I sporadically followed SSB, and then sustained power build over the last 3 months (winter for me down in NZ). I generally tried to do the midweek workouts, but skipped quite a lot of the weekend ones as i was doing group rides. Given my FTP didn’t change much from 300 to 310 which is about 4.7 W/Kg maybe my lack of compliance was a factor in that.
I don’t really have any A or B races until the beginning of next year. Just mid week crits. I’m probably a climber more than anything else, and my A event in March has lots of that, so was thinking of the climbing road race specialty. The criterium one also looks quite fun.
Given i have no events for a while, should i go back to base then build before specialty? or do specialty then jump back to build and specialty given i have time? Right now, short stuff is where i need to work given the races coming up are all crits and my short power isn’t that good.
Given the mid-week crits aren’t A or B races, I’d be inclined to go back to Base and then do a Build and Speciality targeted towards your main event (General Build => Rolling Road Race if the hills are short and punchy; Sustained Power Build => Climbing Road Race if the climbs are longer).
You haven’t got time for a full 28-week plan before March, but it sounds like you have good fitness so cutting Base short is probably the best option.
What type of climbing? Sustained 12-20 minute efforts or constant punchy climbs? If you have multiple long climbs, or the race finishes on a long climb, then I’d recommend climbing road race. If not you should do rolling road race (even if the total elevation change is high - if you’re doing repeated 2-10 minute hills you’re better off with rolling).
As for where you start - I’d jump right into the second half of SSB right now and then do a full build and full speciality
Right - but what is important to you? Are you racing for a time based GC? If so - is the GC typically decided on a long climb? a TT? A technical crit? If you aren’t racing for GC - are you focusing on a specific stage?
My next A race is a 3 day stage race where I will be targeting GC. The decisive time gaps usually come from the TT, but sometimes come from the fairly flat road race (one short big ring climb) in the form of a break that stays away. So I’m focused on rolling road race but with a few longer build workouts mixed in to get me the power for the TT.
Yeah definitely GC. I always thought rolling road race would basically be the best route, but after looking at it there are basically no sustained efforts, so don’t want to lose that power given its generally my point of difference in a race. i basically always just try and get in a breakaway on a long climb which has worked well in the past.
Maybe if i do rolling road race and add in some over unders and 2x20’s etc.
There already are some longer efforts in rolling road race - the sunday workouts keep you in those longer sweet spot intervals. You also could put in some of the over/unders from general build Saturday’s in to get those over/unders to help with the demands of a breakaway