Best way to prepare the Tour?

[Pantani_lives]

Andy Schleck didn't follow the group of favorites in the TdSuisse. Basso didn't follow in the Dauphiné. These riders seem to be "hiding" themselves or saving themselves for the TdF.

Other riders do ride to win in those preparation races: Wiggins, Evans, Vino, VDB in the Dauphiné; F Schleck etc. in Suisse. Gesink ignored the GC, but attacked in one mountain stage.

What is the best strategy in a preparation race: riding for the GC, riding quietly with a heart rate monitor, or choosing one or two stages to test yourself?

 

[rghysens]

Andy Schleck didn't follow the group of favorites in the TdSuisse. Basso didn't follow in the Dauphiné. These riders seem to be "hiding" themselves or saving themselves for the TdF.

Other riders do ride to win in those preparation races: Wiggins, Evans, Vino, VDB in the Dauphiné; F Schleck etc. in Suisse. Gesink ignored the GC, but attacked in one mountain stage.

What is the best strategy in a preparation race: riding for the GC, riding quietly with a heart rate monitor, or choosing one or two stages to test yourself?

500cc beetroot juice.

yes...I became a bitter man

 

[Midnightfright]

I think these guys u mentioned have to race to win if there in with a chance. Its far to risky for them to pass up a possible win and focus purely on the tour because there not guaranteed to succeed there. I think only really Andy and albie can have the confidence to do that, I think doing something like what gesink has done is correct slowly building up and testing your legs wheb required.

 

[lancaster]

mexican training camp.

alternatively, get to roughly the right spot and test your legs without going deep repetitively. don't show yourself to be too strong (Fab at E3prijs, you'll need others to work), know the key climbs, and aim to peak during (late 2nd week) rather than for the start.

get to the position that you can follow the leaders, and attack once. i would say the optimum would be a stage, a strong TT and voluntarily dropping out of the top group most days. (don't take risks on descents)

 

[Archibald]

I'd so love to say "extra training sessions in the alps, high cadence, a working fridge and always be near your shower, etc..." or "good steaks" but I'll get in the p00 for those...

I think the best way to prepare is whatever works best for the individual concerned
if Andy's way works for him, then great
if Cuddles, Wiggins' way works for them, then great
same for Basso, Contador, etc...

 

[movingtarget]

Andy Schleck didn't follow the group of favorites in the TdSuisse. Basso didn't follow in the Dauphiné. These riders seem to be "hiding" themselves or saving themselves for the TdF.

Other riders do ride to win in those preparation races: Wiggins, Evans, Vino, VDB in the Dauphiné; F Schleck etc. in Suisse. Gesink ignored the GC, but attacked in one mountain stage.

What is the best strategy in a preparation race: riding for the GC, riding quietly with a heart rate monitor, or choosing one or two stages to test yourself?

It's an individual thing. What works for one won't work for everyone. It's probably about knowing your limits and trying different techniques until you see results. Just because some riders hide themselves and don't go for results, does not always mean that they will be successful later. It seems to be more hit and miss than that and that's not including decisions that have to be made during the race. You can't train for that, it's more about experience and instinct I think unless the DS is barking instructions !

 

[Cobblestoned]

Just watch the recent Tourwinners.
Obviously they did everything right.

Alberto at DL 2010 - riding good, but not too good.
Watching the DL race 2011, I see cuddles on a GOOD LEVEL and good chances for peaking at le Tour.

 

[Pantani_lives]

2005: Armstrong 4th in Dauphiné
2006: Landis nor Pereiro in top ten
2007: Contador 7th in Dauphiné
2008: Sastre not in top ten
2009: Contador 3d in Dauphiné
2010: Contador 2nd in Dauphiné

This seems to indicate that the Dauphiné is the best preparation race, and finishing between 2 and 7 is ideal. This looks good for Evans, Vino and VDB!

 

[El Oso]

Andy took 14th in last year's Tour de Suisse and didn't finish in the top 10 in any stage and he seemed to do fine in the Tour. Granted he was working for Frank, but he could still take top 10 in a mountain stage while working.

 

[Winterfold]

If you already have some GT wins then you can pass even a big win like Dauphine.

If you don't, then don't pass a big win.

The extra confidence will be worth far more than the small amount of extra tiredness.

And you might never wins GT in which case the Dauphine is the next best thing in stage racing

 

[Pantani_lives]

If you already have some GT wins then you can pass even a big win like Dauphine.

If you don't, then don't pass a big win.

The extra confidence will be worth far more than the small amount of extra tiredness.

And you might never wins GT in which case the Dauphine is the next best thing in stage racing

Yes, for Wiggins the Dauphiné was the biggest win in his career on the road.

 

[luckyboy]

By winning the Giro and then resting before the Spanish time trial championship.

 

[Parrulo]

By winning the Giro and then resting before the Spanish time trial championship.

i lol'd

is he only raiding the time trial? iirc riis said he might also ride the road race

 

[jobiwan]

By winning the Giro and then resting before the Spanish time trial championship.

If he wins, hopefully his jersey will be better than his Astana one!

 

[Parrulo]

If he wins, hopefully his jersey will be better than his Astana one!

same.

saxo usually has the best looking champion jerseys so i have high hopes for it

 

[Bavarianrider]

I think there's no golden soloution. Riders are different, and need different kind of preperations.

 

[Parrulo]

I think there's no golden soloution. Riders are different, and need different kind of preperations.

it seems like there is hope for Bavarian

 

[Libertine Seguros]

I think there's no golden soloution. Riders are different, and need different kind of preperations.

If it's any consolation, I think winning some early season stage races, then taking some downtime just showing your face at races like the Ardennes, until doing well at Romandie - ideally you'd not want to win here cos you don't want to peak, but well enough to do a top 5 or so, then having May off before doing sweet FA for all but one stage of the Dauphiné is the perfect way to prepare for a top 10 in the Tour.

 

[jobiwan]

If it's any consolation, I think winning some early season stage races, then taking some downtime just showing your face at races like the Ardennes, until doing well at Romandie - ideally you'd not want to win here cos you don't want to peak, but well enough to do a top 5 or so, then having May off before doing sweet FA for all but one stage of the Dauphiné is the perfect way to prepare for a top 100 in the Tour.

Fixed that for you!

 

[Escarabajo]

Train in Mexico, Tenerife, South Africa.

I am running out of options here.

 

[greenedge]

I for some reason hated Cancellara's Swiss champion Saxo Jersey. It made him look ( odd/ thinner )

 

[just some guy]

I for some reason hated Cancellara's Swiss champion Saxo Jersey. It made him look ( odd/ thinner )

I recon the Swiss Jersey is the best - easy to spot in the group, is the flag so great representation just my opinion of course

 

[movingtarget]

Just watch the recent Tourwinners.
Obviously they did everything right.

Alberto at DL 2010 - riding good, but not too good.
Watching the DL race 2011, I see cuddles on a GOOD LEVEL and good chances for peaking at le Tour.

A lot of people are thinking the same thing re Evans.