Monday 3 January 2011

How fast is Farrar

We seen the sprinters thunder towards the finish line, all elbows and teeth. Great fun listening to commentators like the legendary Phil Ligett and Paul Sherwen, insisting that the riders move at a speed of 60-70 km/h. The peloton gain about one minute per km on the break away when the finish line is close. I love seeing those nervewrecking marvellous scenes when the peloton roars and swallow a small break away when it is only 400 metres to go. That's some calculation by the different Sport Directors. What a disappointment to the riders in the break away, being alone for 150 km only to be catched just before the line. They will not have a easy day next day, having given all they've got on the bike to stay clear from the peloton.

How do the sprinters train to accomplish that speed? It certainly takes it turn on the sprinters, being able to actually sprint after 185 kilometres and 5, 5 hrs on the bike. Sprinters are normally shorter and more bulky than other riders. As a result they struggle if there are some climbs in the race. Not many knows that sprinters does not get carried to the finish line; in order to sprint they need to give away their capacity to climb, which in return gives them no easy days on the bike.

Here's how Tyler Farrar trains his ability to reach his top-end speed, normally sprinters do these after some hours on the bike as well.


Via TGTProCycling

2 comments:

  1. Amazing, 78 km/h on a flat road!

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  2. Hi Sebastian; yes it is incredible. Note that during the Vuelta sprinters normally train an hour or so after some stages. Training like the video above with pace, to get in shape for the longer race coming not so long after; the Worlds.

    That won't happen this year though, at least not the sprinters, as the course is way too hard for them this year.

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