleine climb in the TDF.
He states: "...that it's not physiological to ride at around 6.2W/kg or higher for 40 minutes". He bases it on the VO2 max (or at a certain percentage of it) and efficiency.

Diarmuid

The figure usually quoted is your FTP power, which you should be able to maintain for about 1hr.

The article quotes 5.5W/Kg and 5.4W/kg on the climbs, which is quite encouraging.

ryan_sherlock

I was watching the 2002 TdF coverage while spending quality time on the trainer around Christmas - that was a different era. Lance just blew everyone away at the end of each climb - the climbing specialists dropped like flies.

The last two to three years I always loved looking at the riders (possibly tainted - but that is another days discussion) data - very impressive, but not anything impossible.

In November (3 weeks back training) I did 5.85W/kg for a 20 minute climb - it was a race, so I was motivated but wasn't at the end of a 3 week grand tour. I can believe the figures the guys are doing in the climbs.

levitronix

Its great your able to get a glimpse what the pros put out and better yet what the boardies put out haha ... been trainning with power now for 2 weeks and have to say everytime i ve been on the bike has had a purpose

Lumen

ryan_sherlock wrote: »

In November (3 weeks back training) I did 5.85W/kg for a 20 minute climb - it was a race, so I was motivated but wasn't at the end of a 3 week grand tour. I can believe the figures the guys are doing in the climbs.

Didn't you do 6.2 W/kg up Shay Elliot in the Ras?

ryan_sherlock

Lumen wrote: »

Didn't you do 6.2 W/kg up Shay Elliot in the Ras?

Yeah, but that was a little 8.5 minute bump :P

The run in, and the sprint over the top was hard too though.

uberwolf

ryan_sherlock wrote: »

I was watching the 2002 TdF coverage while spending quality time on the trainer around Christmas.

OT - but you find those just poking around youtube? I've hit a wall trying to find videos.

ryan_sherlock

uberwolf wrote: »

OT - but you find those just poking around youtube? I've hit a wall trying to find videos.

dvd box set.

leftism

Fair enough point about sustained 6+W/kg for 20-30 mins.

I also recently watched highlights of 2002-2004 tours. Apart from the superhuman climbing by LA, i was just shocked at some of his timetrial performances...

It is madness that on similar stages in the tour over the last 2 years, even Cancellara couldn't match the avg speeds Lance was putting in. And thats a man that many would consider the greatest timetrialler of all time? Its just madness!

leftism

ryan_sherlock wrote: »

dvd box set.

Would'nt happen to be the Lance DVD box set would it? My bro bought me that for Christmas... I think he was trying to piss me off more than anything :rolleyes: