Cycling: Successful Sportives

Elite Performance: Cycling is the first in a new series of Elite Performance titles aimed at aspiring recreational athletes who typically train and compete at club level and above. The book is aimed at long-distance cyclists, with specific reference to sportive riding - well-known sportives include the Etape du Tour, which covers one day of a mountain section from the professional Tour de France and attracts over 3,000 competitors each year from the UK alone. The increased use of lab-based sports testing in recent years has considerably raised awareness of the impact of sports science on training and performance, and many coaches, trainers and athletes are looking for more information and guidance on how to apply this knowledge to their own training. This approach is at the heart of the Elite Performance: Cycling, which includes structuring a training programme, training phases, goal-setting, physiological assessment, principles of heart rate training, power creation and output, different levels of training and how and when to use them, nutrition, rest and recovery, tapering and over-training. There is also a section on race day preparations and planning. With a practical full-colour design and packed with stunning colour photography, Elite Performance: Cycling is an indispensable companion for the long-distance rider.