9 Specific Cycling Sprinting Sessions
It’s probably not unrealistic to say that 85%+ of bike races end in some kind of sprint finish. Even if it’s just a small group mix-up. That’s why it’s absolutely critical that even if you’re not naturally considered a sprinter, you need to sharpen your game if you want to win races.
Both Luke and I are naturally more suited as climbers, so we’ve had to work extra hard on any of our sprinting capabilities. Sprinting is an interesting ability because it’s both a combination of skill and physical prowess. The interesting thing is that you often don’t need to be the fastest guy in the bunch to podium. Sometimes even win.
It’s all about maximizing both your physical capabilities, and your skills. For example, so long as you’ve got some good speed, and a bit of kick you can use bunch positioning (so following the right wheels) to still do very well.
I always hark back to one Australian title where I was nearly dropped from the front group on the final climb, managed to get back on on the decent, select the right wheel (Luke Roberts – 3 times World Champion on the track) and follow it to a podium position.
I certainly wasn’t the strongest rider on the day. However, using my sprinting skills, I managed to get a bronze medal.
We’ve put together 9 “secret sessions” that we and other professionals we know have used to sharpen both their sprinting skills and physical capabilities. You can now find these in the MyCycling members area to download.
