Beginning and ending at the University of Cape Town, this opening time trial was far too short and early in the race to cement an overall victory, but a major setback or crash here could have ended the chances of success for the rest of the week. How did our athletes fare in their first day of racing at Cape Epic? Stay up to date with the teams: https://trainerroad.cc/3p0oNXW ---------------------------------------------- TRY TRAINERROAD RISK FREE FOR 30 DAYS! TrainerRoad makes cyclists faster. ...
Oct 17, 2021•12 min
Join Jonathan Lee and Trainerroad’s Rossouw Bekker as they break down the Cape Epic route, considering the unique demands and challenges that await them in each stage. ---------------------------------------------- TRY TRAINERROAD RISK FREE FOR 30 DAYS! TrainerRoad makes cyclists faster. Athletes get structured indoor workouts, science-backed training plans, and easy-to-use performance analysis tools to reach their goals. Get Started: https://bit.ly/3unoSnx Adaptive Training: What it is, how to ...
Oct 14, 2021•27 min
Cape Epic is finally here! Tune is as we get to know each team, what their preparation has been like, how they plan to execute and more. ---------------------------------------------- TRY TRAINERROAD RISK FREE FOR 30 DAYS! TrainerRoad makes cyclists faster. Athletes get structured indoor workouts, science-backed training plans, and easy-to-use performance analysis tools to reach their goals. Get Started: https://bit.ly/3unoSnx Adaptive Training: What it is, how to use it: https://bit.ly/3dIRClW ...
Oct 07, 2021•1 hr 50 min
High carb intake and endurance sports go hand-in-hand, but is this damaging to your health? Join us and Orange Seal Off-Road’s Hannah Finchamp as we dig into the relationships of glucose, insulin and workout intensity to know how you can prioritize health and performance, and much more! ---------------------------------------------- TOPICS COVERED IN THIS EPISODE - Intro 0:00 - What happens when our bodies eat sugar? 5:21 - How does insulin work? 8:38 - How does activity affect insulin? 15:52 - ...
Sep 30, 2021•2 hr 8 min
Anaerobic training is important for many athletes, but does its high-sugar burning nature lower your FTP? We’ll dig into the science of anaerobic training, lactate threshold, glycolysis, meal timing and much more in Episode 326 of the Ask a Cycling Coach Podcast! ---------------------------------------------- TOPICS COVERED IN THIS EPISODE - TrainerRoad launched a Free Trial! - How much is too much anaerobic training? - What anaerobic training does to your body - Does anaerobic training hurt FTP...
Sep 23, 2021•2 hr 6 min
Cross-training is not usually considered as necessary for cyclists, but should it be? We’ll cover the science of cross-training, how to raise power while dropping weight and much more in this episode of the Ask a Cycling Coach Podcast! ---------------------------------------------- TOPICS COVERED IN THIS EPISODE - TrainerRoad launched a Free Trial! - How to raise power while losing weight - Why some athletes drop power while losing weight - The science behind cross-training and why cyclists shou...
Sep 16, 2021•1 hr 34 min
We know you burn energy in training, but what about when you recover? What processes happen in your body and how much energy does it take? We’ll cover this and go into the do’s and don’ts of training camps with two pros from the Orange Seal Off-Road Team, Hannah Finchamp and Alex Wild! ---------------------------------------------- TOPICS COVERED IN THIS EPISODE - Intro 00:14 - Why do pro athletes still have elevated breathing rates on the podium? 13:07 - What happens in your body after a hard e...
Sep 09, 2021•2 hr 14 min
BWR Asheville winner Sofía Gomez Villafañe joins Coach Chad and Jonathan for a deep dive on elevation training, when to train high, when to train low, using elevation tents and more. Tune in now and get faster! ---------------------------------------------- TOPICS COVERED IN THIS EPISODE - Sofia’s BWR Ashville experience 5:49 - How do the fitness requirements differ between gravel and XCO 9:53 - Cape Epic update and the physical toll of stage racing 12:59 - Altitude training deep dive 27:14 - Sh...
Sep 02, 2021•2 hr 5 min
Keegan Swenson joins us to talk about his Leadville and Breck Epic wins and to help us answer your questions on training with bad air quality, finding your strengths and weaknesses and much more. Tune in now and get faster! ---------------------------------------------- TOPICS COVERED IN TODAY’S EPISODE Keegan’s experience at Leadville and the Breck Epic (00:28) How to prepare for long and short events at the same time (26:49) How air quality affects performance and health (41:08) Suspension for...
Aug 26, 2021•2 hr 17 min
Please be advised: this episode contains discussions about mental health that may be difficult for listeners. If you are in need of help or support, please contact: In the US: National Suicide Prevention Lifeline — tel:18002738255 In the UK: Samaritans — 116 123 This week, we have a very special episode of the Ask a Cycling Coach Podcast! Before she was a professional cyclist, Amber Pierce was a high-level swimmer aspiring to be an Olympian. However, the physical, emotional, and mental stress of...
Aug 19, 2021•1 hr 34 min
We interviewed 10 of the fastest athletes taking on the Leadville 100 to find out how they are uniquely preparing their bodies, equipment and execution strategies to find success at one of the biggest mountain bike races in the world. Tune in to hear from Sarah Sturm, Eddie Anderson, Laura King, Peter Stetina, Katerina Nash, Alex Wild, Hannah Finchamp, Keegan Swenson, Rose Grant and Alex Howes! ---------------------------------------------- LEARN MORE ABOUT ADAPTIVE TRAINING Adaptive Training Vi...
Aug 12, 2021•54 min
As the race season comes to an end, it’s time to begin to reflect on your journey. Moving forward, what are your plans for next season? We’ll cover this and more in Episode 319 of the Ask a Cycling Coach Podcast! ---------------------------------------------- LEARN MORE ABOUT ADAPTIVE TRAINING Adaptive Training Video: https://youtu.be/gE2yPYZ15ew Adaptive Training: What it is, how to use it: https://bit.ly/3dIRClW How Adaptive Training Makes You Faster: https://bit.ly/2ZNfWLq Request priority ac...
Aug 05, 2021•7 min
How are testosterone levels, recovery and adaptation affected by hair-loss drugs, how do you train explosivity, and how do you build an ideal leadout train? We’ll cover this and more in Episode 318 of the Ask a Cycling Coach Podcast! ---------------------------------------------- TOPICS COVERED IN THIS EPISODE - How to pace yourself in a fast race - Do hair loss treatments make you a slower cyclist? - Surging vs. steady power: which is best? - Who is your spirit Disney character and why? - HR Mo...
Jul 29, 2021•2 hr 13 min
Santa Cruz Bicycle’s Keegan Swenson joins us to talk about his two National Championship wins and his unexpectedly bumpy ride at Belgian Waffle Ride, as well as answering your questions on recovery modalities and joining us for a discussion on leadout train tactics and training. ---------------------------------------------- TOPICS COVERED IN THIS EPISODE - Intro 0:00 - Keegan’s learnings from National Championships 1:04 - Nate’s learnings from Tahoe Trail 100 22:233 - Managing hunger during tra...
Jul 22, 2021•2 hr 13 min
What muscle fiber type is best for cycling, how do you influence it, and how much of it is genetic? We’ll cover this as well as pro cyclist data and why many athletes don’t share it, how to race in dangerous circumstances and manage crashes and much more in Episode 316 of the Ask a Cycling Coach Podcast! ---------------------------------------------- TOPICS COVERED IN THIS EPISODE - Intro 0:13 - Jonathan’s learnings from National MTB National Championships 5:41 - Nate is racing again! 39:04 - Wh...
Jul 15, 2021•2 hr 6 min
This week, we have a very special episode of the Ask a Cycling Coach Podcast! We caught up with 10 professional mountain bikers to learn how they prepared for the MTB National Championships in Winter Park, CO. Learn how these athletes prepared for high elevation, what nutrition plan they’re following for the race, much more all covered in this week’s Ask a Cycling Coach Podcast! ---------------------------------------------- TOPICS COVERED IN THIS EPISODE - Welcome to a very special episode! - A...
Jul 09, 2021•50 min
Does metabolic efficiency change at different intensities, when do you choose to mark a rider or go solo and make them chase, how to increase your sustained power abilities and much more all covered in this week’s Ask a Cycling Coach Podcast! ---------------------------------------------- TOPICS COVERED IN THIS EPISODE - Carrying momentum while cornering in a group 15:53 - Does metabolic efficiency change at different intensities? 36:27 - The hosts’ thoughts on the start of the 2021 Tour de Fran...
Jul 01, 2021•2 hr
Welcome to the podcast that’s dedicated to making you a faster cyclist, the Ask a Cycling Coach Podcast presented by TrainerRoad. I’m Coach Jonathan Lee and each week on this podcast we answer the questions you submit to make you a faster cyclist. I’m joined by a rotating cast of coaching and pro athlete co-hosts including our Head Coach Chad Timmerman, retired World Tour Pro cyclist Amber Pierce, and many others as we share what we’ve learned while researching your questions throughout the week...
Jun 30, 2021•1 min
Coach Chad is back! This week we dig into how VO2max affects FTP, why heart rate may be lower or higher for different people at different times, and discussions about positioning in aggressive groups, heat, crashing and more inspired by Tulsa Tough. ---------------------------------------------- TOPICS COVERED IN THIS EPISODE - Intro 0:04 - Jonathan’s Tulsa Tough experience 12:20 - The difference between racing for a win versus a solid finish 20:54 - How to ride in an aggressive group 24:30 - Me...
Jun 17, 2021•2 hr 3 min
Taylor Lideen, the winner of the 357 mile Unbound XL gravel race, joins us to talk about how he trained for such a massive race, his nutrition and equipment choices, how he executed on race day, as well as his tips for endurance athletes and a discussion on the intersection of mental health and endurance sport. Follow Taylor on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tlideen ---------------------------------------------- LEARN MORE ABOUT ADAPTIVE TRAINING Adaptive Training Video: https://youtu.be/g...
Jun 10, 2021•53 min
How to reach and maintain peak fitness for as long as possible, how many all-out efforts does a rider have each year, how to use elevation training and heat training to get faster and much more in Episode 311 of the Ask a Cycling Coach Podcast! ---------------------------------------------- TOPICS COVERED IN THIS EPISODE - Intro 0:03 - How long can you sustain peak fitness? 3:52 - How to prioritize events and why it’s important 6:22 - How to perform well year-round 11:01 - How much of peaking is...
Jun 03, 2021•2 hr 2 min
Whether it’s elevation, heat, technicality or just an abnormally strong field, going the extra mile to make sure you are ready for your goal event can make a big difference. Tune is as we discuss this, as Amber shared what she is learning about pregnancy and cycling, and as Pete shares tips on mid-ride nutrition in Episode 310 of the Ask a Cycling Coach Podcast. ---------------------------------------------- TOPICS COVERED IN THIS EPISODE - Pregnancy and cycling - How big rides make you faster -...
May 27, 2021•1 hr 26 min
Detraining happens any time we decrease training stimulus, but how quickly does it happen, how can you retain as much fitness as possible, and how should you adjust your race strategy as a result? Join us for a deep dive into this and many other topics in Episode 309 of the Ask a Cycling Coach Podcast. ---------------------------------------------- BLOG ARTICLES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE TrainNow is Improving https://bit.ly/33D8a8X Introducing Workout Levels https://bit.ly/2RQBypg TrainerRoad Tr...
May 20, 2021•1 hr 38 min
Get an inside look into why and how we updated all of our training plans with data from Adaptive Training, a question from a pro cyclist on how World Tour racing differs from amateur racing, how to best use Left/Right Balance and more in Episode 308 of the Ask a Cycling Coach Podcast! ---------------------------------------------- BLOG ARTICLES MENTIONED IN THIS EPISODE - TrainNow is Improving https://bit.ly/33D8a8X - Introducing Workout Levels https://bit.ly/2RQBypg - TrainerRoad Training Plan ...
May 13, 2021•1 hr 59 min
Why are you always hungry during rest weeks and what can you do about it? Does air density affect physiological performance, and can smelling salts make you faster? Tune into Episode 307 of the Ask a Cycling Coach for these topics and much more! ---------------------------------------------------------------- TOPICS COVERED IN THIS EPISODE Welcome back to Amber and Nate! 0:00:11 Takeaways from Jonathan’s first MTB race in over a year 0:17:18 Polarized Training Plans update 0:35:02 Does air densi...
May 06, 2021•2 hr 2 min
Erica Carney is one of the all-time best American crit racers, but her goal of winning a pro national criterium championship took years of hard work to achieve. Tune in as we answer your questions about tactics, bike handling and more, and discuss what Erica did to improve her tactics and abilities each year to finally win the 2017 Women’s Pro Criterium National Championship. ------------------------------------------------------------------ TOPICS COVERED IN THIS EPISODE 00:12 - Erica’s cycling...
Apr 29, 2021•53 min
Getting used to race intensity can be jarring, so how do you prepare yourself before race day? We’ll cover this, a deep dive on outside interval training, various discussions on what affects recovery and how to manage it, and much more in Episode 305 of the Ask a Cycling Coach Podcast! Creating a Custom Garmin Screen for Outside Workouts: https://support.trainerroad.com/hc/en-us/articles/360028380691-Creating-a-Custom-Garmin-Screen Wahoo Outside Workouts Best Practices: https://support.trainerro...
Apr 22, 2021•2 hr 7 min
Qualifying for the Olympics is an interesting and complicated process that sees pro racers adjust their training and race calendars in unique ways that us amateur cyclists can learn from. This week we talk to Clif Pro Team’s Sofía Gomez Villafañe and Russell Finsterwald about how they have worked through their roles in the olympic qualification process as well how they prepared for an early season race in the heat of Puerto Rico, why and how power data from off road races can be so low, and how ...
Apr 15, 2021•1 hr 4 min
What is the cause behind getting dropped and how do you train to avoid it happening in the future, should cyclists and triathletes maintain a caloric deficit, which supplements have the most impact on performance and much more in Episode 303 of the Ask a Cycling Coach Podcast! ------------------------------------------------------------------ TOPICS COVERED IN THIS EPISODE Intro 0:00 Adaptive Training update 00:59 How much activity is too much on a recovery day? 14:59 Easing back into racing saf...
Apr 08, 2021•2 hr 14 min
Eamon Lucas is an American bike racer who has achieved success as a road and crit racer in the USA, racing fixed gear bikes in the Redhook Crit series for the star-studded Specialized Rocket Espresso team, and now in the intense Belgian Kermesse racing scene. Listen in as we discuss the different race tactics and cultural nuances of racing in different regions and formats that have helped Eamon be successful. Eamon’s Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/eamon_lucas/ Eamon’s Team - Shifting Gears...
Apr 01, 2021•1 hr 11 min
