Watch the master at getting low in your sprint
It’s always good to try something new, and when KMD rider Andy Bateman suggested that we should do some sprint drills on our next ride, I thought why not.
You’ve probably heard of slamming the stem you can imagine my surprise when Andy told me that each sprint would start by “kissing your Garmin” well ok he said touching my chin on my Garmin, not kissing – but when you don’t have a chin like Buzzolini you have to use the lips.
As we rode up to North Head Andy explained the session devised by a sprint coach in NYC. He went to great pains to explain that the focus of this session was on TECHNIQUE. Cav displayed perfect form in the final stage of the 2009 TDF, even though he is closest to the camera you can see how low he is over his bars.
The idea is to get as LOW as you can, when you are sprinting – hence before you start touching your Garmin – place hands in the drops right up under the brake hoods. Arms pull (not straight) and core is solid and fixed.
Make sure that you have a good warm up – for me riding unto North Head wasn’t enough, I needed another 10 or 15 minutes.
We were using the loop at the end of North Head – sprinting from the end loop to the sign just past the Cafe – about 300m then turn around roll through the loop 1km then start again.
Set 1 – 4 reps: Gear: 53×15 Effort 60%/80% Distance 300m
Remember the goal is to focus on technique (staying low) and also shifting if you need to. The first few go pretty quickly, but three and four take more concentration to be low, fast and shift.
Set 2 – 4 reps: Gear: 53×15 Effort 80%/100% Start at 80% then focus on the kick for the last 50 meters, Distance 300m
The goal here is to accelerate to 80% then kick as hard as you can for the last 50 meters while you are staying low. Do the effort roll back to the start and repeat.
Set 3 – 4 reps: Gear: 53×11 Effort 100% for the kick Distance 200m
So you have done the big effort, the kick all while maintaining your new “low”. The question is can you do it while kicking in the 53×11?
Set 4 – 4 reps: Gear: 39×15 Effort 80% Sprint in the small ring at high RPM Distance 250m
Hands in the drops as above, but this time the focus is on form while at high RPM. I maxed out at about 155RPM.
Set 5 – 4 reps: Gear: 39×15 Effort 80% Spin out in your smallest gear Distance 250m
Yes you read right, use your easiest gear – the goal here is to have high cadence and hold it while keeping your upper body as still as possible. This set is done on the top of the hoods. During this session I hit 172 rpm, for the first one I felt like I was going to lift my front wheel off the ground.
Andy showing how it's done
Mitch can get pretty low as well
