So the 2010 Tour de France is over and we’re all set to suffer the dreaded withdrawal symptoms over the coming days. Year on year we look forward to the Tour, the pinnacle of our sport where riders battle it out, hoping their names will be inscribed upon the annuls of cycling folklore. What makes the Tour such a gripping spectacle is that it provides an athletic experience and magnifies it to a physical challenge that we rarely see in other sports. Riders light the touch paper of pain for sustained periods, doing it all over again, day after day.
This years edition edition has been a compelling spectacle, with exciting sprints, ‘chaingate’ and many riders laboring up mountain passes. The team time trials up mountain passes were few and far between this time round, something we had been accustomed to during the last number of years. Some small signs that hopefully the tide is shifting to a better future for the sport. With improvements in technology and a wealth of scientific analysis at our disposal, coupled with access to many riders’ power outputs, this Tour has given us a clearer picture as to whether the sport is going in the right direction.
We recently posted a link on our Twitter site to an informative analysis of this years Tour undertaken by Ross Tucker and Jonathan Dugas, the guys behind Science of Sport. Ross and Jonathan have offered informative analysis over recent years and it makes interesting reading this year because it’s clear to see from their data that many riders are performing below the levels we have seen in previous editions of the race.
Science of Sport recently posted analysis of the ascent of the Col du Toumalet and it was estimated that leading riders were climbing at a relative power output of 5.9 W/kg with the final 8km climb of Schleck and Contador at 6.0 W/kg. Looking through the official data posted by Chris Horner on the SRM site, his overall average power output on the climb was 360watts, or 5.6W/kg, again, some way below the levels of previous editions.
If you take a look back through the archives at Science of Sport, in 2004 for example, you’ll see the leading riders were ascending at a rate of 6.97 W/kg and 495watts, significantly higher than this years edition.
As we see testing procedures improve, this could well be a sign that elements of the sport are improving. Hopefully we are seeing a turning point in this years Tour and it’s an encouraging sign for many. Many performances still carry a question mark and it would be advantageous to see the official power data from the likes of Contador and Schleck during this years Tour. (Note: they both use SRM’s on their bikes).
We feel we’ve reached a period where several variables can be effectively used to determine cheating in the sport. The results of tests carried out on riders, coupled with data from their Bio-Passport and power output data over time will surely provide a valuable insight into which riders are doping. The application of all available power data, coupled with VO2 max benchmark results and the current anti-doping methods could be used wisely by the UCI in removing the cheats from the sport.
Some links which may be of interest:
Detailed SRM Power Meter outputs here:
Training Peaks info here:
Cozybeehive’s Col du Tourmalet analysis here:
Comments
Tour De France Recap « Chris Alfred's Blog 26.07.2010 at 07:27pm
[...] after the chain incident. It looked like the cleanest Tour in years as many have also said see http://bikepure.org/2010/07/a-clearer-picture-of-the-sport/ for an excellent summary of why. Here is to hoping Contador and Schleck are on different teams next [...]
Steve Emmet 26.07.2010 at 02:53pm
It was so very interesting that many riders who have climbed well never had a look in this time. Anyone remember Hincape winning on Alpe d'Huez? Every time the road rises he goes backwards. Even Armstrong was just average - the shadow of a person who has won seven Tours. Surely you don't get so bad so quickly. My thinking is that Armstrong was just too afraid of being caught this time, that he rode clean. He leaves the sport after having never tested positive. Yet all of us know that having never tested pos. doesn't mean you haven't doped.
John Sutton 26.07.2010 at 01:26pm
The analysis by Science of Sport is extremely convincing. However to extrapolate from that to explaining individual happenstances can be problematic. For example, Contador beating Cancellara last year and not this is no evidence to suggest that doping was taking place. The 2 riders started so far apart on the start list that all manner of variables such as wind direction and speed make such direct comparisons meaningless. We also know that levels of fatigue and motivation can differ enormously at the end of a 3 week tour. So, the general point still remains, power outputs do seem to have fallen, and the the overwhelming likelihood is reduced levels of doping, but be careful what you extrapolate from this regarding individual performances. This is not to say that I don't believe most of the points that Henry has made.
Henry Grest 26.07.2010 at 10:22am
Looking at the performances of some riders, I felt they were afraid to dope this year; The real fear of getting caught. The Lance Armstrong placing was from a 'natural Lance' . The much rumoured Interpol/US. FDA investigation watching his every move, no free 20 minutes for any sort of shower. Alberto, a 63kg climber beat the 80kg muscle monster Fabian last year in the final timetrial... WTF! His performance this year reflected natural reality and Newtons second law of motion. Why this year couldn't ALL of the shack climb? Did Geroge not win an Alpine finish?- now gruppetto?! with Basso? (everyone got a soar tummy excuse?) Your lung capacity does not diminish with age. The game is up on the cheats.
Andy McGibbon 26.07.2010 at 10:10am
thats fantastic news, its obvious just by the pained etched on the riders faces that this Tour was the cleanest in years and iI would also suggest that the riders, given the chance, don't want to dope. What other endeavour could a backwards step in performance be considered an achievement by both fans and hopefully riders, bravo all.
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