If I’m interpreting this correctly this is a very easy workout. Not sure what you’re looking to accomplish with only 2 1-minute efforts and 3 30-second efforts.
This is followed by 5-8min at or slightly above threshold
Cool stuff. Very similar training as Wiggins when he won. I believe their approach is to work backwards from the anticipated demands of the stages and replicate that in workouts.
Lack of 5-8 minute intervals - those are highly anaerobic (up to ~25% contribution) and GC riders are trying to be as aerobic as possible - lowering Vlamax (anaerobic contribution) was mentioned already. 5-8 minute intervals can lower Vlamax for a high Vlamax rider, but raise it for a low Vlamax rider. Also, GC riders already have ridiculous VO2max so are okay losing some there (anaerobic part) to get to ~90% of VO2 for FTP - so FTP ultimately raises and that is what they need most to win.
Sprints - altitude does not impact sprint and anaerobic power. Recovery from those efforts is impacted. Just noted the author talks about sprint power at altitude.
Low Cadence work - GC guys do not have much fast twitch fiber to begin with so not trying to work on muscle conversion, but more focused on force development to be able to handle attacks from the pure surging climbers and the pace changes on steep terrain, so race specificity/force work I think. Part of the reason for the sprints as well - and to win stages!
GC riders are also not so good at riding above threshold for long (low Vlamax/anaerobic), so what may seem reasonable to us amateurs over threshold is different for GC guys - always found that interesting. Bernal cannot likely ride over threshold long, but Sagan can and why he can get to the end of hard stages.
Thanks for sharing. I have seen some of Roglic’s numbers and looks like a similar approach in training. His lower VO2max for a higher FTP approach jumped out at me. Lower VO2 was still off the charts though. I think that is something else to look at when comparing to pros - they already have high VO2max. How much of that they can utilize seems more predictive of success than how high VO2 max is.
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Yes, this is very much in line with what is known about Sky’s/Ineos’ training. Sources are quite sketchy but pretty consistent. However, what I found really surprising that all the GC/GT riders I had “extracted” from Strava seem to train pretty much the same. Adding to that all the information we get from coaches like Dan Lorang. It’s pretty consistent across the board.
quite a few Jumbo-V riders on Strava with all their data. Looking at their GT preps one can see a very similar training to EB’s (and all other GT riders). Hence, I would say it is very likely that Roglic trains in a similar fashion.
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Wondering if EB actually still trains specifically for his autumn campaign. Was sort of impressed by Jack Haig’s built up to the Bretagne Classics and there seems to be another shift happening now (though it is too early to say). With EB it seems he is in a base period. He came in 12th in last year’s Il Lombardia so I don’t know if this is important to him. What’s important for sure is Tour of Columbia which is always quite early. Perhaps he is still recovering from TdF and building slowly for this?
after racing in Yorkshire, Bernal will head to Italy, reports La Gazzetta dello Sport . Following largely the same programme as 2018, he’ll race the Giro dell’Emilia, GP Bruno Beghelli, Tre Valli Varesine and Milano-Torino before ending his season with Il Lombardia.
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So with all this information we can see what would a training block with TR workouts and/or outdoor training rides look like?
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My guess is Chad is going to use this info as input to a new “Grand Tour” plan 
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I just came across this looking for something else. That looks like a cool workout, but I was curious what are you doing the valleys at, it looks 80% or close to it?
Not sure what you mean with valleys, each set was conducted on a hill. I guess you refer to the 5-8min portion:
2x1’/30" + 3x30"/30" + 5’-8’ (depending on hill available)
This was was right at threshold/FTP.
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In between the 1’ intervals and 30s intervals
no real target, just easy. Turned out to be endurance intensity (zone 2).
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