Sam Gaze, pictured here on training camp in January, took the Spanish KOM with Mathieu van der Poel Mathieu van der Poel has helped Sam Gaze smash Flippo Ganna’s Strava record on the Tarbena climb in Spain in a show of form as they prepare for their season debut on the road.
The new cyclocross world champion and former mountain bike World Cup winner are both staying at the Syncrosfera altitude hotel on the Spanish Costa Blanca coast for a final pre-season training block with several Alpecin-Deceuninck teammates.
Gaze has clocked up over 500km and 10,000 metres of elevation gain in the last week after winning the La Nucia Shimano Super Cup mountain bike race two weeks ago.
Ganna beat Remco Evenepoel’s record of 10:11 by a single second for the south approach to the Colle de Rates, known as ‘Tarbena climb to Rates’ in early February as he tested his form. The climb is 4.97km long with an average gradient of 5.6%.
Thanks to Van der Poel’s lead out, Gaze smashed Ganna’s time by 16 seconds, setting a new record of 9:54. Mathieu van der Poel leads Sam Gaze as the two take the Strava record Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) smashed the prestigious Coll de Rates record in December in an organised effort with several UAE Team Emirates teammates at the end of a training camp.
Alepcin-Deceuninck also went Strava record hunting in Spain, with video footage from other riders and the team showing Van der Poel leading Gaze for a long […]
Continue reading the original article at: www.cyclingnews.com