The Cancellara's
Xavier Nafria Mitjans ~ Catalunya TT Championships
Just about to leave the start ramp to take 5th place on a borrowed bike!
When & Why?
A session to get you up and at 'em like the
great man himself. If you need to develop a breakaway ability,
jump gaps, give lead-outs or just want to ride people off your wheel,
this is the session for you.
Where?
A turbo is best because you can control
the variables and really hit the numbers for those that are power based.
If not, the road will do nicely, but you'll have to go on feel, perception and
keep your wits about you. This is a head-dropper if ever there was
one.
It's best done in to the wind to build strength, with a tail wind to build speed. Mix and match the two, depending on your needs.
How?
From a medium to high pace, remember you're simulating race
conditions, give an "almost" all out ten second spurt in (say) a 53 x
14. Ten seconds, absolutely no more.
Change down to a 15, then get settled in and up to speed as quickly as possible. Get on top of the gear and hold a sustainable "six minute" cruising speed.
After a minute, without breaking rhythm, snick it up a gear and drop back in to the 53 x 14. You're now going to slightly drop the cadence but increase your speed for a further two minutes.
When the two minutes are up, give the gear paddle another bash and get in to the 53 x 13. You're now going to try to maintain the cadence and hold the increased speed for a full three minutes.
Don't worry if you can't the first time, it will come. Keep your form and technique, hold your body steady (no flailing like a fish out of water) and send all the power from the hips downwards.
At the end of the six minutes and ten seconds; sit up, recover, take a drink, get in the small ring and get the heart rate down, and lactate out of your legs, as quickly as you can.
After five minutes, go again! Try to get three efforts knocked out, then go home, or crawl off the turbo. Tomorrow you'll hurt. After two or three weeks, you can take on the world.
Mix and match with a few other of our sessions (and a shed load of talent) and you might just be able to finish in the top five of a national championship like Xavier...
The Warm Up Warning
All interval sessions require a thorough and proper warm up...
Once thoroughly warmed up and at "race pace" readiness, undertake the following session.
