Grand Excursions encompass a number of disciplines the place Normal Classification (GC) contenders can depend on the assistance of their teammates — apart from the time trials. On this particular person quick race, it’s each man for himself. Right here you may make up or lose plenty of time. One little mistake or dangerous type can wreck a great place within the GC rankings, as we noticed final 12 months within the decisive time trial within the Tour de France. Will it occur once more this 12 months?
Urán is among the prime contenders relating to a excessive GC rating within the Tour de France. He turned second general in 2017, seventh in 2019 and eighth in 2020. “For me, the Tour is particular and an important race on this planet with the most effective riders. It is rather onerous, and I all the time do my finest to complete as excessive as doable. However there are numerous elements that come into play: your well being, a superb situation for the 21 levels, staying out of accidents, crashes, mechanical failures and so forth. However I need to admit: When you’ve been on that last podium in Paris like I did 4 years in the past, you wish to obtain that once more!”
Whereas the Colombian star is understood for his nice climbing abilities, he’s a quick time trialist as nicely. Urán particularly likes the time trial (TT) within the Grand Excursions, and we are able to see this in his outcomes. In nearly each TT within the Tour de France, he completed inside the prime 10. “I simply love the time trials! I’m not a Cancellara, however I’m not dangerous for a climber,” he laughs. Urán trains about two instances per week on his TT bike all year long however explains why you gained’t discover him in entrance of the outcomes after the prologue or at a stand-alone time trial. “That’s completely completely different as a result of then everyone is contemporary firstly, or they’ve solely ready for this self-discipline. Look, I’m not a TT specialist, however in a Tour de France after 19 levels and climbing the mountains, your legs really feel completely different, and also you want extra energy. There lies my power. I’ve bought the great gear for this 12 months’s TT within the Tour, the bike is working nicely, and I skilled for the TT. We’ll see,” stated Urán, who stunned everybody on the Tour de Suisse by successful the time trial stage.
What does a time trial day appear like?
As a result of a time trial begins later through the day than a standard stage in a Grand Tour, the riders have time for an additional coaching within the morning. That is once they examine all the main points of the course once more with the crew: the corners, the place the wind is coming from, what sort of gear ratio they may use, and so forth. Typically they do a course recon a number of months earlier than the race, however the further recon on the day itself is significant. “That’s crucial, as a result of then the course is closed and appears completely completely different. There isn’t any visitors, and it’s important to reduce the corners in a distinct angle due to the fences they’ve positioned on the observe.”
Vitamin is simply as necessary throughout a TT as in a standard stage however for the cooks, it’s a day of onerous work. As a result of each rider has a distinct begin time, they’ll’t have breakfast collectively, they usually all eat at a distinct time. Although a TT race is far shorter than a standard stage in a Grand Tour, Urán eats the identical. “Usually for a stage within the Tour, I eat 3 hours earlier than the beginning. I eat an omelet with three or 4 eggs and cheese, some rice, bread, and drink espresso. And I don’t like to vary my menu, so for a TT I additionally eat the identical meal 3 hours earlier than the race. If I begin at 5 p.m., I’ve an early breakfast after which at 2 p.m. I eat my omelet, rice, and so forth.” Apart from the cooks, the remainder of the crew, just like the mechanics, additionally works all day lengthy due to the person begin instances. “It’s only a 1-hour race, however you want 10 hours to organize every thing.”
Warming up on the Tacx® coach
When the resort is near the observe, Urán usually leaves the resort 2 to three hours earlier than the beginning. One hour earlier than his TT race, he begins warming up on the Tacx NEO 2T coach. These of you following Urán on social media will need to have seen that he loves to coach on the Tacx coach. Take, for instance, final 12 months when he was injured after a crash and through the lockdown when it was not doable to coach outside. “I rode daily within the digital worlds of Zwift. I actually prefer it and use the Tacx usually. Apart from, you may optimize your pedal stroke on a TT bike with a Tacx coach and take a look at your good place. Solely on a Tacx are you able to experience for 40 minutes with out braking for visitors or corners and absolutely concentrate on this stuff.”
Earlier than Urán begins the warming up, he makes certain every thing is prepared for the race: The radio is hooked up to his physique, the communication is plugged into his ears, he’s bought his TT go well with on, the sneakers, the gloves — every thing. Solely the helmet must be placed on earlier than the race. Some riders want to do the warming up on the street bike, however the Colombian makes use of his TT bike all day lengthy. Then it’s time to run the warm-up protocol on his Garmin Edge®: “My coach sends the instruction for this. For a standard TT of 30K, for instance, I begin 10 minutes in energy zone 2 after which for two minutes I’m going up 1 zone each 30 seconds earlier than I do the identical the opposite method round for two minutes till zone 1. I repeat this 4 instances. Then I loosen up for 3 or 4 minutes earlier than I do a full fuel dash for 10 seconds on the pedals to activate the physique. This takes about 35 to 40 minutes. This protocol may be completely different per rider and in addition per race. Is it firstly of a Grand Tour or after 19 levels? Is it a super-hot day and can this value plenty of vitality? So typically 20 minutes is sufficient, and typically you want 40 minutes.”
To get in the appropriate zone, Urán secludes himself as a lot as doable. “Some riders watch the TV to see the opposite riders through the TT, however not me. It’s simply an excessive amount of data. Should you see one other rider crash, it might get you out of your focus. I simply watch my energy information on the Garmin Edge and hearken to music. Colombian music — reggaeton! That is good for my motivation.”
Followers are all the time gathering across the crew busses to see a glimpse of the professional riders who’re warming up, however this doesn’t distract him in any respect. “Typically you don’t even see the folks. You’re centered and hearken to your music. Even when your loved ones is there, you don’t see them since you are within the zone. Sorry, however I’m working, man!” After warming up, Urán goes to the crew bus, does an necessary last bathroom go to and about 10 minutes earlier than his race, he goes to the beginning. “I wish to examine my TT bike early. Possibly it’s important to change one thing, like decrease the saddle with 1 or 2 millimeters.”
The time trial
The second is there, and the race is about to start out. Some riders wish to use the ultimate minutes earlier than the begin to peddle the legs once more on the Tacx; different riders simply sit and wait. The strain is rising, and the stress ranges are up, particularly for a GC rider like him. It’s a crucial second: They will win or lose plenty of valuable time within the general rating. You’ll be able to think about that the psychological stress is gigantic once they take off.
“Yeah, it’s tremendous onerous. You get the knowledge through the race out of your crew, such as you’ve misplaced or gained time in comparison with your rivals. However I don’t like that; I wish to concentrate on the race and simply wish to experience full fuel. So through the race, I solely wish to see my energy on my Garmin Edge® 130. No coronary heart fee, pace, cadence, altitude and so forth. I begin full fuel within the first 3 minutes to stand up to hurry after which for 20 minutes I’m sustaining the facility, however this clearly will depend on the course.”
“Apart from the facility, I solely concentrate on the directions from my crew that’s following me on the course. They’ve extra visibility within the automobile than I’ve with my aero helmet, particularly after I go full fuel on a straight. My head is down at that second for the most effective aerodynamics. I typically don’t see the street for 5K after which the crew will instruct me to go extra left or proper to maintain me straight on the street. My legs are going bam, bam, bam, and I solely see my energy: 400, 420, 380, for instance. And typically, you don’t keep in mind the corners which can be arising, however my crew has all the knowledge. So, I arrive at a nook with 60 kph and the groups says: ‘You don’t have to interrupt, you go full fuel in aero place.’ You then simply must belief them.”
He closes his eyes, places his palms on the imaginary TT handlebars in entrance of him and for a second, he’s again on the TT course. Like a tunnel-visioned bobsleigh rider, he strikes from nook to nook. “The following nook is harmful, watch out of the small bump within the center, so it’s higher to remain left, however that you must brake,” he continues with the imaginary crew directions. He opens his eyes once more and says: “It’s nearly like rally racing the place the motive force absolutely depends on the navigator and must comply with the directions. If they are saying it’s full fuel, however there’s a nook, I’ll crash. They need to know each element on the course; this is essential.”
Preserving focus is vital throughout a TT: “I nearly crashed one time throughout a TT, regardless that the crew warned me for a harmful nook. However I wished to go quicker via it. That was a lesson realized: You want confidence for a TT, however not an excessive amount of. One mistake, and you’ll lose every thing. You’ll be able to lose like 1 minute or extra throughout a crash in a TT.” In case of a crash, a mechanical failure or a flat tire, the riders have a spare TT bike on the crew’s automobile that’s following them. “I even bought an additional Garmin mounted on it since you don’t have time to vary the system. Each second counts. The fellows within the automobile are very centered as nicely; if one thing occurs, they’ll change a motorbike very quick.”
When the race is finished and dusted, it’s time for the cooling down on the Tacx coach. Consider a simple spin of 20 minutes to loosen up the legs a bit. Urán prefers to make use of his street bike as a result of he’ll experience on that once more within the following stage. Afterwards, the crew analyzes all the information in Garmin Join™, however he typically desires to dive into this as nicely. “Particularly while you’ve put out the massive numbers, it’s good for the motivation,” he concluded with an enormous smile.
