L'Alpe

Today the Tour climbed Alpe d'huez, so I rode 37 minutes at VeloSF to commemorate Marco Pantani's record for the ascent (36:40).  A minor difference between our rides is in that time, Pantani climbed 1120 meters (roughly equivalent to Mt. Diablo, but steeper) in 21 hairpin turns, while I climbed none and, being attached to a stationary trainer, rounded zero hairpins.  He is estimated to have put out ~360 watts of power for the duration of his ride, while I -- intentionally -- put out an average of 110.  I can do 360 watts... for about one minute.  On the other hand, he died from a cocaine overdose at age 34 and I'm still kicking at 49, with little risk of OD-ing on coke.  But I'll never climb Alpe d'huez in under 37 minutes.  With lots and lots of training and a little luck, I'll climb Diablo in under an hour.

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