98 replies to this topic

[Dan333SP]

So I'm an avid cyclist and amateur racer myself, and I love seeing photos or news about current/former professional drivers/motorcycle riders that use cycling as training for their motorsport endeavors.

 

We all know about Jenson Button being a competitive triathlete, and Fernando Alonso came close to buying out the Basque Euskatel pro tour cycling team a few years ago when they ran into financial trouble, but the deal fell through. He's very close friends with a few Spanish professional cyclists, and he trains regularly on his bike, which I'd probably assume is now a Specialized Mclaren Venge rather than the Colnago Ferrari bike he was on before.

 

There are a lot of similarities in the physical attributes that make for a competitive cyclist and a professional driver at the F1 level (size, weight, endurance, quick reactions, risk taking, situational awareness, ect.), so it's a natural fit. Moto racers have even more crossover given the 2 wheeled nature of the sports.

 

My hypothetical question is- If you were to line up all professional motorsports drivers/riders past and present who ride all the time, who would win in a cycling race? Personally, I'd love to see this because it'd make for entertaining television, it isn't nearly as risky as an actual race, and it could give bragging rights to an unexpected individual.

 

 

 

Footnote: I live in Richond, VA so I'm still on a high from the last week of the UCI world championships here, got cycling on my mind 24/7.

Edited by Dan333SP, 01 October 2015 - 16:07.

[Marklar]

I know that Vettel recently beat Jan Ullrich when they were doing a ride in Switzerland clearly, just wanted to mention it ;)

[SealTheDiffuser]

I read drivers and crying.

 

 

About cycling I think they are stuipd to pedal without helmets especially with the "click" pedals...

[Dan333SP]

I read drivers and crying.

 

 

About cycling I think they are stuipd to pedal without helmets especially with the "click" pedals...

 

That's just Jarno protecting the (extremely limited) hair he has left on his head.

[P0inters]

I remember reading an article in an F1 racing magazine a few years back where both Webber and Prost were climbing the Alp d'Huez (I think it was that one anyway). So cleary them two are avid cyclers as well

[YoungGun]

Didn't Mark break a leg biking?

[Dan333SP]

Didn't Mark break a leg biking?

 

He did, I think he was mountain biking as part of his Aussie triathlon adventure thing that involved sea kayaking and jungle running or something like that.

[Peat]

I remember reading an article in an F1 racing magazine a few years back where both Webber and Prost were climbing the Alp d'Huez (I think it was that one anyway). So cleary them two are avid cyclers as well

 

I did the Etape du Tour this year (a stage of the TdF they throw open to 15,000 wannabes like me) and Alain featured in the promotional material several times.

How did i do you ask? (ok, you didn't) It took me just under double the time to do the stage that it took the winner Vincenzo Nibali. Those boys are machines.

[discover23]

I remember reading an article in an F1 racing magazine a few years back where both Webber and Prost were climbing the Alp d'Huez (I think it was that one anyway). So cleary them two are avid cyclers as well

I wonder how competitive their times would be compared to the mounting kings .. Froome, Quintana, Contador.. etc.

[balmybaldwin]

Whilst they could well be exceptional amateurs, I wouldn't be surprised if they couldn't beat Cav up mt ventoux. Drivers are not a good build for road cycling...too much weight up top. They'd probably be closer to pro level fitness in MTB but would they have the skills?

[maximilian]

More and more injuries cause by mountain biking interfering with racers (and other athletes) main competitions, might be time to take a hard look at outlawing that in their contracts

[Brod]

Are we talking about MTF or ITT? Alonso would destroy the rest of the current drivers in an ITT. Including former drivers, Alex Wurz might be his only threat. 

[Dan333SP]

Whilst they could well be exceptional amateurs, I wouldn't be surprised if they couldn't beat Cav up mt ventoux. Drivers are not a good build for road cycling...too much weight up top. They'd probably be closer to pro level fitness in MTB but would they have the skills?

 

This. I did a gran fondo with Jenson Button a few years ago. He absolutely crushed almost everyone in the field, and it wasn't even a real race so he wasn't trying too hard. He's competitive with top flight amateur triathlon fields, but if you threw him into the mix with a "real" pro cyclist up a mountain he'd be off the back in no time.

 

Still, a lot of that is down to training specificity. These motorsport guys do it to lose weight and keep cardio fitness, they're not going out and trying to do speed work on the bike to be competitive in bike races. That's why I think it'd be fun to see them race each other.

 

Peat, I agree on them being machines. I don't know if you watched the world championship, but I've ridden up the street that Peter Sagan attacked on. I'm a semi-competent bike racer and I've done well in amateur local events, yetI was in my absolute lowest gear struggling to stay upright on 23rd street at maybe 6 mph. Peter Sagan attacked in a huge gear and accelerated all the way up that climb, probably at 25 mph, and this was after more than 6 hours of racing. The power they put down, and the effort they can sustain, is mind boggling.

[Dan333SP]

Are we talking about MTF or ITT? Alonso would destroy the rest of the current drivers in an ITT. Including former drivers, Alex Wurz might be his only threat. 

 

You think? I know he's an avid rider, but has he ever competed in time trials? I'd think Button would have an advantage at least because he rides a time trial bike in triathlons and is used to the positioning.

 

What's MTF?

[Brod]

You think? I know he's an avid rider, but has he ever competed in time trials? I'd think Button would have an advantage at least because he rides a time trial bike in triathlons and is used to the positioning.

 

What's MTF?

 

Mountain top finish. 

 

We know Wurz is the better cyclist compared to Button, so I don't think he would stand a chance against Fernando who at least used to compete in ITTs. There was even a story a few years ago that he finished 3rd in an ITT in Spain and he used to tweet about it as far as I remember. 

[warp]

More and more injuries cause by mountain biking interfering with racers (and other athletes) main competitions, might be time to take a hard look at outlawing that in their contracts

 

I'm not really aware of many of those MTB incidents (regular MTB and road rider here, not good at any of those but I love riding) save for Webber but I would not be surprised if it was already banned in their contracts.

 

Sad, it is actually a better fit to driver's abilities. Not dissing road riders as there are very skilled road riders and you need big titanium balls to go down a mountain at 90kmh with only lycra as protection, but generally MTB requires more piloting skills. It would be a better match for F1 drivers if it wasn't for the risk of injuries.

 

Even then, it is debatable... falling on the road is bad as it is being run by a lorry. On mtb chances are you fall on dirt and there is no risk of being run over by cars. You can still smack onto a tree or a rock (or many of them or a combination of all of that).

[PlatenGlass]

I think Max Verstappen would win. If you'd seen him in karting you'd know that if it has wheels, he's the best there is.

[whitewaterMkII]

A lot of the IndyCar drivers are big in the cycling, in fact I've always suspected that JPM pissed off Ron Dennis when he broke himself on an MTB, not on a tennis court.

JPM just put the pic up of his new Santa Cruz composite and Kanaan just won a triathlon, he's a Trek fan.

[senna da silva]

Cyclists have the best performance enhancing drugs.

[warp]

Cyclists have the best performance enhancing drugs.

 

And the most stringent Anti-Doping testing programme too... Vampires go to your door at ungodly hours to test you and you have to report your whereabouts and shizzle. You can't even have flu medicine without prescriptions.

 

I'd like to see how other athletes/sport men/women do under such scrutiny.

Edited by warp, 02 October 2015 - 04:11.

[Donkey]

And the most stringent Anti-Doping testing programme too... Vampires go to your door at ungodly hours to test you and you have to report your whereabouts and shizzle. You can't even have flu medicine without prescriptions.

 

I'd like to see how other athletes/sport men/women do under such scrutiny.

I'm sure plenty of F1/motorsports drivers have been taking banned substances in the past. It's just natural law that competitive people want to and will cheat if they can get away with it but I don't think drugs testing is that strict in F1 despite the authorities bringing the issue to the table a few times in recent years. I'm sure there are drugs that would improve performance in F1, not necessarily EPO or steroids, but we haven't had any high profile motoring stars fail drugs tests yet. Imagine what would happen if someone like Vettel got caught, would the FIA have the guts to ban him?

 

Same in professional football as well, there are a lot more professional footballers than professional cyclists and drugs/doping could definitely help you perform better but we rarely hear of footballers getting caught compared to cyclists and track and field athletes.

[JeePee]

Kimi in 2005 

[sjakie]

The other way around: Greg LeMond (twice world cycling champion, three times Tour de France winner) took up motorracing after his retirement from cycling: he competed in the 1996 American FF2000 championship

[SealTheDiffuser]

That's just Jarno protecting the (extremely limited) hair he has left on his head.

 

nah, the stil do it (without helmets) on circuit recce

 

BUT  seems very strong and ALO s time trial time seems too fast to believe..

Edited by SealTheDiffuser, 02 October 2015 - 09:31.

[PapaD]

Button is on Strava along with Wurz

[Cig35]

So I'm an avid cyclist and amateur racer myself, and I love seeing photos or news about current/former professional drivers/motorcycle riders that use cycling as training for their motorsport endeavors.

 

...

 

 

 

 

Button and Ericsson prepared for the Singapore GP with triathlon training in Thailand this year 

 

http://teamjensonbut...son-training-in

http://www.thanyapur...-for-singapore/

[BRG]

I think Max Verstappen would win. If you'd seen him in karting you'd know that if it has wheels, he's the best there is.

I heard that Max will be the Dutch Olympic team at the next games.  He will win every gold medal single handedly, even the relay events.

 

As for pro cyclists, I once drove up Alp d'Huez in a fairly brisk fashion. It took 25 minutes.  'Il pirate' Pantani set the record that year of 35 minutes, and that was after cycling 150kms to get to the climb.

Edited by BRG, 02 October 2015 - 19:44.

[Dan333SP]

I heard that Max will be the Dutch Olympic team at the next games.  He will win every gold medal single handedly, even the relay events.

 

As for pro cyclists, I once drove up Alp d'Huez in a fairly brisk fashion. It took 25 minutes.  'Il pirate' Pantani set the record that year of 35 minutes, and that was after cycling 150kms to get to the climb.

 

Counting his time up Alpe D'Huez would be like a lap record set in testing by Arrows running an underweight car back in the day when these things weren't so closely monitored.

 

It's actually really interesting to see the time progression on that climb, and how clearly the EPO influenced climbing performance.

 

According to Wikipedia, the fastest ever "clean" time (for now) was Nairo Quintana this past year, almost 2 minutes slower than Pantani in 1997-

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alpe_d'Huez

[discover23]

Counting his time up Alpe D'Huez would be like a lap record set in testing by Arrows running an underweight car back in the day when these things weren't so closely monitored.

 

It's actually really interesting to see the time progression on that climb, and how clearly the EPO influenced climbing performance.

 

According to Wikipedia, the fastest ever "clean" time (for now) was Nairo Quintana this past year, almost 2 minutes slower than Pantani in 1997-

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alpe_d'Huez

Interesting stat. I watched that race and Quintana came second to Pinot, who was so far ahead before the climb started, that Quintana could not catch him at the end but came really close.

Indurain was a beast - I am surprised Nairo bested his time from 20 yrs ago.

Edited by discover23, 02 October 2015 - 20:06.

[Peat]

I don't know if you watched the world championship, but I've ridden up the street that Peter Sagan attacked on. I'm a semi-competent bike racer and I've done well in amateur local events, yetI was in my absolute lowest gear struggling to stay upright on 23rd street at maybe 6 mph. Peter Sagan attacked in a huge gear and accelerated all the way up that climb, probably at 25 mph, and this was after more than 6 hours of racing. The power they put down, and the effort they can sustain, is mind boggling.

 

And accidentally unclipped halfway up!

[CHIUNDA]

Button and Ericsson prepared for the Singapore GP with triathlon training in Thailand this year


http://teamjensonbut...son-training-in
http://www.thanyapur...-for-singapore/

Button looks insanely fit for his age!

[balmybaldwin]

I heard that Max will be the Dutch Olympic team at the next games.  He will win every gold medal single handedly, even the relay events.
 
As for pro cyclists, I once drove up Alp d'Huez in a fairly brisk fashion. It took 25 minutes.  'Il pirate' Pantani set the record that year of 35 minutes, and that was after cycling 150kms to get to the climb.

Hmmm pantani was drugged to the eyeballs during the worst period for the sport supposedly after years completing clean (ish) and then being introduced to epo. My childhood hero, and a very sad end.

[balmybaldwin]

Counting his time up Alpe D'Huez would be like a lap record set in testing by Arrows running an underweight car back in the day when these things weren't so closely monitored.
 
It's actually really interesting to see the time progression on that climb, and how clearly the EPO influenced climbing performance.
 
According to Wikipedia, the fastest ever "clean" time (for now) was Nairo Quintana this past year, almost 2 minutes slower than Pantani in 1997-
 
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alpe_d'Huez

https://en.m.wikiped...ez#Ascent_times should work

Very interesting list of shame.

[Exb]

nah, the stil do it (without helmets) on circuit recce

Including around Monaco when the roads are still open to traffic

[warp]

The other way around: Greg LeMond (twice world cycling champion, three times Tour de France winner) took up motorracing after his retirement from cycling: he competed in the 1996 American FF2000 championship

 

Include Nicolas Vouilloz... He made a career in Rally after being 10x World Downhill champion. He is back on two wheels doing Enduro events. No wonder he is nicknamed "The Alien"

 

https://en.wikipedia...icolas_Vouilloz

 

I'm sure plenty of F1/motorsports drivers have been taking banned substances in the past. It's just natural law that competitive people want to and will cheat if they can get away with it but I don't think drugs testing is that strict in F1 despite the authorities bringing the issue to the table a few times in recent years. I'm sure there are drugs that would improve performance in F1, not necessarily EPO or steroids, but we haven't had any high profile motoring stars fail drugs tests yet. Imagine what would happen if someone like Vettel got caught, would the FIA have the guts to ban him?

 

Same in professional football as well, there are a lot more professional footballers than professional cyclists and drugs/doping could definitely help you perform better but we rarely hear of footballers getting caught compared to cyclists and track and field athletes.

 

Again, I don't think other sports are so closely scrutinized as cycling.

It's a chicken and egg scenario... You bust dopers, you get more people tested, then dopers take better drugs, you have to strengthen your testing, then those caught off guard are busted, etc.

 

I'm not saying cycling is clean but it's cleaner than before and even cleaner than people has been lead to think. The testing these guys go through is insane and we would have more top level athletes busted in other sports should the same criteria be applied.

 

The list of stuff you can't take/can't do is mind blowing.  

 

And then you have the Danilo Di Luca's of the world that are just serial dopers. 

[JacnGille]

The late, great Bob Wollek was an avid cyclist...and it cost him his life.

[Chick0]

Nigel Mansell could win the Tour de France if he had the same team bike as Chris Froome     

[Chick0]

 

Alonso mountain biking during his Ferrari days.  

[senna da silva]

And the most stringent Anti-Doping testing programme too... Vampires go to your door at ungodly hours to test you and you have to report your whereabouts and shizzle. You can't even have flu medicine without prescriptions.

 

 

And yet they're still cheating.

[Tourgott]

And yet they're still cheating.

 

Like in any other sport. The difference: Cyclist actually get punished.

[Marklar]

Like in any other sport. The difference: Cyclist actually get punished.

More often, yes. But stil not every time. But actually I have big respect for their anti doping fight, compare that to the FIA and FIFA or every other organisation..

Edited by Marklar, 03 October 2015 - 05:35.

[SwedeForceOne]

Button looks insanely fit for his age!

Lol, how old do you think he is? I can tell you he's not 50

[ardbeg]

Bike races on classic F1 track could be fun to watch though. Lot's of hard braking and overtaking in to Tosa

[anneomoly]

And the most stringent Anti-Doping testing programme too... Vampires go to your door at ungodly hours to test you and you have to report your whereabouts and shizzle. You can't even have flu medicine without prescriptions.

 

I'd like to see how other athletes/sport men/women do under such scrutiny.

 

Forgive my ignorance, but I thought that cycling's anti doping policy was harmonised under WADA the same as most other international sports (including athletics and motorsports)? I didn't even think that cycling had any extra drugs banned over the general standard (like, say, alcohol is banned in-competition at FIA, FIM and archery events but technically isn't for most sports.

 

And part of most sporting authorities' drug codes is having a set hour a day where you can be reached for drugs tests - again, motorsport included (I'm sure Grosjean complained not long after his first was born that his baby and the FIA drug testers had completely unsynchronised cycles, depriving him of more sleep than necessary.) Cyclists are - theoretically - under exactly the same scrutiny as a jockey or a skeet shooter or a 100m runner or even a horse. It's just that historically certain sports fail drugs tests more often than others so the testing is highlighted.

[scheivlak]

Forgive my ignorance, but I thought that cycling's anti doping policy was harmonised under WADA the same as most other international sports (including athletics and motorsports)? I didn't even think that cycling had any extra drugs banned over the general standard (like, say, alcohol is banned in-competition at FIA, FIM and archery events but technically isn't for most sports.

 

And part of most sporting authorities' drug codes is having a set hour a day where you can be reached for drugs tests - again, motorsport included (I'm sure Grosjean complained not long after his first was born that his baby and the FIA drug testers had completely unsynchronised cycles, depriving him of more sleep than necessary.) Cyclists are - theoretically - under exactly the same scrutiny as a jockey or a skeet shooter or a 100m runner or even a horse. It's just that historically certain sports fail drugs tests more often than others so the testing is highlighted.

It's not about substances tested (FIA, FIM test far less substances BTW because they're not looking for e.g. steroids) - it's about the number of tests. Cyclists are tested far more than other sporters. Apart from that, they are tested not just by WADA but apart from them also by other organisations like the ASO (organisers of the Tour de France) as well.

Edited by scheivlak, 03 October 2015 - 13:17.

[Dan333SP]

It's not about substances tested (FIA, FIM test far less substances BTW because they're not looking for e.g. steroids) - it's about the number of tests. Cyclists are tested far more than other sporters. Apart from that, they are tested not just by WADA but apart from them also by other organisations like the ASO (organisers of the Tour de France) as well.

 

The national organizations test their riders as well, or at least they should be. Pretty sure Kazakhstan missed the boat on that

[Dan333SP]

Button and Ericsson prepared for the Singapore GP with triathlon training in Thailand this year 

 

http://teamjensonbut...son-training-in

http://www.thanyapur...-for-singapore/

 

Jenson is wearing kit with UCI world champion bands... poor form, Jenson. Gotta earn your championship first.

 

(commence F1 arguments about the Brawn)

[anneomoly]

It's not about substances tested (FIA, FIM test far less substances BTW because they're not looking for e.g. steroids) - it's about the number of tests. Cyclists are tested far more than other sporters. Apart from that, they are tested not just by WADA but apart from them also by other organisations like the ASO (organisers of the Tour de France) as well.

 

As is true of many, many sports. Most as well as WADA will have testing under the international organisation and the national organisation too (and in most cases, the national authority that organises championship teams as well). E.g. BTCC has mandatory pre-race alcohol tests every day whereas F1 doesn't (though F1 will randomly test during events).

 

 

I was mainly objecting to the assertion that other sportspeople don't have exactly the same inconveniences as cyclists - regardless of how often it happens, they still have to make themselves available for a given hour every day for potential drug testing, they still are potentially randomly tested at every competition. No athlete can take over the counter flu medication. The idea that cyclists are elevated, or that warp "would like to see how others.. do under such scrutiny" is a little silly, because to compete at a top level of sport is to put yourself under that scrutiny and place yourself under pharmacological restrictions regardless of how often that testing takes place.

[balmybaldwin]

 
Alonso mountain biking during his Ferrari days.

His position on the bike is awful heels up, stiff arms let's hope no one shows him a proper MTB track rather than a gravel path

[FLB]

Bike races on classic F1 track could be fun to watch though. Lot's of hard braking and overtaking in to Tosa

The Montmelo circuit (also known as Barcelona in F1) was used for the road cycling events of the 1992 Summer Olympic Games.