Rest Day Fears?

[elf1978]

The more I read and watch professional cycling the more I realize how much pros abhor rest days in a grand tour. If a rider is not injured or sick complete rest is the last thing they'll be engaging in. In fact most teams try to schedule a 3 to 4 hour ride during this day. It seems that these athletes are petrified of the possibility that their bodies will "shut down" if they don't continue to punish them.
I've never been in the position to speak from experience, but does anyone believe that spending the entire off day in bed or on the couch hinder more than help a rider's chances in such a race? Is it different for climbers, sprinters, TT specialists? Big, small guys?

 

[rhubroma]

I recall Lemond abhored such "rest days". It depends. If a rider is in top form then perhaps he feels continuity, rather than rupture, is best.

 

[JayKosta]

My guess is that like or dis-like of rest days is more related to psychology than physiology.
Probably a lot of riders just want for a long tour to be finished, and not stretch into 'extra' days.
If a rider is doing and feeling strong & well, then he would not want a 'rest day' for his competitors to cover.
Having a 'rest day' just gives the riders a chance to think about what a miserable time they are having.

Even on a rest day, it is probably good to do some 'recovery' riding to stay limber and to stay focused on the racing and riding.

Jay Kosta
Endwell NY USA

 

[Zam_Olyas]

This could turned into a clinic issues. I think rest days are necessary but do light training.

 

[The Hitch]

Since its in the general section, i will comment that a few weeks back i had 2 exams a couple days apart. For a week+ leading up to the first one i worked all day all night little sleep. After the exam i gave myself one day off, slept as much as i could, gave in to a luxury or 2.

the next day i felt much weaker, developed a cough and by the time the 2nd exam came by 3 days later i was too ill to even make the journey.

Im assuming its the same principle.

 

[ElChingon]

Yes, if one worked all seven days of the week this so called work would get done and no one would be all hung over on Monday or having to remember where one left off on returning after two forced rest days!

Wait a minute...

 

[Caruut]

I think if a rider is going well, then the rest day is probably unnecessary. It's for all the little bumps, aches and bruises for those not as lucky that the rest day gives a lifeline to. Gives the rider time to see a doctor properly, take the strain off it.

I agree with Hitch about the exam things. My exams started Tuesday, and finish on Friday. Sure spending 3h45m doing exams for 4 days in a row is pretty tough, but I've seen a lot of those with more spread out timetables starting to really lose the will to work after a while.

 

[fatsprintking]

I think that in a grand tour riders really want routine. They want the same start times each day and the same routine at the end of each stage. They don't like it when anything impacts on this. Things like long transfers really effect them because of this.

A rest day creates a break in routine which I think is one of the main reasons they dont like it. Doing a 3 hour ride is partly to maintain this.

The routine is also about their eating. In a grand tour it is very important to keep food up which means they are almost constantly eating. There is a lot of routine around this as well and day with no riding would require a very different approach to food for that day.

I think the riders would prefer a transport stage where a break could go and the majority of the bunch could have an easy ride. The trouble now is that there are very few if any easy stages in the tour in particular. While the riders may say they dont like them, the prospect of half the field being outside the time limit in the fisrt day of the second lot of mountians would be pretty possible with no rest day.