Sainz reveals 'suffering' during F1 break 'coffee ride'

Carlos Sainz has revealed to "dying" and "suffering" as he tried to keep pace with the world's number one cyclist during what he has described was nothing more than "a coffee ride" over the recent F1 break.

Sainz is fortunate to count Tadej Pogačar amongst his neighbours in Monaco. The Slovenian has enjoyed the most astonishing year, becoming only the third cyclist in history to complete the 'Triple Crown' of Tour de France, Giro d'Italia and World Championships.

Ferrari driver Sainz joined Pogačar on a relatively straightforward 100-kilometre ride in the south of France, sandwiched by a stop at a coffee shop en route.

Asked about comparing himself to Pogačar, Sainz said: "Comparing, I don't think is the right word.

"I've been suffering next to the world number one who, by the way, is in incredible form now that he's killing it in cycling.

"I had the brilliant idea to go on a recovery ride for him. For me, it was the toughest ride of my life. He was in recovery mode after winning the world championships.

"His recovery ride is still my zone five heart rate, zone four, zone five, so it just shows the difference. I mean, we are athletes in our sport.

"Obviously, what we do is special in terms of reflexes and car handling and skills, but what he does on top of a bike is just incredible. And anyone who's been on a bike before, you cannot imagine how much this guy pushes on a bike."

Sainz a 'cycling loser'

As to how the ride came about and whether Sainz was 'dropped' by Pogačar, an expression for when a cyclist conjures a burst of speed and energy that hauls them away from their rivals, the Spaniard explained the 'coffee ride' outing.

"It came along because we're neighbours in Monaco, and we've gone a couple of times," said Sainz.

"We call them coffee rides, which is an easy ride. We just get on the bike, do 30, 40 kilometres to a coffee place, have a coffee and come back. And that is normally a ride where he doesn't push.

"So that's when cycling losers like me, who think we're fit and strong, can join him for a coffee ride. But the reality is that during that coffee ride, or that recovery ride, you're also dying by trying to follow him, or stay on his wheel.

"He does the favour of not dropping you because he doesn't want to… We're having a conversation, even though a conversation at 170, 180 beats per minute, while he's at 110, is not the most exciting conversation because you cannot talk much.

"And I think he can tell!"