i am slow

[efc]

I was watching the world championship time trails this week and was not surprised to see the winner of the mens average over 50 kmh and the womens over 40 kmph. My personal best over 24 km was 30 kmh in perfect windless conditions at the end of which my legs were jelly and my lungs just about to burst - can anyone explain the emormous difference in speed - the women cyclists are only small as well and not all have powerful looking legs - is it time to give up cycling and go back to golf ?

 

[Dayvo]

Given the fact that these athletes are full-time elite professional cyclists, with the latest equipment and innovation in their sport, access to the best training facilities, including diet, climate, er, medication and other 'legal' (or otherwise) substances and preparations, massages every day, the lure of major prize money and the honour of being World Champion etc., it's not surprising that they stand out head and shoulders above mere mortals like us 'hobby' cyclists.

Stick with cycling - golf's for old men and women!

 

[jasper]

can anyone explain the emormous difference in speed?

Aye, they're better than you...

 

[cchapman]

I'm slow too (but faster than most of my contemporaries, or at least prepared to suffer more pain). Consider also that among the elite athletes, the record holders, the improvement has been slight. Lance Armstrong is only a few percent faster than Eddy Mercx for example. I think the significant difference between between those who go faster and faster as we go slower and slower is that they simply have bigger hearts, and bigger lungs - able to oxygenate more blood and push it around more quickly. That's the simple explanation.

 

[marinyork]

I've never reached that average speed, you sound pretty speedy to me

 

[wafflycat]

I was watching the world championship time trails this week and was not surprised to see the winner of the mens average over 50 kmh and the womens over 40 kmph. My personal best over 24 km was 30 kmh in perfect windless conditions at the end of which my legs were jelly and my lungs just about to burst - can anyone explain the emormous difference in speed - the women cyclists are only small as well and not all have powerful looking legs - is it time to give up cycling and go back to golf ?

Errr... they are professionals and you are not? They train every day, hour after hour, after hour, and you don't?

What makes you think you're as good as the pros at golf?

 

[PaulB]

I was watching the world championship time trails this week and was not surprised to see the winner of the mens average over 50 kmh and the womens over 40 kmph. My personal best over 24 km was 30 kmh in perfect windless conditions at the end of which my legs were jelly and my lungs just about to burst - can anyone explain the emormous difference in speed - the women cyclists are only small as well and not all have powerful looking legs - is it time to give up cycling and go back to golf ?

Yes. 0-2. Not been a good weekend really, has it?

 

[Yellow Fang]

It's those disc wheels and pointy hats.

 

[efc]

im not very good at golf either but i will sometimes par a few holes on the run and i think im sevvy - lance would blow me away on a bmx - by the way 30 kmh is my best ever - usually its more like 27 today in the wind after a 2 week break it was 25. Maybe ill take up table tennis - blessed are the producers of all dairy produce marinyork

 

[Stig-OT-Dump]

On a 40K time trial, better aero-dynamic positioning can save you 4 minutes, aero-dynamic components can save you 2 minutes. Top class cyclists will do wind tunnel testing to optimise their set-up, adjusting stems, saddles etc to maximise power and minimise drag.

You, on the other hand, are slow and better suited to golf...