Semi-Pro Cycling

"From 'Little Guy' to Leader" Jonas Vingegaard Interview

How did Jonas Vingegaard transform from 'the little guy' working at a fish factory to a Jumbo-Visma leader? I have top the top 5 takeaways from a recent Jonas Vingegaard interview before he races in the Vuelta a España 2023. That’s on today’s show, and… I have another rider profile, the burnout problem in the women’s peloton, should we ditch hardtail mountain bikes and the best gravel tires for every situation. Links from this show: http://www.cyclingnews.com/features/how-jonas-vingegaard...

Did Fairings Help Jonas Vingegaard Win the Tour de France?

Jonas Vingegaard and Jumbo-Visma had a secret weapon or two at the Tour de France that could of given him a drag reduction of more than 9% that meant savings of 1.5 seconds a kilometre. We dig into the aero impact of this secret weapon and ask some serious question about their legality.  That’s on today’s show, and…epic social media rounds with everything from white shorts to toilet testing, plus articles on the pains of integrated components. Watch this on Youtube: https://youtu.be/wJ5vt6...

INEOS using aero undershirts and the Vuelta stuff you missed

In today's QuickSpin Cycling Digest, we dive into new and cool cycling products. We cover Remco Evenepoel's road bike, Lachlan Morton's crazy stem, innovative tools, new aero undershirts, and the stuff you missed at the Vuelta Espana 2023. Watch on Youtube: https://youtu.be/4o2LVaf-_ME Links from the show: https://www.instagram.com/p/CwNkxuFtrXn https://www.cyclingweekly.com/racing/wout-van-aert-wins-first-ever-gravel-race-by-nine-minutes https://www.teamjumbovisma.com/news/news/van-aert-s...

Did Tramadol Help Nairo Quintana at the Tour de France?

Delving into the controversy surrounding Nairo Quintana's positive tests for tramadol during the 2022 Tour de France. We discuss the complex considerations surrounding the substance's classification, its potential impact on performance, and recent developments that have prompted new discussions. Plus, 750D? Another new wheel size has been revealed, this time for gravel bikes, more controversy, team finances, and the social media rounds. Watch this on Youtube: https://youtu.be/pjvUKLWDWeY ...

How Much Do Pro Cyclists Make? Shimano 105 12-Speed Mechanical?

On today’s show, and… Damian has news on bike launches from Canyon and Bianchi, a glimpse at the potential next-Generation SRAM AXS Shifters, and some other tasty treats, and Peter Sagan real retirement plans for 2024…but we’re starting this show with inside baseball on nutrition and pro rider salaries from the secret rider… Secret Pro Insights: https://escapecollective.com/the-secret-rider-nutrition-fads-silly-season-and-salaries/ Peter Sagan Update: https://escapecollective.com/i-want-mo...

What is the Specialized Speed Sniffer? And what is Peter Sagan doing in Retirement?

In this week's episode of Quick Spin, Damian provides a comprehensive rundown of the latest happenings in the world of cycling.  This show covers the new Specialized Tarmac SL8, featuring the "Speed Sniffer" fat head tube. Find out why they designed this unique feature.  Plus innovative cycling products, social media rounds and even a glimpse into the retirement plans of cycling superstar Peter Sagan. You can also watch this on Youtube here: https://youtu.be/zTUPfeTnSbc

The surprising reason Pro MTB rider uses gum before a race

The surprising reason and performance benefit Pro MTB rider Puck Pieterse uses gum before a race. We dive into the fascinating connection between gum and cycling performance. Plus World Championships Recap, the Evolution of Endurance Training, an Altitude Adjust App and the Social Media Rounds. You can watch this episode on Youtube: https://youtu.be/-wH8iATvL_Q Links World Champs: RunGum: https://rungum.com/products/bubblegum-12-pack 10 Bike Tech Highlights - Cycling World Championships: ...

Pro Cyclist: Jai Hindley - The making of a Giro d'Italia winner

In this episode we talk with Giro d'Italia winner Jai Hindley to find out what it takes to win a Grand Tour. And we’re not only talking about the 3 weeks during the race, but also the decades of work and journey beforehand. From lifestyle, to family and support, to self-belief, to training and a lifelong passion for cycling - herein we dig into Jai Hindley’s journey from a 6 year old rider with a dream through to Grand Tour winner. Guest panelist: Jai Hindley Twitter: @JaiHindley Instagr...

Cycling Performance Club: Dr. Teun van Erp - How do World Tour cyclists actually train and perform in races? - Part 2 of 2

In this two part series we chat with Dr. Teun van Erp, current data scientist with INEOS Grenadiers, about how World Tour cyclists train and perform during competitions. In our opinion, given Tuen’s extensive research and experience working with World Tour cyclists, he is one of the best people in the field to discuss this topic with. In this episode we examine Dr. Teun’s research further and get into the details of how pro men and women cyclists actually train. But this episode is more tha...

Cycling Performance Club: Dr. Teun van Erp - How do World Tour cyclists actually train and perform in races? - Part 1 of 2

In this two part series we chat with Dr. Teun van Erp, current data scientist with INEOS Grenadiers, about how World Tour cyclists train and perform during competitions. In our opinion, given Tuen’s extensive research and experience working with World Tour cyclists, he is one of the best people in the field to discuss this topic with. In this episode we take aim at measures of training load in training and racing. One of the measures discussed is TSS - aka, the training stress score from Tr...

Cycling Performance Club: Dr. Elisabetta Borgia- A new emphasis and approach to sport psychology in cycling performance

Welcome to The Cycling Performance Club Podcast!  In this day and age of power meters, advanced physiologic metrics, and emphasis on aerodynamics it is very easy to overlook other key components of cycling performance- such as the emotional state of the athlete. In this episode we discuss the importance of a cyclist’s emotions when pursuing peak performance in the sport. To best facilitate the exploration of this topic we talked with Sport Psychologist Dr. Elisabetta Borgia. Dr. Borgia wor...

Cycling Performance Club: Luke Plapp - From world class track cyclist to World Tour road racer

Welcome to The Cycling Performance Club Podcast!  In this episode we chat with Luke Plapp - Olympic bronze medalist on the track, current Australian Road Champion, and Ineos Grenadiers rider- about his transition from a successful track cyclist to racing on the road at the World Tour level. And contrary to what one might initially think, his transition between these two roles was much more complicated than simply adding more “base” to his training schedule. Luke has moved across the world ...

Cycling Performance Club: Dr. Nicholas Jamnick- Down the rabbit hole of exercise intensity, Part 2 of 2

Welcome to The Cycling Performance Club Podcast!  In this episode we continue our trip down the rabbit hole of exercise intensity with Dr. Nick Jamnick (part 2 of 2). Previously, we critically examined graded exercise tests, VO2max testing, lactate thresholds, and the usefulness of lactate testing. Herein, we dive deep into Nick’s comprehensive review critiquing the common methods of determining and prescribing exercise intensity. This review evaluated different methods of prescribing inte...

Cycling Performance Club: Dr. Nick Jamnick - Down the rabbit hole of exercise intensity, Part 1 of 2

Welcome to The Cycling Performance Club Podcast!  When it comes to performing and prescribing training sessions, there are four main principles to consider: frequency, duration, volume, and intensity. The first three of these principles are relatively simple and agreed upon. However, when it comes to exercise intensity we can quickly find ourselves traveling down a crazy rabbit hole- as it’s definitely not as simple as exercising at a percentage of FTP. In the next two episodes we go deep ...

Cycling Performance Club: Shannon Malseed - Life lessons in mental wellness and high performance

On this show we really enjoy talking about the nuts and bolts of cycling performance. Whether it’s determining thresholds, approaches to training, or race tactics and skills, if you’ve listened to the show before you know we love that stuff. But in this episode we want to change gears a bit and ask you this simple and straightforward question: How is your head? Here we discuss mental wellness and its importance in human performance. To facilitate this conversation we invited Shannon Malseed...

Cycling Performance Club: Dr. Dajo Sanders- Research evolved into practice at the highest level of cycling performance, Part 2 of 2

In this episode we continue our discussion with Dr. Dajo Sanders (part 2 of 2), an individual whose skill and expertise in the realm of cycling performance are well developed. Dajo is a prolific researcher in many aspects of endurance training and specializes in the very distinct research cohort that is well-trained high-performance cyclists. He is also a member of the performance group at Team DSM where he uses his experience and knowledge to help World Tour cyclists perform at their absolu...

Cycling Performance Club: Dr. Dajo Sanders- Research evolved into practice at the highest level of cycling performance, Part 2 of 2

In this episode we continue our discussion with Dr. Dajo Sanders (part 2 of 2), an individual whose skill and expertise in the realm of cycling performance are well developed. Dajo is a prolific researcher in many aspects of endurance training and specializes in the very distinct research cohort that is well-trained high-performance cyclists. He is also a member of the performance group at Team DSM where he uses his experience and knowledge to help World Tour cyclists perform at their absolu...

Cycling Performance Club: Dr. Dajo Sanders- Research evolved into practice at the highest level of cycling performance, Part 1 of 2

There are many components within endurance training. Take for example field-testing, training intensity distribution, or training load. Each of these components have dozens of papers in the scientific literature that can help guide a cyclist’s training and a coach’s practice. However, contrary to what one might think, taking findings from research, evaluating them, and then effectively putting them into practice is a skill unto itself.   In this episode (which is a part 1 of 2) we talk with...

Cycling Performance Club: Australian road nats, training apps, the coach’s role in athlete success, and CP musings

Hey there! After a bit of a break in recording at the end of 2021 we (the co-hosts) sat down for a catch-up and to talk some shop. This episode can be best described as a throwback to our roots when we used to host chats on the Clubhouse app. Just a pro cyclist, a professional coach, and a sport scientist asking each other questions, giving opinions, and having a laugh. In this episode we discuss Australian road nats, training assistant apps for cyclists, the coach’s role in an athlete’s su...

Cycling Performance Club: Simon Jones- Coaching, science, and a post-marginal gains world

Follow this link to take the listener Survey: Take the Survey Or copy and paste the URL below into your internet browser: https://forms.gle/dCkiBuWDSdetwquH8 This week it’s a meander through some performance-related topics like coaching, marginal gains, performance teams, training load, and more with Simon Jones. Don’t know who that is - I’m sure if you’ve been a fan of cycling for any time, you know a rider or a team he’s worked with - with a performance career in cycling for over 25 year...

Cycling Performance Club: What is best practice for implementing critical power into your training? w/ Jason Bartram, PhDc, Part 2

Follow this link to take the listener Survey: Take the Survey Or copy and paste the URL below into your internet browser: https://forms.gle/dCkiBuWDSdetwquH8 In this part two on critical power (CP) we continue our conversation with Jason Bartram and cover W’ and W’ balance. Additionally, we consider what the CP metrics can realistically add to your cycling performance and coaching practice. And… it might actually surprise you what Jason’s (JB’s) takeaways are for these measures, after stud...

Cycling Performance Club: What is best practice for implementing critical power into your training? w/ Jason Bartram, PhDc, Part 1

Follow this link to take the listener Survey: Take the Survey Or copy and paste the URL below into your internet browser: https://forms.gle/dCkiBuWDSdetwquH8 Is there a better measure of threshold for cyclists out there than FTP? Yes! We think there is. Welcome to the world of critical power (CP), W’, and W’ balance- truly science-based measures related to the “anaerobic” threshold. While the advantages of CP over FTP are many, its determination is a bit more complicated than 95% of your ...

Cycling Performance Club: What it Takes to Work in High-Performance Cycling with Paolo Menaspà, PhD.

Dr. Paolo Menaspà has had an amazing career in cycling performance that includes time as a sport scientist and coach at Mapei and Cycling Australia, a PhD Scholar at the AIS, and other performance roles within Australian cycling to his current role as Chief Science Officer for the Australian Institute of Sport. Find out what it takes to work in high-performance cycling for over 20 years. Including how Paolo's love of magic helps solve problems in the world of science. This episode’s panel:...

Cycling Performance Club: Paolo Menaspà, PhD.

Cycling Performance Club: Dr. Paolo Menaspà - A master generalist in high-performance sport

Dr. Paolo Menaspà is the current Chief Science Officer at the Australian Institute of Sport and has had a long and interesting career in the world of high-performance. Previously, he worked as the Head of Performance Solutions at AusCycling, was a performance manager and coach for Team BikeExchange and the Australian National Team, and a sport scientist and coach at Sport Service Mapei.  We discuss with Paolo what it means to be a generalist; how his role as a generalist and solutions provi...

Performance Mind Operating System

The performance mind may be touted as the last frontier of human performance - but what we’re talking about today has nothing to do with the exploration of the various factors that affect endurance and how much -- or how little -- we know about each of them. Today it’s all about concrete insights by doing an inventory of your mental strengths and weaknesses and then using some recommended tools and skills to improve your mental performance in two ways - one, make your bad days less bad and ...

Cycling Performance Club Bonus: How the Cold Impacts Performance

This is a bonus episode where Jason Answers a question from Harry Sweeny on thermoregulation and how it affects WorldTour riders. If you ever ride around in the cold you will find this interesting.  This is Jason Boynton, Ph.D. from boyntoncoaching.com answering the question. The Cycling Performance Club is also brought to you by Damian Ruse of semiprocycling.com and Cyrus Monk of cyclistscientist.com. Find us here: Instagram: @cyclingperformanceclub Facebook: @cyclingperformanceclub Tw...

Cycling Performance Club: Harry Sweeny - Performance lessons from a World Tour neo-pro

This week we talk to World Tour neo-pro Harry Sweeny about his journey to the top level of the sport. How he has developed as a rider through national programs and Continental racing, and how things are different at the top level. Show Sponsor: For a limited time, Hammerhead has an incredible deal - buy a Karoo 2 at hammerhead.io/trade and get up to $170 when you trade in your current cycling computer. That’s a rebate of up to $170 when you trade up to a Karoo 2 from Hammerhead, and trade...

Cycling Performance Club: Jimmy Whelan

We bring our very first guest onto the show, pro cyclist for EF Education Nippo, Jimmy Whelan. We discuss his transition from running to cycling and quick rise through the cycling ranks.  Show Sponsor: For a limited time, Semi-Pro Cycling podcast listeners can get a free Hammerhead Heart Rate Monitor with the purchase of a Karoo 2. Visit hammerhead.io right now and use promo code SEMIPRO at checkout to get yours today. That’s a free Hammerhead Heart Rate Monitor with the purchase of a Kar...

Cycling Performance Club: Paradigms of Performance

In this episode we take a look at the current performance model of cycling at all levels and ask the question - can we do better? Show Sponsor: For a limited time, Semi-Pro Cycling podcast listeners can get a free Hammerhead Heart Rate Monitor with the purchase of a Karoo 2. Visit hammerhead.io right now and use promo code SEMIPRO at checkout to get yours today. That’s a free Hammerhead Heart Rate Monitor with the purchase of a Karoo 2 when you go to Hammerhead.io and use promo code SEMIP...

Lessons from my first year coaching in the World Tour

I’ll be upfront here - it’s a bit of a clickbaity title so to be clear I coach one rider at pro-level - the level under the World Tour. This rider, Jay Vine, won the Zwift Academy and as his longtime coach, we continued to work together where he rode both pro and world tour races including a grand tour, La Vuelta ESpaña.  It’s been a hard but rewarding year and I’ve learned a lot about myself and the pro cycling world. So in this episode, we’re going to take a look at the lessons I’ve learn...

Cycling Performance Club: Should we be blood lactate testing cyclists?- Part 2

There’s plenty of information around how to conduct blood lactate tests, but information on why we test blood lactate is often entangled with conflicts of interest. In Part 2 of our blood lactate testing episode, we continue our discussion on whether blood lactate testing is necessary or valuable for training cyclists in 2021 and beyond. This episode includes alternatives to blood lactate testing, a critical thinking exercise around the claims of blood lactate testing, and our conclusions. ...

Cycling Performance Club: Should we be blood lactate testing cyclists?- Part 1

Lactate and its association with exercise has been known for more than 200 years after Jöns Jakob first observed it in the muscles of hunted stags. Consequently, knowledge of its relationship with exercise is deeply rooted in both popular culture and among endurance athletes. However, more recent research has demonstrated lactate’s presence during exercise has largely been misunderstood for much of this time. During this two part series, we do a deep dive into all things lactate to assess w...

Cycling Performance Club: Everesting Guide

Listen in as we guide you through everything you need to complete a successful Everesting. The idea is fairly simple but climbing 8,848m on a bicycle in one ride is not easy. It can be done with the right knowledge, though. So 7 years after Cyrus did his Everesting - we sit down and go through everything you need to complete a successful Everesting. This episode’s panel: Jason Boynton, Ph.D. boyntoncoaching.com Damian Ruse semiprocycling.com Cyrus Monk cyclistscientist.com Instagram...

Cycling Performance Club: An exercise in intervention evaluation: Does nasal breathing improve performance?

We take a dive into the nasal passage and look at whether there are performance gains to be obtained through nose breathing. This leads to a discussion around how we evaluate interventions and make decisions on whether they’re worth implementing for ourselves and our athletes. 2:30 How do we normally breathe during exercise? 8:25 What are the claimed benefits of nose breathing over mouth breathing? 9:15 Are we getting too much oxygen? 21:15 What do the studies show? 29:25 What level of ...

Cycling Performance Club: What you need to consider when testing cyclists- Part 2

Last week we discussed the theory surrounding testing cyclists. This week we build on that discussion and look at ways the underlying theory can be applied to testing cyclists in a practical sense. We investigate how appropriate testing should be selected and administered and also provide information on how to evaluate the data that these tests provide. 1:20 Test selection. 5:40 Metabolic energy system specificity. 7:50 Biomechanical movement pattern specificity. 12:10 Characteristics o...

Cycling Performance Club: What you need to consider when testing cyclists- Part 1

Testing cyclists is a key component of a science-based approach to improving cycling performance. And there is a surprising amount of important theory to consider and apply when it comes to the practice of testing this cohort of athletes.  Indeed, the breadth and importance of testing cyclists is so great that our discussion on the topic ended up spanning two full episodes! So buckle up there, cycling performance enthusiast! It’s time to get deep into athlete testing theory and practical c...

What does it take to prepare for a Grand Tour?

Take a look inside the planning and execution of a 3-week altitude training camp in preparation for a Grand Tour and learn how you can run your own. When you coach an athlete that gets the call up to ride a Grand Tour, you can bet that I’ll do everything I can to make sure they are in the form of their life. So when there was space on the calendar for a training camp - we both went all-in on an altitude training camp. It was a great learning experience and I’m here to share the steps I took...

Cycling Performance Club: Cyclist case study challenge!

This week the co-hosts challenge each other with hypothetical athlete cases. Each cyclist differs in physiology, cycling background, and lifestyle, but they are all seeking to improve performance and reach specific competition goals. What follows for each case is an impromptu discussion on the techniques, and initial steps, we would implement, as coaches, to help these athletes achieve their cycling goals. 1:50 Tying up loose ends from the previous interval pacing episode. 6:30: Sarah - 34...

Cycling Performance Club: Is that true?! Does that even improve cycling performance?!

Your time and money are valuable. That’s why it is important to invest these commodities wisely and carefully consider the claims of products and practices meant to improve your cycling performance.  This week each of us deep-dive into a product or claim that has recently triggered our skeptical spider senses. Things that made us stop and say, “Is that true?” and “Does that even improve cycling performance?”. Herein we investigate: Normatec recovery boots, lactic acid buffering lotions, an...

Cycling Performance Club: Are you pacing your intervals effectively?

1:30 A training advice anecdote 6:40 Interval pacing athlete conversation 9:45 Oxygen-deficit and ‘lag’ in VO2 increase during an interval 15:20 What is the purpose of interval training? 21:55 Which specific intervals are we looking at? 24:00 How much time can you spend at >90%VO2max during a session 29:35 Where does the research currently sit? 43:30 How can we apply this research to design an interval session? 46:45 Which athletes will ‘declining intensity’ or ‘fast-start’ intervals...

Cycling Performance Club: What is the Best Cycling Warm Up?

2:10 More momentum for Critical Power over FTP 7:30 What is the research supporting warm-ups for endurance events? 12:30 What happens within the body during a warm-up? 21:10 Psychological benefit to warm-ups 24:25 Effect of warm-ups on performance 28:50 Which subjects are used in this research? 31:25 Does a warm-up really matter at all? 35:00 Downsides to a warm-up 36:55 Warming up for a specific phase within an endurance race 39:10 What are the pros doing? 42:35 Listener question ...

Cycling Performance Club: What is the Best Cycling Warm Up?

2:10 More momentum for Critical Power over FTP 7:30 What is the research supporting warm-ups for endurance events? 12:30 What happens within the body during a warm-up? 21:10 Psychological benefit to warm-ups 24:25 Effect of warm-ups on performance 28:50 Which subjects are used in this research? 31:25 Does a warm-up really matter at all? 35:00 Downsides to a warm-up 36:55 Warming up for a specific phase within an endurance race 39:10 What are the pros doing? 42:35 Listener question ...

Cycling Performance Club: Threshold, Thresholds, Thresholds?

You probably realize that ‘threshold’ is an important measure for endurance athletes. But there seem to be many different types of thresholds measures out there, and that might be confusing for some. In this episode, the panel explores the many types of thresholds (e.g. FTP, critical power, lactate threshold): how they are determined, whether they are the same or different, whether they are interchangeable, how they relate to each other, and what it all means for the real-world coach and cyc...

Cycling Performance Club: Can we cut ~40% off of race time in one year for a gravel endurance race?

2:55 Listener feedback 6:05 What is SEVEN? 11:05 Race day factors that could be rectified ‘easily’. 15:25 Ride analysis from the 2021 edition of SEVEN. 32:30 How to make the required improvements for a beginner athlete. 40:30 Does CTL correlate with FTP? What is the relationship and where does it end? 45:10 The importance of training age when seeking rapid improvement. 48:20 An example of CTL and FTP not being tied together if the training isn’t right. 51:30 Training for physiology v...

Cycling Performance Club: Wasn’t FTP Supposed to be Dead? & The Pathway(s) from Amateur Cyclist to Pro.

Host topics covered in this episode: 1:20 A few years ago it was claimed that FTP was dead. We discuss whether the newer alternatives have any sound scientific rationale behind them and why FTP, despite its flaws, is still being used. 13:00 The amateur to professional cyclist roadmap 15:00 Prerequisites to performance, i.e. what you have to be born with. 24:00 Development through junior training and racing. Is it essential to become a professional? What should be the focus during this ph...

Cycling Performance Club: Layman’s Articles vs. Scientific Articles, Coaching To-Do Lists.

Host topics covered on this episode: 1:30 Listener feedback 4:20 What is a graded exercise test? 8:15 Where do you get your training information? We discuss the differences between layman’s articles (e.g. blogs) and peer-reviewed scientific articles as coach/athlete resources. 25:55 Continuous improvement is important as a coach. We discuss what is on our “coaching to-do lists”: Nose breathing; functional reserve capacity (FRC); critical power vs. FTP; mental skills toolbox; gaining mor...

Cycling Performance Club: Session Failure, Training around Carbs & the “Ultimate FTP Builder” Session.

Host topics covered on this episode: 1:25 What happens when an athlete can’t complete a session? What is the role of the athlete and the role of the coach in this scenario? How can sessions be prescribed to prevent this happening? 28:40 How does carbohydrate combustion and availability influence placement of harder sessions in a training program? How much carbohydrate is burnt during a session and how much recovery is required to replenish the stores? 47:00 Which session is best for incre...

Cycling Performance Club: Does core strength increase FTP, Purpose behind VO2max tests and Rest weeks.

Host topics covered on this episode: 2:05 Is there a correlation between core strength and FTP? At what point does this correlation end and should we be prescribing core strength exercises to all athletes? "Core Strength Increases FTP?" thread. https://groups.google.com/g/wattage/c/UlfL_IzVWYg/m/Ty8Y1TrdzboJ 30:05 What is the purpose behind VO2 max tests? When should athletes use them and what can we learn from them? 47:40 Rest weeks. What are the differences between an ‘easy week’ and ...

Cycling Performance Club: Skills Training, Openers & Training Plans

Host topics covered on this episode: 1:45 Developing an athlete’s skills. Does skills training find its way into a training program? When is the right time to focus on training skills? 23:30 Do pre-race openers (or primers) give a performance benefit to the athlete. Is there any research supporting this? 43:40 Is there merit in implementing a ‘prepackaged’ training plan for endurance athletes? Audience topics: 1:04:30 Positive feedback from Manthan. 1:06:30 Luca wants to know if a prep...