Yes. It’s the reason I asked about your >AeT / <AeT distinction with your base plan (@sryke) in the “Winter is coming…” thread. I remember much (justified) consternation about “what is hard?”, “how hard is hard?” when Seiler and others started making their podcast appearances. But I found the question “how easy?” much more difficult to ascertain.
For example, in running, amateurs are often coached that it is almost impossible to go “too easy” on your easy days. And other than highly trained runners, I believe this to be good advice. However, in cycling, it is very easy to go too slow (notwithstanding true active recovery rides, which would also be short).
well, this was just a simplification. If I had started talking about overlapping zones and so it would have made it more complicated.
However, how to train? I have no idea. If you want to develop AeT shouldn’t you stress the system accordingly? Go slightly above? Or do you destroy all your adaptions because you start burning evil carbs and do not turn into a fat oxidation monster?
I have no idea. All I know that this pro training looks like a lot of fun to implement. It’s really striking how similar they all train. Despite all this talk of n=1 and every one is an individual.
Ah, ok. I wasn’t trying to nitpick I just know you look at a lot of research so I thought maybe there was something deeper to that part. As far as I know, science seems to be fairly light and/or conflicting on how (or even if it’s beneficial) to train AeT specifically.
Yes. That’s the dilemma. On limited training time, I’m going with the “at or slightly above as much as possible” approach. Like Jan Olbrecht recently said in a podcast (I’m paraphrasing): “even with the science, you still have to just try for yourself”.
@Mikael_Eriksson has follow up Q&A podcast (30 mins) as well. Glad he did that because I was fixin to come on here and ask: “so has anyone translated Science of Winning swim workouts to cycling?”
A lot of guys have told me that if I do the Vuelta then it [three weeks of constant racing] would set me up for next year when I start training after the off-season. — Owain Doull (Team Ineos)
Very interesting thread with a lot of insides! However, what I would like to see is the training structure of a more sprinter-type or sprint-oriented classics rider (like Sagan, Matthews, etc.) . How does their training differ from the climbers and GC-guys? Any documentation on that would be very interesting.
There were quite a few sprinters/classics riders in this thread. They probably fell victim of my clean-up.
In short: a) they train pretty much the same as everyone else; b) Sagan & co still train for stage racing as well. And these classics are long race, too. You also need fatigue resistance. c) off season is really completely the same for any kind of road pro; d) rest of the year is really dictated by race calendar. Many simply race so much, there is no realy visible structure. However, not that many super-elites open on Strava, mostly second and third tier.
Probably have checked 20-30 riders which are ranked as sprinters or one-day specialists by procyclingstats.com
interesting listen today, usually not my podcast because I’m not really into middle-distance running and so but since these names are tossed around so often:
Thank you, thank you, thank you Syrke, for linking to Steve Magness’s blog. Although the energy dynamics of running and cycling are different, I would argue that the conditioning methods used by 400-800m and 800-1600m runners are especially applicable to most bike races of 2 hours or less – events that require a blend of explosiveness, repeated speed, and endurance.
My winter training last year was based as much off Magness’ and Daniels’ programs for 800-1600 combo runner as it was off of cycling models. I’ll be doing that again this winter…
Jan Frodeno, Anne Haug … both coached by Dan Lorang. Especilly Haug is interesting as she was injured for so long this season. Impressive rebound, excellent coaching by Lorang. Lots of information on his training philosophy out there.
Since Sagan “had been requested” here. Just recalled this, I think we already had it here. Base period training:
Normally, from November 15 until the Tour Down Under is our base period, then after the Down Under we begin training blocks working on intensity and speed before the Classics. February is the biggest training month of the year for us, when weekly volume peaks at 32-35 hours, usually in the third week of February.”
And the first week of this base period:
The first day consisted of an easy two-hour morning ride, followed by a more intense, speed-focused gym session. According to Vila, who is sports director and coach for Sagan’s Bora-Hansgrohe team, the aim of the day was to make his muscle fibres work together. On Tuesday, the ride lasted three and a half hours and included four 10-minute reps at 85 % of his maximum aerobic threshold. Wednesday’s ride was four and half hours long and included taking two hills.
Sagan used Thursday to recover, with a training program much like that on Monday. The cycling became more intense on Friday. The three-and-a-half-hour ride comprised some 30 reps during which Sagan rode at 100 to 105% of his aerobic power over hills, to build up endurance. On Saturday he took the longest endurance ride of the week, of 4 to 5 hours, riding with friends and adding torque efforts of three minutes at 50-60 rpm alternating with two minutes at 90 rpm, to build strength and fitness. On Sunday, he rested, watching a movie, reading, and playing on Play Station.
short interview with EB in the latest Cycling Podcast.
It is very important to him to race until the end of the season. He sees this as very important as prep for the next season. Also training through after his TdF. Everything with next season in focus.
May be succint but this - once again - highlights the Team Sky/Ineos philosophy: staying at ~95% throughout the year.
And for EB ToC in Feb must be important as well.
We should not copy pros’ trainings - but this is once again something worth for consideration for non-pros as well. Never understood why a 8-10hours amateur needs an extended off-season.
Looking for a team to take an “average” O50 rider. 
