So many of my worlds came together today and made it one I will never forget.I saw lots of friends, made others and watched the best riders in the world climb “my hill”–Lookout Mountain. I’ve struggled to understand what made it so amazing to see these cyclist zoom by in a few seconds leaving thousands …
How altitude affects cycling performance The basics of altitude work like this: as you go higher the air becomes less dense, which means the oxygen molecules are more spread out. As a result, when you breathe in and fill your lungs, there are fewer oxygen molecules in that volume of air. Most people from …
By Chris Carmichael Cadel Evans wrapped up a near-perfect Tour de France today, crossing the finish line on the Champs Elysees to become the first Australian ever to win the race. It’s been a long time coming for Evans, who has finished second on two previous occasions (2007 and 2008) and seen his Tour chances …
By Chris Carmichael There was little doubt that Cadel Evans would ride a faster time trial than Andy Schleck in Stage 20 of the 2011 Tour de France. The big question of the day was whether the Australian could ride fast enough to take back at least 1.34 seconds per kilometer over today’s 42.5-kilometer course …
Stage 20: Grenoble Time Trial (42.5km) There’s nothing easy about a 42 kilometer time trial at the Tour de France, but this one is especially tough. Many times there’s a relatively flat stage between the final mountain stage and the final time trial. This year, the riders go directly from finishing atop l’Alpe d’Huez to …
By Chris Carmichael When going uphill is what you do best, you have to focus your efforts on building a lead – or making up time – before the Tour de France leaves the mountains. Stage 19 was the final day in the Alps, and it ended with a summit finish on the 21 hallowed …
Stage 19: Modane – l’Alpe d’Huez (109.5km) Stage 19 is almost half the length of Stage 18, which is good because there will be a lot of very tired riders in the peloton. But anyone with any energy will see this short stage as an opportunity to grab a stage win atop one of the …
By Chris Carmichael Fortune favors the bold, and Stage 18 of the Tour de France was the perfect setting for bold moves. At 200 kilometers in length, featuring three “beyond category” climbs, and finishing at the high-altitude summit of the Col du Galibier (8678 feet above sea level), there was no doubt that Stage 18 …
By Chris Carmichael What goes up must come down, and while Stage 17 of the 2011 Tour de France featured some very big ascents, it was the descents that had the biggest impact on the race. Of the final 62 kilometers of Stage 17, only 8 kilometers were uphill and there may have been another …
Stage 17 Gap – Pinerolo (191.5km) Stage 17 is unique in that there is a cluster of significant climbs in the middle of the stage, and then there are 40 kilometers of generally downhill roads leading to one final Category 2 climb. The Cote de Pra Martino features some of the steepest pitches in the …