IF YOU think you’ve reached your cycling peak, then you should be applauded for training hard and doing all the right things.

But when preparing and taking part in a race, are you really doing everything you should be?

We can always find ways to boost our performance. In fact, the smallest improvements can make a huge difference to serious riders.

If you have a race coming up, take a look at the following skills/tips. Are you applying them all to your training and racing? If not, now is the time for some serious self-analysis…

Before the cycling race

1. Nutrition: Getting this right before a race is crucial. Consuming the correct amount and quality of food is so important for preparation. But be careful not to eat too much. In fact, if your race is shorter than two to three hours, there’s no need to worry too much about carb loading.

2. Hydration: Again, this is vital, especially before a race. Drinking little and often is recommended, especially in the 24 hours before the event. Even if you are not thirsty make sure you drink. Stick to water instead of fizzy or sports drinks, coffee and tea. And avoid alcohol!

3. Tapering: If it is a major competition that you have trained long and hard for, then you will also benefit from two to three weeks of tapering. But many riders still benefit from a short, sharp interval of about five minutes the day before a race. It will keep your enzymes at a competitive level without tiring you out.

4. Snooze control: Sleep is probably the most important part of any training regime. Sleeping well the night before a race is essential if you are to wake up feeling motivated and ready. Many riders struggle to sleep the night before a race. So to make sure you get at least seven hours, make sure you go to bed early, avoid having a TV / computer /smartphone in your bedroom, and avoid caffeine.

5. Preparing your bike for action: Mechanical trouble should never limit your chance to succeed. So decide on the best combination of available equipment. There are so many lovely bike parts out there but focus on what you actually possess to choose from the day before races. Don’t make radical changes to your bike set-up without testing it prior to the event.

6. Getting there on time: It’s mandatory to sign in at most cycling events. So without stating the obvious, it’s crucial to get there on time. Make sure you arrive in plenty of time and avoid delays. Getting held up before the start of an event that you have put so much time into preparing for only causes stress and may affect your performance.

7. Mental preparation: Getting into the right mindset so you are laser-focused on the challenge ahead is crucial. But while psyching yourself up and self-motivation are important, don’t forget to stay relaxed and try to enjoy the moment at the same time.

8. Gearing up: Don’t leave what you are going to wear until race day. Make sure you know in advance what you will wear during the race, and decide early on what tools, energy bars, and energy gels you will carry and how you will store them in your pockets.

9. Warm-up: This sounds like stating the obvious but please make sure you do a proper warm-up. Once you have signed in for the race, have a specific warm-up in mind to preepare your body for the severe test it is about to face.

10. Know the course: Make sure you know where the tough sections are (hills, crosswind areas, any cobble stones, bonus sprints). Do a dry run of the course. A leisurely practice ride will familiarise you with the course so there are no nasty surprises on the big day.

During the cycling race

11. Riding in a large group: Tucking yourself away in a big group could be the difference between being a hero or zero in the final sprint. This is the time to conserve energy for attacks and sprints so maximize the benefits of having others protecting you from the wind.

12. A good position: Maintaining a nice position in the pack is a sensible move. Always try to stay in the leading 20. If you end up in a bad position you’ll have to work harder each time one of the riders in front of you loses a few meters. You will save energy by having fewer riders in front of you and there are fewer people who can delay you.

13. Eating/ drinking in the pack: This is not easy and may require some practice. Eating, drinking and taking gels at high speed while surrounded by dozens of other riders is a bit of an art form. So practice doing this with some friends or club members if possible.

14. Aware of dangers: Be alert to the dangers a race could bring. Falling riders, potholes and traffic can cause frustrating barriers. Some dangers are unavoidable but if you ride nearer the front you are less likely to be brought down by a falling competitor. Doing a practice ride of the circuit will alert you to hazards.

Breakaways

15. Crosswinds and echelons: Crosswinds can devastate your race plan. When you turn into a crosswind there are risks of crosswind attacks. A few riders will create an echelon and will work hard to maintain the pressure, but this can string out a field in single line formation. If you’re not in the echelon you will suffer and the peloton is likely to split.

16. Surviving attacks: Before a breakaway gets established there might be several attacks you must survive. This is another good reason to try to maintain a position in the top 20, so you will be more alive to an attempted breakaway.

17. Pacing during breakaways: Attacking is one of the toughest things to do successfully. If you get it wrong, it could spell disaster and the end of your race. Make sure you get the pacing just right once you decide to go for it.

18. Separate yourself from the bunch: If you attack, then give it 100%. Don’t be looking behind you constantly. Put your heart and soul into it and try to limit your attempted breakaway to one attempt. If somebody breaks with you, then share the pacing workload.

19. Closing gaps: If there is a breakaway then it is important not to panic if you are left in the peloton. Depending at what point of the race the break has occurred, a co-ordinated startegy with your team or fellow riders will normally result in a breakaway rider(s) being reeled in.

20. Eating and drinking during breakaways: You work so much harder during a solo breakaway or in a smaller group. If you are close to the finish then you will also be focusing on tactical moves to beat the other breakaway riders. So it is easy to forget to hydrate and eat enough. Don’t fall into this trap.

Cycling Race Tactics

21. Stick to Plan A: You have probably run through your race plan in your head a hundred times before the event, especially if it’s a race you have prioritized. So stick to it. Don’t be tempted to suddenly deploy different tactics once the race has started. Stick to your guns.

22. Plan B: However unforeseen events can occur during any race so if something goes wrong make sure you have a back-up Plan B up your sleeve. If you get a puncture or suffer a fall then Plan A will go out of the window. Then be prepared to launch Plan B.

23. Dirty tricks: While we don’t recommend them, you will probably be well aware that some riders employ unscrupulous tactics during a race to give them an advantage. Be prepared for this and act accordingly. Whatever you do, don’t get sucked into copying these pesky rivals.

24. Taking advantage of random opportunities: Sometimes things happen during a race that are unexpected. Maybe several of your rivals will be involved in a fall that you manage to avoid. It is important to make the most of these opportunitiies.

25. Taking advantage of the weather forecast: Be aware of the weather and try to use the elements to your advantage. Make sure you train in all weathers so you are prepared for rain and wind. Bury yourself in the pack if it is very windy to minimize your effort.

Last km

26. Positioning before the final sprint: Even if you are the fastest sprinter, if you are not in a good position you have no chance of winning the final dash to the line. Keep at the wheel of a sprinter you know is going to be among the front runners. And if you are lucky you may have team-mates who will help you get in the perfect position.

27. Choosing gears: It is vital to be able to react to your rivals’ attacks so make sure you are in control of your gear changes and that you are always in the optimum gear. This will also allow you to achieve maximum speed in the final sprint. Avoid a gear shift in the last 200m.

28. Choosing tactics: Tactics are crucial, so before the race make sure you have an overall race plan. Visualise yourself riding the race and mentally run through your tactical plan beforehand. Make sure your strategy will help you achieve the best possible result.

29. Attacks and counter-attacks: As you get close to the finishing line there are likely to be several attacks. So make sure you are prepared for these. Be alive to who is attacking: if it is a major rival then the attack should be taken more seriously.

30. Benefiting from other riders’ tactical moves: You can often gain an advantage by capitalising on the tactical moves of others. For example, if a rival makes a break you could latch on to him and go with him. It could boost your chance of a great result.

31. Taking chances: Sometimes a cycling race ends like a bit of a lottery with dozens of riders jockeying for position in the final sprint. But it is possible to gain a better outcome if you are prepared to take a few risks during a race.

32. Physical contact: Be prepared for lots of elbows flying and other physical contact. Nothing beats experience so your race tactics will improve over time and the more you race. But cycling can be a dog-eat-dog sport, especially near the finish of a race.

33. The sprint: Timing is crucial. Don’t go too early but don’t leave it too late. In the sprint to the line you will normally only have one big effort. Make it count. Get into the best possible position and go for it. Try to use wind conditions to your advantage.

Technical issues

34. Braking before cornering: This can be hazardous so make sure you practise breaking at corners during your training regime. Remember that it is not how fast you ride before a corner, it is how you ride out of the corner that is the most important thing.

35. Accelerate after cornering: Following on from the prevous point, once you have negotiated a corner put your pedals to the floor and accelerate to make you hold your position. Also, be mindful of others attacking coming out of corners.

36. Pedalling during cornering: Taking a corner can be tricky and you may not need to pedal. Staying in the saddle is the priority so you should be able to freewheel before speeding up once you’ve taken the corner.

37. Cornering at the right speed: Don’t go too fast into a corner. You may end up flat on your back. Getting to know the course beforehand and even riding around it could be a good idea to get to know any problem corners.

38. Slippery corners (sand, gravel, oil, rain etc.): The weather could make some corners extra slippery. Be aware of this. Again, preparation is key, so a ride round the course could alert you to any slippery areas caused by things like oil or gravel.

39. Cobble stones: Some cycling races include short sections on cobble stones and even though it isn’t Paris-Roubaix, it might influence the race result. Try to practice on cobbles to get used to the uncomfortable and bumpy ride.

40. Descents: Even though uphill riding is much, much more difficult, descents can be places where you can save or lose crucial time. They also increase the risk of a fall so make sure you practise some descents if your race is hilly.

Random skills

41. Reading the race: The more race experience you get the better you will become at competing. Being able to recognize who the strongest riders are is something that will come in time but it is such an important skill.

42. Knowing your competitors: You may already know your main race rivals. But knowing as much as possible about your competitors and how they will react to different terrain can only help you. For example, who are the strongest sprinters? Hill climbers?

43. The nature of the race: Remember, you are probably just one out of maybe 100 riders. If you’re lucky, you might have a few team-mates, but you will still have to accept that the race is never under control. It’s all about being prepared for unknown events as well as tactical moves from other riders and teams.

44. Strength in numbers: If you are one member of a team then communication is vital. Strength in numbers can only help your individual effort. Use your team-mates to help carry you to a better performance.

45. Being proactive: Inner strength, self determination and the power to choose how you respond to tactical moves, the weather and other circumstances can give you an edge, both mentally and physically. Don’t just wait for something to happen.

46. Relieve yourself: There is nothing worse than wanting to go to the toilet during a race. So give yourself plenty of time to visit the loo before the race. It could prevent hours of discomfort.

47. Sharing good tips with your best friends: 
Talk to your riding friends and team-mates if you have any. Listen to their experiences and pick their riding brains if they are more experienced than you or have knowledge of a particular race. (hint: please share this link with your cycling buddies: http://www.training4cyclists.com/cycling-race-tips/ )

Most cyclists and triathletes have heard about and experienced the consequences of insufficient carb-loading before races.

Carbohydrate loading has been used for many years to boost performance in cycling races lasting more than two hours in duration.

While there are various methods of carb-loading, the process basically involves consuming large quantities of carbohydrate-rich food in order to fill the muscle glucogen stores.

More muscle glycogen protect you from (or delay) exercise-induced hypoglycemia and help you to exercise longer at high intensity.

Please remember to practice your carb-loading plan well before your priority race.

Since carb-loading only last a few days there are no reasons to worry about that some minerals and vitamins are not represented sufficiently in your carb-rich diet.

After the race you return to your normal, balanced diet and that’s fine.

It is important to know that when you carb-load you also increases your body mass. It is estimated that every gram of glycogen stored is associated with app. 2.7g of water. So you can expect a body mass gain of app. 2kg when you are fully loaded with carbohydrates. This is important to know and may influence your decision on whether you should carb load or not.

Many experiments have been performed to find the perfect method for carb loading before races. The best known method is the carbohydrate-depletion/carbohydrate loading method. The theory behind this strategy is that exercising to exhaustion 6 days before your major race combined with a low-carb diet until three days before the race depletes muscle glycogen.

When your glycogen stores are completely depleted the theory is that your muscles are hungry after storing glycogen and are able to ‘super-compensate’ the last three days before the race. So it should be possible to store even more glycogen than through regular carb-loading procedures.

I’ve tried the depletion-load method once and I ended being well loaded for the event.

Though, it is a bit problematic to train to exhaustion just 6 days before a major race followed by low-carb dieting. That’s not optimal tapering. So the carbohydrate-depletion/carbohydrate loading method works best in theory. And the theory has not proved to achieve higher glycogen content than regular 3 day carb-loading in scientifical studies.

In practice you can reach full benefit from carb-loading just three days before your major race:

Here is my advice for optimal carb-loading:

1) Consume for 7-10g carbohydrate per kg body weight per day.
If you are highly trained you should probably aim for close to 10g/kg body weight /day the last three days before your race. If you are out late, it is still possible to achieve great results with just one day concentrated carb-loading.

2) Minimize fibre-rich food
Since many carbohydrate sources contain fibres, you may need to prefer carbohydrate sources with a low content of fibres. Large quantaties of fibres may cause flatulence, diarrhea, gastric and gut discomfort.

So it is recommended to choose a high-carb, low-fibre diet (white bread, white pasta, white rice, liquid forms of carbohydrates etc.)

3) Increase fluid intake
As mentioned above, carb-loading is associated with water so you’ll need to drink more fluids to stay well hydrated. Fluids can also be seen as a source for carb-loading if you don’t want to eat pasta all day long, e.g. soft drinks, juice, sport drinks etc.

Again, make sure to test your carb-loading procedure BEFORE you enter an important race. We are all different and you might need to make individual customization to get a perfect diet plan.

Finally there is a sweet little ninja trick that may boost your carb-loading:

When I have athletes at cycling races I always ask them to do a short, high-intensity interval the day before. This is both mentally and physically a great way to prepare their bodies for competition.

In the mirror of carb-loading this little trick also increases the glucose uptake at a minimal cost of muscle glycogen.

Thus, you might end up maximizing your glycogen storage and being physically and mentally prepared for action. Cool, right?

Here are some practical tips helping you to become well hydrated after training and cycling races:

The first step towards a better rehydration strategy is to measure your body weight before and after exercise.

By monitoring changes in body mass from pre- to post-exercise, you’ll get important information about your current strategy for fluid intake during exercise.

It is important to emphasize that weight loss after exercise is mostly due to fluid loss.

Unfortunately fat is not burned so quickly. Sorry baby…

Rehydration strategies for cyclists

If your body mass is reduced less than 1kg after exercise then there is no hurry to rehydrate. You’ve probably had enough fuel during training to compensate for sweating. So it is also unlikely that this minor fluid loss has any impact on your performance that day.

If your body mass loss is more than 1kg then you can benefit from having a strategy for rehydration. Remember that when you’ve finished a workout you’ll continue to sweat for a while.

Actually you might sweat more immediately after exercise than when you are on your bike. To recover from fluid loss it is recommended to consume app. 150% of your weight loss within the following 2 to 4 hours post-exercise to restore fluid balance. The additional fluid volume is to cover up for ongoing sweating and urin loss.

If your body mass loss is more than 2kg then it is likely that dehydration may have caused a negative impact on your performance. It is also important to do your best to restore your fluid balance so your dehydration won’t have negative influence on your next training session or race.

Be aware that your loss of electrolytes (sodium) is also larger. If you have salt crystals on your skin, you should consider salt-rich foods to restore electrolyte balance.

Please notice that under normal circumstances there is no need to add sodium to your food. A traditional Western menu contains much more sodium than you need.

How to encourage fluid intake

• Make sure that recovery drinks have a refreshing temperature.
• Avoid too hot or too cold drinks may have negative influence on your motivation to rehydrate.
• Adding flavor to your recovery drink may also encourage you to drink more.

How to accelerate rehydration after exercise

• Recovery drinks containing small amounts of sodium and carbohydrates may accelerate gastric emptying. This may also have a positive impact on your refuelling process but that is a different story.
• Try being at cool places to minimize ongoing sweating (avoid the 3 S: Sun, Sauna and Spa)
• Avoid caffeine-containg drinks and alcohol.

Five questions to detect dehydration before your next training session

1. Do you feel thirsty? (that’s a good indicator)
2. Is your tongue dry? (that’s also a pretty obvious sign…)
3. Have you visited the toilet as frequently as normal? (small urine volumes is a clear sign of dehydration
4. What is the color of your urine? (dark (concentrated) urine is a sign of dehydration)
5. What is your body mass compared to body mass the previous day? (again, weight loss from day to day is due to fluid loss)

If you enjoyed this article, please forward the following link to your best friends:

http://www.training4cyclists.com/rehydration-after-exercise/

Now it is more than 4 months since I launched the updated version of my popular 12- week winter training program.

The 12-week winter training program has actually been available since 2007 as a free version.

Why?

Because having thousands of users leaving feedback for me about this training program, I’ve gained more information than it is possible for me to get through individual coaching.

Because so many riders tried my different versions of the winter training program (and gave me important feedback), I have been able to develop the ultimate winter training concept.

The old version didn’t have any training zones for pacing, but used generic terms to describe intensity: ‘hard’, ‘very hard’ etc. That way all cyclists were able to use the winter training program (and leave feedback for me).

Though, it has also been my experience that many cyclists misunderstood vital parts of my training strategy because of this. Most riders use a heart rate monitor during training as their primary tool for pacing during intervals. That’s a great tool for pacing, but it is now clear for me that I should have been more precise about what intensities I wanted people to train with during the winter.

12-Week Winter Training Program is packed with information

The 12-week winter training program is not only a training program, but also an e-book packed with additional information about the reasoning behind the training program. There are more than 102 pages in the new version. Here you can increase your knowledge about the strategies I use in the 12-week winter training program.

Now I’ve found a couple of unique training methods that help a broad range of riders. And it is easy to customize so it fit into your daily life. So the training structure I recommend benefit elite riders as well as 60 year old recreational riders. It is a training system that has been helpful to people who have “seen it all” when it comes to cycling training.

One more thing that I’ve learned from my readers is that every individual is… an individual. We are all different. We all have different physiological talents, different goals and perspectives.

And that’s why I decided to offer individual email support for this training program. Because I can help people achieve their goals (and continue to gain information about what challenges people struggle with).

Take, for example, Jakob Bering.

He is not a standard athlete.

Actually, he has been representing the Danish National team as U23 rider, won the team competition in Tour de l’Avenir, 2x gold medal at MTB Junior National Championships etc.

Not exactly your “average” person, is he?

Probably, he’s the rider who have tried most (if not all) of my training programs and strategies.

This winter I decided to let him try the 12-week winter training program as it would work for all other athletes who download this e-book. He didn’t have access to any additional coaching options or else.

And here’s what he says:



“It is easy to understand and read the training program. There are challenging intervals sessions three times per week and it is easy to combine these interval sessions with for example indoor cycling, spinning or mountain bike training. Currently I train app. 7hrs per week and feel very competitive even though my training volume has been less than 1/3 of many of my competitors’.”

Jakob Bering



There you have it.

 Proof that the 12-Week Winter Training Program is NOT just more of the usual suspect info.

It is no secret that Jakob Bering knows my training philosophy in and out, so it wasn’t a big surprise for me that he liked the program.

Thus, it has been even more enjoyable for me to see that so many other riders have improved their endurance this winter 2011/2012.

Here are a few more testimonials:

Well, I finished the winter training program and am now starting the first week of the pre-season training program. Last night (Tues), I decided to go up and ride with the club on their race ride to see how I was performing relative to the group, and my past (relative) performance.  To summarize: I was able to fit right in with the racers-something I could NEVER fully achieve in the past!  I was thrilled with the improvement, with several racers taking note of my improvements and asking if I was training in the winter.  That was a great feeling!  :-)

I noticed my HR was significantly lower than in the past-staring mostly in my endurance range or in my sub-threshold range-rather than how it was in the past (nearly all in the sub-threshold or threshold range, creeping up into the V02max range before I would blow myself up and get dropped).  I also noticed my HR would recover much quicker and to a lower range than in the past.  In short: my fitness has obviously improved greatly!  I’m thrilled.

Sean Haggerty

I’ve followed the plan to the letter with a minor blip on Valentine’s day
and my threshold power has increased by 60 watts (30%) My average power output with general riding is also up by 25%. Amazing what a little focus can do.

Mark Wright

This book is well laid out, provides the relevant detailed information for a rider from 4th through to 1st Cat, to structure and develop themselves and their commitment to training and racing into a productive and professional system. We would recommend this book to all levels of cyclists. Enjoy the miles!

Jonathan Gibson, SportsExerciseEngineering.com

Download your copy now

The 12-week winter training program is currently priced at $47. Since this price includes free email support from me, it should also be obvious for everyone that you get value for money. And at $47 it is a bargain: in fact, it costs less than a decent cycling helmet.

Download the 12-week Winter Training Program

The road cycling race season is just about to begin and in some countries they have already started. Today I will show you some highly effective techniques that will help you to perform better from the very first race.

One of the most common arguments against interval training during the winter is the risk of peaking too early.

I disagree.

If you are not competing at a professional level, your risk of peaking too early is extremely low.

Remember that your current fitness leaves significant room for improvement and that’s why it makes sense to train longer, faster and more frequently.

You are far from peaking.

It’s important to notice that high intensity intervals are not just high intensity intervals. Since road cycling is mainly an aerobic activity, it is also clear that most of your training should target the aerobic engine.

It takes more time to build a solid aerobic engine, but once it is built it will remain at a reasonable level with the minimum of training.

Why are the first cycling races in the season so difficult?

One of the most common excuses is ‘lack of race speed’. I agree with this cause, but I don’t think it’s very precise.

Switching from group rides at 30km/hr to cycling races at 40+ km/hr is not only a question of speed. It’s a paradigm shift from riding friendly group rides to entering a war on bikes.

Let me explain: If you haven’t included high intensity intervals and riding in your training yet, you will very likely experience ‘lack of race speed’. And you will experience it the hard way. To make it clear: If you are not prepared, you will be punished.

Those riders who dominate and win these first races are typically well prepared.

They have followed their training programs for months and they have been doing some kind of high intensity (anaerobic) training in the past. And that gives them what is commonly referred as ‘race speed’.

So yes, in races you ride 10km/hr faster, but that is only a part of the explanation. The physiological and technical demands are quite different when you enter a cycling race.

So if you want to be one of those riders who are well prepared when the race season opens, then you have to use some of the pre-season training techniques mentioned below. Otherwise, you will be one of those riders whining about ‘lack of race speed’.

Though, the good news for lazy riders: If you haven’t done your anaerobic training, you will catch up within 6 to 8 weeks. That’s what many cyclists experience season after season when they have entered the first ten races or so.

Simply, because their anaerobic capacity gets a boost from participating in the cycling races.

That also means, that if you plan to peak later in the season, you don’t have to push too hard with anaerobic intervals and sprints before the season opens. But it will make your life in the peloton a bit easier and maybe your winning chances are also better in early part of the season.

How to Ride Faster in the Early Part of the Race Season

1) Friendly races (Fartlek)

Making your training more similar to races is a logic step that helps you prepare for the cycling races waiting for you.

Instead of riding steady pace group rides, you should include two or three short races with a predefined distance of 5km or up. These friendly races give you a nice combination of aerobic and anaerobic intervals while riding your bike at higher speeds. You will also get a sense of race tactics if you include a finish line for your friendly race.

Though, this training approach is an unorganized way to train compared to most of the other advice I give, it’s a very effective and inspiring way to optimize your aerobic and anaerobic systems. Well performed, these Fartlek sessions are both highly effective and motivating as pre-season workouts.

Sometimes you simply have to dig a little deeper into your reserves when you train. This may help you to go from good to great. But, more importantly, it is a great mental relief to just follow the pack as they begin to race.

So remember the positive attitude and enjoy the chance to have some extra training and fun at the same time.

Remember that most cycling races are not organized in 15-minute sub-threshold intervals. Cycling races are extremely unpredictable and you will need a wide repertoire of skills to master them. So spontaneous cycling races or sprints are an excellent supplement to your regular, scheduled intervals.

If you never do anything that is not scheduled in the training plan, then do at least one off-diary interval/race/sprint this week.

2) Anaerobic intervals and sprints
The secure way to boost your anaerobic performance is through specific intervals designed for anaerobic performance. These intervals are typically shorter efforts of less than 60 seconds. The intensity is so high and the duration so short that using a heart rate monitor for pacing makes no sense.

Even without any pacing tool, it is relatively easy to get a great boost of your anaerobic power and endurance.

Simply by doing anaerobic intervals once or twice per week, your anaerobic capacity will increase significantly within a few weeks. It is much faster than building aerobic power, so even if you are a bit late, you have a good chance to catch up quickly.

One important thing that most riders are not aware of is the need for recovery between hard anaerobic intervals.

Why? If your recovery periods are too short, you will not be able to generate sufficient high power outputs in the work periods and more work will be performed through aerobic metabolism. Thus, you will not get a sufficient stimulus for your anaerobic enzymes.

3) Tapering

The most overlooked secret of winning riders is their use of tapering. If you want to make a really great ride, you should make at least some kind of tapering protocol before the races you prioritize. That will make your legs and mind fresh, and help you to perform much better than most of your opponents.

Especially in the early part of the season many riders have been through a heavy amount of training. With reference to the overload principle, these riders need a few weeks of tapering before they are able to perform at peak performance.

It’s not all about boosting your anaerobic system

Winter training is often considered as the most important part of your preparation for next season. Why not also use your best weapon to improve aerobic performance?

As I mentioned previously in this article, you might choose to prioritize differently. If you spend less energy on optimizing your anaerobic system now, you will be able to build an even stronger aerobic engine. And because of that you can be even stronger later in the season. That is always a question of priority.

Even though my 12-week winter training program forces you to tackle scheduled intervals three times per week and also perform an increasing amount of training, there may still be opportunities to ride more.

Don’t be afraid to add an extra interval or a spontaneous friendly cycling race.

Yet, it’s my gut feeling that many riders don’t prepare optimally for the season opening. And just a little tweak to your current training can make a nice improvement in your opening races.

Thus, I conclude that intelligent riders get an easy advantage in the first few weeks simply by optimizing their training.

3 Pre-season Bike Training Sessions That Will Boost Your Race Performance

VO2 Max intensity refer to your avg. power output (Watts) in 5min test.

Pre-season Training Program 1 (50 min)
15 min warm-up
1 x 5 min – 80 % VO2 max
1 x 5 min – 50 % VO2 max
3 x (3+3 min) 100 / 50 % – VO2 max
7 min cool down

Pre-season Training Program 2 (50 min)
15 min warm-up
3 x (40s + 9.20min) maximum sprint efforts
5 min cool down

Pre-season Training Program 3
15 min warm-up
16+ x (30+30s) VO2 max
10 min cool down

If you have enjoyed this post, please make sure to subscribe to email updates below.

PS. I can guarantee these intervals don’t work if you don’t try…

Image by LaTRIBRI