{"id":36183,"date":"2022-05-06T13:00:57","date_gmt":"2022-05-06T11:00:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.bikeradar.com\/?p=673213"},"modified":"2022-05-06T13:26:19","modified_gmt":"2022-05-06T11:26:19","slug":"how-hard-is-the-giro-ditalia","status":"publish","type":"rss_feed","link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/cyclingplus\/rss_feed\/how-hard-is-the-giro-ditalia\/","title":{"rendered":"How hard is the Giro d\u2019Italia?"},"content":{"rendered":"

<\/p>

By Paul Norman\n \t\t<\/p>

Published: Friday, 06 May 2022 at 12:00 am<\/p>

\n\n

The Giro d\u2019Italia is one of the toughest races on the WorldTour calendar \u2013 but what toll does the opening Grand Tour of the season place on riders?<\/p>\n

The EF Education-EasyPost team uses the WHOOP 4.0 band<\/a> to measure the physiological strain, recovery and sleep of its riders through the season.<\/p>\n

Ahead of the start of the 2022 Giro d\u2019Italia, WHOOP has used its data from last year\u2019s race to delve into the demands of the Giro \u2013 and what it takes to ride the Italian Grand Tour.<\/p>\n

Monster strain<\/h2>\n

The WHOOP wearable records 24\/7 data on heart rate, heart rate variability<\/a>, blood oxygenation, breathing rate and skin temperature. This data is then used to calculate a \u2018strain score\u2019 on a scale from zero to 21, as well as to monitor sleep and recovery.<\/p>\n

\u201cStrain is a measure of cardiovascular load \u2013 i.e. how hard your heart is working,\u201d says Jeremy Powers, a four-time US national cyclocross champion and now a coach for WHOOP.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhile it\u2019s obviously going to be affected by what you\u2019re doing on the bike \u2013 how hard you\u2019re pushing, whether you\u2019re climbing or not \u2013 there are also other factors which have a subtle impact on it, including temperature, humidity, hydration levels and also how recovered you are going into a stage.\u201d<\/p>\n

\"""\"<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>
WHOOP tracked the strain and recovery of EF Education-EasyPost riders through the 2021 Giro d\u2019Italia.<\/span><\/figcaption> WHOOP<\/i><\/span><\/div>\n

Powers says the average strain score of the EF Education-EasyPost team over the course of the 2021 Giro d\u2019Italia was 18.0.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere were days when the guys were putting up monster strain scores of 20.5+, which for pro riders is a mean feat,\u201d he says. \u201cThe highest individual day of strain in 2021 was on May 20 [stage 13 from Ravenna to Verona] by Ruben Guerreiro with 20.7.\u201d<\/p>\n

Taking an average strain score across the team, the \u2018easiest\u2019 days of racing at the 2021 Giro d\u2019Italia came on stages one (15.4) and 21 (13.0) \u2013 the two individual time trials.<\/p>\n

\"""\"<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>
The WHOOP 4.0 is a wearable band that monitors key fitness and health metrics 24\/7.<\/span><\/figcaption> WHOOP<\/i><\/span><\/div>\n

While a race against the clock gives general classification contenders a chance to rise up the standings \u2013 or cement their position \u2013 for many riders, it\u2019s an opportunity to turn the legs over on a relatively easy day. The short nature of time trials also means there\u2019s less opportunity to build fatigue.<\/p>\n

On the flip-side, three stages saw an average strain score of 20.6 \u2013 the highest average score across the team through the race. Stage six saw the first summit finish on a medium-mountain stage, while stage nine represented the first proper high-mountain stage of the 2021 Giro, and stage 14 concluded with a brutal summit finish on the infamous Monte Zoncolan.<\/p>\n

Unpredictable racing<\/h2>\n
\"""\"<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>
Hugh Carthy was part of the EF Education-EasyPost team at the 2021 Giro, finishing eighth overall.<\/span><\/figcaption> WHOOP<\/i><\/span><\/div>\n

While the profile of a particular stage will play a part in the strain it places on a rider, how the stage is raced \u2013 and the specific performance or tactics of a team on a given day \u2013 is also a significant factor.<\/p>\n

\u201cA huge callout here is the unpredictable nature of the Giro d\u2019Italia \u2013 you know it is going to be hard but you just don\u2019t know when,\u201d says Powers.<\/p>\n

For this year\u2019s edition, even the first three days in Hungary are tough, with two uphill finishes presenting the potential to lose time before the race even reaches Italy.<\/p>\n

There\u2019s no respite once the race reaches its homeland either, with stage four finishing with a monster climb to 1,892m on the slopes of Mount Etna.<\/p>\n

Dotted among the mix of lumpy and relatively flat routes as the race makes its way up the Italian mainland are more big days like the 5,000 metres of climbing to the stage nine finish at Blockhaus.<\/p>\n

The weather can be poor in Italy in May, too.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s generally cold and it\u2019s generally wet,\u201d says Alex Howes, who rides for EF Education-EasyPost and raced the Giro in 2017<\/a>. \u201cYou\u2019re racing through the Dolomites in the spring.\u201d<\/p>\n

He says it\u2019s harder to recover if the body is also fighting against bad weather.<\/p>\n

As always with the Giro, the final week of the 2022 edition has the real sting in the trail, with the 168km queen stage on the penultimate day featuring the San Pellegrino, Pordoi and Fedaia passes, for a cumulative total of 4,490m of climbing.<\/p>\n

You can see the effort required as the race reaches its crescendo in the EF Education-EasyPost riders\u2019 strain scores for the final few days of the 2021 Giro, with an average of 20.4 on the two final mountain stages.<\/p>\n

Powers continues: \u201cDespite the fact that the riders will be in such good shape, it\u2019s such a gruelling race that you can\u2019t not begin to feel the effects of it over the course of the Giro.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s going to be harder for riders to recover after particularly tough stages towards the latter half,\u201d he adds. \u201cYou\u2019re also going to see that their max heart rates will begin to decline.\u201d<\/p>\n

Howes agrees and says it\u2019s typical for a rider\u2019s maximum heart rate to drop by about ten beats per minute at the end of a Grand Tour.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou just can\u2019t get it up there anymore,\u201d adds the 2019 US national road race champion. \u201cAnd the discrepancy between certain riders will be interesting, too. Some will have 190 heart rates all day, and then others will be around 140 \u2013 not related to their fitness, it\u2019s just their physiology.\u201d<\/p>\n

Recovery is crucial<\/h2>\n
\"""\"<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>
The WHOOP 4.0 tracks recovery and sleep, alongside strain.<\/span><\/figcaption> WHOOP<\/i><\/span><\/div>\n

Rest and recovery are crucial to any cyclist focussing on performance, not least during a race like the Giro d\u2019Italia.<\/p>\n

\u201cOn days where a rider is primed and ready to go, we would expect that he would accumulate strain slower than when he was riding on a day that he was under-recovered, under-hydrated and riding in hot, humid conditions,\u201d says Powers.<\/p>\n

The EF Education-EasyPost team measures recovery through the WHOOP 4.0 band, scored on a scale from 0 to 100%.<\/p>\n

Recovery scores from 0 to 33% denote poor recovery, 34% to 66% indicate a reasonable level, while scores above 67% mean you\u2019re ready for a day of peak performance.<\/p>\n

\u201cOver the course of the Giro, the average recovery of the EF cycling team was 53%, which was about right for a Grand Tour,\u201d explains Powers. \u201cThese riders are in such good shape that they\u2019re able to put up consistently high strain scores without being absolutely shot the next day.\u201d<\/p>\n

However, Powers says the highest average score (78%) still came towards the start of the race (stage three), with the lowest (30%) coming after stage 17 \u2013 another big day in the mountains.<\/p>\n

Sponsor and media commitments can eat into recovery time, too, particularly for highly-placed riders and stage winners.<\/p>\n

When a rest day comes up, though, most professional cyclists show impressive powers of recovery, and heart rate variability (HRV) can help provide an indication of a rider\u2019s readiness to perform.<\/p>\n

\u201cGenerally after a proper rest day you would expect to see a rider\u2019s HRV bounce back towards their baseline, especially for seasoned pro riders,\u201d says Powers, who points to Lachlan Morton\u2019s data from his epic Alt Tour in 2021.<\/p>\n

\u201cAfter the gruelling three weeks [riding every stage of the race ahead of the peloton \u2013 including stage transfers] his HRV bounced back to baseline two days after he finished.\u201d<\/p>\n

Variable sleep duration<\/h2>\n

The influence of the Giro\u2019s logistics is an unexpected factor that influences recovery and sleep.<\/p>\n

With the 2022 Giro covering the length of Italy, and the race starting in Hungary, there are likely to be long transfers between stages. The opportunity for quality sleep can vary from one day to the next, Powers says.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe only clear trend when it came to the riders\u2019 sleep performance at the 2021 Giro was that there was no clear trend,\u201d he concludes.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere were days when riders got 9.5+ hours of sleep, while on other days with travel, transfers etc, they didn\u2019t have the luxury of time and only managed around 5.5 hours of sleep.<\/p>\n

\u201cA number of riders managed to sneak in naps, in particular on the rest days, which helped to offset the sleep debt they were accumulating over the course of the race.\u201d<\/p>\n

Riders respond differently<\/h2>\n
\"""\"<\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/source><\/picture><\/div>
The 2022 Giro d\u2019Italia starts with three stages in Hungary.<\/span><\/figcaption> WHOOP<\/i><\/span><\/div>\n

Ultimately, how each rider responds to the effort of a three-week Grand Tour is different, based on their role in the team, physiology and a wide range of external factors.<\/p>\n

\u201cSome riders are Ferraris, who can be incredibly punchy when they need to be, while others are diesel trucks that can steam along for days with ease,\u201d says Powers.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe WHOOP strain score is based on an individual\u2019s heart rate data, which can be affected by a multitude of different things.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt will be hugely impacted by the rider and what they\u2019re capable of \u2013 whether they\u2019re over-exerting or riding within themselves. If they\u2019re pushing harder than they\u2019re capable of, they\u2019re more likely to burn out quicker, which is when you\u2019ll see their heart rate hugely elevated compared to where it would normally be.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s the same story if they\u2019re massively under-recovered going into a stage. They\u2019re just not going to be able to perform to their usual level.\u201d<\/p>\n

Crashes and injury also take their toll on the strain a rider can manage, as well as their recovery and sleep quality, creating a knock-on impact on performance.<\/p>\n

And what about after the race? Well, for EF Education-EasyPost rider Howes, the end of a Grand Tour is an opportunity to reset \u2013 mentally and physically \u2013 before going again.<\/p>\n

\u201cFor the first couple of days after, you might wake up at the same time you normally would and think \u2018OK, let\u2019s get moving here,\u2019 but then you make some coffee and sit down and just melt into the couch,\u201d he says. \u201cAnd not just from the physical exertion, but mentally too. You have no time to switch off during the race.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn the weeks and months after you have this deep fatigue, where everything hurts and you\u2019re tired all the time. On the other hand, then you get on the bike and you\u2019ll do the best numbers you\u2019ve ever done. It\u2019s a weird balance.\u201d<\/p><\/body><\/html>\n

","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Paul Norman Published: Friday, 06 May 2022 at 12:00 am The Giro d\u2019Italia is one of the toughest races on the WorldTour calendar \u2013 but what toll does the opening Grand Tour of the season place on riders? The EF Education-EasyPost team uses the WHOOP 4.0 band to measure the physiological strain, recovery and […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":24,"featured_media":36184,"template":"","categories":[1],"acf":{"readingTimeMinutes":"9"},"uagb_featured_image_src":{"full":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/43\/2022\/05\/how-hard-is-the-giro-ditalia-scaled.jpg",2560,1707,false],"thumbnail":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/43\/2022\/05\/how-hard-is-the-giro-ditalia-150x150.jpg",150,150,true],"medium":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/43\/2022\/05\/how-hard-is-the-giro-ditalia-300x200.jpg",300,200,true],"medium_large":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/43\/2022\/05\/how-hard-is-the-giro-ditalia-768x512.jpg",768,512,true],"large":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/43\/2022\/05\/how-hard-is-the-giro-ditalia-1024x683.jpg",800,534,true],"1536x1536":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/43\/2022\/05\/how-hard-is-the-giro-ditalia-1536x1024.jpg",1536,1024,true],"2048x2048":["https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/43\/2022\/05\/how-hard-is-the-giro-ditalia-2048x1365.jpg",2048,1365,true]},"uagb_author_info":{"display_name":"importmanagerhub@sprylab.com","author_link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/cyclingplus\/author\/importmanagerhubsprylab-com\/"},"uagb_comment_info":0,"uagb_excerpt":"By Paul Norman Published: Friday, 06 May 2022 at 12:00 am The Giro d\u2019Italia is one of the toughest races on the WorldTour calendar \u2013 but what toll does the opening Grand Tour of the season place on riders? The EF Education-EasyPost team uses the WHOOP 4.0 band to measure the physiological strain, recovery and…","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/cyclingplus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/rss_feed\/36183"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/cyclingplus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/rss_feed"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/cyclingplus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/rss_feed"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/cyclingplus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/24"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/cyclingplus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/36184"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/cyclingplus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=36183"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/cyclingplus\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=36183"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}