Holding a coaching log is among the strongest instruments for bettering biking efficiency — not only for recording miles and watts, however for analyzing what actually results in success. A latest research (Roete et al. 2025) examined the coaching diaries {of professional} ladies cyclists throughout a number of seasons to uncover patterns that separated extremely profitable campaigns from much less profitable ones. The findings spotlight how coaching amount, depth distribution, and smarter race execution could make the distinction between breakthrough outcomes and frustration — and provide classes that each bicycle owner can apply.
The most effective causes for protecting a coaching log is analyzing it to determine what labored and what didn’t work. Can we see what traits highlighted extremely profitable versus much less profitable seasons?
There are many choices obtainable for monitoring your coaching. Probably the most primary is an easy paper pocket book, and a dozen years in the past I discovered binders filled with my paper coaching logs from my early racing days within the Nineteen Eighties whereas serving to my dad and mom transfer homes.
These days, there are a plethora of high-tech computer systems and software program to trace each second of each exercise on and off the bike. They’ll do a number of the grunt work of research for you, and even predict your future efficiency.
A reminder that the entire knowledge is nice, however you get essentially the most out of your coaching log once you put in subjective particulars. How was your sleep? Did you’ve gotten exterior stress that will have an effect on your coaching? Have been you sick? How had been your legs feeling? These particulars actually assist to flesh out your coaching log, particularly when reviewing it months or years later via the foggy haze of reminiscence.
Roete et al. 2025 – On the lookout for Patterns of Success and Failure
Rob Lamberts and Teun van Vliet are two of my colleagues who’ve achieved a number of work over the previous decade deciphering the precise calls for of elite female and male biking. In a latest article within the Worldwide Journal of Sports activities Physiology & Efficiency [Side note – a big career milestone for me will be taking over as the Editor-in-Chief for IJSPP in 2026!], their group analyzed the coaching and racing knowledge {of professional} feminine cyclists over a number of years (Roete et al. 2025). The purpose was to see whether or not there have been patterns attribute of extremely profitable versus much less profitable seasons.
- 14 riders participated, with a median of three seasons per rider (43 seasons whole) spanning over 7 years (2013-2019). Not outright said, however they had been all from a single World Tour ladies’s group. Over the 7 years, the group used SRM, Pioneer, then Shimano energy meters.
- As UCI factors scoring modified a number of instances over this time window, ProCyclingStats factors scores had been used as a substitute because the scoring didn’t change. Seasons had been categorized as “Extremely Profitable” (HS) if riders averaged ³ 5 factors/race over the season, and “Much less Profitable” (LS) if < 5 factors/race.
- Period, distance, energy output (PO), coronary heart price, and kilojoules burned had been extracted from the information for each coaching and races. Mechanical vitality produced was calculated as imply energy output multiplied by length. Coaching Stress Rating (TSS) was calculated based mostly on FTP, which itself was calculated as 95% of the very best 20 min imply energy output throughout a season.
- 5 coaching zones had been calculated as 1: <55% FTP, 2: 56-75%, 3: 76-90%, 4: 91-105%, 5: >105%.
- Inner load was decided by every rider subjectively score the general session score of perceived exertion (sRPE, an general subjective score of how laborious the whole session felt) from 6-20, then multiplying this by the length of the session.
Predictors of Success?
This research was properly designed in that it was not centered on only one rider, and represented a cross-section of rider specialties and group roles. Of the 14 riders, 7 cyclists had 3 seasons included, 1 had 4, and a couple of had 6 seasons, representing a superb sampling.
Of the 43 seasons analyzed, 18 had been labeled as extremely profitable (3938 coaching session, 814 races), averaging 11.5 PCS factors per race. 25 had been labeled as much less profitable (5098 coaching periods and 1160 races), averaging 0.5 PCS factors per race. This broad distinction offered good confidence that there was true separation within the categorizations.
Intuitively, FTP was increased in HS seasons (275 W) than in LS seasons (252 W). This doubtless wasn’t on account of extra coaching or racing days however the whole and common coaching length and work was increased in HS. And as no distinction was seen in imply energy output or work per km, it seems success got here via MORE amount moderately than depth.
Success additionally appears affected by driving longer and more durable races, with common length, distance, whole work accomplished per kilogram, and TSS per kilometre throughout races increased in HS.
With coaching depth, HS had much less relative time spent in zones 4-5, with no distinction in zones 1-3. This means that riders could not have been burning themselves out via laborious coaching, however moderately utilizing races to realize health.
In relation to races although, HS seasons noticed riders doubtless driving smarter, with much less relative time in zone 5 and extra in zone 1 (no variations in zones 2-4). This doubtless concerned higher positioning and techniques moderately than pointless aggression.
What Can We Study From the Execs?
Studying how sport scientists analyze professional riders’ coaching diaries can undoubtedly be translated to our personal driving and racing. What are a few of my takeaways?
- There appears to be no substitute for amount of coaching. Moreover being constant in frequency, the extra time you may put into coaching, the fitter and extra profitable you’re prone to turn out to be.
- Not simply extra coaching, however extra disciplined coaching at decrease intensities, appears to be key. Be aware how absolutely the time spent in zones 4-5 (pink and orange in plot A) didn’t improve, however moderately massive absolute will increase within the much less intense zones 1-3.
- When racing, studying to draft throughout the pack and conceal from the wind appears essential. This lets you put your extra intense efforts to the place they’ll make the largest influence on the race, moderately than losing these efforts getting you into the appropriate place. So hone your technical abilities.
Journey/race quick and have enjoyable!
References
Roete AJ, Erp T van, Elferink-Gemser MT, et al (2025) Inner and Exterior Load Traits in Skilled Feminine Cyclists Throughout Extremely Profitable and Much less Profitable Seasons. Worldwide Journal of Sports activities Physiology and Efficiency 20:1224–1231. https://doi.org/10.1123/ijspp.2024-0365
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