MID-WEEK REPORT: THE LATEST NEWS, PRODUCTS AND EVENTS
Welcome to the November 25th, Mid-Week Report!
Welcome to the November 25th, Mid-Week Report!
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WORKOUT WEDNESDAY: INDOOR RIDING 101
By Chris Carmichael,
Founder and Head Coach of CTS
Indoor cycling has long been characterized by high-intensity interval workouts, because they are a good way to create a bigger training stimulus in a shorter period of time, they keep athletes engaged and focused, and they’re often safer and more convenient to complete on a trainer. I’ve championed such workouts myself; they factor heavily into the training plans and concepts in my “Time-Crunched Cyclist” training books and numerous posts on this website. They work, but high-intensity interval workouts can also be over-used and lower-intensity rides have an important role in effective training plans. As more cyclists transition to riding indoor more frequently–because of weather, pandemic restrictions, convenience, or improved technology–it is important for athletes to balance those high-intensity intervals workouts with some lower-intensity, aerobic endurance-paced indoor rides.
Why is it so hard to get cyclists to ride at moderate intensities indoors? Because it’s not as exciting as ripping through a series of hard intervals and may not provide as big a sense of accomplishment as reaching the end of an intense interval set. I get that, but if your training goal is to improve fitness so you can perform better in events (indoor or outdoor, competitive or not), then you can’t just go full-gas every single ride.
High-intensity intervals work because of the low-intensity time between them! That’s why they are typically separated by at least a full day, with that in-between day being a rest day or a lower-intensity endurance ride. Sometimes hard interval workouts are scheduled in multi-day blocks to increase the concentration of workload, but even then, the blocks are only effective if recovery and/or endurance rides are scheduled immediately after the block.
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BEING PRO: SHAYNA POWLESS
You’re an international-caliber racer that comes from a family of accomplished athletes. What keeps you coming back to the bike? What is your goal for your cycling career?
Being part of an athletic family, my brother and I were involved in many different sports growing up. Our parents literally put us in everything—from gymnastics to swim team to soccer. However, no matter how many sports I tried, I found that I always enjoyed cycling the most and realized that it would forever be my first love, no matter how many different sports I tried. I think what keeps me coming back to the bike is the sense of freedom, adventure and peace it gives me every time I go out and ride. There really is no other feeling like it. I would also say the cycling community is what keeps me so drawn to the bike.
Cycling has opened many doors for me and has allowed me to visit a lot of cool places and meet the most amazing people. My goal in my cycling career is to become the best possible athlete and ambassador for the sport that I can be. Specifically, I would like to inspire more women and girls to get involved in the sport. I also want to inspire more Native American and indigenous men and women to enter the sport, as they are arguably the most underrepresented demographic in the cycling scene. Additionally, I hope to one day compete in the Olympics.
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MORE RACING NEWS
BACK IN THE SADDLE
Back on the bike together with @delorestougje on our new @iamspecialized Tarmac SL7. It has been quite a journey so far. With this post I would like to thank all the medical specialists that have helped me a long the way. pic.twitter.com/N34S9cf933
— Fabio Jakobsen (@FabioJakobsen) November 24, 2020
Fabio Jakobsen is back in the saddle following a horrific crash at the Tour of Poland. As the UCI calendar resumed in August, Jakobsen was sprinting shoulder to shoulder with compatriot Dylan Gronewegen at the end of stage one of the Tour of Poland. Gronewegen drifted into Jakobsen, sending the Deceuninck Quickstep rider into and over the barriers. Gronewegen was relegated and Jakobsen was given the win, however, the 23-year-old was on his way to the hospital for emergency surgery.
Nearly 14 weeks later Jakobsen took his maiden voyage aboard Specialized’s all-new Tarmac SL7. In a recent interview in Flemish broadcaster Sporza Jakobsen said “The recovery is going well. I can start training again in a few weeks.”
Follow Fabio at @FabioJakobsen
BIKE TEST: CERVELO CALEDONIA
As simultaneously brilliant yet mean-sounding as that title treatment is, we have to admit that it was never a question posed by us, but a declarative, tongue-in-cheek assertion found in Cervelo’s own PR package to attest what the new Caledonia 5 is intended for.
Famous for their many Pro Tour racing exploits, the former Canadian brand Cervelo (recently reestablished as a NorCal based brand), has launched a new bike that attempts to speak to the serious recreational rider while still exhibiting strong racing traits.
THE FRAME
Cervelo has never been shy when it comes to maximizing tube shapes, and the Caledonia is no different.
A massive downtube and bottom bracket junction have become a Cervelo signature, and the design feature lives on with the Caledonia, which was the last bike to be designed in their former Canadian offices.
As has become all the rage, the Caledonia, too, relies on the dropped seatstay design with square, tapered chainstays and a nicely tapered top tube. It’s a small detail, but having the internal seat-binder bolt placed diagonally made for much easier tool reach and adjustment.
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