Riding with the pros

goonz

I was pleasantly surprised to find out that some pro cyclists frequent this forum and comment on the site of course they are human beings after all!

It got me thinking has anyone on BR ever ridden with any pros?

What was the difference in class/speed/performance like? Could you keep up at all?

Rodrego Hernandez

Steady speed, good technique and discipline.

They race when they've got a number on their back, not when training!

greasedscotsman

goonz wrote:

It got me thinking has anyone on BR ever ridden with any pros?

Yes.

goonz wrote:

Could you keep up at all?

No problems on the flat, descents, (they were only out on a course recce, it's not like they were racing) but on the climbs? Not a chance. And they don't stop for traffic lights!

goonz

Its scary to think you would have to fight pretty hard even on a flat to keep up but to know they have an extra set of internal gears to simply leave you in their dust is simply terrifying!

Scrumple

pros on here?!

Like?

ednino

I have

and he lapped me 7 times :-|

goonz

Not sure names however was told in the Pro Race forum that there are pros that use this site.

southdownswolf

I rode a few miles with some of the Europcar guys last year while on holiday in France. They were just finishing their ride and were taking it easy. I just about stayed with them and wasn't taking it easy...... :oops:

Pross

Rode with Neil Martin a few times in the early 90s and once with his brother-in-law, some Irish fella called Stephen Roche or something. Apparently he used to be quite good but he was a bit of a porker when I rode with him - this didn't stop him leaving all us youngsters who fancied ourselves as climbers for dead when we went uphill! Shane Sutton used to give us a good pasting when he was Welsh coach and I've ridden with Julian Winn loads of times. I've never ridden with a proper group of pros though.

As for pros / ex-pros who use the forum we have Colin Sturgess regularly on here, Brian Smith occasionally and in the past the legend that is Robert Miller used to post. Boardman also posted, mainly in response to queries about his bike brand and Darryl Webster posted a few times. There may well be others.

thegreatdivide

Mallorcajeff has. And I'm not jealous one bit...

southdownswolf

thegreatdivide wrote:

Mallorcajeff has. And I'm not jealous one bit...

Nor me :evil:

markos1963

Emma Pooley and Victoria Williamson are both members of my club(VC Norwich). Have ridden with both of them, very nice girls totally unaffected by their talent. Bit of a pain though on the hills with Emma as she hardly notices them :oops:

Lightning

greasedscotsman wrote:

And they don't stop for traffic lights!

Generalization.. I barely see anyone stopping for traffic lights (pro or not).

displacedaussie

Riding with the pros: http://velonews.competitor.com/2013/03/news/notes-from-the-scrum-the-peter-sagan-show_278514

fitnesswontlie

displacedaussie wrote:

Riding with the pros: http://velonews.competitor.com/2013/03/news/notes-from-the-scrum-the-peter-sagan-show_278514

great article. What is the pro AVG MPH on a flat and up hills does anyone have a general idea of what avg they have in training and in competition.

goonz

Awesome article, you just want to be a part of it!

A former teammate of his once told me he’d seen him ride up a cobbled climb, front tire feet off the ground, both hands off the bars. Would you believe it?

Yes I have seen it on youtube...

displacedaussie

fitnesswontlie wrote:

great article. What is the pro AVG MPH on a flat and up hills does anyone have a general idea of what avg they have in training and in competition.

For a long slow steady solo ride a pro will likely be doing something around 30-32 km/hr.

The best thing to do is have a look at some of their rides on Strava.

Taylor Phinney: http://app.strava.com/pros/110144
Laurens ten Dam: http://app.strava.com/pros/186522
Ted King: http://app.strava.com/pros/8758

RDB66

Pross wrote:

As for pros / ex-pros who use the forum we have Colin Sturgess regularly on here, Brian Smith occasionally and in the past the legend that is Robert Miller used to post. Boardman also posted, mainly in response to queries about his bike brand and Darryl Webster posted a few times. There may well be others.

Darryl, posts on the Comic (Cycling Weekly) Forum all the time. Some great stories and old videos hes posted up.

Coach H

displacedaussie wrote:

Riding with the pros: http://velonews.competitor.com/2013/03/news/notes-from-the-scrum-the-peter-sagan-show_278514

Also http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hJ7UNi7ra_w

gavbarron

markos1963 wrote:

Bit of a pain though on the hills with Emma as she hardly notices them :oops:

I gather you weren't riding in Norfolk then? Or were you just doing reps of Gas HIll

ilm_zero7

goonz wrote:

It got me thinking has anyone on BR ever ridden with the Pros?

yes, lucky enough to do it several times - all the Radioshack guys, post stage, and Sky and NetApp sharing their autotow.

brilliant, but always a worry you might just do something that ruins their season

goonz

ILM Zero7 wrote:

goonz wrote:

It got me thinking has anyone on BR ever ridden with the Pros?

yes, lucky enough to do it several times - all the Radioshack guys, post stage, and Sky and NetApp sharing their autotow.

brilliant, but always a worry you might just do something that ruins their season

what was it like? Are they a welcoming bunch or very serious when training? I guess the speed whislt out training can't be that high, but in general what sort of average pace would they be doing and could you keep up?

markos1963

gavbarron wrote:

markos1963 wrote:

Bit of a pain though on the hills with Emma as she hardly notices them :oops:

I gather you weren't riding in Norfolk then? Or were you just doing reps of Gas HIll

No , Swanton Morely hill, didn't realise we had gone up it at 20mph as if it was a loading ramp!

gavbarron

One of my favourites, I live not far from there

bigcgilmour

I was lucky enough to ride with a pro last year in Mallorca, he was on an easy day and was great to have a chat, he even gave me a signed jersey for my son. Top top Bloke - wasn't going particularly fast, power output was to be no higher than 200w from memory...

I remember thinking I should get my phone out my pocket and take a few snaps, but also had the constant thought that what if I done something stupid and knocked him off his bike! Got a few pictures later and as I said the signed jersey.

gavbarron

Does he have a name?

DL1987

https://twitter.com/charlie193/status/3 ... 33/photo/1

Me in the blue & yellow towards the back of the group racing against Dani King the other day.

goonz

Man I so want to have a go in a race looks so much fun but I just know I will come last!

Rigga

bigcgilmour wrote:

I was lucky enough to ride with a pro last year in Mallorca, he was on an easy day and was great to have a chat, he even gave me a signed jersey for my son. Top top Bloke - wasn't going particularly fast, power output was to be no higher than 200w from memory...

I remember thinking I should get my phone out my pocket and take a few snaps, but also had the constant thought that what if I done something stupid and knocked him off his bike! Got a few pictures later and as I said the signed jersey.

Er, who was it ??

thefd

goonz wrote:

Awesome article, you just want to be a part of it!

A former teammate of his once told me he’d seen him ride up a cobbled climb, front tire feet off the ground, both hands off the bars. Would you believe it?

Yes I have seen it on youtube...

Link?

thefd

Rigga wrote:

bigcgilmour wrote:

I was lucky enough to ride with a pro last year in Mallorca, he was on an easy day and was great to have a chat, he even gave me a signed jersey for my son. Top top Bloke - wasn't going particularly fast, power output was to be no higher than 200w from memory...

I remember thinking I should get my phone out my pocket and take a few snaps, but also had the constant thought that what if I done something stupid and knocked him off his bike! Got a few pictures later and as I said the signed jersey.

Er, who was it ??

Maybe he is being clever here - he has never said it was a pro cyclist!!! Maybe it is a professional dancer!