Paris Roubaix 2018 Analysis with Silvan Dillier

How strong you need to be to ride one of the hardest cycling races in the world? We got the data from Silvan Dillier (finished 2nd in Paris Roubaix 2018) and analysed the entire race. Here is the rare access behind the scenes.

Special thanks to Silvan Dillier, who shared the data with us.

Here is an overview of the entire Paris Roubaix race, where Silvan spend most of the time in a break. He finished the race just under 6 hours, averaging incredible 322 watts (4.29w/kg)

• Rider: Silvan Dillier
• Weight: 75 kg
• Time: 5 hours 57 min
  Distance: 257 km
• Power: 322w average power / 352w normalized power
• Heart Rate: 162bpm average / 194bpm maximum
• Cadence: 85rpm

Breakaway Data

Here is an overview of data for the entire breakaway to the finish line. An early breakaway of 9 with Silvan Dillier formed after about an hour of the race. The lead grew up to 8 minutes before the first sector at 165km mark.

• Time: 5 hours 07 min
• Power: 330w average power / 352w normalized power
• Heart Rate: 165bpm average
• Cadence: 86rpm

Sector 19 Trouée d'Arenberg (km 162 - 2.4 km) *****

"Arenberg Forest" is category 5 sector and is considered to be one of the hardest cobblestone sectors. Breakaway had just 2.5 minutes before this sector. 3 riders drop from the breakaway, while Silvan Dillier holds the wheels. Only 6 remain in the break at the end of the Arenberg.

• Duration: 3 min 48s
• Power: 421w average power / 443w normalized power
• Heart Rate: 177bpm average
• Cadence: 91rpm

Peter Sagan joins Silvan

After about 200km at 51km to go, one of the favourites Peter Sagan, joins the early breakway of 3 with Silvan Dillier. The breakaway had only about 30 seconds at the time when Sagan joined. Now with Sagan in the break, the pressure is on. Silvan averaged an incredible 368w from this point to the finish.

Data overview

• Duration: 1 hour 16 min
  Distance: 54km
• Speed: 41.99km/h
• Power: 368w average power / 382w normalized power
• Heart Rate: 175bpm average
• Cadence: 89rpm

Sector 11 Mons-en-Pévèle (km 212– 3 km)*****

Category 5 segment at 47km to go, Sagan tries to split the front group. At the end of this sector only 3 riders remain in front (Dillier, Sagan and Wallays)

Data overview

• Duration: 4 min 51s
• Speed: 36.60km/h
• Power: 396w average power / 409w normalized power
• Heart Rate: 178bpm average
• Cadence: 87rpm

Sector 7 Cysoing (km 230.5 - 1.3 km) ***

At 25km to go while on segment 7 with 3 stars, Sagan increases the pace, and drops another rider in the break. Now it's only Silvan Dillier on his wheel.

Data overview

• Duration: 1 min 01s
• Speed: 39.2km/h
• Power: 429w avg / 466w normalized power (race avg 322w)
• Heart Rate: 179bpm average
• Cadence: 89rpm

Sector 5 Camphin-en-Pévèle (km 237.5 - 1.8 km) ****

The lead break now have 1:28, increasing their gap with Dillier leading this segment for most of the time. Suprisingly, Silvan have the power to stay in front of Sagan, averaging astonishing 414w for 3 minutes.

Data overview

• Duration: 3 min 05s
• Speed: 34.8km/h
• Power: 414w avg / 425w normalized power (race avg 322w)
• Heart Rate: 181bpm average
• Cadence: 90rpm

Sector 4 Carrefour de l'Arbre (km 240 - 2.1 km) *****

Last 5 stars cobblestones segment, the hardest classified category. Sagan tries to drop Dillier and puts enormous pressure on him. Silvan stays on the wheels but is still producing 416w (5.5w/kg), an incredible performance after 240km. At this segment, Peter Sagan is estimated to produce around 470w, which would translate to 6w/kg with weight of 78kg.

Data overview

• Duration: 3 min 38s
• Speed: 34.8km/h
• Power: 416w avg / 421w normalized power (race avg 322w)
• Heart Rate: 182bpm average
• Cadence: 89rpm

Final Sprint

After 257km at very high pace, Silvan is still able to produce +1200watts in the final sprint. Silvan Dillier finishes 2nd in Paris Roubaix 2018 only by losing in the sprint with Sagan.

Data overview

• Duration: 16s
• Power: 835w avg / 1231w max

Here you can access the Paris Roubaix power infographic.

‍