I'll take a stab at this:

Pros(like the ones you mentioned) can t/t at 30 mph average and faster... depending on the course

In USCF categories.... its usually pro-1= 28 and higher 2=maybe 27-29 3=maybe 26-28 4/5=maybe below 26 average....

Of course, these are just my observations and ballpark figures. I personally think that in time-trials(at least in so. cal), categories/master ages don't mean anything..... because, a lot of cat 4/5's are doing pro/1/2 times and many masters(40-60 years) are doing these average speeds as well.

FWIW

There are so many factors that go into average speed. Drafting, tail winds, hills. You are comparing apples to oranges when you compare how you do on your local ride versus how someone else did in a time trial. I did a 20 mile time trial last year on a loop. There was wind in my face the first half and averaged 22 MPH. Once on the beach road I had a 20 MPH tailwind and I was up over 30 MPH giving me an average speed of 26+. I thought back on what I would have averaged if there was no wind at all....still dont know if it would be the same or not.

Like mentioned, a Peloton is MUCH diffrent than even a pace line and it is easy(er) to maintain a much higher average speed. You dont even need to think about drafting, you just are. Well - unless you are the work horse or domestique that has to fight the wind for everyone to enjoy...

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What if the Hokey Pokey is what it is all about?

Yes, I agree that its hard to compare... there are so many factors involved.

Those are just basic t/t observations that I see.... All I know is that many pro's are doing 30 averages, regarless of wind, hills, etc....

That's a pretty loaded question as there are all sorts of stats on Le Tour speed. 4 of the last 6 winners averaged over 24mph over the entire course. The peloton clips along at 25-30 on the flats, but that can easily go over 35mph without much effort.

Typical TT Team speed is around 32-35mph

Ind TT speed is around 28-32ish

BTW - On L'Alpe d'Huez TT, LA was "only" going 14ish mph......



As to local races, that varies as well. I see much more "cat and mouse" (i.e. - laziness) at local/national events. It's not uncommon for Cat 3 to have a faster avg times than Cat 1. It's strange how that works. Some call it patience, some call it racing, other's have different names. Totally different races, so it hard to compare.

I've done one road race so I will chime in with my expert opinion on this.

The average speed you can maintain is meaninless compared to your top speed and how quickly you can accelerate your pace. The dynamics of drafting in a pack mean if you can not match the speed of any acceleration and, more importantly, match the rate of acceration, you'll eventually get dropped and this is true whether you are a weekend racer or a TdF rider.

If the pack accelerates from 30 to 35 mph and your top speed is 33, you get dropped. When they drop back to 30, you are alone and will have to put out 25% more effort just to match their speed and more if you want to catch back up. Also, even if your top speed is 35, if your drafting partners accelerate from 30 to 35 in x seconds and you can only get to 35 in x+2 seconds, you are out of the draft and dropped. Finally, if you can go from 30 to 35 fifteen times but someone else can do it twenty times, you get dropped.

I just don't understand how a guy can TT 32MPH or higher. It's incredible.

For how far? for 40k it is not that hard really...depending on the course.

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What if the Hokey Pokey is what it is all about?

"For how far? for 40k it is not that hard really...depending on the course. "

You mean downhill with a tailwind? 32 mph is a sub 47 min. 40k. The U.S. record is 47:35 and that has stood since 1990. Armstrong's speed in the flat TT at the Tour last year was only (?) 30.9 mph.

Last year, Lance won in 83:36:02 over 3390k. That's about 40.5 kmh or about 24.3 mph for the duration. It'd be much more informative to break it down by stage, if you've got the time/inclination.

looking at power output for various time durations would give you a much better picture.

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I'm too lazy to look up the stats and am totally going off memory right now but if i recall correctly, when david zabriskie soloed away to victory in the vuelta he averaged 25-26 mph by himself for over 100 mi. some of you may be thinking that the im pros can do that in an im however he was riding without aero bike/wheels/aerobars which makes a HUGE difference.

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<< As to local races, that varies as well. I see much more "cat and mouse" (i.e. - laziness) at local/national events. It's not uncommon for Cat 3 to have a faster avg times than Cat 1. It's strange how that works. Some call it patience, some call it racing, other's have different names. Totally different races, so it hard to compare. >>

This is a key difference between bicycle racing and triathlon-style riding. The average speed of a bike race can be rather low. However, the group which might have been toddling along at 18 mph might suddenly and violently raise the pace to 30+ mph in an instant. You can't train for a high average speed. You have to train to be able to handle those kinds of speed changes. It won't matter if you can motor along all day at 24 mph if you get dropped when the pace jumps to 32 mph for 5 minutes.

That's bike racing.

Bob C.

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�The greater danger for most of us is not that our aim is too high and we miss it, but that it is too low and we reach it.� -Michelangelo

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