The #TDF2020 is over and @TamauPogi has won the maillot jaune. During Stage 20's TT to la Planche des Belles Filles, if we break down the performance of the top players at the time checks how did their individual rides play out?
Thread 1/7
Primož Roglič's performance on the flat kept within 10-15w (in terms of performance, assuming identical riders) to both Pogačar and Dumoulin (a former world TT champion), as well as riding faster than Porte and Van Aert.
2/7
On the flat the largest impact on speed is aerodynamics and power output, with tyre choice and rider weight also factors. As the road turns upwards the relative importance of aerodynamics decreases, switching instead to power/weight.
3/7
Richie Porte closed the gap in performance to Pogačar on the climb, indicating that he was perhaps less aero for the flatter sections but was putting out enough power to make his climbing speed fast enough, once aerodynamic drag was less important.
4/7
Van Aert had a consistent ride, indicating that he was (using Pogačar as a reference point) as good at flat time trialling speed as he was at uphill climbing speed.
5/7
Using Pogačar as a reference point does skew this a little, as we wouldn't expect him to perfom as well in a flat TT against the pure specialists (Cavagna who isn't on the graph was also faster to the first time check), but this is in reference to the more GC focused riders.
6/7
The conclusion? Roglič was a little slower than Pogačar on the flat, and then an additional ~25w "worse" up the climb. Given the similar equipment (road bikes) for the climb this isn't a massive explosion losing >50w, but the end result was heightened by what was at stake.
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It is nearly time for the @UCI_cycling #Zurich2024 World Championship time trials!
The key info is:
22nd Sunday: M Elite, W Elite, W Para B & C4-5
23rd Monday: M Junior & U23, M Para B & C4-5
24th Tuesday: W Junior, W & M Para T, H & C1-3
Read on to find out more 👇
1/25
We will start with the Men & Women TTs.
They share the main bulk of the course, however the M course is 46.1km and W 29.9km.
From Mönchaltorf the route is identical, heading to Oetwil am See and then taking the Bergstrasse main road west towards Lake Zurich (Zürichsee).
2/25
This section, highlighted here, is probably the most crucial part of the course. It's around 12.5km in length and comes after ~21km of the ME 46.1km course and near the beginning of the WE course.
It contains a 4km drag at 4% and some shorter drags.
So it's the big one - @olympics Time Trial tomorrow for men and women & the first cycling medal on offer.
What's the course like, is it actually going to be raining, what can we expect? Read on for my thoughts!
1/25
#Olympics
@Paris2024
#PARIS2024
The course is identical for men and women (yes!) and is 32.4km long. This is pretty much 20 miles, so for those in the UK looking to compare against their 10 mile PB just divide the time by 2!
48.3kph/30mph is therefore 40min, but the winners will go faster than this.
2/25
Starting at the Pont Alexandre III, and following the river Seine, we wind our way south east to do a lap of the parks at the Bois de Vincennes before heading back to the start line.
A true out & back course which makes it fairer for riders in changing weather conditions.
It's the big one tomorrow for this year's @LeTour - Stage 16 time trial!
With the GC top spot of Jonas Vingegaard within 10sec of @TamauPogi, small differences in the 22.4km largely uphill test will add up!
Read below for my thoughts on what to expect 👇
1/20
#TDFF2023
The stage darts around Passy and finishes in Combloux.
It is 22.4km in length, with a tough short climb at the beginning (it's an uphill drag off the line before you even get there), and then the long >6km climb to finish at the picturesque centre of Combloux.
2/20
Weather wise it looks like it's going to rain 🌧 and not only that, riders will experience a slight headwind for the majority of the race. Tailwind to start, up the first short climb, but the wind is coming from the south west making the final climb a bit slower.
A real world aero test of UCI illegal and legal road bike aero positions (thread!👇) - is forearm riding faster? 🧐
In order to explore the general effects of riding in different positions we headed off to an outdoor velodrome for some aero testing.
1/12
Our test rider was Richard Bussell, multi national TT champion at 76kg/183cm. We tested a variety of different hand positions - below is the data we collected for Richard with W differences quoted at 45kph. At lower speeds these differences will decrease.
2/12
First up was a standard relaxed hoods position. With bibs, jersey, standard wheels and road helmet* Richard's CdA was 0.277m². This is pretty standard for a road bike, on the better end of average - he rides a Giant Propel which is an aero frame.
How much will the TTs at the @giroditalia influence the overall result in the final standings? A thread firstly exploring the details of the stage 1 15.1km TT on Saturday. The three time trials, totalling nearly 65km over the three week race, occur on Stages 1, 14 & 21 👇
1/14
Stage 1 should be filed under "exciting", as it is largely downhill after a short steep climb straight out of the start gate. Riders start in Montreale and head east, finishing in Palermo 15.1km later.
2/14
The steepest section of that first downhill will see the top riders hitting some dramatic peak speeds, but they will occur before a pair of switchback turns, only 600m after that highest speed is reached. The turns are tight and will be tricky.
So it's the elite mens @UCI_cycling TT at #Imola2020 today, over the same 31.7km course that the women rode yesterday, meaning it'll be the shortest (in terms of finishing times) mens World TT champs since it began in 1994.
Thread 1/6
Lots of riders are in the mix for the medals, with of course Rohan Dennis as the defending champion from 2018-2019 & looking to complete the hat trick. Unlike a normal year some riders are just days away from completing the Tour de France, others days from starting the Giro
2/6
I say shortest in terms of finishing times because 2017 in Bergen, Norway was actually 700m shorter, but finished up a hill. That year was won by @tom_dumoulin in 44:41, but the winning time today will be around the 35min mark
3/6