we are not adamant about our positions

we are merely adamant about the possibilities

you however are adamant that the pros know what they are doing

which is impossible given the wide range of choices displayed by the pros.

obviously many of them are confused =)

---

---

Kat Hunter reports on the San Dimas Stage Race from inside the GC winning team
Aeroweenie.com -Compendium of Aero Data and Knowledge
Freelance sports & outdoors writer Kathryn Hunter

Never really took a position, but thought all the definitive ST set up recommendations were amusing. I think we all know the answer now, even if it is not popular.

Cheap shots are part and parcel of every soccer forum I've ever been to, it's part of the fun, and frankly it's rude not to. This forum is wussy in comparison.

I agree, without a head to head comparison under controlled conditions we can never say for sure.

Its just that reading here most of the time, you'd be lead to believe that aero gear is ALWAYS the best choice, when really, that doesn't appear to be the case. It's nice to know that sometimes, it doesn't matter what gear you have on....the best engine wins.

what was the definitive ST set up?

you are making up an imaginary idiot and making fun of him.

and no, we don't know the answer now.

even though sastre beat armstrong in a TT which would imply his setup must have been better normally =)

---

---

Kat Hunter reports on the San Dimas Stage Race from inside the GC winning team
Aeroweenie.com -Compendium of Aero Data and Knowledge
Freelance sports & outdoors writer Kathryn Hunter

I just watched Lance's pre-race video on Livestrong.com (yes ... I have no life). This was done at lunch just before they headed out for the TT. He described weather conditions as "beautiful but hot." I don't doubt that may have led to some last minute equipment choice changes.

It's amazing how calm he seems to be in these videos ... while Levi sits next to him looking nervous as a cat in a roomful of dogs.

That Sastre beat Lance in a TT when Sastre is coming off a season when he won the TDF, and Lance is coming out of retirement and off a collar bone fracture means very little. Given the amount of climbing in this TT which is a Sastre specialty I would have at least expected him to make the top 10.
Regarding bike choice we have to remember that these guys spend most of their time on the road bike, they have just come off 11 stages of racing on their road bikes so with the steep technical descents it would make sense they are more comfortable descending on their road bikes. A crash could easily take you out of the Giro or at a minimum out of contention for the podium. With the aero helmets I know if I climb with one I sweat buckets off my head. My guess is that the last thing some of the riders want is sweat in their eyes or fogging their eyewear while trying to negotiate an off camber hairpin turn and the limits of tire adhesion.
The one equipment choice I dont get is DiLuca choosing to go without clip on aerobars, I think that could possibly have cost him the maglia rosa today.

Kevin

Sastre might have been in Pink if he wasn't dragging all that heavy shit up the side of a mountain.

It's nice to know that sometimes, it doesn't matter what gear you have on....the best engine wins.

With so few seconds separating the top 3 in the GC, one has to now question if:

• DiLuca sans clip on (save weight, lose aero???) (keep in mind that Basso and Ullrich both used aerobars in the 2006 ITT up Alpe d'Huez)
• Aero vs no Aero Helmets vs vents covered (heat vs weight vs aero)

Let's keep in mind that these guys are still averaging close to 40 kph. While the stage had climbing they are not going slow to the point that aero has no benefit. I really don't buy the heat arguement, when guys can survive Kona heat in aero lids. I am willing to believe that the weight of an aero helmet may have been a factor in some decisions.

Dev

There was a shot of either Levi or Lance squirting water inside their helmet vent to cool off. It made me think of Landis's big stage at the tour when he kept squirting himself with water to keep his power numbers up.

The Giro aero helmet does have vents to squirt water in, but they are not as big of plentiful as their road helmets. Maybe that helped make their decision.

Most of the riders seemed to have one normal (round) bottle on the down tube. Aren't two bottles (or at least an aero bottle) supposed to be better than one?

The one equipment choice I dont get is DiLuca choosing to go without clip on aerobars, I think that could possibly have cost him the maglia rosa today. \\

Ya, I felt like I was watching LeMonde and Fignion in 89 again.. After all these years you would have thought the all the bike racers would have gotten it by now. He does not deserve to win just because he still doesnt get it. And watching all the riders, I was saying from the beginning that Menchov was going to take it just because he was sitting down. I could not believe all the out of the saddle riding that was going on, especially Lance and DeLuca.. Even Levi was out more than he usually is, which suprised me. Menchov just got out to stretch, and push over the tops, then right back down and riding a good cadence. In this long of a tt, all that our of the saddle had to come back to bit the riders...

Yeah they averaged fast, but they had some long descents to help with that. Kona isn't a good example imo, even though it's hot, because they never really slow down there and keep the air flow relatively constant. On this course, air flow through an aero lid would have come to almost a complete halt on those climbs.

I also think DiLuca went out to fast. His early splits were right up there with the top guys.

Levi's post race tweet: "Menchov was the better rider today, no ifs ands or buts."


Don't think anyone will dispute this. I don't think the wide range of equipment choices proves they didn't know what they were doing. It just shows that there was no right answer for every rider and individual preferences and attributes came into play. If you're riding on a setup you're not comfortable (whether TT bike on twisty descent or aero helmet on hot climb) you're not going to be faster despite what the numbers say.

Bottom line, they are the pros and by definition they know what they're doing more than some yahoos on a message board.

I don't think the wide range of equipment choices proves they didn't know what they were doing. It just shows that there was no right answer for every rider and individual preferences and attributes came into play. If you're riding on a setup you're not comfortable (whether TT bike on twisty descent or aero helmet on hot climb) you're not going to be faster despite what the numbers say.

Thank you. That SHOULD be the last word ... but I'm sure it won't be. ;-)

I don't think the wide range of equipment choices proves they didn't know what they were doing. \\

What wide range?? What I saw was just about everyone on a road bike, and just a couple without clipons(contenders). A couple aero helmets, but I believe the helmet was really a non issue as far as equipment choices. And could not everyone see that DeLuca was a giant sail out there, while the others were tucked into their aero positions? They gave up nothing otherwise, because they also had road bikes, but gained many valuable seconds when they did get to ride aero, and from the video it looked like it was substancial....The wide range was clipon or not, and that was it as far as I saw...

levi before a TT seems like he just drank 8 red bulls

---

---

Kat Hunter reports on the San Dimas Stage Race from inside the GC winning team
Aeroweenie.com -Compendium of Aero Data and Knowledge
Freelance sports & outdoors writer Kathryn Hunter

the levels of pink run deep, today!

---

---

Kat Hunter reports on the San Dimas Stage Race from inside the GC winning team
Aeroweenie.com -Compendium of Aero Data and Knowledge
Freelance sports & outdoors writer Kathryn Hunter

Exactly. I would say that a lot of these riders went as fast as they could have gone, that being a combination of a good set-up and feeling comfortable about that set-up. Keep in mind that almost all these guys have ridden this course before (often with different set-ups), so they have a pretty good idea of what to expect. I can say that with Sastre, although he is not a natural time trialer, he is very comfortable on his time trial bike (those are two different things). He didn't even want to use drop bars at first. In the end the Zefiro was a good option, as it gave him a full TT set-up plus drops. But if you're not that comfortable on your TT bike, then using it on this course can really cost you a lot of time. We asked one "fairly good rider from another team who shall remain anonymous" what he was going to use, and he replied that if he still had the option to ride a P3, he would. But he didn't feel as comfortable on his new TT bike, so he would opt for his road bike. Now don't all go and assume it's about brand A or B, most likely you would have it wrong and that's not the point anyway. The point is these guys try the course, and make decisions based on what they are comfortable with. While aero could win you the day, doing these descents on a bike you're not happy with can cost you much more.

As for the wheels, most had reasonably deep rims, didn't see too many box sections at the start (it's always desceptive on TV). Maybe the strangest issue was Di Luca without aerobars, but mentally that may have been a good decision. The one thing that surprised me was how often Armstrong was messing around with his gears, looking back, etc. Seemed he had shifting problems - maybe a wheel change at some point? Or a mechanic about to get chewed out?

---

Gerard Vroomen
3T.bike
OPEN cycle

Thanks for the insight gerard.

---

---

Kat Hunter reports on the San Dimas Stage Race from inside the GC winning team
Aeroweenie.com -Compendium of Aero Data and Knowledge
Freelance sports & outdoors writer Kathryn Hunter

The one thing that surprised me was how often Armstrong was messing around with his gears, looking back, etc. Seemed he had shifting problems - maybe a wheel change at some point? \\

While Dan and I were watching the early parts, we thought the same thing. Lance was out well, and then on the 2nd check made up ground, and then all of a sudden was 1:12 back. We figured he may have had a wheel change, or as you say some mechanical problem..I guess someone on his tweet will let us know...

They, in turn, don't get Americans very often either.

On a good day (i.e decent reception) these gadgets could be handy in showing you how sharp is the turn ahead - so you know how to position yourself and how much to slow down.