Professional speed average

paulwakefield
paulwakefield Posts: 72
edited September 2009 in Road beginners
Hi,

Just wondering what average speed a pro would have in a major tour, I understand it depends on terrain etc, but what would be expected as an average on say a 100m stage??
That's my 2 cents,

Paul
Wakefield

Hybrid - Scott Sportster P5 2009
Road - Trek 1.5 2010

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Comments

  • Someone posted some stats here a while back for one of the pros on the TDF for one of the fairly moutainous stages. Average speed was an astounding 26mph!
    Do not write below this line. Office use only.
  • 3 little words that I will initial ....... OMG!!! :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock:
    That's my 2 cents,

    Paul
    Wakefield

    Hybrid - Scott Sportster P5 2009
    Road - Trek 1.5 2010

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  • C-S-B
    C-S-B Posts: 117
    the pro peloton generally averages around 40km/h (25mph) for those sorts of distances- maybe as low as 35 on a very mountainous stage, maybe almost 50 on pan flat one
  • pottssteve
    pottssteve Posts: 4,069
    3 little words that I will initial ....... OMG!!! :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock:

    Indeed. My commute is about the same length and similar profile as the last Vuelta individual TT which was won by David Millar in about 35 minutes. It takes me 50!
    :cry::cry:
    Head Hands Heart Lungs Legs
  • inseine
    inseine Posts: 5,786
    They averaged over 40kph for the whole TdF this year.
  • May I add two other words:
    1. professional
    2. slipstream
  • pottssteve
    pottssteve Posts: 4,069
    fnegroni wrote:
    May I add two other words:
    1. professional
    2. slipstream

    Indeed, to which I would add, in my particular case:

    1. Specialized
    2. Tricross
    3. Sport
    :lol:
    Head Hands Heart Lungs Legs
  • pottssteve wrote:
    Indeed, to which I would add, in my particular case:

    1. Specialized
    2. Tricross
    3. Sport
    :lol:

    4. Traffic!
    Road: Felt AR0, Di2
    Touring/commute: Dolan Multricross
    TT: PX Exocet Sold because it was like a sail in the wind (sh*t)
  • pottssteve wrote:

    Indeed, to which I would add, in my particular case:

    1. Specialized
    2. Tricross
    3. Sport




    4. Traffic!

    5. BMI :oops:
  • Flasheart
    Flasheart Posts: 1,278
    FatLarry wrote:
    pottssteve wrote:

    Indeed, to which I would add, in my particular case:

    1. Specialized
    2. Tricross
    3. Sport




    4. Traffic!

    5. BMI :oops:

    ROFL :lol:
    The universal aptitude for ineptitude makes any human accomplishment an incredible miracle. ...Stapp’s Ironical Paradox Law
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  • Eau Rouge
    Eau Rouge Posts: 1,118
    As a slightly different approach to the same question, what sort of average speed would you typically find for some crazy fool on a long-distance solo break, where he's not riding a TT, and not benefiting from the slipstream of other riders. The solo break being closest to how most of us ride.
  • pottssteve
    pottssteve Posts: 4,069
    FatLarry wrote:
    pottssteve wrote:

    Indeed, to which I would add, in my particular case:

    1. Specialized
    2. Tricross
    3. Sport




    4. Traffic!

    5. BMI :oops:

    6. 40 years old :(
    Head Hands Heart Lungs Legs
  • pottssteve
    pottssteve Posts: 4,069
    8. With no aero helmet
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  • 9. The 'to do list' which is awaiting my arrival at home. It motivates a slower average speed!
    Road: Felt AR0, Di2
    Touring/commute: Dolan Multricross
    TT: PX Exocet Sold because it was like a sail in the wind (sh*t)
  • blorg
    blorg Posts: 1,169
    Eau Rouge wrote:
    As a slightly different approach to the same question, what sort of average speed would you typically find for some crazy fool on a long-distance solo break, where he's not riding a TT, and not benefiting from the slipstream of other riders. The solo break being closest to how most of us ride.
    If it's a successful solo break, somewhat faster than the average quoted for the peloton :)
  • Gav888
    Gav888 Posts: 946
    This years TDF by stage, I was bored a while ago and wanted to know the averages.....

    Stage Terrain Distance Times Ave MPH
    Stage 2 Hilly 101 4:36:00 21.96
    Stage 3 Flat 129 5:05:00 25.38
    Stage 4 Flat TT 18 0:35:00 30.86
    Stage 5 Flat 144 5:27:00 26.42
    Stage 6 Flat 121 4:57:00 24.44
    Stage 7 Flat 98 3:52:00 25.34
    Stage 8 Flat 107 4:02:00 26.53
    Stage 9 Hilly 139 5:39:00 24.6
    Stage 10 Mountain 97 4:19:00 22.47
    Stage 11 Mountain 104 3:58:00 26.22
    Stage 12 Hilly 104 3:40:00 28.36
    Stage 13 Hilly 100 4:25:00 22.64
    Stage 14 Hilly 120 4:13:00 28.46
    Stage 15 Mountain 113 4:50:00 23.38
    Stage 16 Mountain 97 4:31:00 21.48
    Stage 17 Mountain 130 6:07:00 21.25
    Stage 18 Hilly 121 4:30:00 26.89
    Stage 19 Flat 102 3:37:00 28.2
    Stage 20 Flat 32 1:03:00 30.48
    Stage 21 Flat 88 3:51:00 22.86
    Cycling never gets any easier, you just go faster - Greg LeMond
  • fto-si
    fto-si Posts: 402
    Gav888 wrote:
    This years TDF by stage, I was bored a while ago and wanted to know the averages.....

    Stage Terrain Distance Times Ave MPH
    Stage 2 Hilly 101 4:36:00 21.96
    Stage 3 Flat 129 5:05:00 25.38
    Stage 4 Flat TT 18 0:35:00 30.86
    Stage 5 Flat 144 5:27:00 26.42
    Stage 6 Flat 121 4:57:00 24.44
    Stage 7 Flat 98 3:52:00 25.34
    Stage 8 Flat 107 4:02:00 26.53
    Stage 9 Hilly 139 5:39:00 24.6
    Stage 10 Mountain 97 4:19:00 22.47
    Stage 11 Mountain 104 3:58:00 26.22
    Stage 12 Hilly 104 3:40:00 28.36
    Stage 13 Hilly 100 4:25:00 22.64
    Stage 14 Hilly 120 4:13:00 28.46
    Stage 15 Mountain 113 4:50:00 23.38
    Stage 16 Mountain 97 4:31:00 21.48
    Stage 17 Mountain 130 6:07:00 21.25
    Stage 18 Hilly 121 4:30:00 26.89
    Stage 19 Flat 102 3:37:00 28.2
    Stage 20 Flat 32 1:03:00 30.48
    Stage 21 Flat 88 3:51:00 22.86

    Gav, you could of been riding instead of doing this :lol:
    exercise.png
  • Gav888
    Gav888 Posts: 946
    LOL, its the TDF, you gotta watch that, plus I was watching it and making notes as I watched the stages....then went out and tried to beat the times.... yeah right :shock:
    Cycling never gets any easier, you just go faster - Greg LeMond
  • pottssteve
    pottssteve Posts: 4,069
    Gav888 wrote:
    This years TDF by stage, I was bored a while ago and wanted to know the averages.....

    Stage Terrain Distance Times Ave MPH
    Stage 2 Hilly 101 4:36:00 21.96
    Stage 3 Flat 129 5:05:00 25.38
    Stage 4 Flat TT 18 0:35:00 30.86
    Stage 5 Flat 144 5:27:00 26.42
    Stage 6 Flat 121 4:57:00 24.44
    Stage 7 Flat 98 3:52:00 25.34
    Stage 8 Flat 107 4:02:00 26.53
    Stage 9 Hilly 139 5:39:00 24.6
    Stage 10 Mountain 97 4:19:00 22.47
    Stage 11 Mountain 104 3:58:00 26.22
    Stage 12 Hilly 104 3:40:00 28.36
    Stage 13 Hilly 100 4:25:00 22.64
    Stage 14 Hilly 120 4:13:00 28.46
    Stage 15 Mountain 113 4:50:00 23.38
    Stage 16 Mountain 97 4:31:00 21.48
    Stage 17 Mountain 130 6:07:00 21.25
    Stage 18 Hilly 121 4:30:00 26.89
    Stage 19 Flat 102 3:37:00 28.2
    Stage 20 Flat 32 1:03:00 30.48
    Stage 21 Flat 88 3:51:00 22.86


    Half the mountain/hilly stages are faster than the flat stages - makes you wonder why they bother... :)
    Head Hands Heart Lungs Legs
  • whyamihere
    whyamihere Posts: 7,695
    Don't forget, on the flat stages, they sit around not really doing a lot for most of the day while a couple of guys kill themselves up front, then do the last 10km at 50km/h. Mountain stages can have big attacks almost from the start, to get the GC contenders to the base of the most important climb first, hopefully dropping their rivals.
  • pottssteve
    pottssteve Posts: 4,069
    whyamihere wrote:
    Don't forget, on the flat stages, they sit around not really doing a lot for most of the day while a couple of guys kill themselves up front, then do the last 10km at 50km/h. Mountain stages can have big attacks almost from the start, to get the GC contenders to the base of the most important climb first, hopefully dropping their rivals.


    Thanks, but I was actually being sarcastic! :roll:

    Steve
    Head Hands Heart Lungs Legs
  • volvine
    volvine Posts: 409
    never dropping below 20 mph for three weeks beggers belief especially over that terrain i was watching the TOB last week and on the final crit stage they was lapping at an average of 29 mph i have to be going down a hill to reach that and if i touch 40 mph my arse falls out and i tap the brakes lol :oops: :lol:
  • neeb
    neeb Posts: 4,467
    It's the averages for the TTs and the solo breaks that blow me away... The overall averages for some of the stages are only about 2-3mph faster than what many fairly fit club riders could do over that sort of distance ( if you can get averages of about 19mph on your own you should be able to manage 22mph+ in a bunch, IF they are all of a similar fitness). But there's no way for a normal human being to shoot off the front at 30mph on their own and keep it going for 100km... It just shows that most of the time actually they are being quite lazy! :wink:
  • Gav888
    Gav888 Posts: 946
    volvine wrote:
    never dropping below 20 mph for three weeks beggers belief especially over that terrain i was watching the TOB last week and on the final crit stage they was lapping at an average of 29 mph i have to be going down a hill to reach that and if i touch 40 mph my ars* falls out and i tap the brakes lol :oops: :lol:

    I know the feeling.. riding along averaging 16mph is a rubbish pace compared... but then I dont train half as much as they do!! Still, it doesnt stop me wanting to be that fast!! :)
    Cycling never gets any easier, you just go faster - Greg LeMond
  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 40,207
    This years TDF by stage, I was bored a while ago and wanted to know the averages.....

    Stage Terrain Distance Times Ave MPH
    Stage 2 Hilly 101 4:36:00 21.96
    Stage 3 Flat 129 5:05:00 25.38
    Stage 4 Flat TT 18 0:35:00 30.86
    Stage 5 Flat 144 5:27:00 26.42
    Stage 6 Flat 121 4:57:00 24.44
    Stage 7 Flat 98 3:52:00 25.34
    Stage 8 Flat 107 4:02:00 26.53
    Stage 9 Hilly 139 5:39:00 24.6
    Stage 10 Mountain 97 4:19:00 22.47
    Stage 11 Mountain 104 3:58:00 26.22
    Stage 12 Hilly 104 3:40:00 28.36
    Stage 13 Hilly 100 4:25:00 22.64
    Stage 14 Hilly 120 4:13:00 28.46
    Stage 15 Mountain 113 4:50:00 23.38
    Stage 16 Mountain 97 4:31:00 21.48
    Stage 17 Mountain 130 6:07:00 21.25
    Stage 18 Hilly 121 4:30:00 26.89
    Stage 19 Flat 102 3:37:00 28.2
    Stage 20 Flat 32 1:03:00 30.48
    Stage 21 Flat 88 3:51:00 22.86

    I think you may have the wrong year's averages there - by my reckoning Stage 20 finished at the top of the Ventoux, can't quite see them averaging over 30mph on that stage lol :shock:
  • Gav888
    Gav888 Posts: 946
    Sorry, those stats are for the 2008 TDF..... should have said :?
    Cycling never gets any easier, you just go faster - Greg LeMond
  • neeb
    neeb Posts: 4,467
    Remember also that in the mountain stages a big part of the average speed will come from being competent enough to able to descend at 60mph... this must offset what they lose in the ascents by quite a bit!
  • Riding in the peloton is much less tiring than on your own or with only a few people. most of the riders are protected from wind resistance by the guy in front and to the sides. Everyone circulates so everyone gets a chance to drain themselves out front.

    Don't forget these guys have a different wheel profile for each day of the week and the right wheel in the right conditions can make a large diference.
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  • Yeah, but you still see people RUNNING alongside the top riders when they are going UP the steepest climbs. That means they must be doing over 10mph and more like 15mph I bet. Then you see them attack...

    Anyway I just enjoy the ride..... :cry:
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