Velon tracked riders’ power data at 10 races in 2017, including a Grand Tour, two ‘Monument’ Classics and the inaugural Hammer Series event.
Here, we count down the eight most powerful sprints we recorded this year.
8. Jasper Stuyven (Trek-Segafredo) – Hammer Sportzone Limburg, Hammer Sprint
– Time: 20sec
– Power: 962W
– Peak power: 1399W
Stuyven rode brilliantly to help Trek-Segafredo win the Hammer Sprint at Hammer Sportzone Limburg in June. He won the sprint on lap four by joining a three-man breakaway and then producing a huge 20-second sprint.
7. Fernando Gaviria (Quick-Step Floors) – Giro d’Italia, Stage 3
– Time: 20sec
– Average speed: 55.0km/h
– Top speed: 61.9km/h
– Average power: 834W
– Peak power: 1468W
Quick-Step Floors delivered a crosswinds masterclass on this day by accelerating with 10km to go and creating an unexpected 10-rider breakaway. As well as Gaviria, the only other sprinters in the group were Giacomo Nizzolo (Trek-Segafredo) and Rudiger Selig (BORA-hansgrohe), but the Colombian triumphed with ease thanks to a textbook lead-out and an unmatchable display of power.
6. Fernando Gaviria (Quick-Step Floors) – Giro d’Italia, Stage 5
Time: 18sec
Speed: 65.0km/h
Top speed: 67.8km/h
Average power: 934W
Peak power: 1339W
Gaviria won his second stage of the Giro with another sublime performance. Sam Bennett (BORA-hansgrohe) led out the sprint, but Gaviria produced an electric surge to move ahead and comfortably take the win.
5. Max Walscheid (Team Sunweb) – Hammer Sportzone Limburg, Hammer Sprint
Time: 15sec
Average power: 1146W
Peak power: 1530W
Walscheid didn’t manage to win the sprint on the opening lap of the Hammer Sprint, finishing only sixth, but this was an outstanding effort nonetheless. His result was affected by the fact he didn’t have a lead-out and did not have much shelter from the wind. The lap was also ridden at a breakneck pace thoughout, so to still be able to produce this much power was impressive.
4. Caleb Ewan (ORICA-SCOTT) – Giro d’Italia, Stage 1
Time: 17sec
Speed: 64.3km/h
Top speed: 70.9km/h
Average power: 985W
Peak power: 1484W
Ewan had to settle for second place on this stage because BORA-hansgrohe’s Lukas Pöstlberger had launched a surprise attack and held on for victory, but the power and speed he produced while giving chase and leaving his fellow sprinters behind were still remarkable. It showed that despite being one of the smallest sprinters in the peloton, he is also one of the most powerful.
3. André Greipel (Lotto Soudal) – Giro d’Italia, Stage 12
– Time: 19sec
– Speed: 68.2km/h
– Top speed: 69.1km/h
– Average power: 1212W
– Peak power: 1736W
– 5sec peak power: 1619W
Greipel’s result on this stage doesn’t really do justice to the staggering performance he produced. The power he put through his pedals in the final sprint was absolutely enormous, but because he had lost position with 700m to go, dropping down the field and becoming exposed to the wind too early in the process, it was only good enough for an eighth-place finish.
2. Fernando Gaviria (Quick-Step Floors) – Giro d’Italia, Stage 13
– Time: 21sec
– Speed: 64.8km/h
– Top speed: 72.8km/h
– Average power: 1098W
– Peak power: 1478W
Gaviria claimed his fourth win of the 2017 Giro with his most impressive and dominant performance so far. Whereas his average power in his previous wins had been below 1000 watts, this time it is well over. He also hits his highest maximum power of the race, as well as a top speed of over 70km/h, to seal victory with ease.
1. Peter Sagan (BORA-hansgrohe) – Tour de Suisse, Stage 5
– Time: 18sec
– Speed: 70.5km/h
– Top speed: 76.2km/h
– Power: 1220W
– 5sec peak power: 1417W
This was a simply stunning sprint from the world champion in which he topped 76km/h. Sagan caught his rivals by surprise by launching his sprint early and while others might have faded, he maintained his pace and power, which is reflected in his huge average of 1220 watts. He won by such a big margin that he was unlucky to not be given a one-second time gap over the rest of the field. An amazing performance.
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