A 15% performance gain with no extra training. That's what taper can do, and Anthony breaks down exactly how to execute it in this Roadman Cycling vlog, recorded on the way back from Majorca. There's also some real talk about the side of elite sport that doesn't make the highlight reel.
Key Takeaways
Taper is reduced duration with maintained or increased intensity. That's it. Not a rest week, not a training holiday. You back off the volume but you keep the quality in the sessions you do. Backing off feels like weakness, like you're falling behind while everyone else is still putting in work. That feeling is the problem. Anthony's done the taper enough times to know the discipline isn't in grinding through fatigue — it's in trusting that the 15% improvement shows up on race day, not in a Tuesday evening training session.
Anthony also got news mid-camp that his uncle was unwell. Cycling Ireland got him home early before the World Championships in Canada on January 26th. He's honest about it — missed weddings, missed birthdays, being away when something unexpected happens at home. That's the part of elite sport most people don't see. The plan had to bend. That's what plans are for.
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If you want more on how pros structure their training around races and recovery, the episode on what pros secretly do in winter is worth your time. And if you're self-coached and not sure how to build a taper into your own plan, the five fixable mistakes episode covers the basics.