TT warm up - how far?

[Ludwig]

How far is is necessary to warm up for say a 10 mile time trial? Would it be a good idea to ride the complete course first at a steady pace before the event? I seem to remember in a T de F mountain stage, the very tough Gap to Orcieres Merlette, which is about 25 miles and some riders like Delgado, Fignon and Indurain doing the whole course as a warm up in the morning before the main TT in the afternoon.

 

[Tim Bennet.]

It's quite possible to ride the whole of a 10 mile TT course as a warm up, as you do need quite a while to get truly warmed up, including a couple of bursts up to full speed. Remember to eat and drink during this phase as you want to set off will your glycogen levels at 'full'.

But 'Tour' riders going for a ride in the morning is actually about recovering and helping clear the muscles of waste from the previous week's hard riding than as part of the warm up. The warm up will be done in the hours immediately before their start, including a long, fairly high intensity time on the turbo.

But whether you want to ride the course is up to you. Some people like to know it in intimate detail, but I find a little knowledge (ie a single trip round) is worse than no knowledge at all.

 

[Keith Oates]

I suppose all people are different but for me I need about a 10Km warm up distance, with the sweat starting to show, before I get a good flowing feeling!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[andy_wrx]

Personally, I like to ride the course before the event and look out for potholes, manhole covers and drains, etc. and work-out how to approach the roundabout that's often the turnround point on an out-and-back course.

But this will be the weekend before or day before, not whilst the course is 'live' because the organisers and other competitors may not be too enthusiastic about you messing about pootling round, getting in others' way and confusing the timers ...

That's why many people warm-up on a turbo in the carpark.