Ever wonder how top triathletes would do in these roadie’s TTs?
For example, 25 miles bike split in 52 minutes, can be translates ~31 min in the 15 miles of Solvang TT.
The Solvang course has a pretty good hill in the middle but still, if one doesn’t swim before, and doesn’t have to worry about running 5/mi later, a good pro can squeeze little bit more speed and possibly bit Levi’s time of 30.41.
What so you think?
.
You might want to wake up now, you might be dreaming…
I’d like to say that, as time-trial specialists, professional triathletes would fare well. But given the sole focus of cyclists on, well, cycling, the top roadies should take them down. I would’ve loved to have seen Lieto, ThunderBear, or Norman (if his bike worked) take on the Open Race before the stage began. It’s an excellent question, I’d love to hear more thoughts too.
Although, we can still cite the precedent set forth by Lovato vs. Rasmussen
not even close.
‘For example, 25 miles bike split in 52 minutes’
OK, this above speed would equal 28.8mph, just something to think about…
.
OK, this above speed would equal 28.8mph, just something to think about… ;;
Or about the speed of Bjorns bike split for 56 miles at Clearwater…Granted, flat fast course, but impressive non the less. My guess is that top tri guys could get around top 20 or so in one of these tt’s. The top guys are really fast, but then it falls off pretty fast. The longer the tt, the better they would do to. These sprints are sometimes just too short for most tri guys.
If falls off fast after the top guys because most of the other riders just want to make the time cut and save their legs for tomorrow. Nobody is super fresh after 5 days of racing either.
kevin
Dr Matt Brick got 20th at UCI Worlds ITT in Bogota Columbia ~1993. And he was not even the top triathlon biker at the time. Not saying that any of the tri guys could touch Levi today, but there is a possibility that some could finish up in the top third of the peleton.
Well, are we talking fresh legs, or after 5 days of riding like all of the TOC riders have in their legs?
why do people keep asking this question like it’s a big mystery? Lieto races on the road as well (both of them). Here are the results.
Do the math: 40 seconds off of Zirbel over 7.5 miles. Zirbel’s about 40 seconds slower than Levi over 15 miles. Lieto about 2 minutes slower than Levi over 15 miles. That’s still pretty impressive since he’s training for 2 other sports, though.
Didn’t one of our top triathlete cyclist compete on a reley team for 100K at Silverman in 2006? Tyler Hamilton was on another, it was during his ban, not quite in the shape he is in now. 50-60k winds that never seemed to let up and never seemed to be tail wind. Something like 9000ft of climbing. Tyler rode a 4:33 and the next closest was around 4:50. I think Tyler’s words were “Longest time trial of his life”.
PETR VABROUSEK is the only pro to do the whole thing under 10hrs, with a bike split of 5:30 (2007).
Darren
So you guys are actually saying you believe that the top triathletes would beat your mancrush Lance Armstrong as he was double digit places today. Then I must ask, are you guys on crack?
Macca did the prologue last year in the celebrity category at the TOC and would’ve finished somewhere middle of the packish if I remember correctly.
The top pro triathletes would get crushed after 6 days of hard long racing in lousy and cold weather. Our sport is a great sport but no wai do our stars crossover to the individual sports and shine without learning the process. Pro triathletes are not as smooth on the time trial bikes as pro cyclists. No triathlete gets as aerodynamic as Dave Zebriskie.
Don’t forget that only a handful of pros are in decent shape right now for this 5th tier ToC.
Multiple Zofingen winner Urs Dellsperger did a Tour de Suisse TT some years ago. He averaged 44k/h while the winner was @48ish. It was a hilly course, suited to Dellsperger. He trained for it, didn’t do the mountain stages before that and got - his own words - crushed.
Not even close. Does anyone remember the image of Normann Stadler being passed by ex pro Steve Larson?
Mot pros ride a TT w/o much motivation.
Don’t forget that only a handful of pros are in decent shape right now for this 5th tier ToC.
Multiple Zofingen winner Urs Dellsperger did a Tour de Suisse TT some years ago. He averaged 44k/h while the winner was @48ish. It was a hilly course, suited to Dellsperger. He trained for it, didn’t do the mountain stages before that and got - his own words - crushed.
I think you’re stuck a little in 1987. Guys don’t start the season 20 pounds overweight anymore and ‘race into shape’. Those days went the way of the dodo a while ago. Just look at the time differential between first and 20th, in the Vuelta and the ToC TT’s. Levi won both. The difference in speed is the same. Guys are after UCI points no matter where the race falls on the calendar.
Don’t forget that only a handful of pros are in decent shape right now for this 5th tier ToC.
Multiple Zofingen winner Urs Dellsperger did a Tour de Suisse TT some years ago. He averaged 44k/h while the winner was @48ish. It was a hilly course, suited to Dellsperger. He trained for it, didn’t do the mountain stages before that and got - his own words - crushed.
I think you’re stuck a little in 1987. Guys don’t start the season 20 pounds overweight anymore and ‘race into shape’. Those days went the way of the dodo a while ago. Just look at the time differential between first and 20th, in the Vuelta and the ToC TT’s. Levi won both. The difference in speed is the same. Guys are after UCI points no matter where the race falls on the calendar.
Yes, and when 3rd place is putting out just over 6w/kg, at 80 kgs no less!, you could hardly say it’s 5th tier.
I’d say Slowtwitch’s all time top tri guy named Lance could get about 14th.
You guys are forgetting the full week of TOC on their legs. I think considering this condition, the top triathlete will be fried.