How Romain Bardet improved his climbing: team reveals vast altitude training gains

Ag2r team study shows gains in Romain Bardet's power profile after post-altitude training camp testing

Romain Bardet at the Volta a Catalunya

(Image credit: Yuzuru Sunada)

Romain Bardet has established himself at the top table of cycling's climbers, further proved with the gruelling stage 12 summit finish victory up to Peyragudes.

However, the reason for Bardet's progression to the pinnacle of the sport may have been revealed by his coach.

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Row 0 - Cell 0 Camp 1Camp 2Camp 3Camp 4Camp 5Mean
DateMay 2014April 2015May 2015April 2016May 2016Row 1 - Cell 6
Low87.276.979.974.175.478.7
Medium10.315.013.517.115.414.3
High2.58.16.68.89.27.0
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Row 0 - Cell 0 Camp 1Camp 2Camp 3Camp 4Camp 5Mean
DateMay 2014April 2015May 2015April 2016May 2016Row 1 - Cell 6
Row 2 - Cell 0 19 days17 days18 days15 days21 daysRow 2 - Cell 6
5 sec1.4-1.28.7-0.46.22.9
30 sec14.6-1.29.89.716.09.8
1 min1.0-2.0-0.52.72.60.7
5 min6.78.9-2.25.4-6.42.5
10 min7.46.0-0.7-1.43.22.9
20 min12.51.0-2.84.51.03.2
30 min17.65.8-3.19.72.66.5
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Row 0 - Cell 0 Gain per year: 2014 -> 2015Gain per year: 2015 -> 2016Mean
5 sec1.4-2.5-0.6
30 sec-1.21.40.1
1 min-5.61.4-2.2
5 min3.30.41.9
10 min4.70.22.5
20 min2.43.63.0
30 min4.13.43.8

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Paul Knott is a fitness and features writer, who has also presented Cycling Weekly videos as well as contributing to the print magazine as well as online articles.  In 2020 he published his first book, The Official Tour de France Road Cycling Training Guide (Welbeck), a guide designed to help readers improve their cycling performance via cherrypicking from the strategies adopted by the pros.