The Vuelta a España and the preparations for the Road World Championships show how important aerodynamics, mental strength and clever pacing are in cycling.
The big cycling races of the season not only offer gripping entertainment, but are also a lesson for anyone who is ambitious in the saddle themselves. Whether in the hard fight against the clock at the Vuelta a España or in the preparation for the Road World Championships in Montreal – the pros show us how crucial the interplay of equipment, mental strength and physical preparation is. If you understand the mechanisms behind the scenes, you can use a lot of it for your own training.
The individual time trial of the 18th stage of the Vuelta over 32.1 kilometres to Jerez de la Frontera made it clear how merciless the fight against the clock is. Here, nuances often decide between victory or bitter time losses. According to reports from Velo by Outside, Primož Roglič relied on a huge chainring with 68 teeth and a 10-30 cassette to build up maximum pressure on the flat sections. Enric Mas opted for a 64-tooth chainring.
But pure equipment and a good feeling are not enough if the aerodynamics are not right. Felix Gall had to experience this painfully. As Radsport-News reports, the Austrian, who does not sit optimally aerodynamically on his time trial bike, lost valuable time and forfeited his second place overall – despite intensive work on his position beforehand. Mas, on the other hand, paced his race perfectly into three sections and lost significantly less time than expected, which secured him the overall lead. For recreational athletes, this shows: an aerodynamic position that you can also keep stable over a longer period of time is often more valuable than pure muscle power.
Another important aspect in professional sport is mental resilience after setbacks. Stefan Küng, who won the 18th stage of the Vuelta just ahead of the young Callum Thornley, looks back on a difficult spring. After a crash at the opening classic Omloop Het Nieuwsblad, in which he broke his thigh, the Swiss rider sometimes even doubted whether he would ever regain his old time trial strength. His victory shows how important patience, targeted rehabilitation and a strong environment are for returning to the top level.
A similar story is seen with Florian Lipowitz. After a broken collarbone at the Tour de France, he made his comeback at the Giro della Toscana. His performance immediately convinced the Bund Deutscher Radfahrer to nominate him for the road race of the World Championship in Montreal. Tom Pidcock, too, found his form and rhythm again in good time after a difficult feeling after the Tour de France by winning the Mountain Bike World Championship and a road victory.
Even if you do not ride three-week Grand Tours, the strategies of the pros can be transferred to your own rides and amateur races:
Your takeaway: Pace your efforts and routes strategically into sections and work consistently on a stable, aerodynamic riding position.
This article was generated automatically with AI from the sources listed above and has not been editorially reviewed.