Can Cancellara really become a GT contender?

[blackcat]

evidence sumbmission I

Bradley Wigans

 

[Carlo Algatrensig]

If he were to lose a bit of weight and they had a course like the 1999 TDF with (if i remember rightly) only 4 mountain stages and over 110km of individual time trialling i think he would definitely have a chance against the current group of GT riders who are all more climbers than TT riders.

 

[Mambo95]

The answer is no. And FC himself has shown no indication of thinking otherwise.

Why should he try - he's one of the biggest names in the sport anyway. Trying to win all the monuments (and WC) is a better goal.

 

[The Hitch]

Why do you say "You know" he wants this?

I've not seen anything where Cancellara states this as a real goal. A dream maybe... but he seems quite happy being what he is : the world's best time trialist , a phenomenal classics rider, a stage racer for the 10 day or less tours.

Ive read that people have told Cancellara that if he lost the right weight and all the rest, he might just could make it. So far his answer seems to be"forget about it".

 

[Escarabajo]

Ive read that people have told Cancellara that if he lost the right weight and all the rest, he might just could make it. So far his answer seems to be"forget about it".

In this same forum we debunked one of the myths about loosing weight to become a GT contender. We did some calculations about how much you would gain in the mountain having the same engine and the numbers did not add up. Bottom line was if you did not have it from the beginning you would not have it later.

The topic was initiated because of Wiggins loosing weight to become a GT contender. The conclusion was that Wiggins most likely was doing something else than loosing weight to become a contender.

For example in Verbier he would have made up 14 seconds per kilogram. Keeping all equal. Now VO2 max increases, so some more would have to be added. The number is really low from the mathematical point of view.

 

[The Hitch]

In this same forum we debunked one of the myths about loosing weight to become a GT contender. We did some calculations about how much you would gain in the mountain having the same engine and the numbers did not add up. Bottom line was if you did not have it from the beginning you would not have it later.

The topic was initiated because of Wiggins loosing weight to become a GT contender. The conclusion was that Wiggins most likely was doing something else than loosing weight to become a contender.

For example in Verbier he would have made up 14 seconds per kilogram. Keeping all equal. Now VO2 max increases, so some more would have to be added. The number is really low from the mathematical point of view.

good post. Thanks for the info.

 

[Mambo95]

The topic was initiated because of Wiggins loosing weight to become a GT contender. The conclusion was that Wiggins most likely was doing something else than loosing weight to become a contender.

Actually making an effort being the biggest reason.

If weight's not an issue, why are they all so bloody thin?

 

[Escarabajo]

Actually making an effort being the biggest reason.

If weight's not an issue, why are they all so bloody thin?

But that's not the reason why they are Tour winners. Some riders that are way back on the 100+ are also thin. Taking into account that they are all talented to begin with. My point is that being thin is just a component. You need other components as well.

There is guy who rides with us every week and he is so thin. He is very disciplined rider when it comes to his diet and exercises but he sucks. He is just not talented, no matter how much he tries.

 

[Franklin]

There is a wider issue to consider too, which is the disappearance of the top level "all-rounder" from the sport. There was a long line of riders who could compete successfully at every or almost every discipline throughout the history of cycling. But there hasn't been one since Sean Kelly retired. I wonder if the sport has changed in ways that prohibit the possibility of such figures emerging again.

Those ar e rare, but there is one of those about every ten years. I give you Jalabert and more recently Valverde. And I make a case for Vinokourov.

 

[BroDeal]

There is hope yet for Cancellara now that the Tour of California is recognized as the second most important grand tour.

With Prudhomme in control of the TdF routes, don't write off France either. In order to maintain suspense as long as possible, I feel it is only a matter of time before the TdF route becomes 19 flat stages with a time trial or two, a single mountain of moderate grade for the 20th stage, and a parade into Paris for the last stage.

 

[Bag_O_Wallet]

There is hope yet for Cancellara now that the Tour of California is recognized as the second most important grand tour.

With Prudhomme in control of the TdF routes, don't write off France either. In order to maintain suspense as long as possible, I feel it is only a matter of time before the TdF route becomes 19 flat stages with a time trial or two, a single mountain of moderate grade for the 20th stage, and a parade into Paris for the last stage.

Stage 20 finishing on a down hill, no doubt.

 

[craig1985]

Just curious by the way... This whole discussion seems more a general topic than a clinic one, but did you post it here because of the bolded line?

In the end I think this discussion is more about the prospects of "will he go for it?" and "can he achieve it?" than about any potential related doping program.

Does anybody have any comments on the doping bit - I don't...

Why not? At least in here we can talk about everything, and I have NFI if people were going to bring up doping or not. It's sure better then the 67432938543 Lance/Landis/Papp threads.

 

[Cloxxki]

Anyone who wants to climb better, I'd start working on their bike setup. The amount of seat setback on most cyclists' bikes prevents decent climbing. Seat forward, higher cadance, that's going to help. If you need to squeeze the last strength from your legs, get out of the seat.