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TDF 2016 Stage 2 Wind and Rollers J Sage 2016 Tour de France Package Stage 2 Saint Lo / Cherbourg-en- Cotentin Wind and Rollers Created by Jennifer Sage Training Type: Race Simulation Working HR Zones: Zone 3 to 5c Total Class Length: 60 minutes Profile Overview With a title like that, can you guess what the stage might be like? This is Normandy, the region of northwest France along the Atlantic coast. The peninsula jutting out into the sea is called La Manche, which means “sleeve.” Normandy gets its name from the invasions of the Normans in the 9th through 11th centuries. For the next thousand years, wars continued to ravage the soil of Europe, but most people will recognize the modern-day history and fame of Normandy from the large-scale D-Day landings that occurred on June 6, 1944. Stage 1 of this year’s Tour finished at Utah Beach. Many of the villages along the routes of these two stages were completely destroyed over 70 years ago. Normandy is also known for cows and butter. Yummy butter! Copyright © 2016 Indoor Cycling Association. All Rights Reserved. Page 1 ICA Tour de France Package 2016 Stage 2: Saint-Lo / Cherbourg-en-Cotentin Wind and Rollers This part of France is all about the sea. There are numerous harbors and lighthouses that dot the rugged west-facing coastline, and sandy beach resorts on the more protected north- facing coast. One constant on the stretch of road that stage 2 follows is le vent…the wind. The wind will likely present a considerable challenge to riders, perhaps even more so than the mountains of the Pyrénnées or Alps. Profile Objective and Intensity We will join the riders at the 83-km point, leaving 100 km left to race (62 miles). They have traveled through undulating terrain with a few classified climbs, and are now heading along the flatter coastline. With headwinds and crosswinds, riders will need to stay close for protection, forming pacelines with whoever is nearby. The last part of the route is very spiky with quick ups and downs, but nothing serious until the final climb. Yes, stage 2 has an uphill finish and includes a 14% segment that will challenge the legs of the sprinters who would normally excel in a stage like this, provided their team does a good job of delivering them to the finish. As usual during the first week of the Tour, the sprinters will be salivating for glory. This is not where the GC riders or the climbers excel. In fact, the leader’s jersey may change hands several times in the first week. The GC favorites don’t generally want the jersey this early in the game because that means they will have to wear their riders out to defend it. No, today would normally be a day for the sprinters, the wannabe sprinters, and the opportunists. Copyright © 2016 Indoor Cycling Association. All Rights Reserved. Page 2 ICA Tour de France Package 2016 Stage 2: Saint-Lo / Cherbourg-en-Cotentin Wind and Rollers This means that the riders targeting the green jersey will be expecting their teammates to support them in their quest. GC favorites will be hanging back and letting them have the glory, and will allow the team domestiques to work in service of the sprinter. The wrench thrown into today’s stage? The uphill finish up the Cote de la Glacerie. No, the sprinters will not be happy at all about that! This is the perfect stage for a rider like world champion Peter Sagan, who not only sprints and time trials well, but can climb pretty quickly when he needs to. He is going to be your chief nemesis today. Copyright © 2016 Indoor Cycling Association. All Rights Reserved. Page 3 ICA Tour de France Package 2016 Stage 2: Saint-Lo / Cherbourg-en-Cotentin Wind and Rollers Songs #1 & #2 Warm-Up Etienne, Christer, 3:46, 92 bpm La Manouche, Zebda, 4:03, 92 bpm Explain that you are meeting the stage at the 83-kilometer point, with 100 kilometers left to ride. Over the course of these two songs, gradually raise intensity to a high Zone 2 while matching the beat at 92 rpm. Welcome to Normandy, the part of France that is known for cows, butter, and of course, the World War II D-Day landings on the Normandy beaches in 1944. Stages 1 and 2 take place in a part of Normandy known as La Manche, which means “sleeve” in French. It’s a big arm jutting out into the Atlantic Ocean, hence the “sleeve.” Normandy is also known for everything that has to do with the sea. Lots of harbors, great seafood—especially if you love mussels! Plus, there are lots of famous sailboat races that take place here. And what do sailboats need to succeed? Anyone? Anyone? WIND! Yes, this area is known for wind. If we are lucky it won’t be a full-on headwind, which can be as tough as the highest climb in the Alps. A crosswind can be dangerous, but we can use a technique known as an echelon to protect ourselves as we ride. Basically it’s when riders line up behind each other and slightly to the side, very similar to a V formation of geese flying—except that you’ll create only one side of the “V.” If the wind is coming from the left, you stagger the bikes from left to right. Stages early on in the Tour de France are often designed to cater to the sprinting specialists. Once the Tour gets into the big mountains, the sprinters are usually in the “autobus”—that group of riders hanging on for dear life at the very back of the peloton. They aren’t built to climb—they are built for power. And the first week, plus usually a few stages in the middle, are always gifts to the sprinters. Today’s stage has all the hallmarks of a sprinter’s stage. It’s somewhat flat with fairly mild rollers for part of it. However…there is something about today’s stage that may frustrate the most powerful sprinters like Mark Cavendish, Andre Greipel, and Marcel Kittel. And that is the fact that it ends in a pretty steep 3-kilometer climb. Those huge, powerful legs might lose some of their steam by the end of that climb, which opens this stage up to other riders. A rider like Peter Sagan will do well in today’s stage, because while he may not be as powerful as those other three, he has climbing abilities they don’t have, and he has won the green jersey the past four years. He has a way of being closer to the line in more stages than anyone else, even if he doesn’t win the stage. Today’s stage has Sagan’s name all over it. He is going to be your chief opponent! He’ll be wearing his world champion stripes this year, after winning the World Championship last September in Richmond, Virginia, which will surely fire him up. Copyright © 2016 Indoor Cycling Association. All Rights Reserved. Page 4 ICA Tour de France Package 2016 Stage 2: Saint-Lo / Cherbourg-en-Cotentin Wind and Rollers You? You are an up-and-coming young rider at his first Tour de France! However, you’ve done really well at other stage races for your team, and won a stage at the Giro. While not a pure sprinter like Greipel, Cavendish, or Kittel, you have some promising power in those legs. Peter Sagan is your hero! Song #3 Hello, Wind! Let the Rhythm Just, The Polish Ambassador, 5:55, 98 bpm You are going to divide the class into three groups so you can simulate pacelines. Do this by counting them off or designating sections of your class as 1, 2, and 3. Get them ready to start by the 2nd minute of the song so you have 5 minutes. I’m going to divide you into three groups so we can simulate pacelines during the first half where the roads are flatter. When there’s a headwind, you’ll take turns alternating the lead that are about 45 seconds long. If there’s a crosswind, however, those turns will only be 15 to 30 seconds, to simulate the very punchy efforts that will be required. For the second half, we’ll get into some rolling hills, which may protect us slightly from the wind…maybe. Right now we have a headwind, so you’re going to line yourselves up behind whatever riders are near you. Imagine that you are a sprinter on your team, and you have one of your teammates with you. If worse comes to worst and you get separated from a paceline, you’ll have each other. Guide them through a paceline, alternating the lead every 45 seconds. As the name of the song suggests, tell them to “let the rhythm just” establish itself as they ride. When they are in front, their intensity increases to high Zone 3; when they are drafting they are low Zone 3. Song #4 Crosswinds Take it From Me, Kongos, 3:11, 86 bpm The wind shifts to their left side. Change the alternating pulls to every 20 to 30 seconds. This time, however, when they are leading, they push to threshold. The road has shifted, meaning the wind is now pummeling us from the left. You’ll have to work harder when you’re in the lead. Take your effort to right above threshold, working hard against the wind.
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