State of the Peloton 2024

[shadowrider]

Oh, I’m sure they have learned something. When sponsors leave the sport after the demise of Armstrong, when TV channels stop covering the sport after their own national heroes have been busted, the lesson is clear. Don’t touch the stars. Don’t make a fuss. As long as it’s not a one sided competition, no one minds riders as fast as the jam-blooded monsters from the 90’s.

They (Americans ?) only did with Armstrong. Not with the highly doped footballstars, baseballstars, athletes. Even in athletism, American federations, antidoping (USADA) and even (American) olympic committee (and sometimes international olympic committee) worked together to ensure that athletes caught or athletes who failed doping controls were not punished. Or could go to the Olympic Games. Sponsors and the press often played along

 

[Krzysztof_O]

The "actual" best cyclist, or the "actual" best stage racer you've seen. Are you that young ? Only following cyclism since 3 or 4 years ? Even than, haven't you read about the topriders of the past.
Only Pogacar comes close to the best riders of the past. Not specializing in any one discipline or type of races. Also winning those races, sometimes with bravado. Vingegaard might be the best stage rider and GC-rider of the moment, but only because he only focuses on that. Not riding or properly preparing classics, monuments, worlds (road and TT).

In the past, the best stageriders, also won classics, monuments and worlds. So, no, I'm not impressed of most of the actual (top)riders. With the exception of Pogacar. VDP also has potential. Already nice victorys and impressive solos. But he hasn't enough climbing abilitys and sometimes it doesn't work for months.

You must be kidding me. I've watched cycling since late 90s. Pogacar is the best I've seen overall, exceptional level in stage races and in various kind of one-day races. Vingegaard? The ultimate stage racer. You could argue about Armstrong (who is the best TdF rider in history but was way weaker in other stage races except Dauphine). Contador and Froome are most accomplished in this century but the level Vingo shows in stage races across the year (not only ridiculous lavel at the Tour but also 1-week races or last years Vuelta) is the best I've seen. Keep in mind: I said "the best" not "the most accomplished". MVP? There've been great classic riders. MVP is among them and he has the potential to become even better in the next couple of years methinks.

Obviously my comment concerned last 20-25 years, not the whole cycling history.

 

[Sciatic]

That glow time seems quite long.

Indeed. I wonder how they use this more sensitive testing method in cycling?

 

[Rob5091]

So as we still wait to hear about Hessman, today's Milan San Remo should give us some idea of how this year's vintage of "rocket fuel" is measuring up.
Last year was a record fast (by no less then 4 guys) climb of the Poggio, so let's see what a peloton full of 120g carbs/hour plus ketones guys can achieve.

Indeed. I wonder how they use this more sensitive testing method in cycling?

Pee in a cup then it's off to the boffins in white coats tout suite, I guess.

 

[Rob5091]

46 km/h - that's the number to look out for at MSR.

 

[Red Rick]

Both average speed and Poggio time aren't that interesting. The former is mainly down to how hard 2 dudes in the first 3 hours are gonna pull, and the latter is very heavily down to the strategy of UAE and nobody else.

For the state of the peloton I'm more interested in the climbing times in Catalunya, in particular Vallter and Port Aine.

 

[Rob5091]

Catalunya should be fun if both Pogacar and Kuss start.

 

[Rob5091]

We did it, baby! 46 km/h and "it was not hard enough"!

 

[ChewbaccaDefense]

We did it, baby! 46 km/h and "it was not hard enough"!

I came here to make that exact post. Farcical racing we're seeing.

 

[Ripper]

We did it, baby! 46 km/h and "it was not hard enough"!

It's the professional peloton baby!

 

[Tim Cahill]

Actually surprised, the Poggio didn't look that fast and it was mainly a Wellens who had already ridden the Cipressa doing the work

 

[Netserk]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1769039722725196197

View: https://twitter.com/ammattipyoraily/status/1769039722725196197


Weak tailwind, slow start, only 1 helper to pace it, stop-n-go for Pogi. No problem.

 

[Samu Cuenca]

They have to make the race 100 km longer.

 

[Netserk]

They have to make the race 100 km longer.

The duration of the race was only 3 minutes more than Ronde last year, so it should at least break the 300 km barrier.

 

[Red Rick]

The duration of the race was only 3 minutes more than Ronde last year, so it should at least break the 300 km barrier.

In terms of kilojoules it's probably always been the lowest of the monuments.

 

[Netserk]

I don't think so if you go far enough back.

 

[Red Rick]

Anyone have an idea of the W/kg they do on the Poggio, especially before they launch the final section?

 

[Spredy123]

Anyone have an idea of the W/kg they do on the Poggio, especially before they launch the final section?

Van Gils was front group and did 6.8 watts per kg for 5 mins, Corbin Strong was G2 and finished 35 seconds back at the finish, and he did 6.3 for 5 on Poggio.

I know it's a draft heavy shallow climb, so surfing wheels should help a lot but given the crazy numbers we see mid TdF, I thought this seemed quite pedestrian. Yeah, it's a long day out, but given the most of that is in z1 I'd expect truly insane numbers come the end. Maybe Pogi and MVDP's power files would make our eyes bleed lol, who knows.

 

[Red Rick]

Van Gils was front group and did 6.8 watts per kg for 5 mins, Corbin Strong was G2 and finished 35 seconds back at the finish, and he did 6.3 for 5 on Poggio.

I know it's a draft heavy shallow climb, so surfing wheels should help a lot but given the crazy numbers we see mid TdF, I thought this seemed quite pedestrian. Yeah, it's a long day out, but given the most of that is in z1 I'd expect truly insane numbers come the end. Maybe Pogi and MVDP's power files would make our eyes bleed lol, who knows.

The only number that will standout is like their 20-30s peaks. Pogacar especially is fresh enough after 2.5km of Poggio that he basically taps into his full sprinting power. Expect Pog to be over 1000W there.

I also think that what makes Poggio hard is the fight for positioning on it, you could see in the powerfile there's a lot of 700W spikes and a lot of 0W stops.

 

[MartinGT]

Surely someone is gonna get popped soon and then it will be dropped again? Surely?

 

[Krzysztof_O]

Surely someone is gonna get popped soon and then it will be dropped again? Surely?

Not anymore? Maybe now cycling wants an image of clean sport. No more top stars busted and no more big scandals. Just let them race and make show!

 

[Ripper]

Surely someone is gonna get popped soon and then it will be dropped again? Surely?

It's just the new professionalism baby! All that zone 2 training made this record edition a good base ride for stage races coming up.

Doing everything awesome is the new specialization.

 

[Netserk]

And while some are on another level than the rest, it's a peloton wide acceleration.

In the fastest ever edition, the five strongest in the breakaway also climbed Cipressa in under 10 minutes! That's even faster than Demare being towed by his car, desperate to get back in the peloton.

 

[Red Rick]

And while some are on another level than the rest, it's a peloton wide acceleration.

In the fastest ever edition, the five strongest in the breakaway also climbed Cipressa in under 10 minutes! That's even faster than Demare being towed by his car, desperate to get back in the peloton.

It's not equally distributed at all though. The current peloton would have a Gini index that would make Russia look like a socialist utopia.

 

[Netserk]

Yes, it's like Monaco. Everyone is rich, but some are obscenely wealthy.