On the day of rest, 22-year-old Remco Evenepoel rode for an hour and a half, and returned to Alicante. active recovery. Everyone is eager to see how the second week will start. What about his recovery? no one knows.
“Replenishing the power supply in time for the next ride is business hell,” says Chris van der Meeren, Belgian Cycling Federation doctor. “This is almost impossible in week three, not just for Evenepoel but for everyone. Fortunately: You can learn to recover.”
Lesson One: Muscles. They have to put up with a lot during a three-week tour. “A perfectly normal person breaks 1% of their muscle in a perfectly normal day,” explains Van der Mieren. “This percentage is much higher with strenuous efforts. Of course, this breakdown is not always, the muscle is a massive tissue that repairs itself. Massages, shakes and all kinds of food help to rebuild. Moreover: the better the muscular system is trained, the less severe it is Damage, and therefore less chance of a rider falling across the ice two weeks into the race. An advantage for Evenepoel, who was prepared to the last detail this time around; a disadvantage in turn for Primoz Roglic, who would damage his muscles a bit more with his limited preparation after his crash in the Tour.”
add sugars
Lesson two: replenish the energy supply. “Think of it as a storehouse full of sugars, glycogen actually, which is nearly empty after each ride and must be filled again with the next effort.” So all, all, all.
“Someone’s barn is bigger than someone else’s. And the better they train, the more economical the passenger will be at using these sugars. That makes some great things and some not. But the body is not a car. You can refuel at a one-cycle gas station. Your gut can Maximum absorption and processing of 90 to 120 grams of sugars per hour. Replenishment is carried out at a rate of 5 percent per hour. With one exception: in the first hour after the game you can increase by 8 percent and the second by 6.5. It is crucial, because if you do the calculations, it will be time to refill The shed is too narrow, especially after some hard rides, it becomes nearly impossible for some.For example, the Pogacar on the tour was bombed so hard by Jumbo-Visma that he could no longer replenish his stock in time.A little extra gels, As some claim, won’t help. A shed from the fastest empty? That’s what it’s all about.”
There is only one element left: the mental aspect. “Good legs are the best mental trainer,” says Van der Mieren. “Then you can still have a strong head, but if the legs don’t want it, it stops. And vice versa. Those are communication ships.”
Point to Evenepoel, now that everything is going well. But whether he can shut down the Vuelta with a perfect report remains uncertain. “It’s never an exact science.”
Top Arrivals
Nothing beats Vuelta’s opening week over the next six days. There is no Basque, Cantabrian, or Asturian climbing festival; Three finishes are longer and somewhat higher. Tomorrow there may be another race in Cabo de Gata on the coast of Almeria, also Friday will give the free pirates their chance on their way to Montella in Andalusia.
On Thursday it will be relatively flat at the foot of Benas Blancas (19 km, average 6.7%, max 15%), with a great view of Estepona at the top. The second week focuses on the weekend. The stage ends on Saturday on the Spanish “bald mountain” Sierra de la Bandera (1820 meters high, 8.4 kilometers long, with an average of 7.8% and peaks of up to 15%). On Sunday, riders will arrive at the famous Sierra Nevada theater, more specifically the Alto Mora de la Hoya in Monachil, at an altitude of 2,510 meters on the roof of the Vuelta. The climb is at least 22.3 kilometers in length with an average gradient of 6.9 percent.
But first, the single time trial (31.1 km) from Elche to Alicante. billiard deck.
