le grimpeur

In praise of slow1
Guy WR posted in Local Climbs, Climbing Skills on April 18th, 2008

The bicycle is mechanical perfection. When man invented the bicycle he reached the peak of his attainments. Progess should have stopped when man invented the bicycle. — Elizabeth West.

What else is there that can be said about the humble, magnificent bicycle? Its ability to range over impressive distances with a minimum of energy is unequalled. A 100 watt light bulb, burning all day, is the energy equivalent of a normal human daily diet - and exemplary cycling feats can be achieved on such a diet alone. Running a marathon is a impressive effort, yet the same distance on a bicycle a mere trifle. A double-marathon run nearly unthinkable; for a cyclist, a good ride. Only when the distances reach 100 miles, or a double-metric century, is the average rider really challenged. (more…)

Le grimpeur in training1
Guy WR posted in Classic Climbs, Climbing Skills on March 16th, 2008

In June, le grimpeur is fortunate to be travelling to France to see some of the Dauphiné Libéré, particularly the stage to Mont Ventoux, and to report on it for Pez Cycling News.

At the top of the agenda, though, is the randonée ride Cinglés du Mont Ventoux, organized by the club of the same name. This fixed route, as many readers surely know, consists of three ascents of the famed Geant itself by three different routes. The total ride is only around 130 kilometres but a full half of that is climbing, over 4,400 metres worth.

The toughest day your author had in the saddle last year was a 200 km exploit with around 2,000 metres of climbing. The Cinglés may not be as long, but 4,400 metres of upward roads will be a singular test. Quelle folie, indeed!

So le grimpeur is currently in serious training for the expedition. But how to approach such a ride, which will be almost exclusively ascending (of the most torturous kind - it is Mont Ventoux after all) and descending? As such, only the finest hill climbing training techniques from some of the best grimpeurs have been assembled and incorporated into the programme. (more…)

Plus souffrance2
Guy WR posted in Climbers, Classic Stages, Climbing Skills on February 7th, 2008

One of the fascinating aspects of cycling is the diversity of physical builds and talents in the pro peloton. Although a careful attention to weight is the norm, and even the biggest sprinters can still look remarkably svelte, the burly still mix with the barely noticeable.

A quick glance across the team statistics from last year’s Tour de France gives an interesting comparison. Magnus Backstedt, then with Liquigas, was perhaps unsurprisingly at the top of the scales, weighing in at 94 kg (206 lbs) for his 1.93 metre frame. At the bottom end, Manuel Calvente from Spain, on Agritubel, tipped the scales - well, barely tipped them - at an astonishing 54 kg (118 pounds) for the 1.69 metre-tall rider: over 80 pounds less than Backstedt. The more well-known climber Leonardo Piepoli, the star of the mountains in the Giro, apparently weighs in at 52 kg.

While the Body Mass Index (BMI) is a poor tool for assessing athletes, it does make for some amusing comparisons. Backstedt rates as slightly overweight, while Piepoli would be assessed as clearly below normal weight.

Such is the life of the grimpeur. There would be no mistaking Backstedt if one were to see him out riding, and no doubt that he would tear the cranks off at a moment’s notice - especially if one were to call him overweight. It might be easy to misjudge the slightly-built Piepoli, though, until he disappeared into the stratosphere when the road turned upward. (more…)

Climb like… Frankie Andreu0
Guy WR posted in Climbing Skills on January 17th, 2008

Frankie Andreu needs no introduction. During his pro racing career, spanning the 90s and the LeMond to the Armstrong eras, he rode most every race and probably just about every mountain in Europe.

Never rating himself as a pure climber, Andreu had to work hard in the mountains. He knew how to bury himself and how to ride smart as well.

You can read more about his latest exploits and hear some great racing stories here on PEZ.

Le grimpeur contacted Andreu some time ago to get some of his tips on climbing, but they never quite made it onto the publishing schedule. Andreu has some great advice, well worth heeding, so here are his top four. (more…)

L’elixir du grimpeur & thanks for reading2
Guy WR posted in Climbing Skills on December 21st, 2007

As the popular festive song says, “the weather outside is frightful”, and it is currently hard to muster much enthusiasm for riding in Vancouver. It is not the harshest winter weather here, but it still takes a physical and mental effort to do much on the bike at this time of year.

Sean Kelly had different ideas on winter training, once apparently saying that one doesn’t really know how cold it is outside until one actually starts riding. You just have to get out there!

Or as another hard man, Peter Van Petegem, said, Paris-Roubaix is not won on the day but in December and January when all the ‘hard kilometres’ get done. Indeed.

Unless one actually is training for Paris-Roubaix, the best option as this time of year is to watch the televised highlights while on the indoor trainer, or perhaps even perched on the couch with an appropriate festive tipple. (more…)

Climb like a badger4
Guy WR posted in Climbers, Climbing Skills on May 30th, 2007

In the bucolic British children’s fable, ‘Wind in the Willows’, the character of Mr. Badger is a rather gruff fellow, a no-nonsense practical type, rather solitary in the winter off-season and sticks close to home, but generous - if not somewhat paternal - to his friends, but sometimes prone to outburst. “Now the very next time this happens,” he scolds. “I shall be exceedingly angry.”

In the somewhat more recent French version the Badger, le blaireau, is not an entirely different character. (more…)

Climb like… George Hincapie (yes, really)3
Guy WR posted in Climbers, Classic Climbs, Classic Stages, Climbing Skills on April 27th, 2007

It was the toughest mountain stage of the 2005 Tour de France: starting at Lézat-sur-Lèze then 205.5 kilometres to St-Lary Soulan up the Pla d’Adet climb. Before this 8.3%, 10.3 kilometre final ascent, one cat.2 climb and 4(!) cat.1 monsters for over 5,000 metres of climbing. (more…)

Climb faster now..!2
Guy WR posted in Climbing Skills on April 18th, 2007

A popular magazine title is always some variation of ‘climb faster now’. While there is a plethora of good climbing advice, which le grimpeur is planning to explore, at the most basic physical level it all comes down to two options. (more…)