Time Trial / Time Trialling / TT

What it says is that he made pacing errors in long tests before - perhaps unsurprising as he's not really a tester in the traditional sense, he's a pursuiter turned road man. He used a powermeter to guard against making the same error again.

This is not directly contrary to my earlier post, since directly reading power is much more reliable than the poor proxy, HR. If he's a fairly normal person, his HR could have been 5-10bpm higher at the end than at the start for the same power output, due to cardiac drift http://www.tri247.com/article_2276.html

However, constant power is not necessarily the optimum pacing strategy; since you lose more time on the slow bits than you can ever make up on the fast bits, it is usually better to use more resource on the slow bits, within the constraint of not exceeding your limit. On a typical rolling UK course, that means your perceived effort should be a bit higher going up hill, and you can recover a bit going down the other side once you're up to speed again.

Nah I suppose what I meant was the article pointing out he went faster in the second half just sort of didn't really mean anything, and certainly wasn't a vindication of any kind of his strategy. (my point) Would've made more sense if he was the fastest rather than only person to go faster in the second half

It kind of is. It's generally well paced if you finish faster.
So, assuming it was well-paced, which is what they were inferring, he was just not as fast as Tony.

What it says is that he made pacing errors in long tests before

No it doesn't. He might have been at his absolute limit and simply not as fast as Tony.

However, constant power is not necessarily the optimum pacing strategy

You are also assuming constant power was his strategy.
This is wrong - having a power strategy doesn't mean it has to be isopower.

No it doesn't. He might have been at his absolute limit and simply not as fast as Tony.

He was talking about previous tests not the world champs.

No it doesn't.

It explicitly does:

A couple of TTs I’ve gone out way too hard and paid the price.

You are also assuming constant power was his strategy.
This is wrong - having a power strategy doesn't mean it has to be isopower.

I'm not assuming, again it's explicit in the article:

British star put a number on his SRM power meter and targeted that...We decided to choose a power and target that...Today we decided to pick a power, target that for the first half, and try to up it a little bit on the second lap

So maybe two different isopower settings, one for the first lap and one for the second, but no mention of variable power within the lap.

“I believe we got it all out today. That worked out perfect and I think I will try that more for the future.”

"His previously best TT result was seventh in Madrid in 2005."

So, he's done much better than before using power meter for pacing. Thanks. I'm off to bed now.

It explicitly does:

I'm not assuming, again it's explicit in the article:

So maybe two different isopower settings, one for the first lap and one for the second, but no mention of variable power within the lap.

1. No mention of power meter use in the previous 'too hard' TTs.

2. The 'power' he targets might be a simplification for the article. He's not necessarily going to go into detail about adding 5% on climbs, etc.

1. No mention of power meter use in the previous 'too hard' TTs.
   

No, that's the whole point of the strategy; he previously rode on feel, without artificial pacing aids*, and failed. This time he used artificial pacing aids and did better. It worked. That still means only that he did better than he had previously, not necessarily that he did the best ride it was possible for him to do. On the other hand, I doubt that there was anything he could do about Martin, so whether he came second by 1:15 or by only 1:00 doesn't matter much.

*Since these are banned under UCI "Athletes' Hour" rules, it seems safe to bet that Wiggo won't be attacking Sosenka's record any time soon.

Anyone with the book care to tell me when the first Bexley 10 is? Or if there are any earlier 10s near to London? Cheers

*cough, cough

http://www.cycleclub-bexley.org.uk/evening_10s.html

don't think 2012 dates are up as yet though..

Yeah had a look there, but as you say they don't say the ones for this year :p

carry on.. ;-)

If you look at the start dates for the previous years they all begin on the second last Wednesday in April. So I am guessing 18th of April.

Did my first tt this morning.. 27.29, fixed, non aero(old school classification), on the V910.

Quite happy with it. Can't wait for another.

Was that sticking to the 'medium gear' (72"?) as well?

Nope. Didn't want to handicap myself too much, was on 80" could have gone a little faster as the finish came up a little early.. Pb though ;)

Nope. Didn't want to handicap myself too much, was on 80" could have gone a little faster as the finish came up a little early.. Pb though ;)

Since I know you to be capable of riding up the Chilterns on that 80" gear, I'm a bit surprised you didn't go for something a higher for a 10.

Still, well done -it's a better time than I've ever done in February. You'll go much faster later in the year.

I booked on to my first 25 mile TT on 18/03. Lea Valley/32nd Assoc., haven't got my handbook to give a course code.

Lea Valley also said they put on 10 mile every Tuesday at Hog Hill if anyone fancies an alternative to Bexley.

I booked on to my first 25 mile TT on 18/03. Lea Valley/32nd Assoc., haven't got my handbook to give a course code.

Lea Valley also said they put on 10 mile every Tuesday at Hog Hill if anyone fancies an alternative to Bexley.

E1/25b - love it, make sure you got a bit in the tank for the last few (uphill) miles. Big ring all the way...

http://www.mapmyrun.com/routes/view/294367

Dowsett did a sub 50 on there last year - Alex Dowsett of Team Sky starting the Lea Valley 25 on the E1/25b - 13th March 2011 - YouTube
- him setting off the 30 mph sign just after the start.....

I booked on to my first 25 mile TT on 18/03. Lea Valley/32nd Assoc., haven't got my handbook to give a course code.

Lea Valley also said they put on 10 mile every Tuesday at Hog Hill if anyone fancies an alternative to Bexley.

Will give that 25 a look when I'm back home on a real computer, sounds fun.

Thanks for the tip!

EDIT: Great, if Tom turns up my shameful time will become international knowledge.

There's no such thing as a shameful time.. only shameful kit. Windy, Footon, etc

With the exception of Footon, there is no such thing as bad kit... the worse the better as it were.