Italian team manager orders his riders to race without power meters

[FlashUNC]

Originally Posted by Black Dog

From a fan's perspective, and this should matter 100% since fans are the target audience, race radios (beyond safety updates) and power meters should not be allowed during races. These things have turned racing into outdoor zwift.

Nonsense. Was Van Der Poel's win at Amstel Gold outdoor Zwift?


And if the team isn't using power meters properly, then that's also on the manager. No two ways about it, this jabroni should be looking for a job.

[weiwentg]

From the perspective of a coach, I'd think you would want your athletes' PM data from their races. Unless, of course, this team isn't bothering with a coach at all.

[Johnnysmooth]

Originally Posted by laupsi

Outside of doing a TT or long climb I would think these riders wouldn’t be paying too much attention to power readings. Most data is analyzed afterwards, no?

Ever see Fromme race - he is wedded to his "Precious"

This may be a brilliant move by coach. He's not against meters for training but in heat of race. Having raced with and without meters, I can attest to it - numbers mean little. The desire to win wins races.

[laupsi]

Originally Posted by Johnnysmooth

Ever see Fromme race - he is wedded to his "Precious"

This may be a brilliant move by coach. He's not against meters for training but in heat of race. Having raced with and without meters, I can attest to it - numbers mean little. The desire to win wins races.

I’m not at all convinced that Froome is looking specifically at power numbers simply due to his head angle. I’ve always thought it’s just his juxtaposition when he’s super focused. I do something similar while knocking out intervals on my trainer. My PM readings are there, but I’m not focused on them.

[ojingoh]

disagree, respectfully. He's mentioned before he gets fixated on his power output during races.

I got into power meters cuz partially because I was terribad at climbing, and power meters really really helped me out here.

I can only assume he relies on Power data to snap gauge his effort and when to attaquer due to his FTP.

[FriarQuade]

I've spent a lot of time looking through the team car window at a rider who can't stop staring at their power meter. The manager is spot on. Yeah, data is powerful but most people don't know how to use it in mass start racing. The moment it becomes a limitation it's doing more harm than good and it should be abandoned.

[Ti Designs]

Originally Posted by zmalwo

Information is the key to victory. The more you know the more advantage you have over your opponents. It's always like that. There can never be too much info only not enough.

Understanding information and knowing how to use it is the key to intelligent training which can get you to victory. Information by itself yields clueless athletes who make poor decisions.

[Heisenberg]

Originally Posted by FriarQuade

I've spent a lot of time looking through the team car window at a rider who can't stop staring at their power meter. The manager is spot on. Yeah, data is powerful but most people don't know how to use it in mass start racing. The moment it becomes a limitation it's doing more harm than good and it should be abandoned.

this...

recording the data out of sight? rad.

constantly visible? usually bad.

i've set some of my best power #s in races when i had my wattage taped over. it's a mind**** sometimes. you look down and think "good god i can't do this!"

mental motivation and the punches of a bike race are really hard to distill into instantly-available (and objective) information on a screen that can be turned into immediate action. there are so many inputs and outputs going on that are outside of the control out of a standard training/interval session, and to try to calculate those while you're on the limit, trying to strategize, and drive your bike? eh, have you met most bike riders? it's so much easier to just look at the 3s/60s average and go "OH GOD I DON'T KNOW". which is really the end.

powermeters are very effective training tools, and very effective race analysis tools - after the fact.
...

as one who usually rails against old-school-euro BS in racing, this tack has significant validity.

[Wakatel_Luum]

Originally Posted by colker

Untill attitude matters more.

Agree...

Stephen Roche knew he was in a bad way already prior to chasing down Delgado on La Plange in the 87 TDF...he used his intelligence in a difficult situation rather than relying solely on data...

[Lionel]

I am in the camp of no power meter and no radio.

[laupsi]

Originally Posted by ojingoh

disagree, respectfully. He's mentioned before he gets fixated on his power output during races.

I can only assume he relies on Power data to snap gauge his effort and when to attaquer due to his FTP.

I just don't understand, not that I don't believe this, just baffles my mind. I've spent quite a few years training and racing w/a PM; I'm no pro. from my experience I pretty much know what zone I'm in w/out having to look at numbers. when I am pressing hard, for longer durations, I simply cannot focus if my thoughts are on something other than the effort, even if that "something" are the power numbers. this is especially true during a race; either you're with or ahead or you're out the back. (as I've stated earlier in this thread, unless TTing or going off on a climb. perhaps a long solo effort would constitute such behavior as well)

[marciero]

Aside from getting a picture of a rider's power signature for analysis or comparison with other race or training data, I'm not convinced power meters do in fact confer an advantage during a race. Just because it sounds plausible that they do-more information is better, right?-does not mean they do. One can imagine scenarios where they might be a detriment, as others have pointed out. On the other hand, since training can never simulate an actual race, knowing how race data may or may not differ from training data for a given rider would be very useful. But to get an unbiased picture you would have to have that information hidden from the rider during the race. That's what this guy should be doing with his team-masking off or hiding the displays. He could still have the benefit of that data via live feed, to use however, as well as post-race.

[redir]

I know from my personal experience as an amateur I only started actually winning races once I got rid of all the electronic gadgets. I can see a PM being useful in a TT so you don't blow up too soon but even then you might rely on it too much and only perform up to it's level rather then your level. I suppose the could mount the meter's on the frame or something so that they can still collect data but the riders wont be syborged.

[oldpotatoe]

Originally Posted by FlashUNC

Nonsense. Was Van Der Poel's win at Amstel Gold outdoor Zwift?


And if the team isn't using power meters properly, then that's also on the manager. No two ways about it, this jabroni should be looking for a job.

Yee gads....Indurain had a wired Avocet computer on his bike..WITHOUT A WIRE..lots are sportin' one of these for sponsorship $..in the heat of the battle, I wonder how many actually use them, look at them..anyway.

BUT, w/o starting a thread drift to race radios..yup, like to see those go away..make these a jamokes think for themselves a little bit. Would make for better 'entertainment', cuz bike racers ARE, in the entertainment biz...

[colker]

Originally Posted by oldpotatoe

..cuz bike racers ARE, in the entertainment biz...

Yes. And italians play the entertainment button w/ bravado, sillynness and whatever gets the ball rolling.