cycling

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Every year thousands of cyclists all over Italy gather to take part in what are the toughest races of the season: the gran fondo.

There are those who take on a competitive spirit and those who prefer to take it with philosophy by observing beautiful landscapes and savoring local gastronomic specialties.

Whatever the approach with which the route is taken, it is necessary to have a minimum of physical preparation to avoid finding yourself tired and exhausted after a few kilometers. In this article we will give an example of the main steps that a medium-high level cyclist will have to follow to best prepare for the agonistic commitment. Everything may seem hard and demanding, but considering the hardness of these races and the distance on which they develop, it is necessary to carefully prepare to finish them at their best. The granfondo is the marathon of the ciclicsti, an intense and demanding effort that certainly cannot be improvised.

Winter preparation

For a cyclist the winter phase coincides with a period of rest and regeneration in view of the efforts of the new season. Even the most willing people are advised to observe a stop period lasting no less than three weeks to recharge the batteries, as they say in slang. Our organism needs pauses to reappear.

Professional riders teach us the importance of following a 1 or 2-month training session in the gym starting in mid-November. Cycling is primarily a sport of endurance but muscle strength still plays an important role in performance.

Exercises in the gym will aim to maximize strength gain by minimizing the increase in muscle volume. It is therefore advisable to carry out 12-18 repetitions per exercise, favoring strength in the early stages and endurance at the end of the preparatory period with weights. Training will mainly be aimed at strengthening the lower limbs but it is very important to also strengthen the abdominal and lumbar muscles without neglecting the training of the trunk and upper limbs. Obviously, everything will be preceded by a warm-up on bicycles or on 5-10 minute steps.

Thanks to the gymnastics with weights it is also possible to correct any asymmetries that emerged during the previous racing season, so it is very important to perform the exercises under the supervision of qualified personnel.

At the end of the session, it is advisable to carry out a transformation work on 15-20 minutes cycling finishing the training with some stretching exercises.

ALTERNATIVE ACTIVITIES: to maintain the efficiency of the cardiovascular system during the winter months the cyclist can decide to try his hand at alternative activities. Among the sports more similar to cycling we find cross-country skiing and skating. Running and swimming, on the other hand, are more distant from the technical gesture of pedaling but equally effective in determining the cardio-circulatory adaptations necessary to successfully face the new competitive period.

As far as running is concerned, it is very important to choose suitable footwear and run on soft ground such as turf. Although this sport is extraordinarily effective in increasing one's aerobic endurance, it can cause damage to your joints, especially if you overdo it with mileage. Furthermore, the race develops different muscular characteristics, acting, for example, on the eslastico-reactive component and on eccentric contractions, practically absent in cycling.

The preparatory phase

As you approach the end of the preparatory period with the weights it is good to gradually increase the mileage covered by bicycle or on the bicycle. It is very important not to completely abandon the work of empowerment but to insert some booster sessions every 5-10 days to avoid nullifying all the work done.

There are numerous methods available to the cyclist to increase his performance level. However, we need to find the right training strategy that makes them fit together optimally.

The first preparation period will be mainly devoted to the development of a solid base of general resistance. Go ahead, therefore, to long bike rides with a slow pace and agile pedaling that favor muscle capillarity and accustom the body to use mainly fats for energy purposes. Furthermore the subject prepares himself psychologically to face the long exits, refines the pedaling technique and forms, if not present, the callus to the saddle.

The watchword in this period is the progression of the workload: it starts with outputs of 50-60 minutes until arriving after about three weeks from the resumption of training at distances not less than 70 kilometers per exit. Short shots with an agile relationship can help to awaken the ability to sprint without getting too tired from a muscular point of view. Repeated 5 km with medium to long ratio have instead the purpose of increasing the resistant strength, recalling the strengthening work done in the gym.

Before starting the second preparation period it is advisable to allow yourself a week of discharge where the exits will be 10-20 km lower than the average.

The work will continue in the second phase maintaining the initial setting and inserting during the week one or two exits in which 4-6 will be repeated between 10 and 20 minutes at an average pace interspersed with a slow recovery period of 5-10 minutes.

The mileage of the exits will continue to rise until it reaches its maximum peak after 8-10 weeks from the beginning of the training, exceeding on some occasions the 100-120 kilometers. Obviously it is good to follow at least one day of rest at the most demanding outings.

If there is the possibility, it is a good idea to follow at least once in a while the hilly paths that must be tackled smoothly, trying to perceive the muscular work of pedaling without going apnea.

As you get closer to the end of this second period, the intensity of your training will also increase.

Resistance sessions should be introduced, in which repetitions are performed from 500-1200 meters at maximum speed with a ratio that is not too hard followed by 8-12 minutes of recovery with an agile ratio

The lactic capacity must instead be trained with longer repetitions, from 8 to 12 km, carried out at the threshold speed and interspersed with an equally long recovery period in total agility.

At the end of the second phase the subject will observe a week of unloading with exits not exceeding 60 km.

The specific preparation and maintenance phase

In this phase the total volume of work will decrease (the mileage will be reduced) but the intensity of the training will increase.

The ideal would be to use the support of a heart rate monitor, and perform the Conconi test to identify the anaerobic threshold. Based on the results of the test specific jobs will be introduced, which for an athlete of medium-high level could be, for example:

1st day, slow bottom: 20 minutes of heating with agile ratio, 60 minutes with average ratio, 20 minutes with agile ratio

2nd day, rhythm changes: 15 minutes with agile ratio, 10 repeated 5 'with long ratio (fast bottom) interspersed with 3' regeneration with agile ratio + 20 minutes of slow final bottom

3rd day, medium bottom: 15 minutes warm-up with agile ratio (slow bottom) + 80 'medium bottom + 15' cool-down with agile ratio (slow bottom)

4th day, repeated in the threshold: 15 minutes slow bottom + 2 series of 4 repeated from 5 'to the threshold speed with long ratio, recovery between the repeated 5' with agile ratio, between the 15 minute series with agile ratio, conclude the session with 15 minutes of slow background

5th day: 15 'of heating + 3 series of 4 repeated from 2' at maximum speed, recovery between the repeated 4 'with agile ratio, between the 10' series with agile ratio, ending the training with 25 minutes of cool-down to slow pace

6th day, medium + fast bottom: 15 minutes with agile ratio + 20 with average ratio (medium bottom) + 15 with agile ratio + 20 with medium to long ratio (fast bottom) + 15 with agile ratio + 15 with average ratio + 15 with medium to long ratio + 15 with agile ratio

7th day: slow fund 120 minutes of which the first 15 and the last 15 with agile ratio, the remaining with average ratio

Day 8, climb resistant force: 20 'in agility + 2 series of 3 repeated from 2' uphill with long ratio (RPM: about 50 rides per minute): recovery between repeated 3 'with agile ratio, recovery between the series 15 'slow pace; conclude with 30 'of medium background followed by 15' with agile ratio

9th day, slow recovery fund: 120 minutes with average agile ratio, inserting every 5-10 minutes shots from 200 meters in agility with a light ratio

10th day progressive training: 30 'with agile ratio + 20 minutes with average ratio + 15' fast bottom + 10 'at threshold speed + 3' with long out-of-threshold ratio. Recover for 10 minutes with agile ratio, then perform a last repetition of 15 'with medium to long ratio (fast bottom) concluding the training with 20 minutes of regeneration.

Day 11: rest.

If you do not intend to run the Conconi test you can calculate the theoretical maximum heart rate by performing the following mathematical operation

FC of threshold = 208 - (0.7 x age)

At this point you can get all the other work frequencies, according to the data shown in the table

HEART RATE OF TRAINING

Anaerobic threshold Fc max - (7/8%)
Fast Fund Fc max - (10/15%)
Medium Fund Fc max - (15/20%)
Slow Fund Fc max - (25/30%)
Regeneration Fc max - (35/40%

PLEASE NOTE: the preparation must be carefully calibrated in relation to the course of the granfondo. Obviously if you want to successfully prepare the nine hills you will have to increase the kilometers of ascent during training, replacing the repeated in the plains with as many uphill tests. It is also advisable to try to tackle climbs not less than the race length, at least a couple of times during the preparation period.

Attention to details

Obviously the granfondo must be faced with adequate means. An ultra professional bike is not necessary but it is essential to perform a thorough inspection of the mechanical means before the competition. The chain and tires will be replaced, if exhausted, the gearbox, brakes and wheels will be registered.

The position in the saddle is very important especially in the longest competitions, for this reason it is advisable to buy a custom-built bike or in any case get it regulated by a specialized mechanic.

Nothing, not even clothing will be left to chance.

Let's start with shoes; it is very important to choose them well. Depending on the shape of your foot, your trusted mechanic will be able to advise you on the most suitable model and arrange the cleats properly.

Eventually it could be useful to mount a second bottle cage to avoid remaining dry in the most critical moments of the race. The helmet, mandatory by regulation, should always be accompanied by protective glasses; think for a moment about what could happen after a descent or a simple gnat that slips into an eye during a curve.

If you do not have much experience, face the most dangerous traits and descend them with caution: better a few more minutes on the finish line than spending a couple of weeks at the hospital. Be realistic: if you are aware of not having adequate physical preparation, choose the shortest routes. Avoid last minute programs, as we have seen to properly prepare a granfondo it takes at least a couple of months. Also avoid being overwhelmed by the agonistic competition, the race is long and if you start too strong you risk running out of energy.

Power supply and integration

The cyclist's diet must be particularly rich in complex carbohydrates, contained in pasta, rice and cereals in general. The pregara meal must not be particularly rich in fats or proteins but must be easy to digest.

If the competition takes place in the morning it is good to have a hearty breakfast breakfast (bread with honey and jam, a little milk if well tolerated and a few slices of thin sliced ​​meat). In any case, the normal eating habits should not be distorted. There is no "magic" diet to follow on the day of the competition and taking food or supplements that you are not used to may even compromise it.

The carbohydrate load in the days before the race (supercompensation of glycogen) can be useful but is not always well tolerated.

During the initial stages of the race, solid foods can be consumed such as small honey sandwiches that will be replaced by supplements in liquid form or by energy bars as you get closer to the end of the gran fondo.

Body hydration is essential considering that a 2% drop in body fluids is enough to significantly reduce the ability to perform. It is estimated that approximately 1 ml of water is required for each kilocalorie expended. During a 180 kilometer long marathon, it is possible to consume around 3-4 liters of water, which can be many more if the competition exceeds 200 kilometers and takes place at high temperatures.

It is therefore essential to perform proper hydration before, during and after the race. The ideal drink should contain a minimum percentage of maltodextrin (5-8%) and be moderately chilled (about 10 ° C). We recommend the use of mineral salts (sodium chloride, potassium, magnesium, calcium, phosphorus) during the competition to promote body hydration and remove the appearance of cramps. In any case it is good not to overdo the doses to avoid possible gastrointestinal problems.

Any food supplement will in any case be tested in training with the same doses that are intended to be taken in the race. Cases of intestinal problems caused by intolerances or excessive doses of intake are not rare.

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