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Abstract
Proof that an Olly's daily energy expenditure is at least equivalent
answer the question that has bugged 2 pedantic people for centuries of
minutes.
St6Total 816km
Total 1216km
The mean speed of the Tour de France up to stage 6 is 40km/h, and the leader
41km/h.
1 See http://www.letour.fr/2009/TDF/LIVE/us/800/classement/index.html#ici
1
0.1.2 Olly Distance + Pace
1200km in 4 days assuming he meets cut-o time on 4th day. We could divide
this up into stages as 300km each. Assuming he does this 300km in 11 hours,
2
this would align with time registered after rst day assuming 1 hour break. This
would result in a speed of 27km/h.
We shall assume that the TDF cyclist and Olly both weigh 75kg. This is
just an assumption to show I am not assuming the TDF cyclists to be minature
people or something.
0.2.1 Work
The denition of work is as follows,
W = F.d
Work is equal to force times the distance that force was applied. Work is
otherwise known as the energy expended by a force to move an object a distance.
Now, note there is variable for time. The work required for me to lift a brick
on this table in 2 seconds, is the exactly the same amount of work required on
the brick as if it would take two hours.
The amount of energy required to move olly 1200km is the same amount
of energy required to move a TDF rider 1200km. So, since TDF riders move
roughly 200km-300km a day, a pretty safe estimate would have that olly would
require the same energy consumption per day.
But you could be thinking here... what about wind resistance? What about
the power?
0.2.2 Power
The power output of a particular task is, unlike work, dependent on time
P = F.v
P = F.d/t
2 See: http://audax.org.au/public/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=423&Itemid=361
2
0.2.3 Drag
1
Fdrag = − bv 2 ACd
2
where b=density of uid, in this case air @ 30 degrees c, is 1.164kg/m3
&v = velocity of traveling body (olly 27km/h or TDF 40km/h)
A= area of the orthogonal projection of the body on the plain perpendicular
to the direction of the force. in the case of a cyclist, approx 0.3m squared.
Cd = the 'drag coecient' a dimensionless constant that is varies depending
on the size and shape of the body. A cyclist is 0.9
3
Now what I will show, hopefully to your utter amazement, since it is amazing,
is that olly is using equal or more energy per day than a Tour de France cyclist.
3
0.3.3 TDF Calories with Peleton on the Flat
Now lets examine the more realistic case where a rider is riding in the peleton.
Here, we conservatively assume that they have an drag advantage of 30% (the
reality is closer to 40%) by being surrounded by other riders breaking the air
ow. This means that we consider the airow onto their bikes to be lessened by
12km/hr.
by 0.2.3 we get a drag of 7.4 Newtons
by 0.2.2 we have a power requirement of 55 watts
which is equal to burning 0.79 cal/minute
which is 1422 calories burnt for 1200km (less calories because they cycle it
faster).
Conclusion