[Event] 947 Cycle Challenge 2016

[Frosty]

does anyone know what sort of power stats these amazing pros finished the race with or even the super fast guys who finish around 2:30? i had an average of 173w and did 2:50 riding on the limit the whole way. just for interest sake

I posted mine a few pages back, except I'm not one of those amazing pros, nor one of the super fast guys you hope to see - https://community.bikehub.co.za/topic/159497-event-947-cycle-challenge-2016/?view=findpost&p=3011109

 

Edited November 22, 2016 by geraldm24

[s14phoenix]

Some pros figures... it is embarrassing

 

[ahmedbadat]

Did you use a power meter? or Strava estimate? I got 2:52 and estimated strava was around 229w

i use a powermeter, perhaps there is a big difference in our weight, also time spent pulling in front versus chilling in the bunch.

[ahmedbadat]

I posted mine a few pages back, except I'm not one of those amazing pros, nor one of the super fast guys you hope to see - https://community.bikehub.co.za/topic/159497-event-947-cycle-challenge-2016/?view=findpost&p=3011109

 

thanks Gerald dont know how i missed it, and wow well done

[ahmedbadat]

Some pros figures... it is embarrassing

 

stats.JPG

sjoe that is amazing ability. Respect to them

[IceCreamMan]

The total column on the right also confuses me, but the numbers don't lie, more people from the lower groups seem to finish sub3 each year.

 

The absolute numbers for sub3 finishers for the entire field are as follows:

2014:1916

2015:2074

2016:2349

 

Totals of sub3 finishers for groups A to F:

2014:1052

2015:1099

2016:1122

 

So large contingent of sub3 finishers are in the lower groups, close to half of the total....  further analysis will follow...

Again nice work, thanks.

 

Interesting to note the downward trend of sub 3 hour finishers in groupe A to F against total numbers. Very interesting and markable trend.

 

Another poster mentioned the training available etc and the growth of the sport and I think probably the training methods is a big contributor.

[Frosty]

This is a small sample, but I wanted to see if we can say whether this year's route was significantly easier or not. I compared it to the previous two years.

 

I looked at the Racetec results for batches A to F and the % of riders that completed in sub 3h. The batch sizes remained roughly the same for the three years and the total finishers were also relatively close between the years, so we can trust the percentages. (The big decline from 2015(21 527) to 2016(20272) might start to worry the organisers.)

 

The graph below shows an interesting result. Even though 2014 and 2015 had the same route, 2014 had way more sub 3h finishers, it even outperformed 2016.

 

So the only thing I can make of this is that the conditions play a major part in how quick riders finish the race. If I remember correctly, 2015 was freakishly hot...

 

I would not at this stage say that the new route is faster or slower yet, but I can say it is much more enjoyable than 2014/15.

 

EDIT: I added the columns for total % of riders achieving sub 3h. The overall trend in that regard is that more riders are getting faster.

A spanner in the works:

 

I was going to say that this year's route is shorter than the last 2 years - I get 700m less. At 1.939655 min/Km (the average for a 3 hour ride), it means 1:56 needs to be added to get an equivalent number of finishers for the same race distance as 2014 and 2015.

 

Assuming all things are equal, eg. weather, group pace, etc., anyone under 2:58:04 could be compared to the last 2 year's sub-3 total. That would mean 2151 achieved a sub-3 for the new route IF IT WAS THE SAME DISTANCE as previous years.

['Kaze Pete]

does anyone know what sort of power stats these amazing pros finished the race with or even the super fast guys who finish around 2:30? i had an average of 173w and did 2:50 riding on the limit the whole way. just for interest sake

not a pro.

Not a 2:30 or less.

Lots of wheel sucking.

 

That equates to 2.54 watts/kg average and a HRmax VERY close to 220-age. Actual HRmax is slightly more

Edited November 22, 2016 by 'Kaze Pete

[Blue Monster]

Time: 2:37.28

Ave power: 183W

Normalised Power: 232W

Max Power: 776

Ave HR: 161bpm

Max HR: 184bpm

Weight: 70.8kg (morning of race)

IF: 0.94

No time at front, just bleeding through eyeballs mid pack.

 

edit: wrong time

Edited November 22, 2016 by Blue Monster

[Vetplant]

A spanner in the works:

 

I was going to say that this year's route is shorter than the last 2 years - I get 700m less. At 1.939655 min/Km (the average for a 3 hour ride), it means 1:56 needs to be added to get an equivalent number of finishers for the same race distance as 2014 and 2015.

 

Assuming all things are equal, eg. weather, group pace, etc., anyone under 2:58:04 could be compared to the last 2 year's sub-3 total. That would mean 2151 achieved a sub-3 for the new route IF IT WAS THE SAME DISTANCE as previous years.

Comparing 2014 and 2015 (which both had the same route), it seems like 2015 had some major external factor/s that had an impact on the finishing times.

 

So lets throw 2015 out of the equation for a moment. 

 

Looking at 2014 vs 2016 paints a peculiar picture:

['Kaze Pete]

Comparing 2014 and 2015 (which both had the same route), it seems like 2015 had some major external factor/s that had an impact on the finishing times.

 

So lets throw 2015 out of the equation for a moment.

 

Looking at 2014 vs 2016 paints a peculiar picture:

C bunch this year...

 

The group left me for dead after Kyalami. I then hooked up with a mixed group and rode to the finish. They left me behind going up the hill just before Steyn City. Seriously though I was towards the back of the group, but the results put me below 70th in the group. Obvious that the group exploded along the route then to the detriment of overall sub 3 performance

[Spoke101]

does anyone know what sort of power stats these amazing pros finished the race with or even the super fast guys who finish around 2:30? i had an average of 173w and did 2:50 riding on the limit the whole way. just for interest sake

I did a 2:29 form A.

 

Weight: 60kg

Avg power:         209w

Max power:        694w

Max Avg 20min: 231w

NP:                    225w

IF:                     0.902

TSS:                 204.2

Had a fairly easy ride overall.

 

Here are the winners stats: at about 68kg

Edited November 22, 2016 by Spoke101

[Frosty]

Here's another look at the number of sub-3 for groups A-F for the last 3 years, as well as the group sizes for each batch per year - this year is mostly higher than before:

[Pieterlab1]

Jho! You guys are fast AF!

 

I did my 2nd 947 on my dual suspension MTB (with off road tyres) with a charity group. Was great fun!

 

Didn't try to put in a fast time, rather tried to pull some of the slower guys along. Kyalami was great fun, but my throat took a bit of a hammering with all the car noises I had to make pulling through the fast corners.

 

Just for fun, what was the max speed that you guys achieved? I managed 69.8km/h.

[Spoke101]

Did you use a power meter? or Strava estimate? I got 2:52 and estimated strava was around 229w

Starva's estimate will be way out due to the drafting.

It calculates power based one solo rides, so if you rode the whole route on your own and wanted a time of 2:52 you would have to average 229w.

[Spoke101]

Jho! You guys are fast AF!

 

I did my 2nd 947 on my dual suspension MTB (with off road tyres) with a charity group. Was great fun!

 

Didn't try to put in a fast time, rather tried to pull some of the slower guys along. Kyalami was great fun, but my throat took a bit of a hammering with all the car noises I had to make pulling through the fast corners.

 

Just for fun, what was the max speed that you guys achieved? I managed 69.8km/h.

Well done!!!

 

I got 77 km/h.

 

HB Kruger (one of the pro's) got 90km/h and after crashing going into Kyalami averaged 51.3km/h around the track behind the team car to get back to the bunch.