Hi Guys,
Hope you’ve all had a great month of training and racing.
I must admit that I’ve gone into a slightly depression this week with the end of The Tour France. I know many of you will feel the same because years addition was nothing short of sensational to watch. I spent countless hours watching it live during the day and then when I could I’d even watch the highlights program again in the evening. I just couldn’t get enough of it.
I’ve watched The Tour for nearly 30 years now and have never got bored of it. I’ve also pretty much read every book on The Tour and every book on every significant rider in the tour. It’s been a fascinating journey to say the least to understand it’s development over its 121-year history. For me there is no greater sporting spectacle to watch that comes close.
What makes this one so special is the calibre of riders we are witnessing. It truly has been a privilege to watch two such young riders Tadej Pogacar & Jonas Vingegaard go head-to-head. Riders performing at a level I believe we have never witnessed before (which the data clearly shows). What’s even more impressive is who they are as individuals, they have that truly wonderful combination of being great athletes who demonstrate class in everything they do. This is quite refreshing as it shows you don’t haven’t be an egotistical asshole to get to the top of your chosen sport.
For me they remind me so much of the wonderful tennis players like Roger Federer & Raphael Nadal. Sportsman who brought so much more to the game than the incredible tennis they played. Whilst you might be a supporter of one, you couldn’t but help appreciate the wonderful talents of the other. You might not be a tennis fan either but these two would make you want to watch tennis because of the beauty they brought to the game. Their courage, their sportsmanship, their resilience, their personalities and their unquestionable talent is what I see in these two great cyclists. It really doesn’t matter what camp you are in they have captured the hearts and minds of everyone watching them with the way they behave and the way they go out there and race.
The one question I’m always asked is it real? Or said in another way, is it being supported by doping. Unfortunately, this dark cloud will always be present over cycling due to its tainted history. The wool has been pulled over our eyes remember so many times before so the question will always be asked. There is no doubt in my mind that athletes in every sport will always be doping, it’s just in some people’s human nature to want to risk everything and cheat, especially when the rewards are so high. But in their case, there is something about these two that makes me think they could be clean. I may be very wrong on this and hope one day I don’t have to write how foolish and naive I was to believe it. So, for now I choose to believe the eternal optimist in me that it could be real. I just hope they haven’t found some newfound drug, way of masking drugs or way of improving performance that the testers have yet to find about. Sadly, this has been the case the past because the cheats will always be one step ahead of the testers.
Rather focus on this area though I think it’s much better to shine a light on the extraordinary depths these cycling teams are going to find those marginal gains. It is clear there is a much better understanding of training, nutrition and recovery protocols than we did say 30,20 or even 10 years ago. But where some of the biggest gains are being made is the area of new bike technology and aerodynamics. The investment in this area is this is huge, it’s huge because it equates to free speed. That’s speed you don’t need to train hard for.
The innovation currently taking place to find this is quite astounding as we now understand way more about how an athlete can cut through the air with greater efficiency. And the beauty of this is it can all be measured. I have been lucky enough witness all this first hand as I’ve witnessed wind tunnel testing on a few of my athletes over the years. Just be making simple positional changes & using different pieces of kit the watts saving can be huge. I once saw someone achieve an aero improvement in a wind tunnel of over 40 watts by changing his position on the bike, placing his water bottles in a different location, use a different shaped helmet and placing his hands in a slightly different position on his aero bars. Just think of how hard and long you would have to train to increase your output by 40 watts.
For many this kind of innovation is what makes the sport so appealing & exciting and if you want to go faster and faster it’s an area you simply cannot ignore. Sure, you need deep pockets if you want to go the whole hog and be wind tunnel tested. But just remember one of the greatest time trial cyclists of all time – ‘The Flying Scotsman’ Graeme Obree who broke the world hour TT record twice created an aero position on his bike that still to the day is one of the most aerodynamic positions ever created (measured by something called Cda). He made that bike out of washing machine parts and just used his engineers mind to design positions that could take him to a new world record not just once but twice.
So, my advice to any of you wanting to find those free gains is to find a good bike fitter who understands how to fit someone to a bike that makes you both comfortable and aero. There are so many ways someone who has this kind of experience can help make you faster. Even just putting some clip-on aero bars onto a road bike frame can make a huge difference in terms of energy saving (especially if you are riding a flat course). It’s a simple as this, the higher you sit the greater the amount of wind drag there is slowing you down. It’s why a rider could be putting out over 400watts at the front of a large peloton whilst a rider right at the back only needs to put out just over 180watts to travel at the same speed. Going faster is ALL about reducing drag and wind resistance which only increases as you go faster. There are just so many ways you can achieve this that will be specific to each rider.
To give you a greater insight into all of this please read this link which I thought was a fascinating breakdown of the lengths the Tour De France teams are going to to find those extra gains. From stripping their bike frames of paint (it’s extra weight) to wearing £1000 aero socks, no stone is being left unturned. What’s even more fascinating is the fact that each rider set up will be different and specific to them. Whatever choices they made were because of data gathered from wind tunnel testing. What works for one doesn’t work for another and that’s because we all have different body types, proportions and styles of riding.
Tech choices at The Tour De France.
No one has to take it to the extreme like this but believe me when I say I coach age groupers who going to extraordinary lengths & cost to find the latest technology and make aero gains. This is especially the case as you move up higher in the sport of become more serious about it. It’s an area that cannot be ignored. The high tech aside, all it sometimes needs is the application of common sense to realise that if you are riding upright on a flat course compared to others who are on aero bars then you are creating significant drag which is slowing you down. They will have a huge advantage over you.
I’m often asked about the wind tunnel testing I’ve seen in terms of what gets the greatest returns. For me that was clear, it was finding a good comfortable aero position combined with finding the right aero helmet to suit that position. The savings from this alone can be huge. So, if this is an area that you’ve ignored so far, start to consider it. There are so many cheaper ways that you can gain these savings and for me that starts with working with a good bike fitter who can help guide you. This will be worth its weight in gold and give you the biggest return on your investment.
Race results
The Outlaw Triathlon (Ironman)
- Hollie Strawson
- Splits: run 24:19 / bike 5:29:26 / run 4:02:15
- Total Time: 10:03:20
- 3rd in the 25-29 category
Unfortunately green algae put pay to the swim for this years edition of The Outlaw Triathlon. Always a tough for athletes when they experience this as so many of them like Hollie has worked so hard on improving their swims. But like the tough girl we know she is she managed to re-focus and put in a brilliant run/bike/run performance to get herself onto the podium. Huge congrats Hollie.
Ironbourne Triathlon (British Middle-Distance Champs)
- Nick Betteridge
- Splits: swim 33:43 / bike 2:37:10 / run 1:45:37
- Total Time: 5:03:56
- 40-44 category
Huge congrats to Nick for an outstanding performance at The British Middle-Distance Champs where he went nearly 50mins faster than his previous best time 2 years ago. A great marker to put down ahead of his next race – Ironman Copenhagen in August. He didn’t have a race pic to post so we decided to post a photo of his beautiful new bike ‘The Beast’ that he decided he was worthy of purchasing after this performance. She really is a beauty.
Ironbourne Aqua-Bike
- Helen Burton
- Splits: swim 41:09 / bike 3:39:10
- Total Time: 4:41:32
- 1st in the 70-74 category
Great to see this lady back in action again. Love the fact H was prepared to put herself out there to gain some race experience and see where her fitness was it for the swim and bike. A slight injury put pay to attempting the run but a solid confidence building swim and bike none the less. (And yes she did get a telling off for that ‘lunchbox’ attached to the front of her bike!)
Tennet Powertriathlon (Germany)
- David Rueda
- Splits: swim 32:34 / bike 1:09:03 / run 55:55
- Total Time: 2:39:40
- 3rd in the 50-54 category
Always good to see ‘The Flying Spaniard’ doing his thing, this time at The Bavarian Champs in Germany (he gets about!). A terrific performance to take a podium spot whilst preparing for a far bigger ‘Ironman’ later this year.
Dorney Lake Sprint Triathlon (European Champs qualifier)
- Toby Dean
- Splits: swim 12:21 / bike 30:12 / run 19:41
- Total Time: 1:04:10
- 4th in the 50-54 category
In another stacked field Toby lived up to the hype yet again with a qualification finishing positioning at this European Qualification race. He was also just seconds away from a podium position with 2nd and 3rd within touching distance. Nice work Toby.
Dorney Lake Sprint Triathlon
- Peter Hicks
- Splits: swim 13:27 / bike 33:13 / run 23:22
- Total Time: 1:13:44
- 8th in the 20-29 category
Another solid finishing from Peter in only his 2nd ever triathlon. A whopping improvement on the swim + bike from just last month shows great progress is being made. Olympic distance up next!
Dorney Lake Sprint Triathlon
- Viola Traem
- Splits: swim 13:58 / bike 42:23 / run 25:00
- Total Time: 1:26:12
- 30-34 category
Dorney Half Marathon
- Viola Traem
- Splits: Run 1:53:59
- Total Time: 1:26:12
- 4th in 30-34 category / 7th female overall
The first triathlon race of the season for Viola and an excellent overall race performance to open her account. She also backed this up with a huge PB in her Half Marathon at Dorney lake to go sub 2 hours for the first time. Loving your work, Miss Traem!
Race to the stones 100k weekender (50k run/ 50k run)
- Kendra Marsh
- Total Time: 10:07:00
- 1st lady /3rd overall
Another phenomenal 100k race performance from Kendra who went back-to-back on consecutive days running 50k each day at The Race to The Stones. Huge congrats yet again Kendra for a truly stunning effort.
The Hokey Cokey Swim-run
- Anna John & Jo Turner
- Total Time: 8:40:00
The dynamic duo teamed up yet again for one of their classic Swim-run adventures. The venue this time was the Roseland Peninsula in Cornwall. Apparently, there was a lot of scrambling and plenty of laughter on this gritty 8.5km swim/ 28.5km run course. Huge congrats ladies, another fine performance!
Club-to-pub 1500m open water swim
Congrats to all our guys & girls that completed the Club-to-pub open water swim last weekend. I hardly recognise you out of your swim gear! What a good-looking bunch you are. Looks like Jo had a great time celebrating her age group win as well…hope you hid the tables!
What I’ve been watching this month…
I watched 2 extraordinary documentaries this month of two British athletes I was such a huge fan of growing up. These were 2-time decathlon Olympic Gold medallist Daley Thompson & Olympic 100m Gold medallist Linford Christie. Both such different characters with extraordinary ability. I still to this day cannot fathom the times that Daley ran and the heights & length he jumped. As fascinating as these athletes are both documentaries showed how extraordinarily cruel our press can be to the athletes that have brought us such joy over the years. They build them up then take them down in a pattern that has become all too familiar over the years when your face doesn’t quite fit. It only left me with a greater sense of admiration for them when you understand what they had to go through to achieve what they did.
Daley Thompson: Olympic Superstar
If you want to see altar ego’s on a whole new level, then this is the documentary for you! Perfectly timed as ever from Netflix, this shines a light on the big names we are about to see at the Olympics who race over 100m and 200m on the track. You might not like some of them initially but by the end of it they start to show their more ‘human side’ as you get to know them better. It really is fascinating insight into this unique world.
Team out & about
What a night for our favourite German (don’t be fooled by the Australian T-shirt) to be at the Olympic pool to see her fellow countryman Lukas Maertens take the 400m Gold medal!
Julian’s Angels (or Devils?)
Two lean mean endurance machines on show here. Always great to see Father & Son keeping their hand in with a cheeky 5K whilst on holiday.
Andy Rogerson suited and booted as he prepares to take on the challenge of Ironman Wales in September. Huge congrats Andy on and outstanding week long reccie that certainly wasn’t for the feint hearted! (34 hours training dusted)
Welcome to the world baby Elise! Born on the same day as Michael Phelps apparently. As her Mum said to me “this girl is ready to swim!” Look forward to tracking that journey Katrina Davison, huge congrats to both you & Pete.
This one’s for all the short light guys & girls who over the years have told me they can’t compete power wise with bigger stronger athletes on flat courses. Here’s your new inspiration – New Olympic Time Trial Champion & Tour De France 3rd place finisher Remco Evenpoel standing between these two cycling giants at 5ft 7inches weighing just 61kgs!