Is a Light Taper Costing You Race-Day Performance?

Cyclists commonly believe in taking it easy leading into race day. But fresh research flips that logic on its head, suggesting your comfortable taper could actually be holding you back.

Norwegian researchers, known for challenging conventional training wisdom, are back again. In 2016, they shook things up by demonstrating the benefits of high-intensity shock training before racing. Now, their latest 2024 paper adds compelling new evidence to this disruptive idea.

They took 33 well-trained cyclists (average VO₂max ~71 ml·kg⁻¹·min⁻¹) and split them into two groups for a 12-day experiment:

• Regular Training Group: Continued their usual routine—moderate volume (11–12 hrs/week), spreading out two HIT sessions each week.
• HIT Shock Group: Did something radical—a short, intense microcycle. They packed five HIT sessions into just six days, structured as five sets of 8 minutes 45 seconds, alternating 30 seconds at 118% FTP and 15 seconds at 60% FTP, with 3-minute rests between sets. After this demanding block, they eased off significantly for six days of active recovery (mostly short and easy rides, with minimal moderate efforts).

The results reinforced and expanded their previous findings. Despite significantly reducing overall training volume and intensity during the recovery phase, the HIT Shock group improved their maximal aerobic power output by 3.7% (vs. just 0.7% for regular training), and their 10-second sprint performance increased by 2.8% (vs. 1.9%).

How You Can Implement This:

1. Timing: Around 12 days out from your key event.
2. The Shock Block (Days 1–6): - 5 sessions within 6 days (rest fully on day 4) - Each session: 5 sets of 8m45s (30s at 118% FTP / 15s at 60% FTP) - 3 minutes recovery between sets (1 min passive, 2 min active)
3. Recovery Block (Days 7–12): - Reduced volume, predominantly short and easy rides - Minimal moderate-intensity efforts to maintain sharpness

This strategy goes directly against common tapering wisdom—but that might be precisely why it works. The message is clear: a carefully planned, brief period of harder-than-normal intensity might be exactly what you need to unlock peak performance on race day.

Referecne: https://nordopen.nord.no/nord-...

Ready to boost your durability?

Grab my Road Durability VO₂max Plan—a smart, structured approach to training that builds lasting performance.

Get 25% off → Code: DURABLE

On my mindJust Keep Showing Up

Your job isn’t to nail every ride or crush every workout—it’s simply to get on the bike today. It’s not about perfection, it’s about persistence. Keep showing up, ride after ride, because consistency is your real superpower. Do that enough, and the big breakthroughs will take care of themselves.

Damian