Long, steep hills are an investment that shouldn't be wasted.
07-28-15, 04:18 PM
#76
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I think I grok where you're coming from, @Ray9. Not completely on board with the personal comparisons between hill-climbers and others, but there is something very rewarding about reaching the top of steep and/or long hills that might have you at the limits of your ability. A challenging hill is a little more tangible (though no more real) than a punishing headwind or a high speed reached on the flats.
My biggest improvement in cycling fitness is traceable to the point when I embraced climbing, especially on my fixed-gear. And while leisurely rides can be nice, it's the exuberant ones that really get the endorphins going. It's inarguable that exercise where you push yourself is where you make the biggest gains. Obviously, that can be taken too far, to acute injury or overuse, but you can't improve without some degree of it.
I've decided as a cyclist that I'm not willing to live somewhere flat if I can help it. There's a good variety of terrain where I live now.
My biggest improvement in cycling fitness is traceable to the point when I embraced climbing, especially on my fixed-gear. And while leisurely rides can be nice, it's the exuberant ones that really get the endorphins going. It's inarguable that exercise where you push yourself is where you make the biggest gains. Obviously, that can be taken too far, to acute injury or overuse, but you can't improve without some degree of it.
I've decided as a cyclist that I'm not willing to live somewhere flat if I can help it. There's a good variety of terrain where I live now.
07-28-15, 04:20 PM
#77
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It appears that the first place climber in the TdF will win the TdF and the second place climber will finish second in the TdF. Also, it appears that none of the sprinters will finish in the top five. I still hate the hills, but it does appear that climbers get more separation during climbing than sprinters can get during sprinting.
07-28-15, 04:28 PM
#78
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This year, the Tour was won on a flat stage.
07-28-15, 04:45 PM
#79
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The flat stage separated the winner from the second place. The climbs separated those two (and a select few others) from everyone else.
07-28-15, 04:57 PM
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Perhaps it's more accurate to say that Quintana lost the Tour on stage 2.
07-29-15, 08:17 AM
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Turn Intestellar off.
Agreed. Had a gentleman hop on my wheel at the start of his ride as I was half way home, trying to keep a good pace on the MUP. Didn't appreciate that at all. I was too blasted to lose him and only had slicks on the gravel so I turned off, took a leak and a quick refresh, then caught him again on pavement. He was headed right for a nice hill and I knew I was going to crush it but then he turned off right at the climb into a neighborhood. I was really anticipating a victory...it was still nice to finish the hill though.
Last edited by jfowler85; 07-29-15 at 08:25 AM.
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