Agree, plus the training effect/supercompensation from RACING with low blood vols. Bertie was REALLY, REALLY working hard--wasn't backing off in the slightest--YET didn't seem the least upset afterward to have been repeatedly chased down by Brak. These guys know what's what.
Even with the wind, the diff. in Brak and Bertie's effort on Alpe d'Huez was laughable. Don't tell me, anyone, that Brak's baseline fitness/FTP far exceeds Bertie's, LOL.
So much of these results make sense when one thinks of blood additions/withdrawals timing.
Dauphine period is notorious for this. Bet Landis was withdrawing or post-withdrawal when he was half hour off the back on Dauphine climbs, then promptly wins the Tour that year. Same dynamics with Tyler H. at Dauphine, if I remember. And Lance just about killed himself at Dauphine one year against Mayo, when he was prob. low on blood.
Keeping blood in France, not crossing borders, makes a lot of sense. Shrewd. Doesn't Lance always tailor his final training in Nice? Late to be withdrawing blood? Or maybe just the small final amounts, with supercompensation in the final training blocks from slightly low blood volume?
UCI has just got to track total blood vol. regularly, esp. in Dauphine window every year.[/QUOTE]
How explainable would variances due to dehydration be? I did a hot and hard ride yesterday and dropped over 4 lbs. What would that do to my hematacrit and volume levels? I'd presume they would vary more significantly than the tuned microdoses would. Anyone?