Did Tadej Pogačar Just Reveal His Secret Power Data on Strava?
The cycling world is abuzz with speculation after Tadej Pogačar, the world champion, potentially unveiled his training power zones in a recent Strava post. Pogačar's power data has long been a topic of interest, with previous estimates suggesting his functional threshold power (FTP) is around 415 watts. Typically, he keeps this information private, but a recent training ride shared on Strava revealed some intriguing insights.
According to Strava's analysis and data from Pogačar's power meter, his 132km ride from Valencia to Calpe in Spain averaged 299 watts, with a peak power of 800 watts. What's fascinating is the breakdown of power zones Strava calculated. Pogačar's zones, as per the platform, are as follows:
- Zone 1: 0-150 watts
- Zone 2: 151-250 watts
- Zone 3: 251-350 watts
- Zone 4: 351-450 watts
- Zone 5: 451-550 watts
- Zone 6: 551-650 watts
- Zone 7: 651-750 watts
- Zone 8: 751+ watts
While these ranges may not be entirely precise, they align with previous estimates. For instance, the FTP estimate of 415 watts corresponds to the middle of his 'threshold' zone. Pogačar himself mentioned in an interview that his Zone 2 power was between 320 and 340 watts, which is consistent with Strava's data.
However, Pogačar also emphasized the importance of flexibility in power zones. He noted that during a five-hour ride, his Zone 2 power might not remain constant. On flat terrain, he might not recover, and maintaining 320-340 watts for five hours could impact his performance the next day. Therefore, he adjusts his power output to 290-300 watts on longer flat rides.
Pogačar's interview also shed light on his relationship with power meters. He considers them unreliable due to external factors like temperature and potential calibration errors. Instead, he relies on heart rate monitoring, a practice he's been using since he was 12 years old. He believes in combining heart rate and power data for a more comprehensive training approach.
Strava determines power zones by calculating percentages of a user's FTP, which is the highest power a person can sustain for an hour. Pogačar's zones, as shown on Strava, are derived from data collected by his power meter. This revelation has sparked curiosity and discussion among cycling enthusiasts, leaving many wondering how it will impact training strategies and performance analysis.
