[markhr]

How can a man with calves barely bigger than matchsticks be so damn fast?

http://www.cyclingnews.com//photos/2008/mar08/wtc08/wtc082/0451_Theo_Bos_PhSpt.jpg

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[bonechilling]

Have you seen his thighs from head-on? They're larger than my torso. Calves aren't really the sprinter's muscle.

http://www.britishcycling.org.uk/web/MultimediaFiles/20061014REV13_004.JPG

[markhr]

Have you seen his thighs from head-on? They're larger than my torso. Calves aren't really the sprinter's muscle.

[.IMG]http://www.britishcycling.org.uk/web/MultimediaFiles/20061014REV13_004.JPG[/IMG]

While his thighs are large they're not that big especially compared to other track sprinters. My main question on calves is, looking at other national/world cup sprinters, their calves appear strong enough to provide a stable platform to for the quads to push against?

At least that's how it works for me in my cafe racer/commuter noobish way. For me, having big calves means better power to the pedal without having to resort to either ankling or any other dubious "styles" of pedalling.

I just wonder if Bos is some sort of genetic freak, i.e., massively strong but gains muscle mass with difficulty.

edit: clarity

[markhr]

Bos is also ~6'3" and only ~180lbs so that may have some bearing on the genetic freak tall/skinny/strong title.

[melville]

How can a man with calves barely bigger than matchsticks be so damn fast?

Big calves are just wasted meat once you drop your heels. They are just a conduit for the power produced by your thighs and back. Weight below your knee is just mass you have to control at high rpm, where it starts working against you. Would that mine were skinnier!

What kind of gear does he use compared to his competition? Does he deal with his lack of meat by adding spin?

[powerdan]

Erin Hartwell also had skinny calves. Erv was also really, really, really fast. As noted, everyone's physiology is different. Having beat calves works for some, not for others.

" Why Hartwell isn't proud of his calves: "All the guys on the team give me a lot of crap because I have the largest thighs and smaller calves. I don't have big, fat, white-guy calves, but hey, it makes me fast."

http://outside.away.com/magazine/0396/9603fbo1.html

I believe Bos talks about wanting to move over to the road like Marty Nothstein did. I'm guessing he would make a pretty good crit/ circuit rider in the US or Australia but probably not for the longer rigors of European road racing. His lack of bulk is probably a good thing for making that transition sooner than later.

[markhr]

cool - thanks

I'm not sure how well Bos would do on the road given the bulk he's carrying even compared to giants like Bakstedt.

[Dubbayoo]

Theo will make a great road sprinter, even in Eurpope. He would only have to lose about 15-20 lbs, whereas Marty had to drop 20-25 just to get where Theo is now. Clearly he would go on the typical roadie starvation diet and lay off the gym work. I have heard that he will be doing that after Beijing.

Track sprinting is as much about leg speed as it is pure strength; seems even more that way with the move toward shorter tracks.

[CafeRacer]

What kind of gear does he use compared to his competition? Does he deal with his lack of meat by adding spin?


Theo is just a freak athlete. Like all sprinters he has a very fast spin but also using very big gears. HE often races over 100"

[powerdan]

I agree that Bos is a phenom athlete but I don't think Euro road racing is in his near future. It takes years, and years to develop the endurance to make it 80 - 120 miles and then unleash the fury. I just don't think he'll have the time to do that before he gets too old for a ProTour team to continue to want him. If he came to the states and raced hour long crits, mixed in with week long stage race like Altoona and Georgia, that might be the best balance of developing into a roadie, and have the frequent success of victory on the road.

I'm excited thinking about his transition. Would love to see him doing longer track stuff like points racing, scratch, team pursuit, and madison.

[Dubbayoo]

Marty started transitioning to road at 29 and he was winning crits 2-3 years later. Theo is only 24 so he's got ten years to lose 20 lbs less than Marty had to.

[bonechilling]

I really don't see any reason why he couldn't be a dominate road racer. His physique isn't very different from that of Boonen or Cancellara (to name two riders who come from very different disciplines). I don't see him wearing the polka dot jersey or anything, but I would hardly count the 24 year old superman out of contention, yet.