Cycling thread

Bizarre speed wobble from Antonio Tiberi (young rider with Trek, junior world TT champ) in the UAE Tour TT- coming up to the finish line he ends up going over it on his arse. Too hurt to continue the race unfortunately. Ganna absolutely flayed the field as per.



Van der Poel won stage 1 but entire team sent home with a +ve covid test.
 

Been getting back out again last few days after pretty much 6 weeks of Zwifting and running with only 2-3 outdoor rides.

Definitely feeling the benefit of the Zwift training in terms of being able to sustain a decent wattage. It was an extremely tough 35k today in the wind, though. Was 20kmph crosswinds and had to take it steady, but still hitting a decent average (26.7kmph) without going silly or doing anything dangerous, so happy with it.

Want to get a solid month of training in outdoors now and then tackle some of the big climbs near me - never got round to Jackson Bridge or Holme Moss last year, so I'm going to have to do them. Will aim for April/May time. Not really bothered about my time up them (well, as long as I beat my dad and my housemates :D ) but just want to be in good shape to take them on.

I follow Connor Swift on Strava for whenever I want a reminder of how loony the pros are.
 
Got to go on my dad's specialised today - nice treat!

40k in 1hr 24, not bad going for a cruise. Nice and flat route with some horrid little kickers at the end, though!

The weather has just been perfect this past week.
 
BlueToff said:
Got to go on my dad's specialised today - nice treat!

40k in 1hr 24, not bad going for a cruise. Nice and flat route with some horrid little kickers at the end, though!

The weather has just been perfect this past week.
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It was a nice weekend to ride - took the MTB out yesterday and then out on the bridleways with the kids today. That is quite lively for 40K if you're just riding along.

I've had some breathing issues recently on hard efforts, like my lungs are a bit inflamed, so have barely left z2 in weeks. Going down the road of checking exercise-induced asthma - I don't think it is but you have to be systematic I guess. Feeling better now so might try a cautious opening of the taps this week on something.
 

Black Belt Jones said:
It was a nice weekend to ride - took the MTB out yesterday and then out on the bridleways with the kids today. That is quite lively for 40K if you're just riding along.

I've had some breathing issues recently on hard efforts, like my lungs are a bit inflamed, so have barely left z2 in weeks. Going down the road of checking exercise-induced asthma - I don't think it is but you have to be systematic I guess. Feeling better now so might try a cautious opening of the taps this week on something.
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Oh I was just in the zone really but definitely felt it. I did the route with my dad - who's 65 - on Friday. That was a Z2 ride, so wanted to see what it was like if I pushed myself harder and did most of the work in Z3 and a bit of threshold. Good thing is now after a year nearly of riding, I know what my body can handle and around about where I am physically atm. I'm not a speed freak on segments, I just like to ride hard when I'm out on my own and push myself, then every few rides do a bit of active recovery really. Think the weather round here isn't going to be anywhere near as nice this week, but hoping to get out for a 3-4 rides still, so will have to do a hilly route as the last few have been flat (or as flat as you can get around here, anyway).

My friends who I ride with (or did mostly last year) - one is built for climbs, the other, she's ace at sprints, and then another one is training for an iron man (so he's just a freak), but I'm pretty good with my endurance. Once I get into a zone/pace I can maintain it pretty well, so just got to work out a training regime which isn't too strenuous or too easy and target where I'm weaker, then I'll go out and do steady rides with my dad at his pace.

Hope your breathing gets better. Do you normally do hills or sprints - or both - or do you just ride?
 
BlueToff said:
Oh I was just in the zone really but definitely felt it. I did the route with my dad - who's 65 - on Friday. That was a Z2 ride, so wanted to see what it was like if I pushed myself harder and did most of the work in Z3 and a bit of threshold. Good thing is now after a year nearly of riding, I know what my body can handle and around about where I am physically atm. I'm not a speed freak on segments, I just like to ride hard when I'm out on my own and push myself, then every few rides do a bit of active recovery really. Think the weather round here isn't going to be anywhere near as nice this week, but hoping to get out for a 3-4 rides still, so will have to do a hilly route as the last few have been flat (or as flat as you can get around here, anyway).

My friends who I ride with (or did mostly last year) - one is built for climbs, the other, she's ace at sprints, and then another one is training for an iron man (so he's just a freak), but I'm pretty good with my endurance. Once I get into a zone/pace I can maintain it pretty well, so just got to work out a training regime which isn't too strenuous or too easy and target where I'm weaker, then I'll go out and do steady rides with my dad at his pace.

Hope your breathing gets better. Do you normally do hills or sprints - or both - or do you just ride?
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I don't do much roadying (mainly ride off-road) but do time trial in the Spring and Summer, so am better at steady state efforts. That's more through practicing them, though, the only thing I'm naturally good at on the power curve is sprinting, and I don't think I've ever sprinted a bike outside since I was like 12 yo.

I'd like to do some road crit racing, as it's prob the only discipline I could do well at - in the low cats at least I'd be strong enough to sit in and then could get in the mix for the sprint. But you know how it takes about 3 goes to master zwift racecraft? It's more like an entire season in real life just to get to a point of basic competency, plus you can get some nasty crashes - you're really dependent on others not to ride like absolute dickheads. So I'm not sure it would ever be something I'd commit to.
 
Black Belt Jones said:
I don't do much roadying (mainly ride off-road) but do time trial in the Spring and Summer, so am better at steady state efforts. That's more through practicing them, though, the only thing I'm naturally good at on the power curve is sprinting, and I don't think I've ever sprinted a bike outside since I was like 12 yo.

I'd like to do some road crit racing, as it's prob the only discipline I could do well at - in the low cats at least I'd be strong enough to sit in and then could get in the mix for the sprint. But you know how it takes about 3 goes to master zwift racecraft? It's more like an entire season in real life just to get to a point of basic competency, plus you can get some nasty crashes - you're really dependent on others not to ride like absolute dickheads. So I'm not sure it would ever be something I'd commit to.
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Yeah I'm definitely not into racing mate. I just like to ride for the sake of it. It's good to get out, it clears the head and there's no better way to spend time when the weather is nice imo. Like I can't wait to get out on a 3+ hour ride come spring.

I just like to push myself too though. I can't just trundle along at 21kmph because I don't feel like I'm working, so I have to try and hit my watts/zone to feel like I'm actually challenging it. My goal is a 30kph average on a ride, without pushing myself too far. I was close last summer, a bit off it now but I have that base fitness to push on.

And then yeah, suppose I better go and slog it up some hills because, for some reason, they draw you in :D
 
BlueToff said:
Yeah I'm definitely not into racing mate. I just like to ride for the sake of it. It's good to get out, it clears the head and there's no better way to spend time when the weather is nice imo. Like I can't wait to get out on a 3+ hour ride come spring.

I just like to push myself too though. I can't just trundle along at 21kmph because I don't feel like I'm working, so I have to try and hit my watts/zone to feel like I'm actually challenging it. My goal is a 30kph average on a ride, without pushing myself too far. I was close last summer, a bit off it now but I have that base fitness to push on.

And then yeah, suppose I better go and slog it up some hills because, for some reason, they draw you in :D
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Racing just doesn't do anything for some folk, not incentivising at all. Time trialling is good, though, if you like the numbers, - it's very accessible in terms of you just turn up on anything, pin number on, go. No other riders involved directly (and is not a race for this reason, strictly speaking). But if you want to start doing it properly it's very equipment-led which can be off-putting.

I used to work with a guy who commuted one way 15 miles (would get the train home) and would absolutely tan it - he was legit strong on the bike. He not only had no interest in racing, he had no interest in cycling as a recreational pursuit. I suggested going out for a ride a couple of times but he just said he wasn't interested, didn't see the point of riding in a big circle. But he'd cycle 70 miles, fast, to visit his son at university, because that was transportation.
 

Bruce Wayne said:
That acceleration from MvdP. Wowza.
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None shall pass the GoaT

51013693452_427456ddad_k.jpg


Is he racing Milan San Remo do you know? He'd no doubt love to match WvA with the Strade MSR double but much more of a lottery there.
 
Black Belt Jones said:
None shall pass the GoaT

51013693452_427456ddad_k.jpg


Is he racing Milan San Remo do you know? He'd no doubt love to match WvA with the Strade MSR double but much more of a lottery there.
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He says in the article above he's aiming to keep his form going for the next month, which would take us through MSR, Flanders and Roubaix. You'd imagine he'd have to be a big favourite for all of them.
 
Coming up to a year on zwift now and reckon it's time for a change - just have two route badges need ticking off. Might try fulgaz - the one with the high quality vids of various routes around the world. Reckon it will be love it or hate it - you can get a 14 day free trial.
 

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