**Roxanne Bertels and Milan-Sanremo: A Personal Journey Through the Race via Whoop Data**
The Milan-Sanremo, often dubbed “La Classicissima,” is one of cycling’s most prestigious and grueling one-day races. Its length, iconic climbs, and unpredictable race dynamics challenge even the most seasoned professional cyclists. For fans and loved ones, witnessing such an event firsthand is emotional and intense. Roxanne Bertels, the girlfriend of renowned cyclist Mathieu van der Poel, experienced this monumental race not just as a spectator but as a participant in her own way—through the lens of her wearable technology, Whoop, which provides detailed physiological data.
This article delves into Roxanne’s personal experience of the Milan-Sanremo final, illustrating how her Whoop data offers a unique window into her physical and emotional state during the race’s most critical moments.
Whoop Technology: A Brief Overview
Before diving into Roxanne’s experience, it’s essential to understand what Whoop is and how it works. Whoop is a fitness tracker designed for athletes and fitness enthusiasts to monitor heart rate, heart rate variability (HRV), sleep, recovery, and exertion levels in real-time. Its data-driven insights help users optimize performance, recovery, and overall health.
For Roxanne, this device served as a real-time window into her physiological responses during the race, capturing her stress levels, exertion, and recovery status minute by minute.
Setting the Scene: The Day of Milan-Sanremo
On the day of the race, Roxanne was present in Sanremo, Italy, amidst a vibrant crowd and electric atmosphere. While Mathieu was preparing for the start, Roxanne donned her Whoop strap, ready to monitor her physical responses throughout the event.
Leading up to the final kilometers, her device recorded a baseline heart rate and HRV, indicating her relaxed but anticipatory state. As the race progressed, her data began to reflect the mounting adrenaline and emotional intensity.
The Final Climb and Final Sprint: A Physiological Perspective
**1. The Tension Before the Climax**
As the peloton approached the decisive moments, Roxanne’s Whoop data showed a gradual increase in heart rate, from a resting 50-60 bpm to peaks exceeding 120 bpm during critical moments. Her HRV, which indicates the balance between sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system activity, decreased, signifying rising stress and excitement.
Her recovery score—a measure of how well her body was bouncing back—started to dip as her body prepared for the impending physical and emotional demands.
**2. The Final Attack and Sprint**
When Mathieu launched his final attack on the Poggio di Sanremo, Roxanne’s heart rate surged sharply, reaching levels comparable to high-intensity training efforts—sometimes exceeding 150 bpm. Her emotional rollercoaster was palpable through her physiological responses.
Her HRV further decreased, indicating heightened sympathetic activation—common during moments of intense exertion or emotional arousal. Despite being a spectator, her body responded as if she were participating in the effort.
**3. Crossing the Finish Line (or Watching Mathieu Cross)**
As Mathieu van der Poel crossed the finish line victorious, Roxanne’s heart rate spiked even higher, reflecting a mixture of joy, relief, and adrenaline. Her recovery metrics showed a brief window of high exertion followed by a rapid return to baseline, underscoring her emotional release and the physical toll the race took on her.
Emotional and Physical Insights from Whoop Data
**Stress and Excitement Correlation**
Roxanne’s physiological data mirrored the intense emotional landscape of the race. Peaks in heart rate aligned with key moments—attack launches, the final sprint, and Mathieu’s victory celebration. The data demonstrates how deeply personal sports events are, impacting not just athletes but their loved ones as well.
**Recovery and Post-Race State**
Following the race, Roxanne’s HRV gradually increased, indicating her nervous system was calming down. Her recovery score improved, reflecting the body’s return to baseline. These insights reveal how spectators can also experience physical responses similar to athletes, especially during emotionally charged moments.
Broader Implications: Personal Experiences and Wearable Tech
Roxanne’s utilization of Whoop exemplifies how wearable technology can provide personal insights into emotional and physical states during major sporting events. For fans and supporters, such data can validate their emotional investment and reveal the physiological impact of witnessing high-stakes competition.
Moreover, this experience underscores the potential for athletes’ supporters to better understand their own stress and recovery patterns, fostering a more holistic appreciation of sports beyond the competition itself.
Roxanne Bertels’ experience of the Milan-Sanremo final, viewed through her Whoop data, offers a compelling narrative of how personal physiology intertwines with emotional engagement during one of cycling’s greatest races. Her heart rate fluctuations, HRV responses, and recovery metrics paint a vivid picture of the adrenaline, anticipation, and elation that accompany such monumental sporting moments.
As wearable technology continues to evolve, more fans and supporters may find themselves gaining deeper insights into their own responses during live events, bridging the gap between physical exertion and emotional experience. Roxanne’s journey exemplifies how data-driven insights can enrich our understanding of what it truly means to be a passionate sports supporter.
