Coach’s Note: Training for and racing more than one ultra in the training cycle can be detrimental to the outcome of the stage race. Once you have done this two week plan one time, then you should consider doing it again about a month later in order to continue your stage race recoverability. Stuff We Like, Rider Histories During these blocks, heart rate may be less accurate than power as a guide. Have your athletes complete these rides on the mountain bike and preferably off of the road to simulate the race. After the 2x 20, then hit some shorter hills- about 2minutes long and do 10 repeats of them. Photo Galleries, Glossary, Terms, Lists Ride 1 Session: Moderate (6/10 intensity) Sport: Mountain bike (MTB) on varied terrain on- and off-road Duration: 1.5 hours. Warm-up (WU): 20 minutes warm-up The start of your race preparation will be the base training phase. Preparation is everything, and that includes the race week itself. A proper taper will make sure you have just … The trails around Blue Derby and St Helens are primarily purpose-built mountain bike trails. If you’re new to XC bike races, I would suggest starting with a 1 hour race and work towards the 2 hour races. Day 5: Sprints-2.0 hours.  Do a kick butt sprint workout today. “The BCBR has focused on what British Columbia is famous for, single-track,” Hestler said. How to find a stage race, how to train for a stage race, how to pack for a stage race and SO much more! You might already be thinking of some obvious differences between mountain bike and road stage racing like riding terrain, but there are also other important factors like the lack of large pelotons. Slept in the car. Day 10: Repeat Day 2. For those of you looking to compete in a stage race early next season we plan to hold the Killington Stage Race May 29-31, 2021. You’re somewhat of a mountain-biking masochist. So, for this reason, it’s important to have your athletes rely on perceived effort and plan to simply go hard each day analyzing heart-rate and power data only after the ride. While there are many other aspects to training that you will need to incorporate including: Training specifically for the event itself (TT stage, climbing stages, criterium stage, etc. Read our training plans … “Avoid too many or late-season ultras,” cautions Rene Unser , a Canadian endurance athlete, founder of P.A.C.E. It’s during the base period that you’ll want to perform longer sub-threshold efforts to push your aerobic capacity. “Go over the route in detail and create a note sheet for each day,” Bishop recommends. With the first round of the UCI Mountain Bike XC World Cup over and the legendary Cape Epic stage race coming up, SCOTT-SRAM’s Yanick-the-Mechanic goes through Nino Schurter’s brand new 2018 SCOTT Spark RC 900 bikes and explains what the difference is between a Cross-Country World Cup set-up and a set-up for marathon stage race. One tactic I like is to train hard for two to three days prior to a low priority race using the race as the last day of the race … There’s absolutely no doubt, the prospect of climbing a mountain can be daunting to say the least. A criterium race features pack riding and sprints, while an endurance race covers long stretches of diverse terrain. Cycling events are a great place to meet other enthusiasts and put your skills to the test. Top 5 tips to prepare for a mountain bike stage race. The training methods you use the week leading up to the race are important for mental and physical preparation. T-1 took the ferry to the event island, checked in. I’ve done over 35 stage races in 15+ countries around the world in the last decade. Realistic race weight would be int he 170-180 lb range. Long-distance mountain bike races are gaining popularity at a fast rate. ... “If you’re going to sign up for a gravel race, make sure you train on the gravel. “On race day I try to visualise the race. BC Bike Race is the brainchild of a passionate group of longtime mountain bike and adventure race professionals based on the West Coast of British Columbia. What type of training should you do and how far should you push yourself?   The answer to the type of training is fairly clear and I have outlined a sample two week training plan below to help you.   How far you should push yourself is something that only you (and your coach, if you have one) can determine.  At first, I would suggest you should push yourself two days longer than you think you should and then rest. Stay seated and push that gear over until you reach 90rpm and you’re your effort is done and return your pace back to endurance pace. two gear shifts to 14, then to 13. Year-to-Date Results Don’t worry about the wattage numbers, just do your best and complete the workout. and finish with 6 x 30 seconds ALL out with 1 minute rest…..Try for at least 200% of your threshold watts on each sprint as an average. google_ad_client = "ca-pub-2062310126166513"; You’ll need a comprehensive mountain bike training plan. , Tour de France Complete rest.  Off the bike.  Stretching and resting. CD: Cool down for 15 minutes of easy spinning. Taking place at altitude in scenic Leadville, Colorado, the Leadville 100 is considered one of the toughest mountain bike races in the United States. MS: Do (3) x 1 minute fast pedaling. BC Bike Race is the brainchild of a passionate group of longtime mountain bike and adventure race professionals based on the West Coast of British Columbia. Then 5 minutes easy You should be tired by now, so your watts will be lower, but the goal is to just do all of the work as hard as you can.  Don’t worry about the wattage numbers, just do your best and complete the workout. It’s easy to get couch locked when the weather’s bad, watching endless GoPro footage from last year and race highlights on YouTube, but right now is the perfect time to get ready to hit the bike when the season picks up again. How to Train for a 20K Bike Race. One tactic I like is to train hard for two to three days prior to a low priority race using the race as the last day of the race block and, at times, the build period. Stage racing is one of the finest disciplines in cycling and every racer should set a goal to complete and be competitive in a 5+ day stage race (or hard multi-day recreational event) sometime in their cycling career.  A stage race can teach you more about yourself as you learn how much harder you can push yourself day after day then you ever thought possible.  The human body is both incredibly durable and fragile at the same time and will continue to amaze at how much punishment it can take day after day and still recover to ride hard again the next day.  The more training stress you create, the more your body can handle and a 5+ day stage race can be one of the best tests of endurance that a cyclist can challenge themselves with. This one has been a long time coming! – Jim Rutberg, CTS Pro Coach Carry the tools you need to make sure you can get your bike to the next feed station and learn how to use them. /* right side */ Biking for 20 kilometers is equal to approximately 12 miles. Despite never having ridden 100 miles on a mountain bike before, I figured that I was at least more prepared for this race than my first one. Race-specific training plans are available online for just about every large mountain bike competition. The ideal preparation period for a big event is eight to 12 weeks. Enduro races take a bit to work up to but you can modify this training outline to work towards new and longer goals. Whether you join a 20k bike race for motivation to get in shape or to compete to win, you will need to train for it. When you partake in a multi-stage cycling event, you’ve got to prepare your body to withstand rigorous climbs, hours in the saddle, and mental fatigue—over and over again. Comix These guys are serious MTB racers who train on Pisgah’s trails at least 5 days a week, so they know what it takes to make your bike ready day after day. Days 15-21: Rest week. This one has been a long time coming! You might recognise the seven stages of a marathon mountain biking. Of course that pace is different for each individual and each race distance. Athletes need to be able to ride hard on tired legs to do well in a stage race, and the only way to train for that is to work hard on consecutive days. Active recovery rides and at least 2 days completely off the bike.