If you were a cycling coach....

[Bill Gates]

With due respect to Yukon and Milk float I am very grateful for your input as it is most welcome. It is disappointing that there is a wealth of knowledge and experience on the forum that can be tapped into for the benefit of all yet there have been to date only 2 real serious contributions to the thread. Any and all training is good. E.g. For me there is no such thing as junk miles. No one is right and no one is wrong. Training can be smarter if handled in a certain way. On the other hand if it works for you then carry on. Training is subjective after al.

I'm old skool but I've learned from my son that trainng with power can be a useful tool. For a coach it is a way of measuring progress. From a riders perspective I never had a coach but trained instinctively by the way my body adapted to different aspects of training and developed my own plan.. So I'm not convinced that a rider needs it.

I need some help on training for this upcoming race. Is my plan sound? Would you do anything different?

 

[Bill Gates]

I'm undecided re HIIT long intervals in 2nd week. I'm thinking only 1 x session long intervals and 1 x session sprints and in the third week just 1 x session sprints on the Sunday. I'll let my son decide based on how he feels.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

The long intervals will help with his sustained power. City centre racing can involve long periods working at a high level with multiple surges. The sprinting will help to ensure maintaining a good position for the corners.

Did he feel he could have done more during the breakaway of his last race or was he on his limit? How did his sprint compare to the winner?

You could consider combining long hiit intervals with sprints to practice surging when already working at a high level.

City centre racing often involves multiple tight corners how is his bike handling for doing this? Is there somewhere he can safely practice the handling skills in addition to the sustained power and sprint training?

 

[Bill Gates]

The long intervals will help with his sustained power. City centre racing can involve long periods working at a high level with multiple surges. The sprinting will help to ensure maintaining a good position for the corners.

Did he feel he could have done more during the breakaway of his last race or was he on his limit? How did his sprint compare to the winner?

You could consider combining long hiit intervals with sprints to practice surging when already working at a high level.

City centre racing often involves multiple tight corners how is his bike handling for doing this? Is there somewhere he can safely practice the handling skills in addition to the sustained power and sprint training?

He said that in the last 25 km riding in the three man break was very very hard. The gap to the peloton was hovering between 1 minute and 1 minute 10 seconds with their team mates not helping the chase at all. Useful experience because now he knows if he is chasing down a break how the riders in the break are feeling. Near the finish he knew they would stay away as the gap was 1 minute 10 seconds

He knows he would have won if he had made a break in the last 1 km and also that he would have won the sprint had he contested it. If he had told me what he had intended to do then I would have counselled him not to. It is unlikely that in a three man sprint finish you can let a team mate win without opening the gate for the other rider which is what happened.

I've just received confirmation that there are 12 laps and the circuit is about 5.5 m and I've counted 8 corners. It's basically a criterium and it will be as you describe, lots of surging and sprinting. His team mate and training partner are sussing out the circuit this week. My thinking is along the same lines as you recommend which is to concentrate on the sprints and practice the bike handling.

Winning isn't easy. That's why if you want to win you have to train harder than the other guy.

 

[Racing roadkill]

Do squats, ride lots, do intervals, eat like a horse, rest for 24 hours prior to the event

 

[Bill Gates]

Do squats, ride lots, do intervals, eat like a horse, rest for 24 hours prior to the event

He doesn't include squats in his routine. He should but now is probably not the time to start as too close to the end of the season for him. I'll be suggesting weight training as part of his preparation for next season.
Rightly or wrongly I've recommended that he should concentrate on his speed work at the moment. After the next race he will up the mileage for the 3 day stage race coming up. Eat when you're hungry not when you are full is my recipe as an athlete. I'm not sure that his table manners are horse like. last time I was with him he was using a knife and fork.

I appreciate the lack of doing anything hard and fast on the pre race day. My preparation always included a big intense effort but not one that was sustained long enough to reduce energy levels. I liked to feel my form was still there.

 

[CXRAndy]

So my plan was nearly executed

Obviously you're well ontop of your sons racing development.

From observations, weight training, moped motor pacing are valuable in developing speed and power.

 

[Bill Gates]

I was told by the very great rider Eddie Adkins ( a good down to earth bloke), when he was into his string of 25 mile TT championship wins that he had prepared the week before the event by getting motor paced. Because of the fumes he had developed a habit albeit temporarily, of turning his head to breathe. I never had anyone who could do that for me.

 

[Bill Gates]

Some modifications to the training in hand, but I'll probably keep them out of the public eye for the time being. The triathlon cycling leg (90 kilometres) is a week on Friday the week before the Town Centre Road Race. I thought the TT was after the Road Race not before.

 

[Bill Gates]

The race last week is history so we now the plan for the next race which is a week on Friday. And that is the 90 km leg of a team triathlon. The coming days includes a weekend away at a spa hotel for my son and his missus. The weekend in Oman is Friday and Saturday.

Today steady ride on tri bars 44 km
Thursday HIIT sprint intervals of 30 seconds
Friday/Saturday weekend away
Sunday HIIT 4 x 10 minutes 105% FTP plus 4 x 2 minutes max effort( he says 400 watts) plus 2 x 20 seconds sprint. ( Tough to complete)
Monday recovery spin
Tuesday 50 km steady
Wednesday nothing at all
Thursday 50 km steady
Friday 90 km TT

IMO it's important to keep riding the bike, and for the want of a better expression, getting the miles in between HIIT sessions. 3 full recovery days, (nothing at all days) should see consolidation of fitness gains re power increases. That's the plan to get him ready for a stunning performance in the Friday TT. I have no doubt that he will be the fastest rider, but unlikely to podium as his missus is doing both the swim and the run. I've told him he has to hand over to his missus on the run with a 10 minute advantage.

The top picture was taken just as he was making the break half way up the last climb. The second picture is the sprint to the line

 

[Bill Gates]

Lots to add but I'm sensing a lack of interest. So nothing further unless requested.