Power stats Armstrong & McGee

[VO2max]

Some interesting stats on pro's and power output:

 

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To learn about training with a power meter read Following the Program by super coach Craig Upton.


Here are the profiles of two top professionals:

Lance Armstrong
WEIGHT: 70 kg
Height :180cm
Resting heart rate: 32-34
VO2ml/kg: 83.8
Max power at VO2: 600 watts
Max heart rate: 201
Lactate Threshold HR: 178
Time Trial HR: 188-192
MSS 460-500 (500 divided by 70 = over 7 watts to the kilogram)

Brad McGee
Weight: 72 kg / 159 lbs
HEIGHT:182.5 cm
VO2MAX:89/mmol/min/kg
THRESHOLD:390-410 Watts at 195-205bpm
Average wattage for 4000 meter individual Pursuit: 530+ watts.
(Pursuit world record is 3:30 so that's a long time to ride over threshold, a unique ability of the Pursuit rider)

To see the slightly more human data of our own Ken Harris take a look at his journal entry

If you want to win the Tour De France you will need a Power to kilo ratio of at least 7.00 for the mountains. In other words if you can sustain seven watts for each kilo you weigh for about half an hour you can ride the Pyrenees with the elite group. Lance Armstrong weighs about 70 kilos (160 pounds) so he had to put out an average of 490 watts to clock 39 minutes up the Alp D'Huez, 7 watts for each kilo for almost 40 minutes.

Of course watts per kilos became more important as the grade gets steeper. On a flat or a sprint the weight of the rider and bicycle have little effect, aerodynamics become much more important than weight. That's why time trialists and sprinters use heavier aerodynamic wheels. Damiano Cunego weights 58 kilos - 128 pounds, his anaerobic threshold is 420 watts that gives him a world class power to weight ratio of more than seven watts per kilogram. So he has an advantage in the mountain but it is somewhat neutralized in a flat time trial. In a time trial a rider like Jan Ullrich may not have the power to weight advantage of a 'pure climber' but his ability to generate more power still gives him the edge. So to improve you must either lose weight or gain power, usually losing weight is the easier of the two, that?s why most Cat 4s think that if they just dropped enough weight they could join the pro tour. As Homer Simpson says "In theory Communism works too."

The same holds true for sprinting. Marty Nothstien weighted 220 pounds or 100 kilos in the 1996 Olympics, it takes a lot of power to get that much weight up to 45+ MPH but with maximum power at over 2200 watts at peak his engine was more than big enough. That?s well above great road sprinters who are comparatively small like Cipollini (1900 watt max) or Pettachi (reported 1700 watts). Conversely Chris Boardman was able to produce over 440 watts for an hour to break the hour record but his top power in a sprint was only 1000 watts, not enough to win a cat 5 sprint at Floyd Bennett Field. With power testing a cyclist quickly realizes what their strengths and weaknesses are.

Okay good for them what about you and me?
The average Cat 4 park racer can produce seven watts per kilogram of body weight for about one minute and around two minutes for a Cat 2. In fact the average racer is much closer to an elite local racer than that elite rider is to a top pro.

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This Rider has cat 1 or 2 power to weight for about 15 seconds but is an average Cat 3 or 4 after just a few minutesThe 'train your weaknesses, race your strengths' philosophy would require this rider to train on their aerobic power. Slow it down son!

If you have your own power data, check out these spreadsheets to get a rough idea of where you stand.

Lets say you are considering entering the Cat 4 Bear Mountain race. If you use the <?:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" />

River Road

climb from the boat basin to the stop sign for the right turn at the sheriff station (aprox 1.25 mile) you can get a pretty good idea of how competitive you will be.

To have a chance of finishing in the top twenty you would need to be able to ride up the hill, just over one mile at a 7.1% grade, in about 6:20 minutes, but about 5:30 to win. Thats 4.6 watts per kilogram to do the hill in 6:00. An average of 350 watts if you weight 170 pounds.

For the Cat 3's 6:00 for the top twenty and about 5:15 to win. At 5 watts per kilosgram and you will see the sheriff's staion in just over five painful minutes.

For the Pro 1, 2s under 5:30 to stay with the group and under 5 minutes to the top to win. The winner will be ale to generate more than 6 watts per kilogram and will pass you at about the same speed as a mid sized hatch back.

Of course there are many other variables to consider. For example, bigger riders may be a little slower on the climb but good at latching back on immediately afterward. And if you have poor descending skills you may get dropped or use too much energy catching up before you reach the finishing climb. Also the more difficult categories will require more endurance as the races are longer.

[Tonton]

Interesting article

[gianni]

McGees threshold is 195-205 ???

 

If that is correct then what's his Max HR?

 

I think those number might be a bit wrong....BikeMax ?

 

[BikeMax]

 

McGees threshold is 195-205 ???

 

If that is correct then what's his Max HR?

 

I think those number might be a bit wrong....BikeMax ?

 

 

Might be possible at 195 (92% of 210 ish) but look a little high.

 

[ZippIt]

McGees threshold is 195-205 ???

 

If that is correct then what's his Max HR?

 

I think those number might be a bit wrong....BikeMax ?

 

Might be possible at 195 (92% of 210 ish) but look a little high.

 

my max HR is 210 so it is possible, something to do with low blood pressure makes you have a higher max. But my threshold is about 193, so 195 to 205 seems high

[Austin]

I have a rider who is at 5.5W/kg at threshold( 0.1Wkg under Brad). Only problem though: He weighs around 10kg's less!

[BikeMax]

 

I have a rider who is at 5.5W/kg at threshold( 0.1Wkg under Brad). Only problem though: He weighs around 10kg's less!

 

Pretty impressive nonetheless - I am interested to know how you tested FTP?

 

Does he consistently outperform the others on the team in all but the flatter races ?

 

[epoh]

 

I have a rider who is at 5.5W/kg at threshold( 0.1Wkg under Brad). Only problem though: He weighs around 10kg's less!

 

 

Who weighs 10kg less? Brad or your guy? If it is your guy why is that a problem?

 

[Austin]

My guy weighs 10kgs less. Good for mountains, but not for TT as on a normal racing course with high speeds it is not the power to weight that counts, but rather the true power at that threshold.

[Austin]

BikeMax: Measured during 45min field test with Powertap. Incorporating a maximal output test  at the end used to determine influence of lactic acid at the FTP level as guideline of true functional power.

 He has won a KOM Jersey in Europe, two stages of road TransAlp and SA Champs before.

 

[epoh]

Thanks for the explanation Austin :-)

[BikeMax]

 

BikeMax: Measured during 45min field test with Powertap. Incorporating a maximal output test  at the end used to determine influence of lactic acid at the FTP level as guideline of true functional power.

 He has won a KOM Jersey in Europe' date=' two stages of road TransAlp and SA Champs before.

 

[/quote']

 

I have never heard of that protocol before - out of interest can you explain to me why a MAP test at the end of 45 mins would give an indication of "true" FTP and why the influence of lactic acid would help give you this information ?

 

Given that FTP is defined as  60 min power,  then why not carry out the gold standard test and simply have him ride for 60 mins flat out. You will then have an accurate figure for FTP rather than an estimate ?

 

[Austin]

Ag, I am a bit off beat in some of the things I do, but it seems to be working. 45mins gives closer estimation to possible race performance( as this is always higher) due to loss of concentration, etc in such a long effort and even before it starts in the anticipation thereof.( again just a wacky thing of mine)

 

The testing and interaction with athletes is more of a personal things than sticking to protocol.

 

These guys have delivered 4 gold, 4 silver and 1 bronze in the jnr and u23 cats at SA's in the last two years.

 

I am really not going to go into a discussion on what methods to use or not. You got yours, I got my off beat ways... and I am not really a commercial institution.

[BikeMax]

 

Ag' date=' I am a bit off beat in some of the things I do, but it seems to be working. 45mins gives closer estimation to possible race performance( as this is always higher) due to loss of concentration, etc in such a long effort and even before it starts in the anticipation thereof.( again just a wacky thing of mine)

 

The testing and interaction with athletes is more of a personal things than sticking to protocol.

 

These guys have delivered 4 gold, 4 silver and 1 bronze in the jnr and u23 cats at SA's in the last two years.

 

I am really not going to go into a discussion on what methods to use or not. You got yours, I got my off beat ways... and I am not really a commercial institution.

[/quote']

 

I'm not sure how 45 mins can give a closer estimation of possible race performance -  but whatever works for you.

 

I was interested because you mentioned power at threshold, yet you are not using an established method for measuring threshold power.

 

Things can always be improved, and science is advancing training methods all the time - hence the Telkom and the Predictor Lotto boys now using Cycling Peaks and most of Coggans training methods.

 

I may be a commercial institution but this, if anything, means I must be even more sure of my methods than if I wasn't.

 

Good luck anyway

 

[gianni]

 

my max HR is 210 so it is possible' date=' something to do with low blood pressure makes you have a higher max. But my threshold is about 193, so 195 to 205 seems high

[/quote']

 

how old are you?

[Austin]

Bike Max: If you read what I said you will see that I am pretty sure( medals), but if we have to go into what other guys have established( eg Coggen et al at Cycling Peaks), then do yourself a favour and look at the work of Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi on the dynamics of psychology in sport and the effect on performance. You quickly start realizing all the aspects of what creates a great athlete of performance of one.

I respect all the work these great guys have done and then try through my own trial and error create a workable solution for my athletes. Many dont like it that way, but many of those who do have found results. Work with  international athletes on my own unestablished methods and have got some good international results.

Many of the current established methods had to also be "unestablished at some point" An as you said science is evolving and what is seen as established today, may not be tomorrow.

Have fun! I am....