Speed Training Program For Cycling – UPDATED 2021 – Speed Intervals For Cyclists
As we get older, many cyclists drift towards a steady-state speed, focusing on a speed training program for four weeks can help solve this issue.
Commonly, these types of cyclists spend too much time training at one speed. Doing so affects your ability to accelerate, meaning you jeopardize your ability to sprint and close gaps. Adding some specific speed training to your aerobic fitness can help improve acceleration, increase your sprinting and improve your group riding experience.
Free Speed Training Program
Below is the general outline of some of the cycling speed training workouts included in the free 4-week training plan.
Workout #1 – Ramp sprints
While explosive sprinting requires you to start from recovery to a full sprint. The sprinting we want to address is during a group ride or race. Meaning you are sprinting at the end of a hard ramp-up, rather than from a lower speed.
The ramp sprints are a longer buildup sprint, requiring you to build into the sprint over 4 minutes. This requires you to build the speed over each minute until the last 15 seconds where you produce a maximum effort.
Workout #2 – Speed Intervals For Cyclists
Speed intervals help you to accelerate hard several times in quick succession. Doing so can help you during group rides, criterium races or during the beginning of a Mountainbike race.
The speed intervals combine changing of speed with high acceleration. Meaning this requires you to sprint for 20 seconds and recover for 45 seconds. You then repeat the cycle for 5 minutes.
Workout #4 – High-Speed Sprints
Most sprints start from high speed, but there is a need in your speed training for maximum power sprints. These all-out sprints help develop your top-end speed and power in your speed training program.
During these sprints its essential to understand your gearing choice. You want to start with a heavier gear to produce a high resistance but not high enough that it takes you more than 5-6 seconds to turn it over. For most people starting this type of speed workout, a 53×14 or a 50×12 should suffice. If you are a more experienced cyclist, starting with a 53×12 should be suitable.
