Ollie: How much better are the best cyclists in the world at riding uphill compared to
the rest of us? We're going to find out. It's time for beginner versus amateur versus pro.
Hill climb edition. [music]
Freddie: This is horrible. Ollie: I'm dying. One of the biggest things
that separates the world's best cyclist from the rest of us, is the all inspiring and incredible
speed at which they can ride uphill. It's one of the things that captured my imagination
when I was younger and drew me to this sport. In this video, we're going to compare how
fast a beginner, a keen amateur, me, and a pro can travel up this hill. The Col du Bannerdown.
A 2.6 kilometers climb with an average gradient of around 7%, but with pitches of 15% at it's
steepest. It's fair to say that this climb is long enough and steep enough that many
non-cyclists wouldn't be able to ride to the top without putting a foot down. That's our
hill, but who are our riders? Here's a little more info.
This is Freddie. He's a beginner. He started riding this year. Although he has impeccable
taste in jerseys, don't let that fool you. He is a beginner and rather than an emaciated
pro cyclist, he weighs a normal and healthy weight of 92 kilograms. I'm taking the place
as our keen amateur. I ride a lot. I love it. Although I lack the talent and genes to
be a pro, compared to the average person on the street, I'm very fit. I'm keen to see
how I compare to the others. For reference, I'm 68 kilograms. This is Andrew Feather,
our pro. Even his name is lightweight. He's a two time and current British hill climb
champion. At hills between 1 and 10 minutes long, he is up there with the world's best.
His VO2 max is 81, which put into context is about double the average man. Still rubbish
compared to a husky dog, which are typically around 240. He weighs just 65 kilograms. The
record on this climb is around 5.5 minutes. Yes, that record is Andrew's. Before we set
off, we will have a poll. Click on screen and you can vote now. Who you think will win
in our staggered start race? This is the bottom for the fearsome Col du Bannerdown road. 2.6
kilometers. Up there it is. We're going to go. The race we're going to do is a staggered
start. Our beginner Freddie is going to start first.
A minute later I'm going to set off, followed in hot pursuit by Andrew, a minute after that.
Have you got any tips for Freddie or myself as well as a pro?
Andrew Feather: I think general tips maybe not start too hard. I know the middle section
is quite shallow. Maybe be seated on that section so you can get a good aerodynamic
position. It's a tough climb, quite long. Good luck both of you.
Ollie: Thanks. Should we have taken our bar tape off like you as well?
Andrew: I'm not sure how much of a weight save difference is going to make. It's still
probably just psychological. Ollie: If he beats us, that's why. Freddie,
are you ready? Freddie: Born ready.
Ollie: Give you some beeps? Freddie: Yes.
Ollie: Beep, beep, beep, beep. Freddie: Oh you bagger. Bloody hell. This
is steep. Ollie: Fair play plan if he keeps that up
then I don't know if we're going to catch him.
[music] Freddie: This is horrible.
Andrew: Beep, beep, beep, go. [music]
Ollie: I set off in hot pursuit of Freddie. He'd set off at a crisp holy like infernal
pace. I was hoping that he wasn't going to keep this up.
[music] Andrew: It's coming up to a minute. They're
no longer in sight. At least, I'm going to have to give myself a countdown and try and
catch them. Beep, beep, beep, go. [music]
Ollie: As I saw Freddie ahead of me, I was able to maintain my pace and keep pushing
on getting out of the saddle as the road ramped up a second time. [panting] Unbeknownst to
me, Andrew was tearing up behind, making short work of Freddie and closing the gap. [music]
He's catching me? Cameraman: Yes.
Ollie: I'm going as hard as I can averaging over 400 watts. I'm dying. [music] Oh, God.
I hate you. [laughter]
Ollie: Freddy was now paying for his intense start as he continued to battle up the climb.
At this point, my power started to tail off slightly as well, but I did manage to rally
to the finish line and limit my losses to Andrew.
Andrew: [unintelligible 00:06:23] Ollie: Yes. I can taste blood. That was hard.
Fair play though. You came past me like I was standing still.
Andrew: I was definitely laboring. Ollie: I'm glad it's over. Let's cheer Freddie.
He should be on his way any minute. Last push. [laughs]
Andrew: Good work. Freddie: Jesus.
Ollie: How was that? Freddie: I don't I can speak. That was sick.
That was awful. Ollie: It's a good climb, isn't it?
Freddie: Yes. It's nothing. Ollie: We've all finished the climb and I
think one of the great levelers about cycling is it doesn't matter what your fitness or
ability is. If you go flat out up a climb like that, we all feel like we're going to
puke and we can all taste blood. It was pretty savage. [laughs] Fair play to both of you.
Andrew absolutely destroyed us all and made it look ridiculously easy climbing it in a
ridiculous 5 minutes 20 seconds which was absurd. Do you know what your power was roughly?
Andrew: I think was around just under 500 basically. [unintelligible 00:07:46]
Ollie: 500 watts. Easy. [chuckles] I was a bit slower than that so you managed to catch
me in a rather un-dignifying way. I would actually do the climb in 6 minutes 40 which
is about 20 seconds slower than my best time. You got a minute and 20 seconds into me. You
went past me like I was standing still and I did 385 watts average to get to the top
so quite good. Freddie managed the climb in about 13:28. A fair play. How was it?
Freddie: I've never suffered so much in my life. That was awful.
Ollie: Yes? Freddie: It was grim.
Ollie: You did great. You've never climbed that climb before?
Freddie: No. Ollie: Fair play. What was your max heart
rate as well? Freddie: 177 I believe.
Ollie: [laughs] Freddie: The speed that you guys passed me
I just couldn't believe it. That was just ridiculous. You guys make it look so easy.
Ollie: It's all good. Thanks so much for your time, guys.
[laughter] Freddie: Thanks for having me.
Ollie: However, there is a twist in this tale. Technically speaking, our pro, Andrew, isn't
a pro. He's got a full-time job as a solicitor and he's got a 1-year-old and a family which
makes his performances all the more impressive. His power output and his physiology is right
up there with what a pro could do and, if you were to compare how the likes of someone
such as Julian Alaphilippe would do on this climb, it would be a similar time as to what
Andrew can do but the key difference would be someone like Julian Alaphilippe would be
able to do that kind of time up this climb with already having done 200 kilometers of
racing in his legs which is just a whole other level and truly remarkable. Something for
the likes of me to aspire to. Hopefully, I can keep trying and get a bit better. [chuckles]
I hope you've found this video useful and informative and interesting. If you have,
then please give it a thumbs up and, also, let us know in the comments what kind of comparison
videos you'd like to see in the future. Hopefully, we'll get around to making them. I'm going
to get a bit more practice in because I think I need it.
[00:09:55] [END OF AUDIO]