Watching the peloton - Professional Road Racing thread 2026

[Rás Cnoic]

Last stage of the UAE Tour and a second bash at the wall-like Jebel Hafeet final climb. Can Tiberi hold off Del Toro (21 seconds on GC)? Can Remco climb better without cramp?! Top 12 are within 2 mins, a lot around 1:30 so still room for surprises over the 6km climb.

Race currently underway 52km to go, 7 riders away 1:45 on Peloton.

Currently scanning you tube to find a live stream. Somewhat ironic that live feeds pop up on each of the flat days without prompting, but are absent on both climb days.

 

[Rás Cnoic]

I won't spill the winner, but Remco... really not liking the climbing, it's a mystery. He gave one early attack 5km from the top, sort of half hearted, and when he was passed shortly later, he couldn't stay with the group, pulled out of the chain and went clean out the back.

Another intelligent ride by Luke Plapp.

 

[stompandgo]

It's OK to post spoilers here. Also, this was the queen stage. There's a dead flat 149km stage tomorrow.

An outstanding ride by Del Toro, but I expect that from him. He's now leading GC. His post-race interview was classy and to the point. Luke Plapp rode his butt off to finish second on GC. He timed his effort perfectly and was not really challenged as he chased Del Toro. Remco's attack was feeble at best. He just didn't seem interested. He was marked, though, so maybe that was it. No cramps. Modern Adventure was again in the break today, but they were caught on the climb. Byron Munton was the high finisher at 13th.

 

[Jeremy McCreary]

Tried to estimate Del Toro's cadence as he climbed to the finish out of the saddle in a ridiculously high gear. Couldn't get a number, but pretty sure that if I did that to my bum knees, I'd be in surgery for replacements the next day.

Agree, classy interview with Del Toro afterward. Eager to see him race Pogacar. Wonder when they'll first meet?

 

[stompandgo]

Yeah, he was in the big ring on a 10% grade. He's young.

Teams usually report team composition a week or two before the event, and may make changes right up until the first start. Changes after that require permission from the organizer. I could see him as another Jay Vine, or the lead attacker in a break with Tadej.

 

[Jeremy McCreary]

Yeah, he was in the big ring on a 10% grade.

Anyone, pro gearing question, please:

These days, what are typical pro 2x ring sizes on (a) flat stages, (b) Alp-like mountain stages, and (c) this latest UAE Stage 6, with a very long flat leading to a short, steep, and likely decisive climb to the finish?

Seems like gearing for (c) would be tough to optimize.

 

[stompandgo]

It depends on what groupset that they are using on any particular bike in any particular event. The UCI tried restricting gearing to 54/11 last year, in an attempt to slow down fast descents, but, to my knowledge, it did not make it into the regulations, mainly because SRAM Red AXS uses a 10T top gear, and that would ban SRAM's best road groupset from competition.

That said, there has been a progression to bigger and bigger gear ratios over the last five years or so. There's no better example than Remco's 68T chainring that he ran in the UAE tour ITT.

What I see out there at the domestic elite level are a 54T large chainring, the smallest small chainring that works with the front derailleur capacity, typically 42T, and cassettes ranging from 10/11-28T to 10/11-36T. The push towards 1x wide range drivetrains has trickled down to 2x road drivetrains, i.e. bigger gears and wider range capability.

 

[Jeremy McCreary]

What I see out there at the domestic elite level are a 54T large chainring, the smallest small chainring that works with the front derailleur capacity, typically 42T, and cassettes ranging from 10/11-28T to 10/11-36T.

Thanks! The 2x analysis below gets pretty close to that: 54/40t up front and 12/11-34t in back.

The grayed-out triangles mark chain angles outside the default limit specificied at bottom. No idea if that's appropriate here.

Top panel showing gear ratios:

As expected, these chainrings provide some overapping ratios, though not by much.

Q1. If you could get nearly the same ratio from either ring (e.g., ratios 2.84 and 2.86 above), does it matter which ring you use in a pro setting?

Top panel showing ground speeds at 90 rpm:

Q2. Are the middle and high speeds at 90 rpm spaced closely enough for use in the peloton?

 

[stompandgo]

Thanks! The 2x analysis below gets pretty close to that: 54/40t up front and 12/11-34t in back.

54/40 and 11-34 is the maximum configuration available with Shimano Dura-Ace R9200 Di2.

The grayed-out triangles mark chain angles outside the default limit specificied at bottom. No idea if that's appropriate here.

Racers typically do not use the small front chainring with the smaller cogs, even though today's drivetrains can handle it with no rubbing. The only time I've ever used them is when I did not want to risk a front derailleur shift at that moment. Shift down the cog and ride it until the attack stabilizes, then upshift both derailleurs simultaneously.

As expected, these chainrings provide some overapping ratios, though not by much.

More like a 1x drivetrain which has no overlap.

Q1. If you could get nearly the same ratio from either ring (e.g., ratios 2.84 and 2.86 above), does it matter which ring you use in a pro setting?

See above. The chain tension is lower when the small rings is used, but the chainline in the small cogs is much worse. That's the technical side. The other side is what the terrain is where you are and what lies ahead. Flat terrain, big ring. On a grade, big ring until you have to downshift to the small ring. Another factor is what is going on around you. Who are the danger riders and are they looking nervous. Big ring. Gotta be ready for the jump.

Q2. Are the middle and high speeds at 90 rpm spaced closely enough for use in the peloton?

I think that this is a personal choice as well as the kind of rider that you are. I was 66kg with a 310w FTP. I shifted a LOT. Small gear spacing kept my cadence up and on the gas. The pros at any level are way higher than that. To them, I don't think it matters. It's mash until you drop.

Great conversation here.

 

[Jeremy McCreary]

Great conversation here.

Ditto.

 

[stompandgo]

Del Toro crosses safe, Tiberi and Plapp round out the GC podium. Milan wins the final stage, his third win, Pickrell 9th. I was very impressed with the young American team. They were in the action in every stage, against World Tour competition. Their next race is Kuurne on 3/1.

 

[Rás Cnoic]

Great final stages in Spain and Portugal. Tom Pidcock with another descending heart-in-mouth masterclass grabs the stage win and in Portugal
a ferocious 5 way climb- battling it out were Almeida, Onley, Thomas Gloa, the 19yo French wonderkid Paul Seixas and the winner by a hair from Onley on the line- Bad boy Juan Ayuso. Ayuso takes yellow. Local fav Almeida has to settle for third, Seixas in second.

Over the border in Andalucia 22yo Ivan Romero takes overall for Movistar (Yay Movistar get a win!)

Loads of fiery young climbing hopefuls over the 3 races. Season hotting up. And I'm happy as I've found a way (thanks VPN) to watch the entire season cleanly.