Gonzalo Vilaseca has competed in long cycling endurance races of 5 to 7hours but now wants to switch to shorter, more intense races of 2 hours in length. At the moment, he trains about 8 hours per week, but he normally spends 15 hours on his bike in the season.
Name: Gonzalo Vilaseca
Age: 30
Power meter: Power Tap SL
Country: Spain
How would you describe yourself as a cyclist?
I’m a weekend cyclist who has had more time/will to train better and harder through the last three years. I never raced when I was young as I put the studies before anything else.
My goal for past years was to finish in a good place in what we call cyclosportives (endurance races), primarily one called Marmotte (176km and 5000m positive climbing). I have good endurance due to all this year’s training, very low sprint power (I have never trained this), but good 20 min power. I don’t like descending, and that’s one of my weaknesses and where I lose the pack.
This year I want to try short races 80-90km, which are almost flat; I feel this kind of effort is more adequate to my physical conditions. I’m very obstinate; in order to train hard, I need a goal. Without a goal, my motivation for training just disappears.
What are your previous experiences with power meter training?
I have been training by power for the last three years. Two years with an ergomo and one year with an SRM. The first year I was my own coach, and I did pretty good.
The two following years, I had a coach. During the first year, my results were the same as when I coached myself. The following year my results improved, but so did my training hours. I can’t compare wattages between seasons because of issues I had with my ergomo. I can’t train without a power meter now, and it’s my eyes.
What is your main goal with the Power Meter Project 2007?
My goal is to learn what and how to train for this new kind of race. I’m sure an experienced coach will know what kind of skills I should improve to try and make good results.
I also want to see other training methods, as I feel my previous training methods were very monotone and sometimes boring. I need some motivation to start training for next season, and I’m sure this will help.
Hello Gonzalo,
I had your link via a friend of you in a cycling forum. I bought an Ergomo sport in Usa last week, it’s a 2004 model, but never installed so I can think that sensor is new. When I received it, I’m quite surprise because when you turn by hand the sensor axle, it opposites a certain rolling resistance. Did you remark the same thing with yours? On 1/8 to 1/4 tour, sensor axle present a little strength to turn.
Thanks for your help, it will be help me to know if my sensor is conform or present failure.
I read that you have change your powermeter Ergomo into SRM, did Ergomo give you fully satisfaction or not. When I will be ready, I will read your site to learn your experience in powermeter field.
Regards,
Sébastien, french triathlete.
Hey Gonzalo,
This is Marc Moeller here, another member of the power project with you. I just want to say hello, and encourage you in your training. I think you have great numbers and you would be a competitive racer here in the United States. I live near Chicago and we have a pretty well developed road racing and criterium calender of races that is great for the amature athlete who wants to see how far he can go. If you are ever in Chicago you should look me up and we could ride together. I used to live in Andorra about six years ago and I loved the mountains there, excellent climbing. Where do you live in Spain? I have most of my friends in the Barcelona area, with one who is married and lives in Vallodolid. I may have the spelling of that wrong. Anyway, keep up the good work! And I might say your English is outstanding! Mi espanol esta muy malo, pero mi falta practicar!
Sinceremente,
Marc Moeller
Elgin, Illinois
Sebastien,
Sorry for the late reply, but I just noticed some replies in this page.
Your ergomo is OK, at the beggining none of my ergomo did turn smoothly.
Ergomo didn’t give me full satisfaction, I had some problems with it but they where the first units. If I have to choose I would buy first SRM and then powertap, it would depend of how many bikes/wheels you want to use your powermeter with.
Hi Marc,
Once again sorry for late reply and thanks for the compliments!
I was born in Barcelona and lived there until two years ago, then I moved to a village called L’Armentera which is to the north of the Girona province, if pros moved to Girona I thought I should do the same 🙂
Andorra is pretty mountainous but it’s difficult to ride there in the winter, sooooo cold. I prefer this area, much warmer, and rideable year round, lots of europeans come to ride here during the winter because the weather is like their summer.
If I ever go to chicago I’ll call you, and the same goes to you and anyone following this project, if you ever come to Girona, just drop me an email and I’ll take you to some incredible rides.
Hey Gonzalo,
Thanks for the invitation!
I have dreams of retiring in Girona! My wife and I spent nuestro “luna de meil” in Cadaques and we love the Costa Brava region. I may make another trip back there next year and if so, I’ll look you up!
Forca Canut!
Marc M
Hi, bit of a long shot.
I am doing the Marmotte this year with a target to beat 7:30. I have a powertap and using data from trips to the alps/pryenees/dolomites (though not the actual climbs in the Marmotte) I reckon I need to do the climbs at between 250W to 270W average to achieve this (I weigh in at 73kg).
I wondered if you used a powermeter during the Marmotte and if so can let me know if the above seems reasonable. Better still, if you have the WKO files and would be willing to share.
Hope to hear from you.
I did use a powermeter and I do have the files, give me your email adress and I can send them to you.
You are correct in your calculations, I weight a bit less than you: 70kg, and I used a light bike, but IIRC I climbed at around 260w each climb.
Thanks v much email is martin.sigrist@eu.effem.com