My previous article on how the average roadie compares to a pro cyclist has been trending recently. With the Tour de France in full swing many amateurs are still asking themselves just how much better are the top professional riders (spoiler: a lot).
Since that article was published in 2021 the power numbers of World Tour riders has gone through the roof, so I thought it was a good time to revisit that. In 2024 who better to compare myself to than the current superstar of cycling, Tadej Pogačar.
Tadej and I are actually quite similar. We’re both the same height (1.76cm) and at 66kg Pogačar actually weighs in slighter heaver than I do (what a lardy-ass). That’s about where the similarities end…
Grand Tour winner on the left; Occasional town sign sprint winner on the right…
I am no elite cyclist. No 300+ watt FTP monster. Far from it. On paper my power numbers place me on the low end of average. Still, I can hold my own at times with a little extra determination to keep up. Plus I can (just barley) make up for the power deficit by being canny, fairly light, and relatively aerodynamic.
Yours truly in full flight at the 2024 Tour de Brisbane.
So onto the data! That’s what you’re here for, right?
In my previous article I compared myself to 2019 Tour de France winner Egan Bernal. On one of Egan’s uphill attacks in the 2021 Giro d’Italia (which he also won) he held 5.0 watts/kg for 25 minutes. That was enough to demolish the entire field and leave everyone in his dust. Fast forward to 2024 and five watts per kilogram simply isn’t going to cut it. Egan is still racing in this year’s Tour de France, but he’s no longer a top GC contender (he is currently 79th on GC).
Egan Bernal launching a fierce attack; Yours truly pretending to be pro.
On Stage 15 of this year’s Tour, Tadej produced a race-defining attack that made some of the best climbers in the world look like out of shape, beer swilling, pack-a-day smokers.
According to data scoured from Strava and other online sources, up the final climb of Plateau de Beille, Tadej held 7.0 watts/kg for 39 minutes and 30 seconds. That bears repeating, SEVEN WATTS PER KILOGRAM FOR ALMOST 40 MINUTES! In the process, he smashed a near 30 year record up the climb held by (an arguably juiced to the gills) Marco Pantani.
Looking over my recent data, I can hold 7.0 w/kg for … a minute!
A minute. That’s “best case” optimism too. Maybe if I was super fresh and going hell for leather I could just about hold onto 7.0w/kg for one whole minute, but that would be it. I would then blow spectacularly and collapse by the roadside. The Pog could quite easily carry on at that rate for another 40 minutes.
So there you have it. Back in 2021 there was some comparison. Now in 2024 with the current crop of young World Tour GC contenders, there’s no comparison at all.
Even for the “regular” pros riding the in the Tour de France, it’s like Pogačar (plus Vingegaard and Evenepoel) are riding in a totally different race. Us mere mortal everyday amateurs don’t even come close.
Truly incredible.
Two Wheels with TC 
I’m in awe of even getting to 7.0w/kg, let alone holding it.
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I would question 39 mins @ 7w/kg. That’s not even super human, thats alien. Even doped. Impressive though. He’s a freak
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It certainly does seem outside of the realm of possibility, mind blowing event, but perhaps we’re only now just seeing what humans who are in the top 0.001% of genetically gifted and then trained in a scientific way can achieve.
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7 W/kg?! That’s insane. How is it even possible his wee frame can generate that power? Where does the leg juice come from??
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It’s beyond comprehension!!!
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Yeah, but at the speed we mere mortals climb, we can enjoy the scenery more than they can! ;)
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Absolutely! I bet he didn’t even look up to appreciate the beautiful mountain views! 😁
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That was an insane attack. When I first saw it, I wondered if there was some sort of issue with everybody else. Then he just, wow. That was incredible. My current 6 minute FTP is just under 200w. My fatness is on the high end, floating around 78kg. that’s not too many watts per kg for me. But, I am 71 and not riding regularly at the moment.
I would advise anyone to, if given the opportunity to ride with a pro, or even top shelf national category racers to do it. And enjoy the experience. It is amazing to the control, balance, power, speed and grace that is what pro-level cyclists attain. DOesn’t matter if it is a mens, women’s or mixed group, they will all be fast and powerful and damned good at handling a bike. You will or more likely only hear them change gears in perfect time to when they need to. Be that hill or jump. It is quite enlightening.
I was lucky enough in my early racing years, though well past my sell-by date for that activity by any measure, to get to ride with really fast bike riders. Some of them became pros, some won Olympic gold. All were amazing bike handlers, powerful and fast.
Now, I’m going to kit up and go for a ride.
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Great breakdown! It’s mind-blowing to see how far even the ‘regular’ pros are from us amateurs, let alone superhumans like Pogačar. That 7.0 w/kg for nearly 40 minutes is just insane!
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Thanks! Yeah, it’s truly crazy!
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