Thomas Lofkvist

BlackdownBuzzard
BlackdownBuzzard Posts: 30
edited September 2010 in Pro race
Was on the team sky website and saw his profile. Height 186 cm, weight 70KG. Now comes the bit that really shocked me, he was described as an all rounder/rouler ?

How can someone of that height/weight manage to be strong on the flat? Really perplexed over this... :lol:

Does he have a super-areo riding style?
I climb faster then you.

Comments

  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,667
    70kg is on the heavy side for a climber. Bradley Wiggings was 70kg at last year's TdF (and probably this year's too, but he was crap this year so I wasn't going to mention that) and he seems to do OK in TTs.
  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 43,463
    Plenty of riders who are as tall and heavier who are good on the flat so why would they be any more aero than a lighter rider? Or is the assumption that heavier automatically mean they put out more watts? I wish that were the case but it's not necessarily true. Also, the all rounder definition is tricky - I'd class someone like EBH as an all rounder but he can't really manage on the bigger climbs.
  • gsk82
    gsk82 Posts: 3,600
    is the OP suggesting that someone that tall/ light cant be very strong, hence not good on the flat. id imagine guys like cancellara weigh 80k plus
    "Unfortunately these days a lot of people don’t understand the real quality of a bike" Ernesto Colnago
  • andyp
    andyp Posts: 10,549
    Riders don't need to be heavy to be strong on the flat. Peter Van Petegem was 70 kgs when he raced but he was a master on the cobbles.

    Of the current breed of strong rouleurs I think Gilbert, Flecha and Ballan are all around the 70 kg mark.
  • BlackdownBuzzard
    BlackdownBuzzard Posts: 30
    What makes them so strong then if it's not muscle mass?
    I climb faster then you.
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,661
    BlackdownBuzzard wrote:
    What makes them so strong then if it's not muscle mass?

    Talent
    _
  • Bronzie
    Bronzie Posts: 4,927
    Rick Chasey wrote:
    BlackdownBuzzard wrote:
    What makes them so strong then if it's not muscle mass?

    Talent
    The ability to convert oxygen from the atmosphere and deliver it to the working muscle cells where it is efficiently metabolised to produce energy.

    Pure strength is not a limiter in endurance cycling events, but oxygen transfer and metabolism is.

    Talent is a snappier answer though.
    It's a Lifestyle! -+-+- Coggan Training Levels
  • RichN95.
    RichN95. Posts: 27,253
    Why is Lofkvist being focused on here? He's of average weight and above average ability. There are riders of his size and height who are better at most things he can do.
    Twitter: @RichN95
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,661
    It's like this guy I came across when I was with my club.

    He rocks up on a second hand bike, obviously a little clueless to the whole cycling malark, to say he's been cycling on it "for about two weeks".

    Virtually rides everyone off his wheel. Couple of weeks later he's out on the fatest club run, just permenantly on the front.

    That guy clearly has talent.
    _
  • Kléber
    Kléber Posts: 6,842
    gsk82 wrote:
    is the OP suggesting that someone that tall/ light cant be very strong, hence not good on the flat. id imagine guys like cancellara weigh 80k plus
    Spartacus is 78kg and 1m86, or 6"2. Most riders are below 75kg, many below 65kg. Even the riders that look "big" on TV or in photos actually look stick-thin in real life.
  • takethehighroad
    takethehighroad Posts: 6,821
    I'm 70 kilos and 5'8, do I have a future in pro cycling?
  • Kléber
    Kléber Posts: 6,842
    TakeTheHighRoad wrote:
    I'm 70 kilos and 5'8, do I have a future in pro cycling?
    Train right and you could be a mechanic one day.

    :wink:
  • iainf72
    iainf72 Posts: 15,784
    TakeTheHighRoad wrote:
    I'm 70 kilos and 5'8, do I have a future in pro cycling?

    I model myself after Manolo Saiz. Except I'm not as pleasant as him.

    Cycling has room for all sorts.
    Fckin' Quintana … that creep can roll, man.
  • BlackdownBuzzard
    BlackdownBuzzard Posts: 30
    Rick Chasey wrote:
    It's like this guy I came across when I was with my club.

    He rocks up on a second hand bike, obviously a little clueless to the whole cycling malark, to say he's been cycling on it "for about two weeks".

    Virtually rides everyone off his wheel. Couple of weeks later he's out on the fatest club run, just permenantly on the front.

    That guy clearly has talent.

    What a great idea, I'll wait till I hit peak fitness and try that on one of my local clubs.
    I climb faster then you.
  • taz3611
    taz3611 Posts: 172
    Was about 3 feet away from Cancellara and thinking, " Thought they said he was a big guy". Then I saw his legs....!!!
    http://i682.photobucket.com/albums/vv18 ... _0057a.jpg
  • rick_chasey
    rick_chasey Posts: 75,661
    BlackdownBuzzard wrote:
    Rick Chasey wrote:
    It's like this guy I came across when I was with my club.

    He rocks up on a second hand bike, obviously a little clueless to the whole cycling malark, to say he's been cycling on it "for about two weeks".

    Virtually rides everyone off his wheel. Couple of weeks later he's out on the fatest club run, just permenantly on the front.

    That guy clearly has talent.

    What a great idea, I'll wait till I hit peak fitness and try that on one of my local clubs.

    Someone's jealous!
    _

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