10 TOP TIPS FOR THE AMSTEL GOLD CYCLE TOUR
12.08.19
This is a letter written to our City Alps cycle team, beginning their training journey for the Amstel Gold Cycle Tour in April 2020
Every City Alp’er is unique and will respond differently to training. Some of our members are able to handle higher volumes of training, while others may respond better to higher intensities. This is based on a combination of factors (like whether you have more fast-twitch or slow-twitch muscle fibres, actual or athletic age, work and other life stresses and your genes). What follows, below, is some very general advice on how to tackle the Amstel Gold Tour based on our experience and input from our RIDE instructors, with this individuality caveat in mind. If you feel like you need or would like to arrange an individualised training program looking at your strengths and weaknesses and coming up with a long-term plan to take your training and performance to the next level, please do let us know.
Now, in no particular order, our [10] top tips on how to prepare for the Amstel Gold (thanks for asking the question Abel!).
1. Progressive overload and consistency
Progressive overload is a fundamental training principle. Simply put, it involves gradually ramping up the volume, intensity and frequency of your training over time. We suggest aiming for a conservative increase of no more than 10% more mileage or time at intensity per week, with one easy / recovery week after every three weeks of training.
You have to have consistency in your training in order to see returns. It’s the secret sauce. Rather do three 1-hour sessions every day than one 3-hour session on the weekend.
2. Long weekend rides: the importance of easy, slow distance
Your longer Rides over the weekend (or the double Sunday City Alps Ride classes) are key workouts. These need to be done at an easy, conversational pace below your anaerobic threshold. Dave’ Sullivan’s easy is going to be very different to Dave Black’s easy which will be very different to David Walter’s easy which will be very different to David Bell’s easy (shit sorry once we started on the Davids we couldn’t leave anyone out ...hopefully the point is made). You should be tired from the duration of these sessions, not the intensity.
As we get closer to the race, we will need to ramp up each week (3 hours, 3.5 hours, 4 hours, 4.5 hours, 5 hours, etc). These endurance rides needs to constitute around 80% of your weekly volume. Sadly there are no shortcuts to building that aerobic engine.
3. Include (some) Intensity
Every week, try to include two or three City Alps RIDE classes during the week to maintain and build power, specific-leg strength and neurological control. This is the 20% that sharpens the base-building referred to above. In these classes, get comfortable with the fact that you need to do lots of climbing, (e.g. 1 to 3 minutes above 100% on 65 to 85rpm - since that simulates the climbs you will be experiencing in the Amstel Gold. Especially closer to raceday, you should be doing more race-specific training (ie power rides more towards race day, and endurance/peak more in the beginning).
4. Get saddle fit and comfortable with your bike
Something that's annoying on your weekly Ronde Hoep ride could become an absolute showstopper during the Amstel Gold. This was a great tip we picked up from a recent article about a double century (in miles), but it’s true for any long(er) race! Get a professional bike fit if you have not had one done before and have your bike serviced (let the mechanic know that you are doing a long ride!). We are chatting to a bike mechanic and hope to arrange a group discount for all City Alpers for a winter service at the City Alps studio (for those who need it). It's going to be a long day and comfort is crucial.
5. Get the gear
Make sure you have the right gear and that you test your clothing on long training rides. The weather is typically Dutch at that time of year and can range from 5 degrees to 25 degrees. Make sure you have a plan to keep your feel, hands and head warm. And a way to stay dry. Also, make sure you have a City Alps top. Firstly, because we want to look cool (come what may) and, secondly, because there is a shared energy in being part of a bigger group that will pull you along. Lions always try to separate the weak from the herd. Try to blend in. Or perhaps we are the lions then try join the pride. Either way, get involved!
A little travel bum butter can go along way so (one dip) lather up before hand, and pop some more into your saddle bag for emergencies. Depending on the support you can get on the course (or not), carry your own tubes, tyre levers, pump, gas bomb.
6. Peak and Taper
In addition to our big training weekend, we plan doing our peak training ride three weekends before the Amstel Gold race. We will then taper with shorter rides over the last few weekends to ensure we are fully recovered. You can continue with one or two City Alps Rides classes each week to stay sharp and maintain leg speed.
7. Figure Out Your Feed Plan
If you don’t eat, you will bonk (your brain feels fuzzy) and hit the wall (dead legs). On your training rides experiment to see what tastes good and sits well in your stomach so that you know exactly what to eat on race day. DO NOT CHANGE THINGS UP ON RACE DAY! You should eat primarily complex carbohydrates. Think: oat bars, sports drinks, fruit, and biscuits, broodjies are all good. Towards the end of the race, you can finish off with more fast releasing energy food like cliff blocks (if needed). You want to try to have a few different options on the taste wheel (something sweet, salty and sour). Rule is to never feel hungry or thirsty. You should be consistently taking in calories (we find that every 30min works for us - you can set a reminder for yourself here). As a general rule of thumb, 05-1g of carbs per kilo every hour and this can be through drinks, food, gels etc.
Try to find out beforehand what they will be stocking at the food stations so that you don’t have to carry all the food with you - this will make you feel more confident when you get there and have to stock up on chow. Depending on how seriously/casually you are taking this race ;) it is also important to not eat loads of carbs in the training months, you rather want to keep the carb intake low in your regular diet which will help you become leaner and will also mean that the body will start to be more economical with using carbs. From the wise words of Stach himself, “if you want to become a diesel, then stop pouring petrol in yourself”.
8. Don't forget to rest
Work without recovery is only breaking you down. You need rest days and easy weeks!
9. Build functional stability and a strong core and flexibility
Don't forget to lift, bro. Continue to attend Lift classes. Work on building functional strength and core stability, particularly in the next few months. You can always drop the Lift classes as we get closer to race day. But strength training will make you more durable and injury proof as the training load increases and improve your performance and posture on the bike. We will also look at improving flexibility in the areas that will be working hard for a long day on the bike.
10. Find a Dutchie
On a long ride, it’s important to share the load and nothing is better than sitting on the wheel of a tall Dutchie. “I have already earmarked Marteen or Sjoerd. Find your own Dutchies, said Dayne Muller”. No but seriously, it makes a massive difference to be able to ride in a pack and conserve your energy. We will practice this a lot in our training rides together. It can make or break your ride.
Love Dayne, Georgia, Gemma and Stach
