A couple of years ago Martin Fiz (that was a top level
marathoner) challenged any cyclist in a race to climb the
hardest section of the Angliru.
The challenge was picked up by Chechu Rubiera (and O.Sevilla
was supossed to have been interested too), but just one day
before the competion Fiz claimed he got injured . I do not
know what happened next, but this challenge had a lot of
media coverage in Spain. Even the athletes were a bit taken
aback by its repecusion.
"Ryan Cousineau" <
[email protected]> wrote in message
news:rcousine-
[email protected]...
> In article <
[email protected]
> news.com>, MrBob <
[email protected]
> e.com.dontspamonme> wrote:
>
> > In article
> > <
[email protected]>,
> >
[email protected] (Steve Gerdemann) wrote:
> >
> > > The time trial on the L'Alpe d'Huez got me wondering.
> > > Is it possible for a world-class runner to beat a
> > > cyclists time on a steep enough slope? Obviously on
> > > level ground a bike is much faster but when the road
> > > turns up the cyclist has the disadvantage of having to
> > > lift more weight up the hill. So if the hill is steep
> > > enough can a runner beat a cyclist and if so how steep
> > > does the hill have to be for the runner to win.
> > >
> > >
> > > Just wondering Steve Gerdemann
> >
> > Many years ago I read that above 15% leads to walking
> > being more efficient.
>
> Sounds about right. A retired co-worker was an avid trail-
> runner and one-time competitive cyclist (he regularly took
> his bicycle or jogged to work until he retired, and he had
> a longer commute than me).
>
> His analysis was that on the steepest trails (and 15%
> sounds about right to me), the joggers could outrun the
> cyclists. At some point on certain very steep and very
> technical descents, joggers can have an advantage over
> most, but probably not all cyclists, if the descent is at
> least theoretically navigable on a bike.
>
> The issue there becomes whether or not the cyclist can
> descend without dismounting. If they can, they probably
> win. If not, advantage: jogger.
>
> Sadly, the famous Welsh Man v Horse v Bike race has had to
> temporarily discontinue the v Bike part, apparently due to
> legal technicalities.
>
> Look under June:
>
>
http://www.lafesta.co.uk/bizarre.html
>
> The few published accounts I can find indicate that
> serious mountain bikers have participated in this 22-mile
> race for a while (including Jacquie Phelan), and the very
> best cyclists have beaten both man and horse. It has been
> remarkably close, but reports I have indicate that no solo
> runner has ever beaten the winning horse on this course,
> and there is a #24,000 prize for any runner to do so.
>
> Of course, You could construct a simple obstacle that
> would simply and massively favor any one of rider, runner,
> or horse, thus demonstrating that victory is very course
> dependent:
>
> For horse to win, simply put one or more horse-jump (say,
> 5' or so?) in the course. Horses seem to win on relatively
> short power courses where the efficiency of a bike counts
> for little, and on obviously horse-specific obstacles
> where bikes are at a disadvantage.
>
> For the runner to win, put in one or more switchback
> climbs too steep for a horse to easily navigate, or more
> simply, a 6' ladder to the top of a cliff.
>
> For the cyclist, a super-steep, non-technical descent will
> favor them above all others, or a horse-unfriendly
> obstacle such as a ladder bridge or even a cow crossing
> too wide to be jumped by a horse. In general, the longer
> the course, the more the bicycle is favored. At the
> extreme level, I don't think a horse and rider could
> outpace any stage of the Tour de France, for example.
>
> Horses for courses,
> --
> Ryan Cousineau,
[email protected]
>
http://www.sfu.ca/~rcousine/wiredcola/ President, Fabrizio
> Mazzoleni Fan Club
