Jonas Abrahamsen (Uno-X Mobility) finished fifth at Friday's E3 Saxo Classic after joining the four-man chase group that closed to within three seconds of Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Premier Tech), only for cooperation to collapse in the final kilometre. His Strava file, uploaded within hours, shows the cost of that effort with fully transparent power figures.
The headline numbers: 212.23 km, 4:57:04 of moving time, a weighted average power of 350 W, 5,401 kJ of total work and a training load of 282.
There was a 53 W gap between the 297 W average power and 350 W weighted average. Weighted average power accounts for the disproportionate physiological cost of surges, and a 53 W spread between the two confirms a highly variable race: long stretches of drafting in the peloton punctuated by violent accelerations on the 16 climbs and four cobbled sectors.
The power zone distribution confirms the same pattern. Abrahamsen spent 50% of the race in Z1, recovery pace, which is normal for a cobbled Classic with descents and sheltered peloton riding. But 25% of the race, over an hour, was spent at threshold or above (Z4–Z7). He accumulated 52 minutes in Z5–Z7, all above 510 W, meaning nearly an hour at VO2max intensity or higher. Within that, 11 minutes and 23 seconds came in Z7 (728+ W), indicating repeated maximal surges across climbs and chase accelerations rather than a single isolated sprint. His max power hit 1,409 W.
That matters because catching Van der Poel was never a steady-state problem. The quartet of Abrahamsen, Per Strand Hagenes (Visma | Lease a Bike), Florian Vermeersch (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) and Stan Dewulf (Decathlon CMA CGM) closed from over 30 seconds to single digits inside the final 6 km. But once they arrived, they still needed one more acceleration to finish the job. The file suggests Abrahamsen's high-end capacity was already depleted.
In discussion that followed the race, some saw Abrahamsen as the rider who failed to make a clear pull to bring Van der Poel back. Abrahamsen's own explanation was simpler: "I had nothing left in my legs and was gambling fully on a podium place," he said afterwards, in comments reported by IDL Pro Cycling.
The Strava data makes that a credible description rather than a tactical excuse. A rider who has already accumulated 52 minutes above VO2max and logged 5,401 kJ may not have the capacity for a decisive final turn, regardless of willingness.
Race dynamics aside, while focus may be placed on Van der Poel's exceptional physiology across his winning streak, Abrahamsen's figures reflect power numbers that many would have thought almost impossible five years ago.
