If this is the year you’ve decided to tackle your first cycling sportive, Wattbike experts are on hand with eight tips to help you get to the start line race ready.
1. Study the Event Information
The first step in your preparations should be finding out all you can about the event. Most sportive organisers provide maps and route profiles – be sure to study these well for any areas that might pose a challenge.
2. Identify your Challenges
Did you find anything in the route profile which looks particularly tricky – maybe a long climb or tough terrain? Once you’ve identified your challenges, be clear on what you need to improve to ensure you can tackle them head on. For example, if there is a long or steep climb in your sportive, you might need to improve your power to weight ratio to give the best performance.
3. Assess your Performance
The next thing you’ll want to do when preparing for your sportive is assess your current performance and identify any gaps between where you are now and where you want to be.
Top Tip: A cycling test is a great way to measure your performance and track improvements. Take a look at the full range of cycling tests via the Wattbike Hub App, which can be downloaded for free and used on any Wattbike – in the home, or gym.
4. Implement Specific Training Plans
After identifying your challenges and assessing your performance, you’ll want to start adding structured training to your schedule.
The Wattbike Hub App also offers a selection of Sportive Training Plans, and it might also be worthwhile dropping the event organiser a note to see if they can recommend a particular training programme.
5. Remember the Warm-Up
A good warm-up can increase your muscle and core temperature and, more importantly, it can help you focus and get mentally ready for the challenge ahead.
It’s as important to warm up for a training session as it is to warm up on race day. All you need is 5-10 minutes of slow pedalling (90-10 rpm) to get ready for the session ahead.
6. Prioritise Rest and Recovery
If you’re following a Wattbike training plan, you’ll notice that there are at least two rest days each week. It’s important to stick to these, because you’ll wake up refreshed and ready for your next session and, ultimately, get more from your training time.
7. Taper your Training
Two weeks prior to event day is the perfect time to start tapering your training. Tapering helps you peak at the right time and will help you feel fresh and ready to take on the challenge.
8. Pack with Care
You’ll have spent the last few months increasing your power to improve your power to weight ratio, so when it comes to packing the essentials for your sportive don’t ruin it all by packing everything but the kitchen sink. This added weight could make you climbs harder and your sportive less enjoyable overall.
The Wattbike Atom is priced at £1,599.99. When teamed up with the free-to-use Wattbike Hub App, it becomes an unrivalled training tool for accuracy and detail, with feedback such as pedal stroke efficiency (PES), power and heart rate available for detailed session-upon-session analysis. Visit wattbike.com
