Runda (De ronde) analyses

One of the hardest runda in terms of course is a wrap. De Ronde lap from one of the real roads RGT offers is a real killer for group riding and as it proved for most, the ultimate course for hard interval session. The course is either up, either down with minimal flat terain in between climbs. It’s constant ON-OFF-ON-OFF. Natural booster for normalized power numbers.

As every other week, people prefer to enter lower categories then their actual ability is, so we decided to present actual data and performances for all finishers in a table below. Perhaps, it will help raise awareness about the difference how people judge where they do think they belong, and where they really belong acording to their actual power ability (performance achieved on a event).

Quick interesting note to Cat A results. 13 riders finished event. Take a look to 5th placed rider. Hes Peak20min power was significantly lower then A/B boundary was, yet he managed (despite super demanding course) to finish 5th. This definetely is a good example, that riders don’t need huge average power to excel and race good. They need skill, they need to draft like nobody is watching, and they need to spent energy only on moments when it really matters. Joeri Dlnr is very experienced RGT rider, and his result is a school case of tacticaly smart and skilled riding.   .

Now look carrefully to Peak20min power of those who got over the limit in B category race. Compare their performances to one of Joeri’s. With same skill and tactics as Joery’s, they could all perform to top 5 in A cat. Some even for a podium spot. Its a pity they don’t enter A.

Next is race in C cat. The most crowded category, only this time many didn’t finish. The course was too demanding for riding in a group so most of them were forced riding solo. And in short hilly loop in Belgium this can be quite a challenge. However, half of finishers went over the limit. Most of them just slightly over the border, which is the thing that happens. Unfortunately some are so much over the limit that they simly destroy the race with their presence. The difference between first over the line and legit winner of the day (9th in finish) was no less then 6 miniutes!