Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Minneapolis
Posts: 5,751
Bikes: 2022 Salsa Beargrease Carbon Deore 11, 2020 Salsa Warbird GRX 600, 2020 Canyon Ultimate CF SLX disc 9.0 Di2, 2020 Catrike Eola, 2016 Masi cxgr, 2011, Felt F3 Ltd, 2010 Trek 2.1, 2009 KHS Flite 220
Mentioned: 20 Post(s)
Tagged: 0 Thread(s)
Quoted: 4381 Post(s)
Not sure what you mean, exactly. Most teams will do winter training camps that include serious climbs. But remember that a lot of the training for the TdF is spring racing. In the spring, the GC guys are competing in stage races where there are plenty of mountains (Tour de Suisse, Volta a Catalunya, etc.) whilst the sprinters are competing in Belgium and environs, with no major mountains in the races. Sprinters will do some stage races that require both (Paris-Nice).
All of these guys are monster riders. The sprinters who seem to be just "surviving" the mountains are outrageously good climbers compared to anybody EXCEPT for pro all-rounders and GC/climbing specialists.