Time trials are the purest form of bicycle racing. There are no team tactics, no drafting, no lead-out trains, and no wondering if the rider behind is about to launch a surprise attack. The TT is known as the race of truth for good reason. It's just you - your body, mind and soul - against the clock. No grey areas. You pedal as hard as you possibly can for the allotted distance and hopefully emerge on the other side with a PB, or at least without having thrown up a kidney.
Riding a time trial is a unique physical and mental challenge - a sustained effort that pushes riders to the edge of their limits. But what exactly happens in the body and mind during one of these solo races against the clock? Where does the discomfort come from, and how does it unfold across the effort? To find out, I went to the lab to lay down some of the key metrics that shape performance in a 10-mile TT-from lactate levels and oxygen uptake to carbohydrate and fat usage, heart rate and perceived exertion.
