THE PROBLEM MOST RIDERS IN THIS SPOT FACE.
Most sportive riders train hard right up to event day. They ride more in May than they did in February. They go in tired, they pace it on feel, and they bonk at 130km. Then they spend the next three months saying 'next year I'll train properly.'
Sportive performance is one of the most coachable problems in cycling because it's so well-defined. We know your event date, your distance, your climbing, your goal time. Periodise the build, sharpen for race week, fuel the day properly — and the difference between this year's experience and last year's isn't subtle.
Most sportive disappointment isn't a fitness problem. It's a planning problem.
WHAT CHANGES IN THE COACHING
- ✓12-20 week periodised build to your specific event date
- ✓Climbing-specific blocks matched to your event's profile
- ✓Race-pace simulation rides built into the back half of the plan
- ✓Tapered race week — not the panic-ride week most riders do
- ✓Race-day pacing strategy with specific power and HR caps for each section
- ✓Fuelling plan tested in training, not improvised on the day
SPORTIVE
HOW THE COACHING WORKS
The five pillars adapted for this segment. Same system — periodised differently to fit what you actually need.
PERIODISED BUILD
Base, build, peak, taper. The plan is reverse-engineered from your event date so each block delivers what the next one needs. No accidental peaking three weeks too early.
COURSE-SPECIFIC WORK
Wicklow 200's sustained climbs are different from Marmotte's altitude or Fred Whitton's brutal walls. Your plan replicates the demands of your specific event in your training rides.
PACING STRATEGY
We build specific power caps, HR ceilings, and segment-by-segment pacing for your event. Most sportive riders blow up because they ride the first 50km too hard. Your plan trains the discipline to hold back.
FUELLING THE DISTANCE
60-90g of carbs per hour is the difference between finishing strong and crawling home. We test your fuelling in long training rides until it's automatic — sportive day is not the time to discover your stomach can't handle gels.
TAPERED RACE WEEK
Race week is shorter rides, openers two days out, and proper sleep. Most sportive riders ride too much in race week. Your plan respects what taper actually means.
FIXABLE MISTAKES
MISTAKES TO AVOID
The patterns that hold this segment back the most. Each one is fixable — that's the whole point.
01. TRAINING HARDEST IN THE WEEK BEFORE THE EVENT
Sportive riders panic in race week and ride more than they did the month before. Your fitness was built weeks ago — race week is for sharpening and resting, not for adding any new work. Trust the build.
02. GOING OUT TOO HARD IN THE FIRST 50KM
The single biggest sportive mistake. Adrenaline + fresh legs + a fast group = 30 watts above your sustainable pace, and a guaranteed bonk later. Hold a specific power cap for the first hour. The wheels you let go will come back.
03. IMPROVISING FUELLING ON THE DAY
If you've never eaten 80g of carbs an hour for 6 hours in training, race day is not the time to find out your gut can't handle it. Practice the exact fuelling plan in your long rides. Carry what you've tested.
04. SKIPPING CLIMBING-SPECIFIC TRAINING
If your event has 3,000m of climbing and your training has 600m a week of climbing, the engine you're building doesn't match the engine you'll need. Climb-specific intervals — sustained efforts on 4-8% gradients — have to be in the plan.
05. NO TAPER
Race week should look like 50% of your normal volume, with one short opener two days out. Most sportive riders ride 80% — and then wonder why their legs feel heavy on the day. Taper is not optional.
IS THIS COACHING RIGHT FOR YOU?
YES, IF YOU...
- ✓Have a specific sportive 8-20 weeks away you want to perform at
- ✓Have completed sportives before but want to ride them better
- ✓Are training inconsistently and want a structured build
- ✓Want a tested fuelling and pacing plan, not a 'wing it' approach
- ✓Have a climbing-heavy event and your weekly riding is mostly flat
- ✓Plan to do multiple sportives a year and want a season-long structure
NOT IF YOU...
- ×Have never ridden over 60km and your event is 4 weeks away (start with general fitness first)
- ×Want a one-size-fits-all PDF plan
- ×Aren't willing to fuel properly in training and on the day
COACHING FOR OTHER SEGMENTS
Same five pillars. Different periodisation depending on who you are and what you're training for.
MASTERS CYCLISTS
40+ — preserve power, manage recovery
OVER 50
Deeper recovery, heavy strength, joint-aware
BEGINNERS
Build a real base. Skip the bad habits.
WOMEN
Female-specific physiology and benchmarks
BUSY PROFESSIONALS
6-8 hrs/week — every hour earning its keep
TIME-CRUNCHED
Under 6 hrs/week — maximum return per hour
YOUR COACHING STARTS HERE.
7-day free trial. Five pillars. Personalised to your goals, your schedule, and your life. Cancel anytime.
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