Just yesterday, the Serenissima Gravel race was held. The world champion made his debut. Gianni Vermeesch, but there was no deputy: Daniel Oss. “Danielone” is already projected towards 2023. Medical visits, tests… and he was unable to take part in them despite himself.
With the athlete of the TotalEnergies Let's go back to the technical details of this specialty that has been much talked about and arouses so much curiosity, especially for what it could be. Clare Teocchi he even brought up the Olympics. With Oss, however, we try above all to make a technical comparison with the road.
Daniel, let's start with your feelings: what did you think of this event and this discipline?
I was happy to be there. I was curious to see this new air coming from the United States. We didn't know if it was an adventure or a real race... in the end it was a real race.
What was your approach?
I took it with seriousness, but at the same time with that lightness when you don't yet know exactly where you're going. Everything was new. And so also that desire to attackAfter reviewing the route, his background as a road racer, he advised me to stay in front. And to stay in front, you have to "drive." Even at the start, it was unusual. We didn't have buses, we were all mixed up. We didn't know whether to warm up or not... Not to mention the finish: crazy! All those people, such a huge following... And in Cittadella, it was crazy. There must be a great future, it was awesome! The atmosphere in the national team was also really great, with this mix of young people, bikers, road racers...
You also had some experiences in America…
Yes and in fact it was very different from a typical gravel Unbound from 400 kilometers. That is more of an adventure than a race. Ultimately it's gravel, but who's to say what gravel is these days?
What kind of effort was it?
I would say very similar to a Strade Bianche or a Roubaix. I didn't have a power meter, but talking to Vermeesch and doing a little comparison with his data adjusted to my weight, I should have been around 330-340 watts of average power (not normalized). So I compare them to routes that are "easy" in terms of elevation, but more technically challenging: a curve on a meadow, on gravel, on rocks. And then the group pedaling changes.
That?
You always have to push, if there's wind you can't stay on the wheel easily, you can't create fans... Even an extra ramp wouldn't have helped much given the selection process. We left between two or three small bridges, a couple of changes of direction and we managed to escape. Then let's also add that by racing for national teams and not for teams this dynamic became more appealing.
Of course, organizing a team game was more complicated… And from there to the finish line?
In the end, starting a WorldTour or French Cup race is no less tiring, in fact… Doing 330 watts for five hours at an average of 37+ with two people on that surface, I assure you, was no easy feat.
What kind of relationships did you have?
I had a 53-39, a bit shorter than we're used to on the road. A 54 is the norm, but at the Saudi Tour, given the speed, I rode a 56 and on a few other occasions a 55. At the gravel world championship I had the classic 53-39 crankset and 11-28 on the rear. And they were fine. The initial ramps were tough. I used 39x25s there; if it had been on asphalt, I would have used 39x19s. But getting back to the issue of effort, you also need to consider the tires.
Tell us better ...
I had the Roval Rapid high, but there were no covers 28mm tubeless, but 32mm which are not as light, you have to push to get speed. We were going at 45 miles an hour, and every now and then after a few revs we would reach 50. At those speeds with a 53×11 you're at around 100 rpm and you don't get stuck, but you have to push.
Is staying in the wheel as important as on the road?
If you're second, third at most, yes, otherwise it becomes a big problem. When exiting a corner, even if you're tenth in line, you find yourself with 10 seconds because some drivers brake harder, some take the wrong line... Even the timing of the curve is different. It's not easy to explain. On the road, you get as close as possible to the wheel and go. On slippery surfaces, you can't do that. For us road riders, these are completely new dynamics. So even if there aren't any climbs, a few turns are enough for small groups to form. Then you might come back, but it costs a lot.
You used a Specialized Roubaix, a road bike that handles rougher terrain better, but did you make any changes to the fit?
No, they were exactly the ones I had on the road. The only difference, as I said, were the tires. I used a 32mm Pathfinder tubeless with the “sausage” tire, inflated to 4,2 bar at the front and 4,4 at the rear.
A lot of!
Yes, I pumped hard because I still had to make the bike flow. I preferred to lose a little in the slippery corners, but have a smoother bike on the long straights.
