Pro cyclists race weight v normal weight

sebdangerfield
sebdangerfield Posts: 41
edited January 2019 in Training, fitness and health
What do people think pros would weigh if they were just normal cyclists, ie fit but not trying to lose weight?

Comments

  • cougie
    cougie Posts: 22,512
    Fatter.
  • joe2008
    joe2008 Posts: 1,531
    They'd probably be a fair bit skinnier
  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 43,463
    Bit of an odd question seeing as their weight as pros ranges from 50 odd kgs up to around 90kg and each individual will vary throughout the season so other than 'heavier' what can anyone say?
  • sebdangerfield
    sebdangerfield Posts: 41
    You could answer using examples, eg a 60kg rider might typically have a normal weight of 70kg or whatever. Or you maybe a rough proportion, say 10% heavier.

    Was having a think myself. Say a pro has bodyfat of 8% and weighs 60kg. If he just returned to a normal body fat of say 15% he'd be about 65 kg. Plus he might have an extra kilo or so upper body muscle... perhaps offset by not having as heavy legs.
  • ajkerr73
    ajkerr73 Posts: 318
    Matt Fitzgeralds book "Racing Weight" states that an endurance athlete can put on up to 8% on top of their racing weight during closed season.

    Not sure how that pans out with the pros, but GT certainly was +++ a few pounds at the new Sky kit launch this year. He also states in his book that he has a separate wardrobe for off season. His fat clothes!
  • imposter2.0
    imposter2.0 Posts: 12,028
    SebDangerfield wrote:
    You could answer using examples,

    You could make up your own examples - they would be just as useful...or just as useless...
  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 43,463
    SebDangerfield wrote:
    You could answer using examples, eg a 60kg rider might typically have a normal weight of 70kg or whatever. Or you maybe a rough proportion, say 10% heavier.

    Was having a think myself. Say a pro has bodyfat of 8% and weighs 60kg. If he just returned to a normal body fat of say 15% he'd be about 65 kg. Plus he might have an extra kilo or so upper body muscle... perhaps offset by not having as heavy legs.

    OK, I'm going to say some will be more or less the same and others would be much heavier.

    I rode with Stephen Roche about 3 years after he retired and he was at least 10kg heavier but still more than held his own on a hilly route with some decent amateur riders. Conversely I saw Big Maggy a year or two after retirement and he looked roughly the size he was when he was racing. Wiggins gained a lot of weight but was probably not that much heavier than he was in his track days. Pro cyclists are all individual and will react in different ways.
  • scott_w1987
    scott_w1987 Posts: 316
    Ajkerr73 wrote:
    He also states in his book that he has a separate wardrobe for off season. His fat clothes!

    Me too! :lol:

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