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The aero bike setup is simulated to be slower over the final climb by 00:00:19 seconds (+0.54 per cent of total time) with an average speed of 21.4kph. Hill climb: solo rider on the Bédoin ascent of Mont Ventoux, lightweight vs aero bikeįor a solo rider on the lightweight climbing bike, the time taken to cover the final climb is simulated to be 00:58:53 minutes with an average speed of 21.5kph. Two riders sharing the workload is better than one. The time saved by two riders working together compared to a solo rider on an aero bike is simulated to be an additional 00:04:46 minutes (-1.5 per cent of total time) with an average speed of 37.5kph.Īgain, no surprises here. The work is shared between the riders in a power-optimised way in order to be as efficient as possible. Breakaway: effect of two riders working together over the entire courseīoth riders are considered to be on the aero bike setups. Despite all the climbing, when you’re alone in the wind, the aero bike beats the lightweight bike in what is essentially a time trial. The aero bike setup, however, is faster over the entire course by 00:03:16 minutes (-1.0 per cent of total time) with an average speed of 36.9kph.
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So, what’s fastest? Time trial: solo rider over the entire course, lightweight versus aero bike.įor a solo rider on the lightweight climbing bike, the simulated time taken to cover the entire course is 05:23:24, with an average speed of 36.5kph. While it’s worth pointing out that any simulation is just that – a simulation that can’t account for every scenario or influencing factor on the road – the results offer a fascinating insight into the importance of equipment choices. In simulation number four (GC rider and domestique), it is assumed the domestique makes it to 3km from the summit of Mont Ventoux, leaving their team leader to go solo from that point. Simon Bromley / Immediate Mediaįor the team breakaway and domestique scenarios, the reduction of aero drag offered by drafting the leading rider is taken into account by the simulation tool. Like any GC rider worth their salt, our simulated rider is both lightweight and powerful. Nevertheless, the other three scenarios offer intriguing reading for breakaway specialists and amateurs taking on similarly mountainous rides. Given the GC riders will almost certainly arrive at the foot of the final ascent of Mont Ventoux in what remains of the peloton, with some mountain domestiques, simulations four and five are arguably the most relevant to the race. Descending: solo rider on final descent off the summit of Mont Ventoux, lightweight versus aero bike.GC rider and domestique: Team (two riders) on the Bédoin ascent of Mont Ventoux, lightweight versus aero bike.Hill climb: solo rider on the Bédoin ascent of Mont Ventoux, lightweight vs aero bike.Breakaway: effect of two riders working together over the entire course.Time trial: solo rider over the entire course, lightweight versus aero bike.To answer our question of which bike setup would be faster for this stage, Swiss Side simulated five different race scenarios: That might come as a surprise, so let’s dive into why that could be the case. But what should they compromise on – weight or aerodynamics? And what about rolling resistance?Īccording to Ballard and his team of experts at Swiss Side, the fastest bike setup for this stage is likely to be an aero bike with clincher or tubeless wheels and tyres, even if it weighs a kilogram more. In the real world, though, where sponsorship commitments and equipment limitations exist, riders will have to make compromises. Tadej Pogačar (left) has been the strongest rider in the Tour so far, but will that continue on Mont Ventoux? CHRISTINE POUJOULAT/AFP via Getty Images At least until they reach Chalet Reynard after 18km and enter the moonscape (so-called because the forest disappears and the rocky mountainside begins to resemble the surface of the moon) for the first time. The average pace up this climb should, therefore, be relatively high – over 20kph, according to Disley. There will likely be a relatively large peloton intact at this point, with many domestiques still left to set a high tempo. At 22.1km long, with an average gradient of 5 per cent, it’s still a monstrous climb by most standards. There are three different roads up Mont Ventoux, and this first ascent takes the longest but shallowest (in terms of average gradient) route. Starting in Sourges, there are 71.9km of rolling roads before the start of the first major climb, the previously mentioned Col de la Liguière.įrom the summit of the Col de la Liguière, there are 12.7km of mostly downhill roads leading into Sault, where the peloton will begin its first ascent of Mont Ventoux. Stage 11 of the 2021 Tour de France is almost 200km long and tackles Mont Ventoux twice.