Working on intensity without structured sessions

Cycling contains a significant contradiction: all riders hope to achieve a sufficiently interesting level to enjoy themselves, but few of them truly give themselves the means to do so by implementing appropriate preparation.

The parallel with running, an endurance sport often compared to cycling, is thus evocative: indeed, a very large majority of runners follow a training plan, at least for a few months of the year. In comparison, what percentage of cyclists are in the same situation?

Let’s go even further, even if things are evolving slowly but surely: cyclists who follow a precise training plan are exceptions; runners who do not follow a training plan are exceptions…

Text: Olivier Dulaurent – Photos: Castelli, Sportful, Facebook Jumbo Visma, Depositphotos

Time for “feeling”

This observation refers to the essence of our sport: it is an endurance activity where pleasure is emphasized.

Many cyclists still believe that the notions of drafting and slipstreaming allow for leveling intrinsic values, relying on the peloton effect, by holding onto the right wheels. And rightly so, because this is precisely impossible in running.

Therefore, very specific axes are highlighted in preparation: volume is clearly prioritized, intensity is often set aside.

The top priority is often distance. The goal is then to gradually increase the duration of long rides, in order to hope to “go the distance.”

In parallel, elevation gain is the other priority. Routes are varied, trying to take longer, more difficult climbs, or even integrating training camps.

The pursuit of the best possible endurance is the main reason why the collective weekend ride constitutes the key session. Besides this, you will still too often tend to “improvise” with an emphasis on recovery in order to be full of energy for the weekend (race or ride with friends).

However, the simple accumulation of kilometers proves insufficient.

Indeed, to progress, you need to harmoniously develop your “cycling profile” and therefore all other qualities.

And notably your PMA, which should nevertheless be a quality worked on very regularly, including in winter.

What about the engine?

Endurance work, however important it may be, will therefore always be insufficient if it is exclusive in your preparation.

Let’s talk about power. Indeed, the best cyclists are first and foremost endowed with a high PMA. And it is this ratio between these intrinsic capacities, higher than average, and body weight that will make the difference between them.

Without a high VO2max (maximum oxygen consumption) and a high PMA (maximal aerobic power), there is little hope of excelling or even enjoying yourself by racing on your Sunday ride. And all progress will necessarily involve an improvement of this parameter. Without intensity work (in the very broad sense of the term), you will never exploit more than 85 to 90% of your intrinsic potential.

Everyone will agree on this point, but you are not all (or always) ready to sacrifice your “pleasure” rides to subject yourselves to very calibrated, precise sessions, during which the stopwatch rubs shoulders with the heart rate monitor, or better yet the power meter, and for which the chosen routes become “work tools.”

Really not for you?

Calibrated sessions still deter many cyclists, and that is understandable.

Several justifications are often put forward:

• this type of work is too restrictive (need to wear a heart rate monitor, to monitor the stopwatch)
• it does not correspond to your aspirations, it is not your conception of cycling
• despite advice read (especially on 3bikes.fr) you don’t know how to go about it
• you are afraid of doing it wrong and falling into fatigue
• you think you are too old for this type of work, or are afraid of putting yourself in danger (the fear of raising your heart rate after 50 years old)

Therefore, a underlying question arises: can one “still” progress without these calibrated sessions? Is it effective to work on rhythm changes more freely?

Towards “freer” training

For the majority of you, it’s about solving a dilemma: progressing, even if it means “hurting yourself” but while still having fun.

Of course, nothing beats precise annual planning and targeted sessions, with well-executed PMA work, but some avenues can be followed, with more playful content.

From the moment you “hurt yourself” at the right time, i.e., at a distance from the prepared events, this work will necessarily be beneficial. And a few “crank sessions” with friends on Sunday morning will not be enough if they are not followed by other high-intensity efforts during the week.

10 examples for solo rides

Here are some very easy-to-implement contents that can help you break out of your usual routine:

1. Climb all hills with progressive acceleration (once by dropping gears, once on a fixed gear by increasing pedaling cadence, alternating)
2. Climb all hills in a regressive manner, with a maximal sprint at the bottom, then gradually easing off the effort
3. Systematically place a high-cadence acceleration at the top of climbs after an ascent done with force
4. Climb hills fast / slow / fast in approximately one-third segments
5. Climb hills by systematically and significantly re-accelerating at each turn
6. Alternate one climb at a slightly higher pace, mostly out of the saddle and with high cadence / one climb at a slightly lower pace, mostly seated and with force
7. On a rather flat course, place 10 to 15 accelerations in “fartlek” (free pace play): “I ride full gas until such and such a landmark” varying the duration of effort
8. On a rather flat course, adopt a “race pace” between two distant villages and a “time trial pace” between two nearby villages (for 1 to 2 hours maximum)
9. Systematically place a sprint for 5 to 30 seconds after a re-acceleration (roundabouts, change of direction, stop at a light or a stop sign, etc.)
10.  Cross highway bridges or very short climbs (less than one minute of effort) at a sprint, alternating once with force / once with high cadence

Five examples for group rides

1. Play the game of “town sign sprints” with, why not, a point count and a friendly challenge for the best sprinter
2. Establish a “King of the Mountain” challenge by multiplying short climbs with, if necessary, a handicap for the strongest if the group is not homogeneous (e.g., a standing start 30 seconds after the group)
3. Push your turns in the wind or even deliberately move out of the echelon to maintain a high heart rate
4. Integrate sequences at an intensity close to your maximum capabilities over distances of 500 m to 3 km at the simple signal of one of the participants (“first to reach such and such a place”, “first to the top of the climb”)
5. Set up pursuit games: one member of the group breaks away, the rest of the group takes turns to close a gap that has been defined beforehand (e.g., one minute).

Beware of excesses!

It is therefore possible to partially compensate for the absence of calibrated (or “millimetered,” as detractors would say) sessions in preparation, but be careful not to fall into excess.

Training relies on a constant balance:

– between work and rest

– between volume and intensity

– between the different physical qualities you will develop.

The main mistake would be to try to compensate for the lack of quality by focusing on intensity on every ride: “full gas” alone, in the evening, during the week, “pseudo race” on Sunday in a group, repeating proposed sessions without intermediate recovery sessions.

The orientations proposed above should not be taken to the detriment of other physical qualities, especially strength.

Otherwise, you risk not recovering, falling into fatigue, or even experiencing exhaustion and the depths of overtraining.

Do not revolutionize your preparation in terms of volume; simply add value with deliberately playful intensity work aimed at compensating for the absence of qualitative work.

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