HardyWeinberg

So what do they do on rest days? Ride another 100 miles, but over 8-10 hours?

Creatre

Ride between 1-3 hours. Do lots of interviews, sponsor things, etc. The guys you see getting dropped tomorrow will be the people that stayed in bed all day eating, thinking they are recovering.

YMCA

Creatre is correct.

GC guys will do 3 hrs for sure, with some hills and/or motorpacing to stay sharp, but not enough to negate finally having some rest.
Nice to stay in the same hotel two nights as well.

Anyone notice Tejay after the rest day last week. First day back he was struggling, but then the following stage, he was floating.
Simply "blocked".
Hope he learned the lesson.

Creatre

Yeah I'm hoping this as well. Last year he wasn't fighting for GC so he probably took the rest day off or did a short super easy ride. He probably did that again the first rest day this year and paid for it. Crossing my fingers he's doing something different today.

colombo357

Or, more likely, he's just not used to 3 week races (much less standing in the top 10) and will get better in the years ahead.

Give the guy some credit. Do you really think there's ANYTHING you know that he doesn't when it comes to training and riding the TDF?

You think 3 hours is the magical number? At what pace?

colombo357

You're basing this off what?

Nothing, that's what.

Maybe he did ride 3 hours but needed 4. Or vise versa. Or perhaps his pace was just a tad too fast or slow. We'll never know. Somebody probably knows the answer, but it sure isn't you.

YMCA

colombo357 - is this the way you always converse?

Keith99

I'd bet that they also manage to get more massage and this year more medical attention time. And manage to get a bit more refuelled and rehydrated.

curiouskid55

When a rest day falls in the pyrennes its a good day for a big spanish steak dinner.

Creatre

Dude get the pole out of your arse. I think he has done great, we're not taking the credit away from him, he knows his body best, but he obviously did something wrong the last rest day because he has been great in the tour except that one day. Just some observations. We just want him to do well, so hopefully he figured out what he did wrong, or what caused him to be blocked that day.

HokuLoa

You really ought to chill....

First off, yes there is quite likely a lot that folks on here know (or have) that VanG likely still struggles with. Youthful exuberance can and does cause many talented, intelligent, and well trained riders to make minor mistakes. Learning how to properly rest is something that many competitors only learn with experience and age. Getting the excited body and mind to shutdown is a common struggle for young riders.

Perhaps he is not struggling with this but how is anyone else's "basing" of opinion and theory any less credible than yours? What exactly are you basing YOUR opinion and scolding on?? "Nothing, that's what" right?

ettsn

colombo357

This is too much... a bunch of club cyclists and possible CAT 4/5 racers critiquing the training and recovery regimen of a top American pro in the TDF.

Please share your expert insight based on the last time you had a rest day following ~1500 miles in 2 weeks at 25mph average.

gsteinb

You must surely realize that in addition to the category of riders you name that other types of riders and coaches post here. Just because a guy has the genes and built the engine doesn't mean he knows how to best use it all the time. Not every guy who pedals a bike on the pro level is a genius, or even listens to his coaches or elders.

daveF

Sky did a 2hr ride https://www.teamsky.com/gallery/0,274...0.html#photo=9

Bjarne had vegan meals catered for his team!

HokuLoa

I see that this basic understanding is lost on you and that you are too full of assumptions about OUR knowledge and qualifications to be reasonable. My simple point was and is that the best knowledge and training is no substitute for years of experience. It is not the least bit unusual for young riders to "know better" but still struggle with rest days. Therefore theorizing that this may have played a part is not inappropriate and certainly does not warrant the derision you responded with.

colombo357

Blah blah blah blah....

Tejay has a team. He's not alone doing whatever he wants.

Furthermore, he's ridden 1.5 TDFs at this point in time. That's 1.5 more than you. But hey, I'm sure he can benefit from your DECADES of experience watching the TDF on TV.

colombo357

Certainly a valid point, but not the only possible explanation.

My point is that we simply have no idea and need to leave it at that.

steve2k

If people who had no idea didn't post their opinions anyway then the internet would be empty. Uninformed opionion is what the internet is for.

I understand your point, that people on here don't KNOW what the riders of the TDF are doing or how they should improve, but that shouldn't stop people being able to discuss and give their opinions.

If only people who knew the answer were able to post then this forum would die pretty quickly.

gsteinb

Agreed. I have no idea what he did, or what he should do.

gsteinb

incorrect. have you ever seen how many 'what pedals' threads there are?

hyhuu

Common now. One doesn't have to be an expert with years of experiences and trainings to know, one just needs to sleep at Holiday Inn.

gsteinb

I wonder often if some of you guys are real young or just don't pay attention to how the world actually functions. Folks have been playing monday morning quarterback/barstool DS since long before the interwebs existed. What kind of conversations do you think folks imagine guys are having in bars in Belgium as they watch the races?

hyhuu

I don't know but for an outside observer it must be really confusing with 3 different languages being spoken

HokuLoa

Are you always such an insufferable PITA? So by your logic anyone here who isn't on the team bus or a TDF rider should just STFU and and not converse about anything like this on BF. You do realize that high level performance issues are not isolated to TDF riders and that these ARE common and known issues. So why do you have such a bug up your ass about us chatting about it? Why do you feel the need personally attack others, stifle conversation, and generally be such an ass??

Oh, and FYI just because one has a team and is not "alone doing whatever he wants" does not mean he is immune from the same performance factors that challenge all young riders. So lighten up and you might realize that quite a few of us here have a lot more than just armchair experience to bring to bear.