“I would always s**t my pants after races”: Tadej Pogačar says nutrition key to improvement (and claims Shimano power meters “are not so reliable”); Cat Ferguson TT win; Parlee Cycles founder dies + more on the live blog

 

 

 

 

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It turns out that, after all, Tadej Pogačar is just like the rest of us.

The Slovenian superstar may be on the cusp of one of the greatest seasons cycling has ever seen, and could become just the third man in history (after Eddy Merckx and Stephen Roche! It’s Stephen Roche!) to seal the sport’s triple crown – the Giro d’Italia, Tour de France, and world championships in one year – if he triumphs on Zurich’s very hilly course on Sunday.

But while Pogačar burst onto the pro scene in 2019 all guns blazing, it’s comforting to discover that, just like us amateurs up and down the country after our weekend races, the future grand tour and monuments destroyer was also bent over with stomach issues after wolfing down all those energy gels and drinks.

(Zac Williams/SWpix.com)

In a long and revealing interview with health author and physician Peter Attia, Pogačar dived deep into his changing carbohydrate intake during training and races – and why those changes have left him in not as much of a rush to the toilet after the podium.

“During training, for drink we have either 30 or 60 grammes of carbohydrate per bottle. I honestly like the 30g because then I can eat more, but when it’s a hard stage it’s better to have 60g in the bottle because you can eat less. For hard stages you need to get 120g per hour, but in easier stages 60 to 90 is enough,” the 26-year-old told Attia.

“At the start, five years ago, 120g an hour was impossible. But with good food, with good nutrition, and our nutritionist designed really good gels and drink that’s easy on the gut. So since they created this product I don’t have stomach problems.

“Five years ago I would always shit my pants after stage races or long races and now even eating 120g – no stomach problems. It needs to be a good balance between glucose and fructose in the gels, and good quality, and you get used to it for sure.”

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Not that Pogačar – unlike former pros such as Michael Rasmussen, who was known to weigh his dinners – is obsessed about making sure all of his food is “good quality”, however.

“My whole year more or less looks the same – I never restrict myself, I never say I can’t eat cake or chocolate, but only in moderation and when the time is right,” he added.

“But if you restrict yourself and don’t touch chocolate for a month or six months, one day you will break and go crazy. I don’t think that’s a good relationship with food.”

> “He’s ready for a rainbow jersey”: Tadej Pogačar records 400+ FTP on a 6.5 hour training ride paced by a Vespa, as cyclists say “he’s taunting us mortals”

The interview also, unsurprisingly, took a real nerdy look at Pogačar’s training methods, which include steady ‘Zone 2’ training at a heart rate of 150-155bpm when fresh, and a bit lower then fatigued, and an average of 320-340 watts, in case you were wondering.

However, while a criticism often directed at modern pros – but arguably less applicable to Pogačar’s swashbuckling style – is that they tend to focus on too much numbers and power output, the three-time Tour winner rather scandalously revealed that he doesn’t think his Shimano power meter is overly reliable, in any case.

Which, given the numbers we’ve seen emerge from Pogačar’s camp over the summer, may be because he simply puts put too much power.

(Zac Williams/SWpix.com)

“It’s always good to compare heart rate to power, but power meters are not so reliable these days,” he said.

“We have a Shimano power meter, but you always need to be careful with the temperature, the calibration, everything, and sometimes it can be off. And you need to be careful about this in my experiences. The best is to train on your home roads, where you know the speed and the VAM.”

Oof – it’s like Bauke Mollema and SRAM all over again.

> Tadej Pogačar’s power numbers are “mind boggling”, says Chris Froome, as four-time Tour de France winner reckons “any record is vulnerable” with “absolutely incredible” Slovenian around

And finally, after a season which has seen him win Strade Bianche, Liège-Bastogne-Liège, the GP Montréal, the Giro d’Italia (plus six stages), and the Tour de France (plus six stages), it’s clear that Pogačar still has big goals left to tick off on the career to-do list.

With this week’s worlds the obvious next big goal, the six-time monument winner also says he’s hell-bent on adding Milan-Sanremo – where he’s been a nearly man for years already – to the list, before then aiming to complete the monument and grand tour collection at Paris-Roubaix and the Vuelta a España.

 (Zac Williams/SWpix.com)

“Sanremo is the one that’s going to send me to the grave! I’m getting so close, yet it’s so far,” he says, when asked about his remaining career ambitions.

“First I want to win the world championships, then Sanremo, then we’ll see if there’s space for Roubaix. The Vuelta was also a breakthrough for me with the podium in 2019, and I want to go back and seal the deal there for sure.”

To be honest, I wouldn’t bet against him ticking all those off by this time next year. As long as he doesn’t shit himself, of course…

The founder of his namesake bike brand Parlee Cycles, Bob Parlee, has died following a four-year battle with cancer, his family announced yesterday evening. Parlee is survived by his wife Isabel and two sons. 

Bob and Isabel formed Parlee Cycles in the 1990s, with the first Parlee prototypes built in the year 2000. Always pushing the boundaries with carbon fibre, Parlee created the first sub-900 gram road bike frame in 2004 and went as low as 750g with a 2014 version of the Altum road bike, released numerous prototypes including this lovely cyclocross frame in 2011 and created the first time trial/triathlon bike with disc brakes in 2016. 

After Parlee Cycles entered bankruptcy proceedings last year, it was sold to John Harrison with Bob staying on in a part-time role as its head designer. 

A statement from Harrison supplied to US media reads: "Bob has been a real inspiration for the entire team here at Parlee, me included.

"His persistent and unwavering focus on pursuing an uncompromised and perfect product will continue to lead the identity of our business forever into the future. We are all extremely proud to continue the work that he started."

Everyone at road.cc would like to pass on their condolences to Bob's family, friends and colleagues during this difficult time. 

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