2011 Tour de France - Stage 18, July 21

Hardest stage in 3 years for Chris!

Stage Results

1 Andy Schleck (Lux) Leopard Trek 6:07:56
2 Fränk Schleck (Lux) Leopard Trek 0:02:07
3 Cadel Evans (Aus) BMC Racing Team 0:02:15
37 Chris Anker Sörensen (Den) Saxo Bank Sungard 0:14:45

Chris Anker Sorensen's SRM Data

Weight- 64kg
Functional Threshold Power- 400w
Total Time = 6:21
TSS = 383
KJ= 5979
Average Power =  261 Watts
Avg Normalized Power* =291 watts
Avg HR = 146bpm
Max HR = 173 bpm
Mean Maximal 1-minute power = 528w
Mean Max 5-minute power = 373w
Mean Maximal 20-minute power = 348w
Avg Cadence = 85 rpm
Avg Speed = 19.5 mph

Race Analysis

The hardest stage in three years of data from Chris Sorensen.   He scored 383 training stress score points today, along with burning 5979 kiloJoules(about 6600kCals), his normalized power for the stage was 291 watts and he climbed OVER 16,000’!!!     The 123 mile stage was done at an average speed of 19.5mph, which is absolutely incredible considering the amount of climbing in the stage.

Chris had a job to do today and he did it well.  He rode near the front the whole day with Contador and then on the lower slopes of the Galiber, he was right there at the front chasing and trying to bring back his old teammate Andy Schleck.   In the first 37 minutes of the Col De Galiber, Chris near the front and average 337 watts(normalized), which might not seem like a lot for Chris, but you to remember they were also at a higher elevation, near 5000’ above sea level.

The Agnel and Izoard climbs were done at Chris’ tempo pace and the Izoard was definitely harder, with Chris averaging  333 watts Normalized for that one.   So in reality Chris rode much closer to his threshold power on the Izoard and lower slopes of the Galiber than the numbers tell us.   For most people, when you get to about 6000’ above sea level,  there is a 10% reduction in your power.  With Chris’ FTP at 375watts, a 10% reduction would be 377 watts, which is exactly what he did on the Galiber!

Once the main climbers were at the front and the attacks started Chris’ job was done and he dialed back his intensity to 265 watts, which is right in his endurance zone, as again Chris has to fight hard tomorrow for Contador up the famed Alp D’ Huez!

Be sure to view Sorensen's actual race file in the TrainingPeaks.com Interactive File Viewer. Or, download his original file to view in TrainingPeaks WKO+ for your own in-depth analysis.

* Click here to learn what TSS (Training Stress Score), IF (Intensity Factor), NP (Normalized Power) and FTP (Functional Threshold Power) are, and how you can use these metrics along with a power meter to optimize your own training and racing just like pro's. Click here if you don't have a power meter but still want the benefits some of the same metrics in your training and racing.

File Analysis by Hunter Allen, Co-Author of "Training and Racing with a Power Meter" and Co-Developer of TrainingPeaks WKO+ analysis software and Founder of The Peaks Coaching Group.

Data captured by SRM Powercontrol 7.

Thank you to Saxo Bank-SunGard and Chris Anker Sorensen for allowing us to share race data and provide analysis on today's stage.

Click to View, Share or Download Today's File.

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