[Cni2i]

Just curious to know approximately what is the average speed of a pro rider over a 50 mile ride...mostly flats, not on a track, and not drafting. Thanks.

 

[ETWN Stu]

So the answer that you are after would refer to a solo training ride giving it some stick?

 

[chocy]

Fabian Cacellera would often do that at about 28-30+MPH average

 

[poff]

Mt. Washington is the hardest climb in US as it climbs 4700' at an average of 12%. Pros do it in around 50-52mins.

 

[bds3]

Top Ironman70.3 triathletes typically ride 56 miles in barely under to just over 2 hours, so 25-29 mph average depending on the race. They're not professional cyclists, and the bike leg is after a swim and before a run, and they're on different bikes, and they're racing, so I don't know how much this really helps you or answers your question.

 

[Andrew1]

So the answer that you are after would refer to a solo training ride giving it some stick?

I would guess they could do 23-24 miles an hour, although I highly doubt pros are going to go out and do 50 miles at a steady pace for anything other than a recovery ride.

 

[ETWN Stu]

I would guess they could do 23-24 miles an hour, although I highly doubt pros are going to go out and do 50 miles at a steady pace for anything other than a recovery ride.

Or to find some form after injury/illness.

They spend that much time racing so when they get out on the road its probably just for fun and to turn the legs over.

Answer you seek may be indervidual time trial stats.

 

[JoelS]

I followed a couple of RS riders back before the Tour of CA (after asking if it was ok). They said they were riding slow. Steady pace at 24mph. They were riding side by side and chatting. One of them sent a few texts on his phone. I think they were giggling at me huffing and puffing. I expect they could have easily bumped up the pace quite a bit.

 

[Wookiebiker]

To answer your question....Here are some speeds from the Tour de France:

•33.818 mph over 15.19 miles - fastest individual time trial (Greg LeMond, 1989), Armstrong was just a few ticks slower over double the distance in one of his Tour wins.

•34.056 mph over 41.54 miles - fastest team time trial (Gewiss, 1995)

•31.220 mph over 120.59 miles- fastest average over a flat stage (Mario Cipollini from Laval to Blois, 1999)

 

[poff]

•31.220 mph over 120.59 miles- fastest average over a flat stage (Mario Cipollini from Laval to Blois, 1999)

Do you know what he was taking?

 

[Fluidprawn]

•31.220 mph over 120.59 miles- fastest average over a flat stage (Mario Cipollini from Laval to Blois, 1999)

OMG that's insane!

 

[tindrum]

Do you know what he was taking?

lots.

but regardless of what was pumping through him, it's amazing.

 

[Lelandjt]

I'm sure that race ended in a bunch sprint so he was riding in the peloton and drafting until the last 1/4 mile.

 

[Cni2i]

Thanks for the informative replies everyone. I posed this question just to kind of gauge how fast I'm going compared to the pros. Obviously, I am no where near them...no surprise here. As with any sport that you get into and enjoy, you really appreciate how well the pros do it and make it look fairly easy.

On my last group ride with mostly flats and a few rollies (total 47 miles), I tried to stay with the "faster" group, and ended up averaging approximately 19.45 mph for the first 16 miles or so, then got dropped as they really started to pick up the pace. I ended up averaging 17.85 mph at the end of the ride. And, that's pretty quick for me, as I usually average 16.50 mph on these types of rides (again, mostly flats with some rollies). So when I hear these pros averaging 30+ miles over 100+ miles....that's just insane!!!!

 

[cyclesport45]

Yeah, but they all use electric motor-assisted bikes....

 

[Mootsie]

OMG that's insane!

I think I read that it was a day with a tailwind.

 

[Blue CheeseHead]

On August 22 there was the Race Around the Lake in Appleton, WI. It was approximately 90 miles. Here are the results.

1. Andrew Crater 3:13:13.6; 2. Rob White 3:13:16.5; 3. Pat Lemieux, St. Paul, 3:13:24.6; 4. Chad Hartley 3:13:36.2; 5. Maxwell Anderson, Waukesha, 3:13:42.2; 6. Josh Gillingham, Ontario, 3:13:42.3; 7. Daniel Lawrence, Libertville, Ill., 3:13:42.4; 8. Logan Loader, Pacific Grove, Calif., 3:13:42.6; 9. Emile Abraham 3:13:42.7; 10. Tommy Matush, Middleton 3:13:42.8.
11. Matt Muyres 3:13:42.9; 12. Jay Woller, St. Louis Park, Minn., 3:13:43; 13. Jeff Bradley, Davenport, Iowa, 3:13:43; 14. Robbie Ventura 3:13:43.1; 15. Justin Michels, Neenah, 3:13:43.1; 16. Steve Tilford, Topeka, Kan., 3:13:43.1; 17. Pete Crowe, Appleton, 3:13:43.2; 18. John Robertson, Sherwood, 3:13:43.2; 19. John Acker, Sherwood, 3:13:43.3; 20. Adam McClurg, Waukesha, 3:13:43.4.
21. Jesse Bartholomew, Madison, 3:13:43.5; 22. Greg Cullen, Sherwood, 3:13:43.7; 23. Scott Rosenfield, Lake Forest, Ill, 3:13:43.7; 24. Brent Emery, Menomonee Falls,

The winner averaged 27.95 mph over 90 miles and this was a regional event at best. I highlighted that Robbie Ventura finished 14th. Brent Emery was a member of the 1984 Silver Metal winning 4000m pursuit team. He is 52 years old and a LBS owner in the Milwaukee area.

Don't feel bad, there is always someone faster.

 

[Steve B.]

Just curious to know approximately what is the average speed of a pro rider over a 50 mile ride...mostly flats, not on a track, and not drafting. Thanks.

Pro riders race as part of and in a large group of riders - 120 or more (the peloton), so the speeds they average can be difficult to compare to, for the new roadie. The typical stage on a multi-day to multi week race would be 120 miles long and they do it 6-7 days straight, with typically 20 or more races in a season, including 3 lasting 3 weeks long, as well as a few one week races, and a ton of single day races. They do train during the week, especially in the spring, but again it's a team ride of 5 to 15,with occasional solo rides.

As such, to say that a typical pro could ride solo at an average of 25mph for 5 hours, repeating daily for a week, would not be unheard of. They just don't ride much in that style is all.

SB

 

[shermes]

On August 22 there was the Race Around the Lake in Appleton, WI. It was approximately 90 miles. Here are the results.

1. Andrew Crater 3:13:13.6; 2. Rob White 3:13:16.5; 3. Pat Lemieux, St. Paul, 3:13:24.6; 4. Chad Hartley 3:13:36.2; 5. Maxwell Anderson, Waukesha, 3:13:42.2; 6. Josh Gillingham, Ontario, 3:13:42.3; 7. Daniel Lawrence, Libertville, Ill., 3:13:42.4; 8. Logan Loader, Pacific Grove, Calif., 3:13:42.6; 9. Emile Abraham 3:13:42.7; 10. Tommy Matush, Middleton 3:13:42.8.
11. Matt Muyres 3:13:42.9; 12. Jay Woller, St. Louis Park, Minn., 3:13:43; 13. Jeff Bradley, Davenport, Iowa, 3:13:43; 14. Robbie Ventura 3:13:43.1; 15. Justin Michels, Neenah, 3:13:43.1; 16. Steve Tilford, Topeka, Kan., 3:13:43.1; 17. Pete Crowe, Appleton, 3:13:43.2; 18. John Robertson, Sherwood, 3:13:43.2; 19. John Acker, Sherwood, 3:13:43.3; 20. Adam McClurg, Waukesha, 3:13:43.4.
21. Jesse Bartholomew, Madison, 3:13:43.5; 22. Greg Cullen, Sherwood, 3:13:43.7; 23. Scott Rosenfield, Lake Forest, Ill, 3:13:43.7; 24. Brent Emery, Menomonee Falls,

The winner averaged 27.95 mph over 90 miles and this was a regional event at best. I highlighted that Robbie Ventura finished 14th. Brent Emery was a member of the 1984 Silver Metal winning 4000m pursuit team. He is 52 years old and a LBS owner in the Milwaukee area.

Don't feel bad, there is always someone faster.

Crater got $20,000 for breaking last years ave. speed. I'm kind of surprised the speeds were not faster the weather was perfect and with that kind of money up for grabs there was a lot of motivation to ride fast.

 

[MR_GRUMPY]

Back in 1955, my mentor did a 50mile ITT in a minute over two hours. It stood as a national record for a few years.
Yes, he did race as a Pro, after that. (not on a first division team, over in Europe, but still getting paid for riding)

PS.......Back then, they did crazy TT's like that....25 mile, 50mile, and even 100 mile ITT.