Stage 7 Training · La Voulte-sur-Rhone > Mont Ventoux

1 · Race Report

Kasia Niewiadoma (Canyon//SRAM) attacked on Mont Ventoux and rode away solo to win the queen stage and take the yellow jersey. Marlen Reusser, who had led the race off her time-trial win, was distanced on the climb and slipped to 4th, with Demi Vollering 1:16 back and Elisa Longo Borghini 1:42.

2 · The Watts/kg That Decided It

5.3W/kg

Niewiadoma climbed the 15.62 km @ 8.69% Ventoux ascent in 55:22, a VAM of 1,471 m/h. That is an estimated ~258 W = 5.3 W/kg at 49 kg, right on our pre-race prediction and into a stiff summit headwind. Sustaining 5.3 W/kg for 55 minutes is one of the greatest long-climb rides in the history of women's cycling.

3 · The Podium

1Kasia Niewiadoma
2Demi Vollering
3Elisa Longo Borghini

4 · Train These Watts: Copy This Into CoachCat

Today's ride: 75 min · Sweet Spot (sustained climbing power)

CoachCat, build me a 75-minute workout for today modeled on Tour de France Femmes Stage 7 to Mont Ventoux. Today's winner climbed Ventoux at about 5.3 W/kg (VAM 1,471) for ~55 min (sweet spot). Give me 3 x 15 min Sweet Spot (88-94% FTP), scaled to my FTP, current LEVEL and OTS, and tell me how to pace it.

What that workout looks like (3 x 15 min Sweet Spot (88-94% FTP)):

EnduranceSweet SpotRecovery

How we estimate it: power = gravity + rolling resistance + aerodynamic drag (drivetrain corrected), from each climb's length, gradient, altitude and the winner's time. The full equation: P = (m × g × (grade + Crr) + 0.5 × ρ × CdA × v²) × v. Rider weight comes from procyclingstats, bike at the UCI minimum 6.8 kg. W/kg is on body weight. We are using physics to derive the power to weight ratios since the power data is not shared publicly, and we are happy to update our findings should the teams and riders wish to share their power data.

Want a plan that builds these watts?

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