Tour Power Profiles: Analyzing stages 1-3

Editor’s Note: Dirk Friel, co-founder and chief evangelist at Peaksware and TrainingPeaks.com, will join us throughout the Tour de France to look at the power numbers the sport’s top riders are laying down in France. Up today are Chris Anker Sørensen and Janez Brajkovic.

Janez Brajkovic’s (Astana) stage 3 race summary

Stage 3 of the Tour de France was a hilly journey through the northwestern corner of France between Orchie and the seaside town of Boulogne-sur-Mer. The day was characterized by a nervous bunch of riders, which led to a number of unfortunate crashes along the way.

Astana’s team leader, Janez Brajkovic, was one of the many riders held up by crashes and he also took a nasty tumble himself 80km into the stage. He sat on the ground for a minute or two as the race doctor examined him, before chasing back with teammates on a spare bike. It appears his right hip was banged up along with his left elbow, but no serious injuries were sustained.

Stage 3: Orchies — Boulogne-sur-Mer 197km
Results:
1. Peter Sagan (Svk) Liquigas-Cannondale 4:42:58
2. Edvald Boasson Hagen (Nor) Team Sky at 0:00:01
3. Peter Velits (Svk) Omega Pharma-Quickstep at s.t.
17. Janez Brajkovic (Slo) Astana Pro Team at s.t.

Stage Summary:
Click here for the TrainingPeaks Activity Viewer.

Training Stress Score: 268 TSS
Energy: 3239 KJ
Average Heart Rate: 121 bpm
Max Heart Rate: 193 bpm
Average Cadence: 88 rpm
Average Watts: 196W
Normalized Power: 273
Max Watts: 873 W
Peak 1-minutes: 567 W (highest of the Tour to date)
Peak 6-minutes: 384 W
Peak 20-minutes: 376 W (highest of the Tour to date)
Peak 60-minute: 307 W (highest of the Tour to date)

The peak 5-minute power for Brajkovic was 398 W, set on the second-to-last Cat. 3 climb, which was led by Ivan Basso (Team Liquigas-Cannondale) as he rode on the front for the eventual stage winner and teammate, Peter Sagan.

The stage progressively got harder as the route entered hillier country near the coastline. There was even one 16-minute segment of racing where Brajkovic rode at 6.2 w/kg, a 371 W average. Most people can’t ride at that pace for two minutes, let alone 16.

Despite his misfortunes Brajkovic finished strong and didn’t lose any time to the general classification favorites. The stage finished with a short uphill climb where Brajkovic maxed out at 807 W and averaged 566 W for one minute. There was also one last crash within a few hundred meters of the finish, which Brajkovic barely missed.

Chris Anker Sorensen’s (Saxo Bank-Tinkoff Bank) race data

Chris Anker Sorensen has entered the Tour de France as a rider who could take a win once the high mountain stages begin. Sorensen has primarily ridden in a support role in the past, most recently for Alberto Contador in the 2011 Tour de France. But with Contador not racing this year’s race, Sorensen has the green light to ride for himself and help Saxo Bank win a stage.

Sorensen stayed safe in the first three days of racing. The hardest of the opening three days was stage 1 between Liège and Seraing, Belgium, which finished on a 2.5km climb. Sorensen lost just 23 seconds to the winner, Peter Sagan (Liquigas-Cannondale), and he averaged 458W for the final five minutes of the stage.

Chris Anker Sorensen’s Peak values for the first three days of race:

Highest Training Stress Score: 261 TSS (stage 1)
Highest Average Heart Rate: 172 bpm (prologue)
Max Heart Rate: 180 bpm (prologue)
Highest Average Watts: 388 W (prologue)
Max Watts: 961 W (stage 2)
Peak 1-minutes: 506 W (stage 1)
Peak 6-minutes: 447 W (stage 1)
Peak 20-minutes: 345 W (stage 1)

As you can see almost every peak value was recorded within stage 1 or the 6.4km prologue. The only peak value set within stage 2 was a maximum peak power of the Tour so far, at 961 watts.

The Tour has just begun and we should see plenty more peak values set in the upcoming week as the Tour enters the first real climbing stage with a finish on the Cat. 1 La Planche Des Belles Filles climb this Saturday.

Stage Summaries
Prologue: Liège (ITT) 6.4km
Results:
1. Fabian Cancellara, RadioShack-Nissan 0:07:13
2. Bradley Wiggins, Sky at 0:00:07
3. Sylvain Chavanel, Omega Pharma-Quick Step at s.t.
138. Chris Anker Sörensen, Saxo Bank-Tinkoff Bank at 00:00:38

Click here for the TrainingPeaks Activity Viewer.

Training Stress Score: 43 TSS
Average Watts: 388 W
Max Watts: 874 W
Peak 1-minute: 440 W

Stage 1: Liège — Seraing 198km
Results:
1. Peter Sagan, Liquigas-Cannondale 4:58:19
2. Fabian Cancellara, RadioShack-Nissan at s.t.
3. Edvald Boasson Hagen, Sky at s.t.
59. Chris Anker Sörensen, Saxo Bank-Tinkoff Bank at :23

Click here to view the TrainingPeaks Activity Viewer

Training Stress Score: 261 TSS
Average Watts: 194 W
Max Watts: 959 W
Peak 1-minute: 506 W
Peak 6-minute: 447 W
Peak 20-minute: 345 W

Stage 2: Visé — Tournai 207.5km
Results
1. Mark Cavendish, Sky 4:56:59
2. André Greipel, Lotto-Belisol at s.t.
3. Matthew Harley Goss, Orica-GreenEdge at s.t.
103. Chris Anker Sörensen, Saxo Bank-Tinkoff Bank at s.t.