Discussion
Just wow.
Who will beat it? And when?
Will Dan Bigham have another crack having worked on the inside with Ganna? Will Ganna go again given he's not really been on his best form this season?
Whatever its tenure, it was a staggering leap forward, and now unified the attempts. Fastest human period.
Who will beat it? And when?
Will Dan Bigham have another crack having worked on the inside with Ganna? Will Ganna go again given he's not really been on his best form this season?
Whatever its tenure, it was a staggering leap forward, and now unified the attempts. Fastest human period.
There is a limit to what can be done with aerodynamics of course, the fact Dan probably gives up nearly 100w to Ganna really means its astonishing to go as far as Dan has with the engine he has, all gains from this point for Dan would be from kit/position and it isn't like he's not optimised. Ganna of course is a beast in every sense (in cycling terms, he'd still be a skinny git in the pub), and I think interestingly for the future of this record, that will be the key. What will beat Ganna is someone with a huge engine relative to their size, and one that likes time trials, and can ride the track. Finding another big man like Ganna with more power and more aero potential than Ganna isn't exactly that common. Big blokes like that generally don't become cyclists!
Once you factor in all of those elements, there are really not that many riders that would fit the bill, and even then I've no idea whether they could be made aero enough to do it, but someone like Ethan Hayter or Remco Evenepoel are such riders, the latter probably the only person that I can think of that would be even more aero than Dan (and potentially with work, a LOT more, he's tiny) but has a huge engine. Hayter has all the credentials but wonder if he's just a bit too normal sized, but I think he'd go very well given he is also a multiple world champion on the track.
Only outside bet for a normal sized bloke would be Van Aert...
Once you factor in all of those elements, there are really not that many riders that would fit the bill, and even then I've no idea whether they could be made aero enough to do it, but someone like Ethan Hayter or Remco Evenepoel are such riders, the latter probably the only person that I can think of that would be even more aero than Dan (and potentially with work, a LOT more, he's tiny) but has a huge engine. Hayter has all the credentials but wonder if he's just a bit too normal sized, but I think he'd go very well given he is also a multiple world champion on the track.
Only outside bet for a normal sized bloke would be Van Aert...
okgo said:
There is a limit to what can be done with aerodynamics of course, the fact Dan probably gives up nearly 100w to Ganna really means its astonishing to go as far as Dan has with the engine he has, all gains from this point for Dan would be from kit/position and it isn't like he's not optimised. Ganna of course is a beast in every sense (in cycling terms, he'd still be a skinny git in the pub), and I think interestingly for the future of this record, that will be the key. What will beat Ganna is someone with a huge engine relative to their size, and one that likes time trials, and can ride the track. Finding another big man like Ganna with more power and more aero potential than Ganna isn't exactly that common. Big blokes like that generally don't become cyclists!
Once you factor in all of those elements, there are really not that many riders that would fit the bill, and even then I've no idea whether they could be made aero enough to do it, but someone like Ethan Hayter or Remco Evenepoel are such riders, the latter probably the only person that I can think of that would be even more aero than Dan (and potentially with work, a LOT more, he's tiny) but has a huge engine. Hayter has all the credentials but wonder if he's just a bit too normal sized, but I think he'd go very well given he is also a multiple world champion on the track.
Only outside bet for a normal sized bloke would be Van Aert...
Similar to a discussion I had the other day, Remco has the aero and engine but not the track background which is such a huge part of this, there's no one out there currently with the track background that's moved to the road that would be close, that and a lot of money spent by Ineos to get every last percent with current knowledge. Once you factor in all of those elements, there are really not that many riders that would fit the bill, and even then I've no idea whether they could be made aero enough to do it, but someone like Ethan Hayter or Remco Evenepoel are such riders, the latter probably the only person that I can think of that would be even more aero than Dan (and potentially with work, a LOT more, he's tiny) but has a huge engine. Hayter has all the credentials but wonder if he's just a bit too normal sized, but I think he'd go very well given he is also a multiple world champion on the track.
Only outside bet for a normal sized bloke would be Van Aert...
Hayter but would need to get more aero. He’s much quicker than Bigham in a time trial already and obviously multiple world champion on the track.
That said I also don’t think it would take toooo long to pick up enough track experience to have a good go. Not sure Dowsett did loads of track stuff? Or Campanaerts?
That said I also don’t think it would take toooo long to pick up enough track experience to have a good go. Not sure Dowsett did loads of track stuff? Or Campanaerts?
It shows how good the Boardman “all time” record really was. I bet the complete aero package that Ganna was using, was pretty close to the Boardman superman setup.
Interestingly, Ganna’s world pursuit record he set, is 12 seconds faster than the individual pursuit record Boardman set in the same week as he set the all time hour record, so set in a similar time scale between hour and pursuit record being broken. That’s a huge difference in Pursuit speed vs Hour record speed for the two records, given the parity in equipment and form for each record by each rider.
Interestingly, Ganna’s world pursuit record he set, is 12 seconds faster than the individual pursuit record Boardman set in the same week as he set the all time hour record, so set in a similar time scale between hour and pursuit record being broken. That’s a huge difference in Pursuit speed vs Hour record speed for the two records, given the parity in equipment and form for each record by each rider.
Ganna equipment will make up most of that gap, FG probably is a bit quicker, but its hugely inflated with the gains in tech in recent years. Even Ganna is going 5 seconds faster than 2019 Ganna, obviously the help of people like Bigham is evident here.
The whole world tour time trial scene has moved massively since they started taking an interest in it to be fair. There was a time when the amateur UK time trial scene was FAR more advanced in the tech side of things than the world tour was, and I think you can clearly see that embodied by Dan himself and his effort. While a good cyclist, he isn't even close to world tour level, yet with his know how set a really impressive distance.
The whole world tour time trial scene has moved massively since they started taking an interest in it to be fair. There was a time when the amateur UK time trial scene was FAR more advanced in the tech side of things than the world tour was, and I think you can clearly see that embodied by Dan himself and his effort. While a good cyclist, he isn't even close to world tour level, yet with his know how set a really impressive distance.
andyeds1234 said:
It shows how good the Boardman “all time” record really was. I bet the complete aero package that Ganna was using, was pretty close to the Boardman superman setup.
Interestingly, Ganna’s world pursuit record he set, is 12 seconds faster than the individual pursuit record Boardman set in the same week as he set the all time hour record, so set in a similar time scale between hour and pursuit record being broken. That’s a huge difference in Pursuit speed vs Hour record speed for the two records, given the parity in equipment and form for each record by each rider.
Or does it highlight how important aerodynamics are for the hour challenge?Interestingly, Ganna’s world pursuit record he set, is 12 seconds faster than the individual pursuit record Boardman set in the same week as he set the all time hour record, so set in a similar time scale between hour and pursuit record being broken. That’s a huge difference in Pursuit speed vs Hour record speed for the two records, given the parity in equipment and form for each record by each rider.
Julian Scott said:
andyeds1234 said:
It shows how good the Boardman “all time” record really was. I bet the complete aero package that Ganna was using, was pretty close to the Boardman superman setup.
Interestingly, Ganna’s world pursuit record he set, is 12 seconds faster than the individual pursuit record Boardman set in the same week as he set the all time hour record, so set in a similar time scale between hour and pursuit record being broken. That’s a huge difference in Pursuit speed vs Hour record speed for the two records, given the parity in equipment and form for each record by each rider.
Or does it highlight how important aerodynamics are for the hour challenge?Interestingly, Ganna’s world pursuit record he set, is 12 seconds faster than the individual pursuit record Boardman set in the same week as he set the all time hour record, so set in a similar time scale between hour and pursuit record being broken. That’s a huge difference in Pursuit speed vs Hour record speed for the two records, given the parity in equipment and form for each record by each rider.
okgo said:
Ganna equipment will make up most of that gap, FG probably is a bit quicker, but its hugely inflated with the gains in tech in recent years. Even Ganna is going 5 seconds faster than 2019 Ganna, obviously the help of people like Bigham is evident here.
The whole world tour time trial scene has moved massively since they started taking an interest in it to be fair. There was a time when the amateur UK time trial scene was FAR more advanced in the tech side of things than the world tour was, and I think you can clearly see that embodied by Dan himself and his effort. While a good cyclist, he isn't even close to world tour level, yet with his know how set a really impressive distance.
Totally agree, cycling has been so backwards with regard to the importance of aerodynamics, and I include myself in that. Racing primarily in the 90s, it was hardly a consideration. Seeing a Wiggins hour record being broken with around 350 watts is a real eye opener (albeit 350 watts on a track and in that position)The whole world tour time trial scene has moved massively since they started taking an interest in it to be fair. There was a time when the amateur UK time trial scene was FAR more advanced in the tech side of things than the world tour was, and I think you can clearly see that embodied by Dan himself and his effort. While a good cyclist, he isn't even close to world tour level, yet with his know how set a really impressive distance.
I think the other thing we are seeing is that as aerodynamics are allowing riders to go so much faster, any additional small aero changes, when already riding at 60kph plus, are even more influential.
It’s still a bit if a mystery why the disparity between Ganna’s pursuit record and Boardman’s pursuit record is so great, when the hour record difference is so close though.
Is possible (and likely imo) that Ganna just has a larger anaerobic ability than Boardman. I think famously Boardmans never broke 1000w watts. If you think about that then suddenly it makes some sense given how much of a 4 minute effort come from anaerobic ability.
You could pick 5 blokes down the street and probably 2 of them could break 1000w. None of them will be capable of 550w for 4 minutes
It’s why you get riders that are amazing at Hill Climbs of 1-3 minutes who are useless at anything longer. Just the muscle make up.
You could pick 5 blokes down the street and probably 2 of them could break 1000w. None of them will be capable of 550w for 4 minutes
It’s why you get riders that are amazing at Hill Climbs of 1-3 minutes who are useless at anything longer. Just the muscle make up.
Gassing Station | Pedal Powered | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff