This video uses extensive data from TrainerRoad to analyze how difficult it is for cyclists to achieve certain records, such as 1000W of power and 5W/kg. In addition, the cycling skills of each country are compared using a hypothetical scenario called the Cycling World Cup, and the 2026 Tour de France course is explained from the perspective of an ordinary cyclist, realistically showing the gap with professional athletes. This data analysis helps average riders objectively evaluate their performance and establish better training directions.
1. 1000W sprint, it's harder than you think! 😲
Trainor Road coach Jonathan Lee begins his talk with a question from a subscriber named Jeremy. The answer to the question "Can everyone put out 1000 watts?" is "No, not at all." Analysis of data from over 100,000 athletes showed that only about 28% of male riders and about 5% of female riders exceeded 1000W per second.
"Can everyone put out 1000W? No, not at all."
This number is based on 1 second and decreases rapidly as the duration increases.
- Lasts 5 seconds: 18% for men, 1.7% for women
- Lasts 10 seconds: 9.8% for men, 0.6% for women
- Lasts 20 seconds: 2.2% for men, 0.0% for women
1000W achievement rate by age group 👴👵
As age increases, the 1000W achievement rate tends to decrease.
- Under 30: Male 45.7%, Female 7.3%
- Over 60 years old: Male 10%, Female 3.8% This shows that sprint power naturally decreases with age.
Relationship between body weight and sprint power 🏋️♂️
Body weight also affects sprint power. Among men, those weighing between 180 and 200 lbs had the highest rate (31%) exceeding 1000 W. For women, the lighter the body weight, the higher the 1000W achievement rate.
But the important thing is that sprinting isn't just about strength.
"Sprinting isn't about pedaling harder. It requires coordination and practice. It also requires the ability to understand the appropriate gearing for the speed and incline."
Sprinting requires technical training and practice, and in addition to strength, body coordination is also important. When training, it's a good idea to vary the number of all-out sprints you do to avoid excessive fatigue.
2. Reality and training volume of achieving 5W/kg 💪
The discussion on W/kg (power-to-weight ratio) continues with a question from a female rider named Caroline. Despite being a beginner, she achieved an impressive 3.2W/kg and wondered if 4W/kg or 5W/kg was possible.
Coach Jonathan analyzed data from over 145,000 cyclists and came up with the weekly training volume (hours and TSS) needed to achieve W/kg based on hour power. Here, 1-hour sustained power refers to the actual highest power maintained for 1 hour, not simply FTP (Functional Threshold Power). We emphasize that this is an indicator of real ability.
Average training volume by W/kg 📊
| W/kg (1 hour duration) | Training hours per week (average) | TSS per share (average) |
|---|---|---|
| 3W/kg | 3.8 hours (2.7~5.3 hours) | 195 |
| 4W/kg | 6.4 hours | 335 |
| 5W/kg | 8.7 hours | 422 |
Difficulty of achieving W/kg for female cyclists 👩🦰
Caroline's 3.2W/kg is very impressive, putting her in the top 15% of female riders and in the top 29% of women in their 20s.
- 4 W/kg: A very rare record achieved by only 2.5% of female cyclists. To achieve this, you will need approximately 7.7 hours of training per week.
- 5 W/kg: This is an extremely rare achievement comparable to professional level, achieved by only 0.3% of female cyclists.
"5W/kg is possible, but only 0.3% of women can reach that level... If I get to 5W/kg, I'll be able to go to the Tour and join a great team. I'll be able to cheer on TV and compete against the best riders in the world. It'll be amazing." 🤩
In this way, we emphasize that 5W/kg is a level only seen in the world of professional cycling, and is an extremely rare target for ordinary riders. They point out that focusing only on the performance of professional athletes can distort the reality of the average cyclist.
3. Cycling World Cup: Which country will be the strongest? 🌍
As an interesting assumption, what if the World Cup had been a cycling event instead of soccer, we analyzed data from over 70,000 athletes from 48 countries in the Trainor Road database. The top 10% of riders in each country were evaluated in 12 categories, including power, power-to-weight ratio, endurance, training volume, and consistency.
Overall winner: Portugal 🇵🇹🏆
Portugal ranked first in the overall rankings, followed by Belgium and Switzerland. Norway and Japan also ranked high. Traditional sports powers such as France, Brazil and Germany were surprisingly absent from the top 10.
Main winners by category 🥇
- 1 second peak power: Belgium (1323W)
- Power-to-weight ratio in 1 second: Japan (19W/kg) - "This is crazy!"
- Power-to-weight ratio for 20 minutes: Japan (4.5W/kg)
- Power-to-weight ratio for 60 minutes: Japan (4W/kg)
- Endurance (Durability): Colombia (115% of FTP maintained even after 250TSS)
- Number of races: Portugal (average of 3 times per year per athlete)
- Annual mileage: South Korea 🇰🇷 (6,160.56 miles, approx. 9,914 km) - "What a surprise to see!"
- Annual climb altitude: Portugal (432,105 feet, approx. 131,700 m)
- Average Calories Burned: Belgium (1,146 kcal per workout)
- Training Consistency: Portugal
South Korea's win in the annual distance race was cited as an unexpected result, while Japan demonstrated its outstanding power-to-weight ratio and showed off its status as a cycling powerhouse. Meanwhile, the United States remained in the lower to mid-range in most indicators.
4. Tour de France 2026: Gap between pros and amateurs 🏔️🚴♂️
Introducing the 2026 Tour de France course, it shows how unrealistic it is for ordinary cyclists to complete this event.
2026 Tour de France Key Information 🗺️
- Period: 23 days (including 2 days of rest)
- Stage: 21
- Total distance: 3,333 km (2,071 miles)
- Total Climb Altitude: 54,450m (178,000 ft) - Equivalent to climbing Everest 6 times!
- Normal Finish: 5
- Highest point: Col du Galibier 2,642m
The Tour de France course deviates from the traditional pattern of a flat course for the first week and a mountain course thereafter, and has a flat-mixed-climb course that is repeated periodically, with the difficulty gradually increasing. Especially in the last week, there are difficult mountain courses for three consecutive days. The toughest stage is the 20th stage, which involves climbing 5,600 meters in one day.
Comparison between pro and ordinary riders 🤯
Based on Trainor Road's extensive data, we compared the performance of new riders (bottom 10%), competitive amateurs (top 10%), and Tour pros.
| Category | FTP (W/kg) | FTP (W) | Weight (kg) | Outdoor speed (km/h) | High-intensity training consumption (kJ) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Rider | 1.8 | 159 | 88 | 20.6 (13mph) | 357 |
| Competitive Amateur | 4.1 | 299 | 71 | 28.7 (18 mph) | 914 |
| Tour Pro | 6.0 | 400 | 66 | 41 (25.5mph) | 3,500 |
The abilities of professional athletes are so high that it is difficult to imagine for ordinary riders. For example, the time required to climb Alpe d'Huez is:
- 6W/kg Pro: 41 minutes
- 4W/kg Competition Amateur: 1 hour
- New Rider: 2 hours 11 minutes
The meaning of completing the Tour de France 🌠
The total distance of the Tour is similar to the distance from New York to Las Vegas, or 85% of the way across the continental United States. The total altitude of the climb is equivalent to climbing Everest 6.2 times, the Empire State Building 123 times, and the Burj Khalifa 66 times.
Athletes burn an average of 73,500 calories during the Tour, which is equivalent to 131 Big Macs, 525 cans of Coke, and 258 slices of pizza. It is said that if you stack this huge amount of Coke cans, it will be taller than the Arc de Triomphe. 🍔🥤🍕
"That's an incredible amount of work for these guys to do."
As a candidate to win this Tour de France, Tadej Pogačar took an overwhelming first place with a 78% probability.
5. Conclusion: Reality seen through data and the importance of training 💡
This video shows through objective data how rare it is to achieve certain power records in cycling, and how the pros' abilities differ greatly from those of ordinary riders. Achieving a 1000W sprint or 5W/kg is a goal only a few elite athletes can achieve, and it is important for regular riders to set realistic goals appropriate for their level and train consistently.
"The first two are much more actionable information to help you get faster and can help you get to 1000W or not feel bad if you don't get to 1000W. They also give you a roadmap for getting to 3, 4 and 5W/kg."
Data analysis can be a great help in understanding where you are and creating a strategic training plan to achieve your goals. We conclude by emphasizing that anyone can reach their full potential and grow faster if they take advantage of customized training programs through a platform like Trainer Road. 🚀