Riding into a head wind can make it feel like you’re pedalling squares. And at Challenge Almere-Amsterdam, with its long straight roads and notoriously blustery conditions, the flat course profile can suddenly feel like it’s all uphill if you get a strong head wind. And while that extra layer of challenge is a good thing – after all, when conditions are tough it makes persevering and crossing the finish line feel that bit sweeter. It’s also good to have some top tips in your tri suit pocket to help you get the best out of yourself on race day.
We share some advice on how to manage windy conditions on the bike during Challenge Almere-Amsterdam, or your next triathlon event.
Maximise marginal gains with aero gear choices
Being able to reduce the impact of the wind on your bike split starts before race day. The gear you choose and your bike set up can have a big impact on the amount of drag you’ll experience in a head wind, and your bike handling in a cross wind.
Body position
The biggest cause of drag while you’re riding, is you. So first up think about your riding position – are you able to stay down in your aero bars (or at the very least on the drops if you don’t have aero bars) or are you spending a lot of time sat up with your hands on the base bar? It can be tempting to sit up in a head wind so you can push bigger watts, but you’re making it harder for yourself. Focus on tucking down into as aerodynamic position as possible, keeping your head low (but don’t look down – eyes on the road!) and your shoulders squeezed to minimise the amount of drag your body creates against the wind.
Tri suits and gear
Body position aside, it’s also worth thinking about the gear you’re wearing. A tri suit might not be quite as comfy for 180km of riding, but it’ll be significantly more aerodynamic. Likewise, wearing an aero helmet versus a regular road helmet will help you to save a few watts by cutting through the air faster. And if the race rules require you to wear a race number during the bike, think about using a race belt such as the NoPinz belts which will reduce how much the paper number bib flaps around.
To really up the ante on the marginal aero gains front, you could also consider wearing calf sleeves/calf guards. You can wear these under your wetsuit (assuming your race has a wetsuit-legal swim) so you won’t lose any additional time in transition putting them on. And while the watt saving claims vary by brand, it can be up to 12 watts which is significant in long distance racing.
Read more about how much time aero kit can save you – including an explainer of what we mean by ‘savings watts’ – in our deep dive into the tech behind aero triathlon gear.
What wheels should I run in windy conditions?
If you’re lucky enough to have more than one set of wheels to pick from on race day, you might be wondering what the best choice is if you’re expecting windy conditions. Deeper rims and/or a disc wheel on the bike will give you the best aerodynamic performance. But if you’re worried about how your bike will handle in the cross winds you might be thinking about switching your race wheelset out for shallower rims on front and back.
However, we spoke to the experts from Parcours ahead of Kona last year and they revealed that a deeper rear wheel can actually improve stability in windy conditions.
Of course, a deeper section front wheel will increase the sideways force of a cross wind. But if you decide to use a narrower rim on the front, it’s worth thinking about sticking with a deeper rear wheel (or running your disc wheel) on the back to get the aerodynamic benefit and help with stability.
How to pace yourself in a head wind
Being able to pace yourself during a windy bike leg is just as important as it is on a hilly triathlon course. Get it wrong, and you could put a serious dent in your ability to maintain a good pace later on in the race.
Resist the temptation to attack the head wind like it’s a hill
Hills have a definitive beginning and end. Head wind doesn’t. While it might be tempting to start grinding out the power to fight against the head wind, you’ll end up doing more harm than good. You could be working at an unsustainable effort for longer than you think, which will come back to bite you later in the race. The head wind could be even stronger on the second lap, and you’ve already spent too much energy fighting it the first time around. And don’t forget – the wind direction can change so you might get an unexpected blast of head wind elsewhere on the course.
Stick to your race plan and maintain a sensible, manageable effort keeping in mind you’ve got still got a long day of racing ahead of you. You’ll be in a better place to make up the time later in the race if you don’t overcook it on the bike.
Don’t rely on (or obsess over) average pace while riding into a head wind
While most of us will have a target bike split time in mind and know what pace we need to hold to achieve it. Save your sanity and just ignore your average pace while you’re riding into a head wind. At Challenge Almere-Amsterdam, you’re most likely to get the head wind on the long straight road along the dykes. If you’re agonising over your pace, you’re going to make yourself pretty miserable when you could be enjoying the smooth road surface and views out to sea instead!
It’s best to use effort-based data points while riding into a head wind such as power or heart rate. This will help you to keep riding at an appropriate intensity that won’t completely ruin your legs for the run. For long distance racing, you typically want to work at around 70-75% of your threshold power. Or 75-80% (at most) of your threshold bike heart rate. You can get more details on how to use power and heart rate data to pace yourself on the bike (including an explanation of threshold power/heart rate) in this article.
Check the wind direction forecast on race morning
On race morning before you head to transition to do your final pre-race checks, take a second to have a quick look at the weather forecast for the time you’ll be out on the bike and take note of the wind direction compared to the course.
It’s helpful to know where and when you can expect to have a head wind so you can be mentally prepared for it. And it’s also good to know if there are any sections of the course where you’re likely to have strong cross winds so you don’t get taken by surprise by any strong sideways gusts.
Don’t lose your head
Riding into a head wind can be physically draining. But it’s also mentally tough. Try to keep a positive mindset and avoid getting angry or frustrated if you can’t hit the pace you were aiming for due to the conditions. It won’t change the situation, and it’ll just use up vital mental energy that you’ll want to have in reserve to tap into later on in the race when things get tough towards the end of the run.
Try to focus on what you can control. You can’t switch the head wind off. But you can make sure you’re getting your nutrition and hydration on board. You can focus on holding a good aerodynamic position. And you can keep your effort steady and controlled so you have enough fire power left for the latter stages of the race. The conditions are the same for everyone, and it’s those who can keep a positive mindset who’ll come out on top!
Managing the cross winds
The head wind is annoying. But it’s actually the cross winds who can be a trickier foe to fight, and if you’re racing in windy conditions the likelihood is you’ll get both on race day.
At Challenge Almere-Amsterdam, you’ve got the benefit of having long stretches of road where you can see other riders ahead of you. Keep an eye on their movements to anticipate any sections where you might get a sudden gust of cross wind.
If you do find yourself being blown sideways across the road, stay calm and stay relaxed. Tensing up will only increase how ‘twitchy’ your bike feels. Lean slightly into the wind to counter the sideways force.
Knowing where you’re likely to experience cross wind by checking the course against the wind forecast is also useful because it means you can anticipate any particularly blustery sections and make sure you get any ‘admin’ such as refilling bottles or taking nutrition done before you get there. That way you can focus on handling your bike without any reason to take a hand off the handlebars.
Enjoy the tail wind!
On a hilly course, what goes up must come down. And on a day where you’ve got strong headwinds out on the bike course – you’re also at some stage going to get a lovely tail wind. Remind yourself of this when you’re gritting your teeth into the head wind, and enjoy the free speed when you get there.
Looking for more Challenge Almere-Amsterdam tips? Read the race guide or check out our tips for the full swim-bike-run.
