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TrainingPeaks Race Files : Races : 2011 Tour Down Under : Stage 3 Unley - Stirling 129km
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Stage 3: Unley - Stirling 129km

Stage Results

1. Michael Matthews (Aus) Rabobank Cycling Team

2. André Greipel (Ger) Omega Pharma-Lotto

3. Matthew Goss (Aus) HTC-Highroad

4. Simon Gerrans (Aus) Sky Pro Cycling

23. Ben Swift (GBr) Sky Pro Cycling

 

General Classification

1. Matthew Goss (Aus) HTC-Highroad

2. André Greipel (Ger) Omega Pharma-Lotto

3. Robbie McEwen (Aus) Team Radioshack

4. Michael Matthews (Aus) Rabobank Cycling Team

5. Ben Swift (GBr) Sky Pro Cycling

 

Ben Swift's Comments

After Stage 3 Ben wrote the following within his TrainingPeaks log, "TODAY WAS ONE OF THE TOUGH DAYS WITH THE CLIMB UP STERLING. THE PLAN WAS TO TRY AND HELP SET IT UP FOR MYSELF AND SIMON GERRANS. I HAD MATT HAYMAN AND GERAINT THOMAS LOOKING AFTER ME THE WHOLE DAY AND THEY DID A GREAT JOB. THE LAST 7 OR SO KM OF THIS STAGE GRADUALLY CLIMB UP IN SECTIONS IT MAKES FOR A HARD FINISH BUT SUPRISINGLY ONE FOR THE SPRINTERS. TEAM SKY AGAIN SHOWED WELL IN THE FINISH WITH GERRO GETTING 4TH AND MY SELF STILL SITTING IN THE TOP 5 ON THE GC. ITS STILL REALLY CLOSE UP FOR SO TOMORROWS STAGE SHOULD MAKE FOR SOME GOOD RACING."

 

Analysis

Stage three had the highest Training Stress Score so far of the tour at 225 points (based on 370w threshold power). This means stage 3 was twice as hard on Ben's body as Sunday's Cancer Council Classic where he produced just 114TSS points. Keep in mind these values also include the warm-up, neutral start and cool down time.

 

Ben had his second highest 5-minute power output of the tour today at 424w (compared to stage 1 at 444w). He also had his second highest one-minute power output at 537w (compared to 637w in stage 2). Ben did however set his highest power output for 3hrs at 214w which is certainly no where near his max he can do for 3hrs. The Tour Down Under has primarily been a sprinters race and unless a rider has been in a long breakaway there is a lot of coasting going on. In fact Ben rode with a cadence of between 0-10rpm for 30 minutes in stage 3.

 

Download Ben's SRM Race Data