Remco Evenepoel and Primož Roglič wrote their own scraps of cycling history Friday.
Evenepoel and Roglič’s sparring match on the Lo Port summit finish of Volta a Catalunya saw age-old benchmarks for climbing speed crushed as marginal gains and lightweight tech continues to reshape what’s possible in the world of elite cycling.
Calculations by Lanterne Rouge blog and established Twitterati Ammatti Pyöräily and Mihai Simion put Roglič and Evenepoel’s 24(ish)-minute rocket ride up the 9km, 9 percent slopes of Lo Port at one of the fastest on record.
#VoltaCatalunya102, Stage 5
Lo Port – Mont Caro (8,60km; 8,90%; 765m)
PRIMOZ ROGLIC
23’54min
21,59km/h
1921 VAM
6,87ᵉw/kg (est.)
CLIMBING RECORD
REMCO EVENEPOEL
24’00min
21,50km/h
1913 VAM
6,90ᵉw/kg (est.)Both Career Power Best Performances.https://t.co/l9qBAhgeQl
— MF Naichaca (@NaichacaCycling) March 24, 2023
With an easy start to the stage and benign wind direction, the reasonably steady (albeit gruesome) gradient of Catalunya’s Lo Port ascent made for a climber’s paradise Friday – and Roglič and Evenepoel made it their own.
The two were locked on each other’s wheel at a pace none could match until the Slovenian uncorked his characteristic winning kick to scoop the stage and reinforce his GC lead.
But there was more than just the stage result to boast about Friday night.
Both Roglič and Evenepoel’s burn to the top of Catalunya’s fifth stage came close to surpassing the 7 watts per kilo benchmark that now rules over long climbs in the WorldTour.
Hand-in-hand came stats for VAM (vertical ascent in meters) rarely seen in the post-EPO generation.
#VoltaCatalunya102, Stage 5
LO PORT (8.54 km, 8.96 %, 765 m) | 2023 finish line
Primoz Roglic: 23:51, 21.48 Kph, VAM 1925 m/h
One of highest VAMs (>20 min climbs) I have ever measured. Highest one is VAM 1950 m/h — Marco Pantani (20:02 | Flumserberg, Tour de Suisse 1995). pic.twitter.com/mn94ZQw878
— ammattipyöräily (@ammattipyoraily) March 24, 2023
Not so long ago, the Team Sky-Tour de France era saw 6w/kg as the ratio lusted for when GC aspirants trained for long-haul climbs.
Less than a decade later, the 2022 grand tours set the stage for racers climbing at some 6.4w/kg for more than 30 minutes.
In an era where bike racing is inching close to Formula 1 for its technological innovation and reads like rocket science in its approach to training, nutrition, and recovery, climbing records are toppling with every passing race.
Adam Yates crushed the best time to the top of the UAE Tour’s 11km Jebel Hafeet last month, and earlier in March, the Milan-San Remo protagonists slayed the Strava KoM on the infamous VO2 max effort lung-burner of the Poggio.
Don’t be surprised to see that mythical 7w/kg benchmark battered when Evenepoel and Roglič face-off on the huge Alpine climbs of the Giro d’Italia in six weeks’ time.
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