Cyclists who ride year-round sometimes get lulled into a routine that long ago stopped being challenging enough or engaging enough to improve performance. It’s not that you’re out of shape or that you’re not training, it’s that you haven’t changed anything is so long that there’s no reason for your body to adapt and improve …
When Alison Jackson decided to make the 2023 Paris-Roubaix Femmes her “A race” for the spring, I was all for it. The Olympian who rides for EF-Education-TIBCO-SVB is well suited to the “Hell of the North”. She has a big aerobic engine and great tactical savvy from 8 years racing as a professional, plus a …
As sports fans we are accustomed to witnessing extraordinary performances, like CTS Athlete Alison Jackson’s victory in last weekend’s Paris-Roubaix Femmes. (Stay tuned for Coach Adam Pulford’s analysis of her training and race data on Tuesday!) Huge wins are inspirational. Many cyclists go out after watching an amazing cycling race like Paris-Roubaix and have storming …
By Jim Rutberg, CTS Pro Coach, co-author of “Ride Inside“ and “The Time-Crunched Cyclist” Spring can be a tricky time for cyclists. You have spent a long time in base or foundation training and spring and summer races are on the horizon. It’s time to shift from building fitness to optimizing performance for specific …
Easy is in. If you are an athlete and paying even a little attention to endurance sport media, you have likely been inundated with content hyping easy training intensities. ‘Go slow to go fast’ is trending, with loads of content creators going all in on Zone 1, Zone 2, more rest days, fewer intervals, and …
By Jim Rutberg, CTS Pro Coach, co-author of “Ride Inside“, “The Time-Crunched Cyclist” Coffee has long been engrained in cycling culture. Many group rides start, end, or sometimes include stops at coffee shops. Coffee-related companies have sponsored some of the most iconic teams in the sport’s history, including Eddy Merckx’s 1969 Tour winning Faema team, …
Long rides can be intimidating for newer riders, but they don’t need to be. Training for a century ride is one of the most common cycling goals. With some patience, practice, and consistency on the bike, anyone can develop the fitness, skills, and confidence to achieve this milestone. Here’s a guide on how to train …
In an era when athletes are inundated with data from power meters and wearable sensors, it’s important to be selective about the data you pay attention to. Not all data is equally valuable, nor are all sensors accurate and consistent enough to provide data worth listening to. Of the options available, heart rate variability for …
There’s a whole world of adventure on the other side of that “pavement ends” sign. More cyclists than ever are riding and racing on gravel roads. Registration for popular gravel events sells out in minutes, so committing to show up at the start line can often take 10-12 months of planning. The training, equipment, and …
The gamification of indoor cycling is closing the gap between indoor and outdoor experiences, but cyclists who spend a lot of time riding inside need to hone their handling skills when they venture out into the real world. Gravity, wind resistance, and traction are all real and waiting to beat you up. Consistent training leads …