Originally Posted by Steelrider
But fitness being equal, it is the power-to-weight ratio of the climbers that will determine how fast/far each will be able to climb.
You seem to be saying that two riders with identical power outputs can climb at the same rate, which would not be true at all because it ignores the weights that identical power outputs have to haul up the hill...
I have not made it clear what my puzzlement is... I fully agree with all of your points.
Last night watching the TdF, Phil Liggett mentioned that Lance is not concerened about Tom Boonen because he can't climb... is this because Tom is a big guy?
All the refs to climbing and sprinting, does it all boil down to power to mass ratio, or are there additional factors?
I am genuinely puzzled as to what exactly makes one a good climber, besides fitness, and besides power to mass ratio. If someone had a good ratio, and was fit enough, would they necessarily be a good climber?