Poll: What's your Functional Threshold power?

velomanct

I'm not sure what it's like out there, but in New England, as a cat 3, you need a FTP of around 5w/kg to win the hilly road races. At 79kg, I (among many others) got dropped by the 3 field on a 5 minute climb, where my power was averaging around 450w.

My point is that a 75kg cat 3 rider with a FTP of 340w, would not be cleaning up.

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pledac

Recent:
FTP:235W (home trainer)
Mass:72kg
Age:37

Best (last summer):
FTP:265W? (<-estimated)
Mass:70kg
Age:36

CUBE

FTP:290W (indoor imagic)
Mass:73kg
Age:23
results: none, never raced

bigbevans

You should consider the hour record I think Chris Boardman averaged 442 watts for his athletes record.

I think you are comparing apples and oranges unless you are saying your FT is 450 watts.

zaskar

Im from MI, i now live in AZ where i can train all year and have lots of hills and mountains. im planning on going to Mi this year for a race or 2. you know of any RR there with lots of climbs?

acoggan

I don't think that you can assume that just because you got "popped" on a 5 min climb that everyone who rode away from you has a higher functional threshold power. For example, take a look at the hilly road race file of mine on the CyclingPeaks website - those I was racing against may not (or may) have realized it at the time, but I was at my absolute limit (i.e., 5.5 W/kg for 6 min) the first time up Harp Hill, and in fact along with a half-dozen others fell behind the leaders at that point by 10-15 s. After a fast descent, I/we then had to chase back on the next uphill (labeled "Bridge to catch leaders"). This is directly analogous to your situation, as none of the other dozen or so riders who made the selection appear to have as high a functional threshold power as I do (at least based on the fact that I could put 2+ min into the best of them in a 40 km TT). Only later in the race, when their "batteries" began to run down due to the fact that they were over their functional threshold power more of the time, was I able to start punching back, eventually being able to get away solo to win the race.

whoawhoa

FTP:290ish (I plugged in some #'s from a 30 minute hill climb on ac and got 310, so I think this should be in the ballpark)
Age: 16
Mass: 62 kg
Racing Category: Junior Expert MTB/ Junior/cat 4 on the road (haven't done many senior races)
Years Cycling: I got my training wheels off at 4! So 12! Just over a year of serious training
Best Results: 1st junior, 3rd mens b @ UCI 'cross race, 1st french broad tt 15-16

BlueJersey

That's some awesome power to weight ratio. I am about your weight and twice your age. No where near your 290w FT.

whoawhoa

Yeah, well, I think my one minute power is about 380 I'll have a closer estimate (although still an estimate) when I get my new trainer.

beerco

Luckily for me there aren't too many hills in the Michigan races. The Kensington race in May has about 3 climbs/lap of about 3 to 5min each.

I've never been to it but the tour of Cedar creek apparently has some hills to. It's also the state championship this year so there goes my chances of a repeat championship as a 3

The tour of leelanau also is quite hilly but unless you're a really strong 3 or better it will be tough as it draws some pros.

Scott T - One of our guys did that 3's stage race in ohio and is trying to convince more of us to go this year. I suck on hills but might go just to help out - you do that race?

Eldrack

My FT is 220W, i'm 18 and have a weight of 69 kilos. Haven't been cycling very long though.

beerco

Well, I do know that with my race weight of around 75kg, I would certainly be mopping up the threes if I could get my FT up to 340

Thorman

If you're referring to the Summer Solstice stage race down near Cincy it's pretty much dead flat except for one climb on the last stage, which is about half a mile and not too steep. They've added a TT and a crit this year so it should even it out a bit.

There's more info here:
http://www.ohiovalleyracing.org/

PSUcycling

racing for 2 years.

FTP 300w
weight 67 kg
age 24

cat 3/ will be a 2 this upcoming season (climber, duh!)