Last xc race of the year next sunday. If I do exceedingly well and someone else does exceedingly badly (have to be 6 or more positions ahead) there is a slim chance I could win the series in my category. I can’t see this happening but I would be chuffed to be in the top 3 as its my first year racing in a long long time.

So i want to be in tip top condition next sunday. Rode for a couple of hours last night at a fairly high intensity (av pace 17kmh, 34km, 1000m climbed), got a fair few strava PB’s both up and down. My entirely unscientific riding plan is below, Any more experienced racers want to critique it? Normally i would ride on the fri and not the sat but as I have to stay up the night before may as well get a course practice in.

Today – spun into work (7km) and will spin home
Tomorrow – intervals probably repeats of a 4min strava segment
Saturday – no bikes but probably surfing as people comin to stay
Sunday – 2hrs high intensity ride.
Mon – commute
Tues – nothing
Weds – 1.5hrs high intensity
thurs – nothing
fri – nothing
Sat- pre-ride course and do a few sprint starts
Sun – Race

thoughts? TIA 🙂

someone else does exceedingly badly

💡 Ply them with absinthe the night before,

You’ve obviously done pretty well in the previous rounds, so why not just follow the same routine that’s worked up until now? Not much you can do about the other guy, you need him/her to have a bad race.

Well a few modifications to your bike is probably the best options?

Use this as inspiration and just take out your competition

o-t-b, sadly not, its more a case of one freak good result and not everyone having done all the rounds.

However your probably right, anticipation is making me over think things and I should stick with past routine

edit: plans to eliminate competition are noted! 😆 😆

Based on what I paid to learn rather than what has been successful for me (cos I’ve been on a podium once) I would say the Sunday and Wednesday high intensity sessions are far too long to taper for a major event.

My taper intervals are 2x10minutes Z4.

I’d also put a Z1 recovery spin for 45minutes on either Thursday and Friday

Plus recovery drink etc after your Saturday sprint starts

Good luck

o-t-b, sadly not, its more a case of one freak good result and not everyone having done all the rounds.

Fair enough, I’ve been in that situation too 🙂

You can’t make any major changes to your fitness levels in 10 days, other than making sure you’re well rested without laying off the bike completely.

Other than that, the only tactic I can recommend is hammering it from the gun in an attempt to put the other guy under pressure. There’s a chance he/she might crack and make a mistake. Of course it’s more likely you’ll blow up, so it’s a gamble. Depends whether you want to risk missing out completely for the chance of the top step!

Cheers both. Adsh, you are probably right, my legs are caning this eve after last nights effort (although that is partly the mozzies) so will aim for shorter high intensity on sun and weds, plus a ride on thurs