Simon Doughty - The Cyclists Training Manual

DISCLAIMER: Cycling in any form from the commute to work to downhill mountain biking can be a risky business, so always be sensible, keep alert and wear a helmet! And be sure to keep your bike well maintained and give it a once over before every ride. Finally, if you are new to exercise or you plan to significantly increase your training, a trip to the doctor for a check up is always worth while. Keep all this in mind and cycling will keep you fitter and more healthy than almost any other sport or activity there is.

Published in 2007 by A&C Black,
an imprint of Bloomsbury Publishing Plc
50 Bedford Square
London WC1B 3DP
www.bloomsbury.com

Reprinted 2008, 2010

This electronic edition published 2013 by Bloomsbury Publishing Plc

Copyright 2007, 2013 Guy Andrews and Simon Doughty

ISBN (print) 978 0 7136 7741 6
ISBN (ePDF) 978 1 4081 0792 8
ISBN (ePUB) 978 1 4081 9538 3

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form or by any means graphic, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or storage information and retrieval systems without the prior permission in writing of the publishers.

Guy Andrews and Simon Doughty have asserted their right under the Copyright, Designs and Patent Act 1988 to be identified as the authors of this work.

A CIP record for this book is available from the British Library.

Note: While every effort has been made to ensure that the content of this book is as technically accurate and as sound as possible, neither the author nor the publisher can accept responsibility for any injury or loss sustained as a result of the use of this material.

Acknowledgements
All photographs Gerard Brown
Cover and inside design by Lilla Nwenu-Msimang

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When you see the huge pack of riders in full flight coming into a stage finish of the Tour de France, see us suffer over the high mountains or empty ourselves in a time trial...

Its the training that gets us there that you dont see!

Training for five, six, seven hours a day in all weathers for years and years; the sacrifice, the dedication this is what it takes to reach the pinnacle of the sport.

Winning Paris Roubaix in 2004 was my payback for the days as a teenager where I sat studying a huge poster of double-Roubaix-winner Gilbert Duclos Lassalle on my bedroom wall. Like all youngsters I used to say to myself, One day I will win that race!

To stand on the podium lofting a huge lump of stone that you get for winning the queen of the classics was, for me, the reward for all the years that I have dedicated myself to my training.

You will achieve some success by just riding your bike, but you will miss something. Sometimes you wont be able to put your finger on what it was... Structure!

I am famous for my work ethic, but even as a professional I admit I sometimes lacked structure. I have a coach who plans my training to the letter, and I know how planning and structuring your training correctly makes a huge difference to your performance.

This book will prove invaluable to you in improving your performance and enjoyment of your cycling. It not only gives you all you need to know about skills and training whatever your event but it does so with a structured approach. Follow that structure and you will see the benefits.

Good Luck!

Magnus Backstedt

Welcome to the cyclists training manual

Cycling is a unique sport most of us are taught the basics at an early age, often before we are introduced to any other sport. And thats it, no more help, apart from maybe a cycling proficiency test at school. Which is a shame, as anyone no matter what their age or ability can improve and get more enjoyment from their time on a bike, with just a little bit of effort and planning.

This book is a response to the fact that there is very little information available to help new and experienced riders improve, on both technical and fitness levels. Until now, the information that has been available has been guarded by elite coaches which is not that helpful to anyone other than the pro riders. The Cyclists Training Manual is the first resource aimed at every cyclist no matter what their experience or aspirations which brings together everything needed to make big improvements to both skill and fitness levels.

Who is this book for?

Quite simply, we have written this book for anyone who wants to improve in their cycling. Perhaps youre looking for a new challenge and are coming to cycling for the first time. Or maybe you want to try a new branch of cycle sport, and fancy trading in your racer for a mountain bike. Or you may have been riding in your discipline for years and are looking for some fresh ideas to help improve your results. If you are one of these people or anyone else for that matter then this is the book for you. All you need is an interest in cycling.

What does this book cover?

We have put the book together so that it can either be read from start to finish or you can dip in and out of chapters depending on your experience and the advice you are looking for. The chapters progress in a logical order, but there are plenty of top tips scattered throughout that will make interesting reading if you just have a few minutes to kill before heading out on your bike.

Whichever way you use the book, we hope it helps to make you a better rider and, at the very least, helps you to enjoy your cycling more.

: the basics this chapter covers everything from buying your bike and looking after it, through what to take on your rides, to finding the best places to ride and choosing the best conditions to start your riding.

: cycling skills this chapter looks at the skills that each cycling discipline requires. It aims to help you to find your potential best discipline by looking at the skills you have and also shows you what skills you need to develop in order to take to another discipline. It then gives you guidance and advice on how to hone these skills.

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: choosing your races once you have established your skill and fitness levels, the next stage is to decide whether the discipline that you are suited to is the one for you. This chapter offers an overview of each discipline, the type of riding you can do and gives you some useful guidance on how to get ahead in each from race tactics to where to find other riders with the same interests.

: developing training plans this chapter takes you through a step-by-step process to develop a training programme and routine for your specific needs. It will take into account your cycling discipline, the level that you intend to ride at and all your lifestyle factors family and work commitments, facilities and location, etc. It also contains a series of training programmes for every discipline that you can either use straight from the book, or tailor to your individual needs.