NOTE While every effort has been made to ensure that the content of this book is as technically accurate and as sound as possible, neither the author nor the publishers can accept responsibility for any injury or loss sustained as a result of the use of this material.
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Published by Bloomsbury Publishing Plc 50 Bedford Square London WC1B 3DP www.bloomsbury.com Bloomsbury is a trademark of Bloomsbury Publishing Plc
Cover art © Ryan Burisch Design and illustrations Matt Ward, Tim Whitlock, Ryan Burisch, Ryan Van Kesteren, Micol Montesanti, Thomas Buchinger, Hattie Scott, Dan Evans, Juste Halavin.
First edition 2014
Editor for RoadCyclingUK: Timothy John
Copyright © 2014 Road Cycling UK
Commissioned by Kirsty Schaper
ISBN (print): 978-1-4729-1054-7 ISBN (ePdf): 978-1-4729-1650-1 ISBN (EPUB): 978-1-4729-1150-6
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Printed and bound in China by Toppan Leefung Printing 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
128
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contents BIKE TECH 04-27
ROAD RACING 84-93
GRAND TOURS 28-41
DOPING 94-99
THE CLASSICS 42-51
SPORTIVES 100-109
KINGS OF THE ROAD 52-61
CLASSIC CLIMBS 110-117
TACTICS 62-71
FIT CLUB 118-127
TRACK CYCLING 72-83
CREDITS 128
3
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BIKE TECH
SOPHISTICATED CARBON WHEELS HAVE A TOROIDAL PROFILE
STEEL
4
WOOD
CA RB
LS
A I RIM MATER
FULL DISC
ON
MORE STABLE IN CROSSWINDS
FIBR E
TOROIDAL RIMS
TYPICAL DIAMETER
700c
BICYCLE WHEELS
M ALUMINIU
S H T P E RIM D
RCUK-BIKETECH-004-025.indd 4
32MM
28/07/2014 16:46
TEND TO USE FULL REAR DISC WHEEL
SPRINTERS
LAC ING
E.G. MARK CAVENDISH
WHEEL RCUK-BIKETECH-004-025.indd 5
PATTERN
IBRE CARBON/ F N O
BRAKING TRACK IS CARBON
82MM ZIPP 808 CHAMPS ELYSEES
RIM
SPOKE QUANTITY
MIN ALU UM
TIME TRIALISTS
E.G.
FULLCARB
SPOKES
E.G.
SPOKES
NIPPLES
BRAKING TRACK IS ALUMINIUM
HUB
5
28/07/2014 16:46
BIKE TECH
DRIVETRAIN COMPONENTS EEL
C
JOCKEY WH
ETTE S S A
CONT R
OUNTED
INVENT
M
EL
KEY WHE JOC
TULIO CAMPAGNOLO
TYPICALLY CONTAINED IN THE SAME UNIT AS THE BRAKE LEVER
MOVEMENT CONTROL BY T RO ELEC NIC
GUIDES THE CHAIN UP AND DOWN THE CASSETTE
SHIFTERS
MICROCHIP/ ELECTRIC MOTOR
MECHANICAL
REAR DERAILLEUR
NDLEBAR
THE HA ON
S
ED B OLL Y
Y ED B
CABLE TENSION FROM LEVER
MECHANICAL SHIFTERS CONTAIN A
RATCHET MECHANISM
WHICH PULLS A STEEL CABLE IN DEFINED INCREMENTS ‘INDEXED SHIFTING’
10
RCUK-BIKETECH-004-025.indd 10
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S
CRANK ARMS CONSTRUCTED FROM ALUMINIUM OR CARBON FIBRE
RM KA
N
TH
CR
CAL
I TYP
G LEN
RA FC
O
AN K
TY PIC ALL YT WO CHA INRI NGS O N A RACING BIKE
SET
ARE DESIGNED TO ELIMINATE ‘DEAD SPOT’ IN PEDAL STROKE
SIDE PLATES
RCUK-BIKETECH-004-025.indd 11
MICROCHIP/ ELECTRIC MOTOR
CONT R ED B OLL Y
PINS
MOVEMENT CONTROL BY T RO ELEC NIC
ROLLERS
THE STEEL CAGE GUIDES THE CHAIN ACROSS BOTH CHAINRINGS IN BOTH DIRECTIONS
MECHANICAL
CHAIN
THE CHAIN TRANSMITS THE FORCE FROM THE CRANK TO THE REAR CASSETTE AND IS MADE UP OF ‘LINKS’ COMPRISED OF:
FRONT DERAILLEUR
CABLE TENSION FROM LEVER 11
28/07/2014 16:46
BIKE TECH
HYDRAULIC DISC BRAKES FOR ROAD BIKES SHIMANO BR-R785 DISC BRAKE
CALIPER RECOMMENDED OPERATING RANGE
ROTOR HEAT TRANSFERS FROM ROTOR TO CALIPER
TOO MUCH HEAT AND FLUID WILL BOIL CAUSING ‘BRAKE FADE’
AVAILABLE ROTOR ROTOR SANDWICH STEELSIZES THREE-PLY ALUMINIUM-STEEL 140 MM
RCUK-BIKETECH-004-025.indd 18
160 MM
‘SANDWICH’ CONSTRUCTION TO COMBAT HEAT BUILD-UP
28/07/2014 16:46
BRAKES TESTED ON DESCENTS OF MOUNTAINS IN THE DOLOMITES
HYDRAULIC RESERVOIR
INSIDE LEVER HOUSING
E WEIGHTED DIVING BELTS
LEVER
WERE STRAPPED TO RIDERS TO TEST THE BRAKING COMPONENTS
HYDRAULIC FLUID TWO TYPES
ENVIRONMENT FRIENDLY MINERAL FLUID - MORE STABLE
RCUK-BIKETECH-004-025.indd 19
GLYCOL ‘DOT’ RATED FLUIDS. OPERATES AT HIGHER TEMPERATURES
SAFER FOR WHEEL RIMS REMOVES WHEEL RIM FROM BRAKING MECHANISM, WHICH PREVENTS CARBON RIMS FROM OVERHEATING 19
28/07/2014 16:46
BIKE TECH
INSIDE A £16,000 PRO BIKE BRADLEY WIGGINS’ PINARELLO BOLIDE TYRE
£150 SADDLE
‘BOLIDE’ GREEK FOR MISSILE
SEAT TUBE
WHEEL RIM
CONCAVE SEAT TUBE BACK
IT WAS RACED TO VICTORY AT THE TOUR DE FRANCE BY CHRIS FROOME
ENABLES CLOSER POSITIONING OF REAR WHEEL FOR IMPROVED AERODYNAMICS
£9300
FRAMESET & STEERING
£2000
ASSYMETRIC CHAINSTAYS TO BALANCE PEDALLING FORCES
£3000
GROUPSET
22
RCUK-BIKETECH-004-025.indd 22
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ELECTRONIC GEARS
INTEGRATED INTO HANDLEBAR TO REDUCE TUBULENCE
BATTERIES & CABLES HIDDEN INSIDE FRAME
LESS DRAG
LIGHTER
WIGGINS RODE THE PINARELLO GRAAL TO VICTORY IN THE STAGE NINE AND STAGE 19 TIME TRIALS AT THE 2012 TOUR DE FRANCE
£1200
AEROFOIL TUBES REDUCES WIND RESISTANCE IN HEADWINDS & CROSSWINDS
23
RCUK-BIKETECH-004-025.indd 23
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BIKE TECH
ANATOMY OF A TRACK BIKE DROPOUT SECTION OF FRAME THAT HOLDS THE REAR WHEEL AXLE
FRAME CONSTRUCTION STEEL
ALUMINIUM
CARBON MONOCOQUE
SINGLE CHAINWHEEL
‘SLIDING’ DROPOUT: POSITION OF REAR WHEEL AFFECTS CHAIN TENSION
FIXED GEAR ONE SPROCKET
SPROCKET IS FIXED REAR WHEEL TURNS CRANK
24
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RIDER CANNOT FREEWHEEL 28/07/2014 16:46
STEERING
DROP BARS USED IN SPRINT EVENTS
AERO BARS USED IN ENDURANCE EVENTS
NO BR
AKES
BIKE CAN BE SLOWED BY PUSHING AGAINST THE CRANKS
WHEELS TYPICALLY FULL DISC HIGH PRESSU O T
AERODYNAMIC ADVANTAGE
RES
PUMPE D
WHEELS CONSTRUCTED FROM CARBON FIBRE
SLICK TYRES CONSTRUCTED FROM VERY SOFT RUBBER
25
RCUK-BIKETECH-004-025.indd 25
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‘LE MAILLOT JAUNE’ The greatest prize in professional cycling 29
RCUK-GRANDTOURS-Jerseys-28-29.indd 29
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GRAND TOURS – 1986 TOUR DE FRANCE
8,7
9,8
1,8
2,85
RI
ME
ory LeMo g re
AG
.
E 28 .
. 1S
TA
G
t
M
O
A
TOUR DE FRANCE .W
T our de France
-1
RI ME
. 7TH + a prologue time trial. Only one day of rest.
NT DF
running of the our de rance
CE
TOUR DE FRANCE
AN
Four team riders in the top ten
73rd T F 4093km
STAGES
FR
FR
O
the
23
OM
rd H i n a
3RD CA .
vs La Vie Clair
nd
. FR
rn a
1
ST
t e a m
31
Be
BERNARD HINAULT X2 GUIDO BONTEMPI X2
AGE
97
CA
STAGE WINNERS
NT
.
ul
24
IN OW
1985
...Hinault won fifth Tour with the help of team mate LeMond. Pledged to return the assistance at the 1986 Tour. However...
(2544miles) JULY 4TH JULY 27TH Televised in
viewed by 32
RCUK-TDF-1986-32-33.indd 32
1986 72 C , ountries
1 billion people
‘He's attacked me from the beginning... He's never helped me once, and I don't feel confident at all with him.’ - LeMond
28/07/2014 15:45
THE CLASSICS GIRO DI LOMBARDIA
19 4 67• 6
2
3
954•19 •1
1
ELEVATION
242km
KEY CLIMBS
KEY CLIMBS
MADONNA DEL GHISALLO
SALITA DI ELLO (VILLA VERGANO)
HEIGHT
HEIGHT
243m
7.4%
15%
AVERAGE MAXIMUM G R A D I E N T LENGTH
3.3km
532m
4.1%
14%
AVERAGE MAXIMUM G R A D I E N T LENGTH
8.5km
1905 FIRST EDITION
DI SORMA O R U NO M
3 K
ALL OF SORM W E H AN A ‘T O
’
2
A
0km
19 48• 49
THE RACE OF THE FALLING LEAVES
947•19 •1 MOST VICTORIES FAUSTO COPPI
HEIGHT
304m
% 15.8
27%
AVERAGE MAXIMUM G R A D I E N T LENGTH
1.9km
1 1 KEY CLIMBS
42
RCUK-Classics-giro-42-43.indd 42
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2 0km
3
• 01 2 2 01 TWO TIME CHAMPION JOAQUIM RODRIGUEZ
299km
DISTANC E 24 M 2K
LECCO
BERGAMO
43
RCUK-Classics-giro-42-43.indd 43
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THE CLASSICS
MILAN SAN REMO LA PRIMAVERA
STARTMilano
‘THE CLASSIC OF SPRING’
01
A B C 02 03
est 1907
105
299km EDITIONS
FINISH SanRemo
46
RCUK-Classics San Remo-46-47.indd 46
TOTAL DISTANCE THE LONGEST CLASSIC
28/07/2014 15:22
45.806 k m p h /
The record speed set by Gianni Bugno in 1990
1
Italy
Key Climbs
Victories
2
abc
3
First LUCIEN PETIT-BRETON 1964
CIPRESSA
I TRE CAPI ‘THE THREE PEAKS’
POGGIO DI SAN REMO ‘THE POGGIO’
CAPO MELE CAPO CERVO CAPO BERTA
3.7%
hold
Passo del Turchino The Turchino Pass
50 victories
4.1%
9%
AVERAGE MAXIMUM G R A D I E N T
British TOM SIMPSON 1964 MARK CAVENDISH 2009
8%
AVERAGE MAXIMUM G R A D I E N T
Reached after
Most EDDY MERCKX 1966 1967 1969 1971 1972 1975 1976
242km
Three climbs coming within 14km
HEIGHT
239m
HEIGHT
160m LENGTH
LENGTH
3.7km
5.6km
1
ELEVATION
abc
0km
RCUK-Classics San Remo-46-47.indd 47
3
299km
M
S
2
Recent ALEXANDER KRISTOFF 2014
I
A
L
N
A
R
N
E
O
M
O
47
28/07/2014 15:22
S
TACTICS – RIDING STYLES
P
HOW WH0
R I
MARK CAVENDISH
N
OUT OF SADDLE, HANDS ON ‘DROPS’, WEIGHT OVER FRONT OF BIKE, PULLING AS WELL AS PUSHING ON PEDALS
T
FINSH LINE, INTERMEDIATE SPRINTS, ESCAPING PELOTON
WHEN
S
S T
WHEN
D
I N
C
G
L
C
I
L
M B
I M
ALBERTO CONTADOR
E
D
WHEN STEEP CLIMBS HOW ‘DANCING’ ON PEDALS, HANDS ON LEVER HOODS WH0
T
N
WH0
SIR BRADLEY WIGGINS
A
A
POSITIONED MID TO HOW FRONT OF SADDLE, HANDS ON TOPS OF BARS
E
LONG CLIMBS
B
70
RCUK-RIDING STYLES-70-71.indd 70
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D
WHEN
E
FAST DESENTS LONG ENOUGH TO ASSUME THE POSITION
S C
HANDS ON ‘TOPS’ OF HANDLEBAR, ELBOWS BENT, CHEST ON HANDLEBAR STEM, POSTERIOR ON TOP TUBE
N
H0W
E D I
WH0
PETER SAGAN
N G
EM TR EX
WH0
E NG DI EN SC DE
H0W
VINCENZO NIBALI
HANDS ON DROPS, ELBOWS BENT, CHIN LOWERED TOWARDS HANDLEBAR STEM, POSTERIOR RAISED
B
WHEN
M
STEEP DOWNHILL SECTIONS OF ROAD WHEN PEDALING NO LONGER EFFECTIVE
RCUK-RIDING STYLES-70-71.indd 71
71
28/07/2014 15:39
~450,000 SPECTATORS IN 2013
D U T C H
M O U N T A I N
8 WINS – 5 WINNERS JOOP ZOETEMELK
HENNIE KUIPER
x10,000
REMARKABLE VICTORIES
PETER WINNEN
1984
AMATEUR RIDER LUIS HERRERA BEATS THE PROFESSIONAL PELOTON WITH SOLO CLIMB
GERT-JAN THEUNISSE
1999
GIUSEPPE GUERINI KNOCKED OFF BY FAN DURING CLIMB – RECOVERS TO TAKE WIN
STEVEN ROOKS
HAIRPIN 7
7
DUTCH CORNER
1,000s
1986
BERNARD HINAULT WINS ARM-IN-ARM WITH GREG LEMOND – A PUBLIC TRUCE AFTER FALLING OUT EARLIER IN THE RACE
2013
CHRISTOPHE RIBLON WINS AFTER CLIMBING ALPE D’HUEZ TWICE IN SAME STAGE – A TOUR DE FRANCE FIRST 111
RCUK-CLASSIC_CLIMBS-110-117.indd 111
28/07/2014 16:26
FIT CLUB – NUMBER CRUNCHERS
VAM
2000
AKA VELOCITÀ ASCENSIONALE MEDIA VELOCITY, ASCENT, MEAN
TOUR DE FRANCE
Mountain Stage 15, Briancon to Courchevel
VAM = (metres ascended x 60) / Minutes taken to ascend
FINISH
1 2
n gain
HEIGHT IN METRES
pee eed - S
p
bing s
e clim Averag
evatio d of el
START
*Phrase coined by Dr Michele Ferrari, Lance Armstrong’s trainer
PANTINI VS ARMSTRONG VOT IZ LE VAM?
2
1
TDF 2000 Johan Bruyneel, Armstrong’s Team manager, calls Dr Ferrari from the car for an estimate of Pantani’s VAM and an assessment of whether he can stay away.
126
RCUK-infograph-number crunchers-122-127.indd 126
01: Marco Pantani attacks and wins the stage. 02: Lance Armstrong holds back and finishes 4th but retains overall lead.
28/07/2014 15:38
BODY MASS
POWER
1800+
VAM is frequently used to estimate rider’s power output per kilo of body mass (see watts per kg)
Lance Armstrong 1650-1800
Top 10 GC or mountain stage winner
GRADIENT
VAM RATING VM/H
Estimated that one per cent average increase in gradient resulted in VAM decrease of 50
1450-1650
Top 20 GC top 20 finisher on tough mountain stage
1300-1450
Finishing tough mountain stages in peloton
POWER OUTPUT P/KG 127
RCUK-infograph-number crunchers-122-127.indd 127
28/07/2014 15:38