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Energy to weight ratio is the final word measurement
Probably the most essential metrics to know if you wish to have some thought about how spectacular skilled cyclists at Grand Excursions are, is the power to weight ratio (PWR). Biking shouldn’t be solely in regards to the energy that legs can produce, it’s additionally about how a lot physique weight and bicycle weight the riders have to maneuver. If you wish to calculate your individual PWR, you may take a look at our earlier article on this subject.
This 12 months noticed some really record-breaking energy numbers at Grand Excursions, particularly by the 2 world’s greatest Jonas Vingegaard and Tadej Pogačar. However to set the scene, let’s check out one of our older articles from 2020. We talked about Julian Alaphilippe’s wonderful time trial efficiency on the Tour in 2019 the place he sustained roughly 6,2W/kg PWR for 35 minutes. We additionally talked about a unbelievable Michal Kwiatkowski’s close to 6-minute effort at 6,5W/kg within the closing climb of the Milan-San Remo 2019 after racing for 7 hours already. These are really spectacular numbers however 2023 utterly blows them out of the water.
Col de Marie Blanque
Stage 5 on the 2023 Tour de France was the place we noticed Jonas Vingegaard totally unleash his talents to supply probably the greatest climbing performances of his profession. Col de Marie Blanque is a class 1 climb 7,8 km lengthy with a mean gradient of 8,4% the place the ultimate 4,8 km are averaging over 10%. Here’s a comparability of knowledge from the identical climb accomplished in 2020 by Pogačar and estimates energy output for Vingegaard.
Pogačar (2020): time 24:28, common energy 428w, 6,4W/kg
Vingegaard (2023): time 22:56, ~6,9W/kg
![Jonas Vingegaard](https://d2p6e6u75xmxt8.cloudfront.net/2/2023/08/Vingegaard-profimedia-0787337751.webp)
Col du Tourmalet & Cote de Cauterets
Pogačar didn’t have to attend lengthy for a chance to point out off as effectively as a result of stage 6 included the mythic climb to Col du Tourmalet and end at Cote de Cauterets. With a size of 17 km, common gradient of seven,4%, and an elevation of 2100 m, Tourmalet earns the “Hors class” badge rating it among the many hardest climbs in Grand Excursions. Vingegaard attacked 4,7 km beneath the highest however Pogačar stayed with him. Listed below are the approximate energy numbers for each of them for the final 4,7 km of Tourmalet.
Pogačar: time 13:19, common energy ~449w, ~6.8W/kg
Michał Kwiatkowski was the one one capable of cling with Pogačar and Vingegaard within the closing climb to Cote de Cauterets. He was pushing 6,5W/kg earlier than he was dropped. With round 2,8 km to the end line Pogačar attacked and dropped Vingegaard to earn a stage win.
Vingegaard: time 13:24, ~6.6W/kg
Pogačar: time 13:00, ~6.7W/kg
Puy du Dôme
Unimaginable numbers stored coming in stage 7 with a steep end at Puy du Dôme that averages 11,5% within the final 4,5 km. Pogačar launched his assault with 1,3 km to go to sprinting for almost 30 seconds to create a niche between himself and Vingegaard. He managed to complete 8 seconds forward of his rival. Here’s what the approximate numbers for each appeared like within the closing 4,5 km.
Vingegaard: time 14:54, ~6.8W/kg
Pogačar: time 14:46, ~6.9W/kg
We’re coming into an period of 7W/kg
The primary week of the Tour de France this 12 months has confirmed us that Vingegaard and Pogačar are capable of trip at 6,9W/kg for quarter-hour in direction of the tip of a 5-hour lengthy Tour stage. These are numbers that many didn’t suppose could be doable with out efficiency enhancing medication. It actually looks like we’re coming into a brand new period of biking efficiency.
The one factor extra spectacular than the numbers talked about right here stands out as the other-worldly efficiency of Jonas Vingegaard through the time trial of stage 16 of the 2023 Tour de France. We’ll take a more in-depth take a look at that within the subsequent article on this sequence.
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