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CoachingDIAGNOSIS

WHY AM I SLOW ON CLIMBS?

Riders who are your equal on flats ride away from you the moment the road goes up. You're working harder than they are and still losing ground. Climbing exposes every weakness in your training.

THE SHORT ANSWER

Most often, this is because power-to-weight ratio (W/kg) is the single biggest climbing determinant — both sides matter. The fix: calculate your w/kg — know your climbing benchmark.

WHY THIS HAPPENS

Power-to-weight ratio (W/kg) is the single biggest climbing determinant — both sides matter

Pacing mistakes: going too hard early blows your top-end before the summit

Threshold and VO2max capacity below where it needs to be

Insufficient sustained high-intensity work (3-8 min efforts)

Excess body mass that isn't muscle

Mental framing: climbs feel harder because they expose the gap between your fitness and your ambition