What is the Best 12-Week Training Plan to Prepare for a Cycling Criterium?
A criterium is a fast-paced, technical cycling race held on a closed circuit. To perform well in a criterium, you need to be fit, have good bike-handling skills, and be able to race tactically. This 12-week training plan will help you develop all of these qualities.
Weeks 1-4: Focus on building a base of fitness. Ride for 4-5 hours per week, gradually increasing the distance and intensity of your rides. Include some hill workouts to improve your climbing ability.
Weeks 5-8: Start to incorporate more race-specific training into your plan. This includes interval training, sprinting, and practicing cornering and other technical skills. Ride for 5-6 hours per week.
Weeks 9-12: Taper your training volume and intensity slightly to avoid burnout. Continue to practice your race skills and get some race simulation workouts in. Ride for 4-5 hours per week.
Race Week: Rest and recover in the days leading up to the race. Get a good night's sleep and eat a healthy diet.
On race day, warm up properly and stay focused during the race. Remember that anything can happen in a criterium, so don't get discouraged if you don't do as well as you hoped. Just keep riding hard and have fun!
FAQs
- How long should my rides be? Aim for rides of 1-2 hours during the first few weeks of training, and gradually increase the duration as you get fitter.
- How often should I do interval training? Do interval training 1-2 times per week during the race-specific training phase.
- How long should my intervals be? Start with intervals of 30-60 seconds and gradually increase the duration as you get stronger.
- How should I recover between intervals? Recover for the same amount of time that you spent working.
- What is race simulation training? Race simulation training involves riding a course that is similar to the one you will be racing on. This will help you get used to the demands of the race and practice your race strategy.
Related Products
- Garmin Edge 1030 Plus Cycling Computer
- Wahoo KICKR Bike Indoor Trainer
- Specialized S-Works Tarmac SL7 Road Bike
- Sidi Shot Road Cycling Shoes
- Oakley Jawbreaker Prizm Road Cycling Sunglasses
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