Phil's File: Tour of California, 2016

Power Data Analysis by Frank Overton, May 2016

FasCat Athlete Phil Gaimon is racing the 2016 Tour of California for Cannondale Pro Cycling and Coach Frank is dissecting his power data and asking questions about what was going on in the race where Phil was throwing down.

Stage 3: 305.3 TSS, 4,460 kJ's, IF = .81 9,206 ft. of climbing

Frank: Seeing you on front of the field racing up Gibraltar whittling the group down to ~22 riders was awesome! What was the team plan going into the race?

Phil: it was all for Lawson, 100% committed. Paddy, Wouter, Toms and Alan until the climb then Talansky King and I for the climb.

We can see your Gibraltar climb in 3 parts: 1. the bottom [6:06 @ 487 watts] >> 7.4 watts/kg 2. On the front [ 10:18 @ 426 watts] >> 6.48 watts/kg 3. sitting up [ 24:52 @ 331 watts] >> 5.03 watts/kg Frank: From the bottom to where you pulled off you did 449 watts for 16.5 min [6.8 watts/kg]. Tell us what was going thru your head on the front of the field at a crucial moment- is it brain off, legs on? Are you taking cues on pace from Lawson and Talansky? Or just get me to the cookie feed?

Phil: Talansky and Lawson would tell me when to go harder and when to ease off. I was hoping to make it to the cookie corner but fell 500 meters short.

Frank: What's next for you and the team - today's stage with the 2 final climbs looks right up your alley and the teams?

Phil: We haven't had our team meeting yet, but we're optimistic to finish on the podium and there's lots of racing to come.

Frank: Is the chocolate chip bacon cookie still the frontrunner?

Phil: Yes, but keep 'em coming because like the racing there's lots more competition to come. The winner of the week gets free entry to Phil's Fondo and a castelli cookie jersey. Good luck today!

Stage 2: 287.5 TSS, 3,720 kJ's, IF = .86 10,456 ft. of climbing

Frank: Phil, you did 415 watts for just under 30 minutes up the 1st Cat 1 climb - what was going on there - wasn't Ben King getting off the front? "Ben was off the front solo around halfway. I was there for the counter if he got caught. I kept thinking he'd blow any minute but he hung out there a long time. Then he finally did get caught, and he went again. Ben doesn't need recovery."

Frank: Tell us how you were feeling, was this full gas? "I felt pretty good. 416 I think would have hurt. " Phil's FTP is 395 watts Frank: After the first climb, you were 'only' doing 279 watts up the Cat 2 Tujunga Canyon Rd, was this a situation where the peloton let the break go and you were just chilling?

"Yeah the break was gone and we could finally pee and eat. And eat. Also eat."

Frank: Then from the power data up the 4th categorized climb, Little Tujunga Canyon Road [9:25 @ 411w] you were hitting it again - what was going on there?

"That's when I got bottles for the guys. It was a bad time to carry an extra ten pounds but it wasn't going to happen while we ripped the descent"

Frank: Best cookie so far?

"Chocolate chip bacon is the leader in the clubhouse. The winner of the week gets free entry to Phil's Fondo and a castelli cookie jersey."

How are the race hotels in California? How many hours of sleep did you get last night and was it on a Tempur pedic mattress?

"Real nice. I used five pillows last night. Queen bed". Good luck today in front of YELLOW and sikk watts up the Gibraltar! Read the 2016 & 2014 FasCat Phil Interviews HERE & HERE.