A rider's growth also comes through comparison with the champions of his era. Mattia Predomo He is a true dominator in the youth speed categories, but this is a specialty where you mature slowly, even through defeats and experiences against the leaders, like the all-conquering Dutchman Lavreysen. We subjected the blue to a little game, placing him in front of some photos of the orange Olympian, analyzing them from a technical point of view and above all comparing them.
Predomo, a boy who is extremely attentive to every nuance of his discipline, willingly submitted to the test: «I have competed with Lavreysen a couple of times but I have always watched him carefully because he is the absolute reference. Let's start from the assumption that we are physically very different: he is at least 20 centimetres taller than me and this translates into at least 13 kilos more..You can see that his muscles are very developed."
Does this mean using a different size bike?
Not only. A bike with a custom frame is made for him, he doesn't adapt to the measurements, a special frame is built for him, as happens with other Dutch players and some English players, for example. This is an important factor because it affects his position and everything else. We, on the other hand, need to work a lot on our measurements and positioning.
Let's start with the photo of the start of the kilometer from a standing start...
What stands out when you look at her is her extremely forward position. She's launching the bike, then unleashing a huge amount of power onto it to gain speed as quickly as possible. Note the position of his arms: if you pay attention they are slightly bent based on the advanced position of his shoulders and I believe this comes from his past in BMXAs a rule, the arms are held straighter, precisely because the position of the upper body is further back.
In the photo at the balustrade? We're in a pretty calm phase here...
And in fact the hands have less tension, they are on the lower part of the handlebars in a relaxed position. This means that these are the laps before the launch towards the sprint, where you try to acquire the most comfortable position possible not only to save energy, but also to be able to release power and launch yourself as hard as possible. It is certainly a very different position from that taken by road cyclists., for example. Look at the difference in his arms when he's closer to the blue line; they're much more active there, providing thrust even while sitting. In that photo, I assume Harrie is about to stand up in the saddle.
Looking at her legs, what do you notice is different?
One of its features is the exceptional play of feet and ankles on the pedals and this can be deduced from his performance in the kilometer. It's not his specialty, I know that before ballerup he hasn't played it very often, but you can see it looking at the photo as his position is very different from that held by the riders who, instead of speed, come from the quartetIn his case, it's clear that, unlike his pursuers, he doesn't pay attention to aerodynamics.
What do you mean?
He doesn't try to assume the softest possible position against the air, but only thinks about releasing power. During the 4 laps, the push is very important: he tries to reach cruising speed immediately, because at that point it is easier for him to hold the bike.His is a classic position: when you race in speed, you have a more backward position, tending almost to zero and this tendency, if you notice, is moving more and more also to the road. The same pogacar He tends to have a similar position, because it's more comfortable and effective. A lot depends on the cranks: I use 165s, he has 170s, which open up a shallower angle that allows for better thrust.
The position of the torso?
Let's go back to the photo near the blue line: his position is one of full unloading on his legs while keeping the bike straight. It's something that seems very easy for him, but it isn't. It's an aspect I'm working on a lot with the technicians, to have a more comfortable position and thus be able to maximize the push of the lower limbs with the bike which, remaining stable and in line, translates all the force emitted.
Is your position different in the sprint and keirin?
Let's say it's more classic, similar to ours but there you can't invent much. The grip on the handlebars is the same, it can change in small details but if you look at it in comparison to the opponent behind you there are no big differences, even if he's getting up in the saddle. If anything, it's interesting that he's moved slightly back, more in line with the pedals, but it's still for the same reasoning as before: to unload as much power as quickly as possible.
How much does the work on the track and the work outside, in the gym, influence all of this?
This is an important aspect. I'd say the gym accounts for at least 70 percent of your performance, but you don't gain that muscle mass overnight; it takes years of consistent practice. It's a long journey, in which each additional load must arrive at the right time and must go hand in hand with technique, with those small but fundamental adjustments we've talked about. Then the performance is very personal: the Australian Hoffman He's one of the best starters on the circuit, but his style of attack is profoundly different from that of the Belgians, for example. Everyone has to find their own path, and that's what I'm working towards.
