I dunno, depends on several things. Generally I put out more power on the tailwind sections because there is less draft than you would think when riding in a group with a tailwind assist at 25-30+mph. Into headwind/crosswind it depends on who is out front, where I am in an echelon (or out of road and having to make a new echelon), and how fast the first wheel is pulling. I ride with a lot of younger guys with 350W useable long power and they can hammer off the front and then there are the breakaways in a crosswind that can break up the ~20 person peloton.
Often there isn’t much of a draft because of gusty winds and I’m the 6’1" 200lbs / 185cm 91kg dude with only 270W threshold. However I do provide a great draft for all the shorter guys that weigh a buck forty or a buck fifty My best draft is off one guy that looks like an American Football linebacker and weighs 270lbs / 122kg - that guy also has some serious long power. You can’t easily estimate Watts per CdA, but you can see it when comparing power on Strava segments. Wider chest and some upper body muscle means I’m not one of those naturally slippery people.
More consistent indoor structured training, nutrition, sleep, strength training, and so on.
On the road, have more fluids nutrition, pace your climbs to keep the power on over the crest and through the descent - and that means deliberately letting the pack go on the ascent and leaving them behind on the descent.
LOL and I’m an infomercial for consistent training first, and for me outside, simply because I consistently obtained better results. Inside or outside, do whatever delivers results for you!
Going solo into a headwind, for an hour at sweet spot that naturally requires over threshold battles with gusts, trains both mind and body
If you get better results indoors, do that and more power to you! Just don’t discount the soul crushing mental component of battling a headwind, it’s a thing for a lot of people.
I think you should organize a Clydesdales revolt. Don’t attack on descents, but work together to obliterate everyone else on the flats / crosswinds. I’d love some GoPro of that. lol.
I totally am in the camp that mental skills development might not improve your physical capabilities but I think it can allow you to tap into more of your physical capabilities and more often. I have been doing concentration meditation practices most days for a while. I find my peak power performances have all been when my self-referencing thoughts stop, I am in the moment, and I am monitoring my physical sensations but I am not wallowing in them.
Also interesting, PEZ recently had an article about a study that looked at chronic endurance training and its effects on pain thresholds and pain tolerance. I think there might be more going on with the old, tough guys than meets the eyes.
The thing that jumped out at me from this statement, is are you doing long (say to long) pulls on the front and tiring yourself, and leaving them fresh
I’m wide, bit not so long torso. 56 years old,. 85kg 5"10" with an ftp of 235 . I’ve spent the last 10 months really working on getting lower. I’ve gotten much better and it has helped more than anything else I’ve got. Helmet, latex tubes, aero rims, all fall waaaaay short of the improvement I’ve seen by getting lower and staying there. Headwinds still suck, but nothing like before.
I have been riding a fast drop ride that climbs nearly the entire route for many years…As an older slightly thicker racer I find how, when and where I need to get into position for the decisive climbs/sections have a direct correlation to how I finish.
On the flatter sections knowing the climb is coming I basically suck wheels. Keep HR as low as possible is priority number 1.
Coming into above said sections I just need to have HR under control. So, no moving up late; no getting stuck in the wind; if on the front pull through no more or less than everyone else; try to follow good wheels to move up but, try not to move up hitting the wind. But, being towards the back is the kiss of death because…
On the section I really need to avoid closing gaps. So, I need to be close to the front but not on the front. If I pull through on a climb it’s pretty anemic. If there are relatively strong riders surfing the front group I try hard not to be surfer #1. #2 or 3 works really well.
On steeper sections I will only pull through if momentum makes sense. Or, to ride at my pace and slow the group down a touch. Again, keep HR as low as possible.
Once dropped, I ride around threshold and work with others to try and pace back on after the road flattens or descends. Often we catch the leaders. Sometimes we don’t. Sometimes I make it over with the leaders…
Bro, my suggestion is to focus on a consistent rolling road race training plan. Consistently nail your workouts and limit the number of unstructured group rides you do (one per week is plenty). Stick to the basics. Follow your plan workouts (trust and comply with Adaptive Training), eat quality whole foods, get plenty of sleep and recovery time. Trust me, your physiology is not the problem here. I would be ware of focusing too much on losing weight when you’re trying to build your FTP and various energy systems. Proper fueling and hydration before, during, and after your rides is crucial.
I used to ride a group ride that had a couple longish segments into the wind. I just tried hard to keep up in those zones, and adjust my draft so I could try to not blow up. Eventually I got to be able to handle the majority of the longer segments. I rode more, and worked on flexibility on the bike, and feel that both helped quite a bit. I’ve been wondering though, does ‘climb’ riding on the trainer help with long slogs into the wind. Does it work to substitute higher demand rides on TR to train to survive higher head winds?
Around here, it’s flat, and the seasonal winds eat people for lunch. It can get so bad that the wind will turn around and attack you on the way back too! It has no mercy at all …
and having to make a new echelon), and how fast the first wheel is pulling. I ride with a lot of younger guys with 350W useable long power and they can hammer off the front and then there are the breakaways in a crosswind that can break up the ~20 person peloton.
My best draft is off one guy that looks like an American Football linebacker and weighs 270lbs / 122kg - that guy also has some serious long power. You can’t easily estimate Watts per CdA, but you can see it when comparing power on Strava segments. Wider chest and some upper body muscle means I’m not one of those naturally slippery people.
I know. But I stand by it!
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