Tdf2020 SPOILER ALERT!

Dare I say it… Sunweb? Very strong team of riders, just need a GC rider :person_tipping_hand:

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Yeah they’ve had a good tour haven’t they.

Interesting write up from aerocoach about today’s TT

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Is he a GC rider though? Look at Landa and Porte. Both looked great at Sky and it was said at the time they were wasted as domestiques. Neither of them has shown since that they were actually GC winners.

Probably because they don’t have to worry about GC, they can just go stage hunting. Having a GC contender means having to ride in a specific way that is all in for the leader.

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Quick question regarding today’s stage and the possibility of changing bikes before the climb.
Are clip on aero bars UCI legal. If so, why not use an aero road bike with clip ons. TT position for the flat, but standard bars for the climb?
If the swap loses 15 seconds, surely the above setup would be better?

Bugger, missed the deadline to change my road captain.

They would need to be able to operate front and rear brakes with them.

TT bikes are a bit more aero than road bikes so would this not negate any time advantage?

It’s not about the bike, it’s about the position using a TT bike can get you into.

Even using an aero bike, YOU are the biggest factor in overcoming drag.
A TT bike is better at getting this lower for you.

Whilst also allowing you to produce similar power, right? Could get aggressively low on road bike but suffer the consequences?

If you could make a cockpit that could achieve those two things, you’d just make that cockpit, there is no UCI legality to prevent you doing it, but it’s very unlikely to be faster in that you could not construct such a cockpit that provided those two positions on the same bike.

clip-on’s do not give you a TT position. In fact they’re actually normally slower than the bike alone in an optimised position - they’re signficantly more comfortable though and probably more aero if you do not have an optimised position.

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I dunno about that?!
Personally, my TT numbers are lower than road bike.
For me, I just find the sustained effort easier on a TT bike.

Chris Boardman said some science about it all in the last fifteen minutes of last nights highlights show.

Maybe @JibberJim or someone far more knowledgable than me can give us the lowdown…

I went for Roglic today. He only has 40 secs on Pogacar, so I don’t think he’ll be taking it easy on himself.

I thought it was 57?

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Cavagna burning it up. Blew past Tony Martin who was his 3 minute man! I know TM is not the TM of vintage, but still… .

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Wonder if there are any Pinot fans in the area? :slight_smile:

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Was literally talking about him when he went on a solo breakaway wondering if he could have gone faster. He is French TT champion.

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Everyone should remember SteveI, extremely fast on a TT bike, not unexeptional numbers, and his numbers in his TT position started low and slowly raised until they were reasonably close to his non TT position. The extremely cramped super aero position will typically reduce power, with training in position it’ll reduce it less.

Because it is also a lower overall power, but not much less efficient in energy terms, you’re burning fewer calories which makes everything that little bit easier.

You are much more likely to be constrained in power on your aero position than a road bike - more aero typically brings everything down, that’s not so feasible in a road bike - you need the longer frame. A longer framed road bike will harm cornering.

WvA is quite good across the board then

Mildly above average.