Tour de France 2012 (with SPOILERS)

[raindog]

And they mentioned the other day that, so far, this Tour has a similar average speed as ones in the mid 80s - even though there's been bad news this last couple of days, it looks as if we're getting there.

 

[Dave Davenport]

Assuming that Wiggins, Froome and Nibali are all pretty close to their limit, 5.99 W/kg would suggest that either they are clean, or whatever "preparation" any of them are using is not giving them much advantage?

I think them being on or very near their limit is a pretty safe assumption. If Nibali had anything left he'd have gone, and if Wiggins / Froome did they'd have carried on past him after his last dig.

 

[iLB]

Bit of a blunt tool for comparison but here are some other VAM's for the great climbers on different climbs http://i.imgur.com/s5pYc.png

 

[Smokin Joe]

And they mentioned the other day that, so far, this Tour has a similar average speed as ones in the mid 80s - even though there's been bad news this last couple of days, it looks as if we're getting there.

And when you consider the bikes they are using now are considerably lighter and with three more sprockets than the eighties bikes it does indeed point to the fact that large scale doping is no longer prevalent.

 

[swansonj]

Yes, same W/kg for same time on same climb. Weight cancels out.
Actual watts per rider will vary depending on winds, drafting, but the W/kg figures ignore these.

Energy used = Mass x height x g
Average watts = Energy / time
Watts per kg = Average Watts / Mass = gh/t (g=9.81, h in metres, t in seconds)

But, at 23 kph, aren't they expending 10% or more of their power against wind rather than gravity? Presumably the W/kg calculation makes an assumption about the drag coefficient - does it assume the same for all of them, or a cyclist-specific figure? I don't know how much the drag coefficient varies between cyclists who are all wearing similar clothes and adopting similar postures. Apologies if this has all been debated somewhere already.

 

[Kiwiavenger]

But, at 23 kph, aren't they expending 10% or more of their power against wind rather than gravity? Presumably the W/kg calculation makes an assumption about the drag coefficient - does it assume the same for all of them, or a cyclist-specific figure? I don't know how much the drag coefficient varies between cyclists who are all wearing similar clothes and adopting similar postures. Apologies if this has all been debated somewhere already.

If your going with drag then wiggo would be putting out more relative power due to the burns

Sent from my LT15i using Tapatalk 2

 

[Flying_Monkey]

Bit of a blunt tool for comparison but here are some other VAM's for the great climbers on different climbs http://i.imgur.com/s5pYc.png

"Mr 60%", Bjarne Riis, being up in second there is the biggest joke of all.

 

[Chuffy]

Bit of a blunt tool for comparison but here are some other VAM's for the great climbers on different climbs http://i.imgur.com/s5pYc.png

Wow. Not an inspiring group of chaps is it?

 

[Slaav]

Did I not see Froome shake his head and gesture for Wiggo to go after Nibbles on his last attack near the top?

The attack before they just calmly put their heads down and Froome went after him with Wiggo tucked in behind. This time though, either Froome was not quite up to it or felt that Wiggo should do some work himself ??

 

[thom]

Did I not see Froome shake his head and gesture for Wiggo to go after Nibbles on his last attack near the top?

Yep

 

[buddha]

If your going with drag then wiggo would be putting out more relative power due to the burns

No, 'the burns' are either the result of months of wind-tunnel testing to break-up the "boundary layer" drag around his bonce, or they are specifically grown to catch tail winds for an extra boost - as he's so skinny. Or both.

 

[gb155]

Did I not see Froome shake his head and gesture for Wiggo to go after Nibbles on his last attack near the top?

The attack before they just calmly put their heads down and Froome went after him with Wiggo tucked in behind. This time though, either Froome was not quite up to it or felt that Wiggo should do some work himself ??

Yeah that's what I saw too

Froome dog was either done or wanted wiggo to get his freak on

 

[lukesdad]

And when you consider the bikes they are using now are considerably lighter and with three more sprockets than the eighties bikes it does indeed point to the fact that large scale doping is no longer prevalent.

You may find this rather interesting http://bicycles.stackexchange.com/questions/7661/why-arent-tour-de-france-riders-going-any-faster

 

[lukesdad]

And they mentioned the other day that, so far, this Tour has a similar average speed as ones in the mid 80s - even though there's been bad news this last couple of days, it looks as if we're getting there.

Or it could be down to a complete lack of interest from the sprinters teams

 

[lukesdad]

Bit of a blunt tool for comparison but here are some other VAM's for the great climbers on different climbs http://i.imgur.com/s5pYc.png

What ! No Virenque ? I am dissapointed