CLIMB OUT OF THE SADDLE LIKE…

ALBERTO CONTADOR

While climbing in the saddle is widely considered to be the most efficient way of getting from the bottom of a climb to the top these days (see issue 327), nothing beats the feeling or the spectacle of getting out of the saddle to inject pace into your effort, or on the steepest of slopes, just to keep going! No one does that better than multiple Tour, Giro and Vuelta winner, Alberto Contador. His smoothness and ability to shoot forward as he stands on the pedals are no accident but the result of faultless technique, so what can we mere mortals learn from him?

TIMING IS EVERYTHING 1

When the pace eases, people are tiring, so it’s the right time to leave the saddle to attack. By leaving the saddle Contador can keep his legs free and stop lactate build up, and, because he’s confident, he’ll know that others must be suffering too so will increase that by upping the pace.

GAIN MOMENTUM 3

It’s common for a rider getting out of the saddle when they are tired to lose momentum, whereas Contador gains it. When people get up and their bike moves backwards, that’s because their legs are burning and they aren’t using their bodyweight to push the bike forwards.

DANCE CLASS 2

When Contador stands up he maintains his cadence. It requires a technique called ‘dancing on the pedals’. You’re not driving through every pedal stroke like a powerful rider on a cobbled climb might, you’re still pedalling quite lightly, and it’s only lighter riders who tend to do that.

CORE AUDIENCE 4

Contador needs an excellent core to be able to transition, keep the cadence rolling, and shift his bodyweight in front of the bottom bracket to ‘dance’ on the pedals. If you’re delivering power from in front of the bottom bracket you’re more effective.

NOTHING BEATS THE FEELING OR SPECTACLE OF GETTING OUT OF THE SADDLE TO INJECT PACE

RAISE CADENCE 5

Contador ups his cadence as he transitions, the bike goes forward and he gains valuable metres in that moment. The gear goes up too and so the pace increases. He’s at low-90s cadence out of the saddle whereas most people slow down their cadence when they get up.

GYM TRAINING 6

There’s an awful lot of gym work involved because Contador’s core is as solid as a rock. He hardly moves as he goes up and he’s constantly driving from the waist, not the shoulders. It’s all lower body, which means his core is solid and he’s getting the most out of his legs.