The legs in the photo on the left belong to cyclist Pawel Poljanski during his vacation in Tuscany, while those on the right show the impact of the first 16 stages of this year's Tour de France. The comparison, shared by the cyclist himself on his Instagram account, reflects the extreme physical demands of a grand tour. "After 16 stages, I think my legs look a bit tired," wrote Poljanski in the post.
This transformation is the result of the intense demands of professional cycling, where riders spend hours on their road bikes, accumulating kilometers and muscle fatigue in every stage. Grand tours, like the Tour de France, are a true challenge for cyclists' endurance and recovery, who must manage their effort to the maximum to remain competitive.
But the wear and tear is not exclusive to road cycling. In extreme endurance events on mountain bikes, such as the Cape Epic or the Titan Desert, cyclists also experience a similar effort, facing rough terrain, altitude changes, and adverse weather conditions. Both in the mountains and on the asphalt, the key to withstanding this level of demand lies in physical preparation, recovery, and strategic training planning.