Professional Cycling

There is no single greater challenge for a road racer than the individual time trial. The “Race of Truth” tests every physical and mental skill and ability you possess. There is no place to hide, no tactics to play off of, no shelter from the elements. Just you and your bike and the clock. All the things that make you a good ITT rider, maximal aerobic capacity, anaerobic power, aerobic recovery and mental toughness are vital to successful performance regardless of the racing venue.

The athlete that races well against the clock is always a threat. A 40K ITT requires that you ride at and sometimes above maximal aerobic capacity for close to 60min. If your fitness is good and you ride a 40K ITT correctly you should have next to nothing left when you cross the line. I’ve worked with elite riders who have ridden a 40K ITT so hard that they someone to catch them at the finish because they were not able to stand up. This may sound a bit extreme but if you take the ITT seriously and you want to be competitive you have to be prepared to put out that level of effort.

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I am a strong advocate of resistance training as a means to increase strength during the off season. A useful resistance program should focus on the specific demands your particular racing discipline. This does away with the notion of a standardized resistance program that works best for all types of cyclists. As an endurance rider you depend more on muscular strength and aerobic endurance than on raw power. The Endurance Lifting Program was created to develop these critical elements of competitive performance for endurance road, track and mountain bike riders.

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Having a consistent routine will help eliminate errors in planning and provide much needed focus and concentration on race day. Whatever routine you develop it needs to be repeatable and consistent and should reflect your particular needs in preparing for competition.

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It takes years of hard work and thousands of miles to become a complete, quality bike racer. Fortunately, athletes are highly motivated people. Athletes need a regular dose of satisfaction and sense of accomplishment to keep them in the game and continue the learning process. Beginning and sport level cyclists will benefit greatly from a training program that develops skills, improves performance and builds recovery from repeated, high intensity effort. Developing a rhythm for training and competition that focuses on intensity, recovery and rest is a proven recipe for success.

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All along the way in your athletic experience you will have those days when very little seems to go as planned. No worries, it happens to EVERYBODY. Every race is a learning opportunity and when things go poorly it helps to have a process by which you can sift through the details in search of clues that will help you prepare better and improve your performance the next time out.

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Professionalcycling.info is a strong advocate of endurance strength training over the traditional heavy lifting programs used by most cyclists. An off-season plan that includes an endurance lifting program and circuit training produces dramatic results for many of our riders every season by building maximal aerobic capacity and muscular endurance.

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This primer outlines the general tactics any cyclist can use to perform better in a race. Whether you race on the road, off-road, or the track this guide provides fundamental knowledge.

Always be aware
Many riders are not aware of their surroundings. You must be comfortable riding with and around others and aware of where other riders are in relationship to yourself. If you are uncomfortable riding in the group then you will not be as effective in carrying out race tactics. Remember, your actions will affect the riders around you.

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There are several things you should do in preparation for a race, over a several day period. In general make sure to be eating well-balanced meals, getting plenty of fluids and getting enough sleep. If you do not get these basic necessities your performance will suffer even if you do everything else perfectly.

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Your training has prepared you mentally and physically for competition and gives you confidence on race day. The next step is to have consistent race day routine that will help you avoid distractions and keep you focused at the race venue. I have seen riders show up at races missing important equipment or their favorite pre race nutritional snack and have it really mess up their day. Who needs the distraction when it can be avoided?

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Winter riding can be fun. We just need to keep a couple of things in mind; it can be cold and it can be wet. We just need to plan and dress accordingly.

First, pay attention to the weather. Generally you will have some forewarning before you get a big winter storm. I suggest altering your training so that when it starts raining you can take a day off, then if you must go ride outdoors. Otherwise you can stay indoors and ride the trainer or take a bit more rest.

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