TdF Stage - Average Speed

TMR
TMR Posts: 3,986
edited July 2014 in Pro race
I am participating in a cycling challenge for charity at the end of the month (http://www.mariecurie.org.uk/en-GB/Medi ... rie-Curie/). We are racing in teams of five and have to cycle the furthest we can in 6 minutes.

I've been training for two weeks and have just broken 4KM for the first time (40kmph/25mph average).

It's fair to say that I am completely knackered at the end. I thought I'd try and look for some TdF Stage average speeds to compare. I couldn't find any for Stage averages, but I found some for the TdF Winner's averages. CF & BW both completed the Tour at 40KM average speed. That's the best I could do for 6 minutes and they kept that up for 3 weeks. Really puts into perspective what incredible athletes they are.

I suck :(

Comments

  • stifflersmom
    stifflersmom Posts: 177
    A good rule of thumb is that if you're a decent club cyclist, whatever you average over a reasonable distance in km/h, the pro cyclists will do that in mph. I was thinking about this with some club mates, having done the first two stages of this year's TdF back to back, and marvelling how the pros would do that for 3 weeks hard racing.
  • adr82
    adr82 Posts: 4,002
    If I remember correctly the infamous "Echelons!!!" stage last year was done at an average of over 29mph (for the front group), which is crazy to think about, even with multiple people working. And I'm guessing that wasn't the fastest Tour road stage ever either?
  • k-dog
    k-dog Posts: 1,652
    For a long time Johann Bruyneel held the record for fastest stage but it was beaten in '99 - 195k at just over 50kmh. Won by Mario Cipollini.
    I'm left handed, if that matters.
  • joelsim
    joelsim Posts: 7,552
    I was pleased with 20mph over 45 miles on my own the other day. Mind you 10 of those were on cycle paths down the a30 and about 7 subject to traffic lights through SW London
  • For this, is it not better to compare to the Ride London Classic as a lot of UK amateurs get to ride a similar course as the pro's and with closed roads (missing some extra climbing loops that the pro's do).

    In 2013 Pro's rode the 199 km (123.7 mi) route at an average speed of at a speed of 43.09 km/h (26.77 mph).

    The fastest amateurs were over 4h 3mins for the 100 mile route so less than 25mph average.
  • Pross
    Pross Posts: 40,145
    A good rule of thumb is that if you're a decent club cyclist, whatever you average over a reasonable distance in km/h, the pro cyclists will do that in mph. I was thinking about this with some club mates, having done the first two stages of this year's TdF back to back, and marvelling how the pros would do that for 3 weeks hard racing.

    Not sure about that, I'm a poor quality club cyclist and riding solo over rolling terrain I average around 17mph usually. There's not many races where pros average over 27mph. Most of my club mates would average closer to 30kph.
  • DeVlaeminck
    DeVlaeminck Posts: 8,714
    Agree with Pross - a lower cat road race on gently rolling terrain might average 40kmh - even at their most doped up the pros were never close to averaging 40mph in a race.
    [Castle Donington Ladies FC - going up in '22]
  • adr82
    adr82 Posts: 4,002
    Froome's average speed for the entire Tour last year was 40.5 km/h or 25.2 mph. I've seen amateur races with similar averages, but those were on 40-50 mile flattish routes! No mountains :)

    Terpstra won PR this year at the same sort of pace, cobbles and all: http://www.strava.com/activities/130432764

    Before I had any direct experience of the difference drafting makes I couldn't believe the speeds in pro racing... still hard to get your head round sometimes.
  • joelsim
    joelsim Posts: 7,552
    The average speed of the Tour since 1993 has been steady at 39-40 kph.
  • josame
    josame Posts: 1,141
    k-dog wrote:
    For a long time Johann Bruyneel held the record for fastest stage but it was beaten in '99 - 195k at just over 50kmh. Won by Mario Cipollini.

    Was that when Bruyneel was wheel sucking Indurain??
    'Do not compare your bike to others, for always there will be greater and lesser bikes'
  • k-dog
    k-dog Posts: 1,652
    Yeah, then nipped past him at the last second to take the stage.
    I'm left handed, if that matters.
  • mm1
    mm1 Posts: 1,063
    adr82 wrote:
    Froome's average speed for the entire Tour last year was 40.5 km/h or 25.2 mph. I've seen amateur races with similar averages, but those were on 40-50 mile flattish routes! No mountains :)

    Terpstra won PR this year at the same sort of pace, cobbles and all: http://www.strava.com/activities/130432764

    Peter Post won PR in 1964 at over 45ks (that's 27 mph), there was a stronger than usual tail wind and its before Stablinski et al started designing the course to find the worst possible pave, but still 27mph for that distance.
  • TimB34
    TimB34 Posts: 316
    It's quite fun to compare the overall times for the Etape de Tour cyclosportive and the race times.

    The cyclosportive is usually won by a very good amateur or an ex-pro... the fastest time then seems to be outside the time limit when the real race rolls through a week or so later.

    Edit :
    Etape du Tour 2013 - won by Nicolas Roux in 4h13
    Stage 20, TdF 2013 - won by Nairo Quintana in 3h39

    If I've done the sums properly, the time limit would have been 35 minutes - so Roux would have just sneaked inside, but second placed Peter Pouly (ex mtb pro) and all the other 10,622 finishers behind him would have been outside the limit.
  • k-dog
    k-dog Posts: 1,652
    I always like seeing the sprinters climb big mountains in a time which would put decent amateurs to shame!
    I'm left handed, if that matters.
  • dolan_driver
    dolan_driver Posts: 831
    josame wrote:
    k-dog wrote:
    For a long time Johann Bruyneel held the record for fastest stage but it was beaten in '99 - 195k at just over 50kmh. Won by Mario Cipollini.

    Was that when Bruyneel was wheel sucking Indurain??

    I think it was actually his stage win in 1993. I think they had a roaring tailwind for most of that stage but he still spent a good few kilometres off the front on his own. Notwithstanding it was Bruyneel and the era in which it occurred, he was still moving at a serious rate of knots for a rider on his own.

    A friend of mine rode the Irish Nationals on Sunday and was on Dan Martin's wheel when he jumped away at one point. He said the power Martin put down was unbelievable. After leaving that group, he rode across to the next group, strung them out at 60kmh for 4 Km and only one guy could stay with him! Dan M is a tiny, skinny little guy versus big, powerful looking well-trained Senior A riders and he just rode them off his wheel at will. The very best riders have huge motors that us mere mortals simply can't comprehend.

    DD.
  • adr82
    adr82 Posts: 4,002
    k-dog wrote:
    I always like seeing the sprinters climb big mountains in a time which would put decent amateurs to shame!
    Yeah it's always good to remind yourself that when you see the standard "there goes Cav out the back" shots, he and the rest of the gruppetto are still going to get up the mountain faster than virtually any amateur could.
  • d_o_g
    d_o_g Posts: 286
    The very best riders have huge motors that us mere mortals simply can't comprehend.

    DD.

    Wouldn't it be amazing to feel that strong, just for a day? Would love it.
  • markhewitt1978
    markhewitt1978 Posts: 7,614
    adr82 wrote:
    k-dog wrote:
    I always like seeing the sprinters climb big mountains in a time which would put decent amateurs to shame!
    Yeah it's always good to remind yourself that when you see the standard "there goes Cav out the back" shots, he and the rest of the gruppetto are still going to get up the mountain faster than virtually any amateur could.

    And yet you still get some on here claiming they are a better climber than Cav. You aren't.