3km pursuit training sessions

[peterwright]

I would really like to hear about your most successful training techniques or sessions for the 3k pursuit ?

Thanks in advance

Peter

 

[fergie]

I would really like to hear about your most successful training techniques or sessions for the 3k pursuit ?

It depends on the rider..

I had a sprinter who wanted to pursuit so we did plenty of 2km flying efforts.

Then I had a rider with absolutely no speed so we did a large number of 400m efforts at .5 second faster than pursuit pace.

With a motorbike you can do a lap behind the bike then a lap at goal pace so the rider ends up doing the full distance at goal pace.

Hamish Ferguson
Cycling Coach

 

[VeloFlash]

I would really like to hear about your most successful training techniques or sessions for the 3k pursuit ?

Thanks in advance

Peter

Ever noticed that riders with good sprinting speed make good pursuiters?

I read that for a 3k pursuit up to about 25% of the output is sourced anaerobically.

I would suggest that you should address the aerobic, alactic and anaerobic systems individually at your optimum pursuit cadence. This would be covered by way of intervals. 4-5 minutes for aerobic, 1 minute for alactic and 10-15 seconds for anaerobic.

Also spend time on your starts. Development of technique and power at the start gives you bonus time.

 

[Woofer]

Ever noticed that riders with good sprinting speed make good pursuiters?

I read that for a 3k pursuit up to about 25% of the output is sourced anaerobically.

I would suggest that you should address the aerobic, alactic and anaerobic systems individually at your optimum pursuit cadence. This would be covered by way of intervals. 4-5 minutes for aerobic, 1 minute for alactic and 10-15 seconds for anaerobic.

Also spend time on your starts. Development of technique and power at the start gives you bonus time.

Most of the world's best pursuiters are also some of the world's best time trialests for both men and women. None of the world's best pursuiters can compete in any way with the world's best sprinters on the road or the track. Once you stop looking at competitive elite athletes (ie start looking at masters or male US endurance national level competitors) there is some crossover.

 

[VeloFlash]

Most of the world's best pursuiters are also some of the world's best time trialests for both men and women. None of the world's best pursuiters can compete in any way with the world's best sprinters on the road or the track. Once you stop looking at competitive elite athletes (ie start looking at masters or male US endurance national level competitors) there is some crossover.

Were you aware that Baden Cooke and Stuart O'Grady (pro team sprinters and TdF green jersey holders) were track endurance riders and pursuiters? Graeme Brown is a leading road sprinter and participates in track endurance events (team pursuit & madison). Brad McGee, former world pursuit champion, also has a reasonable sprint when called on.

None of the aforementioned could be competitive at track match sprinting as that is the domain of the bulky gorillas over endowed with FT fibre. But on the road, that is a different matter.

 

[Smartt/RST]

I would suggest that you should address the aerobic, alactic and anaerobic systems individually at your optimum pursuit cadence. This would be covered by way of intervals. 4-5 minutes for aerobic, 1 minute for alactic and 10-15 seconds for anaerobic.

Physiology police here....
The Alactic (non-glycolytic anaerobic) energy system is the dominant energy pathway for the first ~10sec of maximal power/strength efforts.
The Anaerobic Glycolytic (lactacid) energy pathway is the dominant energy pathway during a 1min supra-maximal effort, where the harder the effort, the greater the contribution of anaerobic glycolysis (i.e.: if you 'pace' a 1min effort so that it is not quite all out, the contribution of aerobic metabolism will increase)

 

[ed073]

Were you aware that Baden Cooke and Stuart O'Grady (pro team sprinters and TdF green jersey holders) were track endurance riders and pursuiters? Graeme Brown is a leading road sprinter and participates in track endurance events (team pursuit & madison). Brad McGee, former world pursuit champion, also has a reasonable sprint when called on.

None of the aforementioned could be competitive at track match sprinting as that is the domain of the bulky gorillas over endowed with FT fibre. But on the road, that is a different matter.

Exactly.

No elite road racer can be called a "sprinter" on the boards.

 

[Woofer]

Were you aware that Baden Cooke and Stuart O'Grady (pro team sprinters and TdF green jersey holders) were track endurance riders and pursuiters? Graeme Brown is a leading road sprinter and participates in track endurance events (team pursuit & madison). Brad McGee, former world pursuit champion, also has a reasonable sprint when called on.

None of the aforementioned could be competitive at track match sprinting as that is the domain of the bulky gorillas over endowed with FT fibre. But on the road, that is a different matter.

Off the top of my head, (I could be misquoting but the topica search thing sucks) according to several people who have seen the data on the wattage list, an elite road sprinter would be called an all rounder with a finishing kick in anything but the rarified world of elite road competition where 120 pound riders routinely pummel the competition on climbs that are generally not easily found in the continental US.

 

[fergie]

Here is the build up to some very fast pursuit times and great scratch race rides from 2 Kiwi riders who will return to their US based Pro teams after the Track World Champs.

10 days out from Nationals Pursuit: Tour of Vineyards 3 hours racing + 3.5 hours riding.
9 days out. 3 hours racing + 3 hours riding
8 days out. 4 hours racing + 2 hours riding
7 days out. 3 hours racing + extra riding
6-3 days out mix of long rides (3 hours) and erg based intervals from 3X20 Low Pedal Frequency, 5 X 5 min LF or High Freq, 10X1min LF or HF, 20 X 15 sec.
Sun. 2 days out. 5.5 hours on rolling hills
Tue. Pursuit Nationals. Hayden Roulston: 4.33 in qualifying on outdoor board track (would qualify 6th in LA World Cup {indoor board track}) Hayden Godfrey: 4.49.
Wed. 5 hour ride
Thu. 3 hours in morning, HR 2nd points race, lapped field 2 times + 1st in TP going so hard the rest of team yelling to slow down, 4.25 with three riders
Fri. HG 1st in 15km scratch race.

Both these riders were training through this event and were not going to LA World Cup (NZ sent B squad but are still winning medals) and will use Sydney World Cup to cement places for Commonwealth Games and World Champs.

Illustrates how the big boys still do a ton of miles in their preparation for elite performance in very short events (4km to 25km) as well as the full on interval efforts. HR does all his efforts on a BT erg with a bucket close by.

Hamish Ferguson
Cycling Coach

note, I don't coach either of these riders. HR's training via personal communication and HGs from his website and personal communication.