Kent Woermann is the owner/operator of Move Up Endurance Coaching. He is currently a certified personal trainer through the National Strength and Conditioning Association, a Precision Nutrition Certified Coach, and holds a category 1 license in road, mountain bike, and cyclocross disciplines. Here are his thoughts on Time Trials:
“Eat your vegetables and race time trials. These are two sound pieces of advice if you want to be a well rounded bike racer. Time trials may not be the most glamorous of events, but they are a very useful training tool when viewed in context of larger racing goals. Some athletes even learn to love these events and make them a primary goal each racing season. The goal of this article is to look at the basics of time trial races and how both new and veteran racers can benefit from them.”
What is a time trial?
Cycling time trial events involve an individual or team competing to see who can cover a set distance in the least amount of time. Competitors will each start at separate times, usually in 30 to 60-second increments. Common distances for these events will range from 10K to 40K. At USA Cycling (USAC) sanctioned events, competitors will be ranked by category, age, gender, or type of bike being used (aero or non-aero).
What Equipment Will You Need?
A road bike with front and rear hand brakes is the minimum requirement to enter a local race. A fixed-gear wheel can be used in place of the rear hand brake for road time trials. Aerodynamic equipment is allowed in all category races unless competing in the non-aero (Merckx) division or otherwise specified.
Time Trial Specific Bike / Categories
Unless racing in a UCI-regulation event there aren’t any equipment restrictions besides needing a front and rear brake. With the lack of restrictions, racers will spend considerable amounts of time and money to build the fastest bike possible. Don’t let this be discouraging if you have a smaller budget and want to start competing in this category. The most expensive equipment only provides marginal improvements over mid-range equipment, and the advantage over entry-level equipment still isn’t massive. The most important element of a good time trial setup is the rider’s position. An experienced bike fitter can help guide the process of purchasing and fitting a time trial bike. When possible, always try to get fit before purchasing a bike.
Merckx Category
Equipment restrictions for the Merckx category can vary slightly from race to race, but the general concept is to use similar equipment Eddy Merckx would have used during his hour record ride in 1972; standard frame tube sizes/shapes, box-section wheel rims, no aerobars, and no aero helmet. Today’s equipment standards have changed considerably and the rules on what is acceptable in a Merckx category race have eased a bit. Here are the general rules you can expect to find at most events:
- Aero bar extensions are not allowed
- Long-tail aero helmets are not allowed.
- Wheels deeper than 60mm are not allowed.
- Skinsuits are allowed.
If you want to stay true to the original Merckx category rules you would need a steel bike with round tubing, wool skinsuit, leather helmet, and a fixed gear wheelset with box-section rims. That’s probably not going to happen for most riders, so sticking to the bullet points above is a safe bet.
How Time Trials Help You Become A Better Cyclist
Master the Fundamental Skill of Pacing
The primary skill needed for success in time trials is the ability to pace an effort with the intent of going as fast as possible. This may sound easy, but new racers can expect to get to try and fail many times before understanding what it takes to truly empty the tank just meters before the finish line. Veteran racers that are true students of the sport should continually be working to refine their fundamental skills, especially when it comes to pacing.
Carry Over to Mass Start Events
Many mass start races require a “time trial” type effort at some point during the race. Understanding how to pace a solo effort will carry over to many other race situations.
Example: Long Range Attack
Andy attacks 10 miles out from the finish line in a road race. After a minute or so of all-out riding, Andy finds himself 30-seconds ahead of the pack. After some quick analysis, he determines there is 1 mile of headwind, 4 miles of crosswind with a hard climb, and a flat tailwind section for the final 5 miles. Andy uses this information and experience from racing time trials to formulate a pacing plan that will maximize his speed.
Real-world Performance
In time trials the race is against the clock with a limited number of variables that can affect the outcome. The strongest athlete usually wins, assuming they’ve accounted for other variables in their race day strategy. Factors besides raw power that will affect race-day performance include;
- How to correctly taper for an event
- How to warm up
- How to pace a race effort
- Holding an aero position
Time trials will expose any weak links in an athlete’s performance capabilities. Building fitness is always an effective way to improve performance, but if there are holes in the athletes preparation or race day strategy working on the points above is an easy way to pinpoint a problem and fix it. This is especially true for weekly/monthly time trial series where it’s possible to make small tweaks at each event to gradually dial in the best performance possible.
Externally Motivated Power Testing
Those who’ve trained with a power meter for multiple years and have performed regular power testing know how mentally exhausting these efforts can become. Some athletes embrace the challenge with relative ease. But for the athletes who loathe power testing, a time trial is a great alternative. The added motivation of being at an event with the goal of going as fast as possible (no matter what the power meter says) is a huge help.
Training For Time Trials
Space does not allow for a full discussion of an entire time trial training progression. Here are the highlights for a time trial focused rider:
- Perform a functional threshold power (FTP) test at the beginning of each training cycle. This is the primary metric a time trialists should be focused on improving. Here is a sample testing week you can use with a TrainingPeaks account.
- Aerobic development is very important. Long rides, sweet-spot rides, threshold rides, etc… Time trialists need the biggest aerobic engine possible.
- Dial in your race position and get comfortable holding it for the duration of your goal event – ideally longer. For Merckx riders consider performing harder intervals in your racing position. Riders using aero bikes should train on that bike at least 1-2x/week.
Here’s an example 2-week training period for a time trialist heading into a Saturday race on April 23rd:
Curious about what coaching might look like for you? Shoot me an email for a free 2-week TrainingPeaks plan. kent@moveupcoaching.com
Why Time Trials Are Great For New Racers
It’s less stressful than larger, mass start events
Learning the registration process, how to warm up properly, and how to pace yourself are all skills that can be intimidating to a cyclist new to racing. Time trials events tend to offer a more relaxed atmosphere than mass start events. This is true for everything from using the bathroom pre-race, visiting the registration table, warming up, etc. Even if you decide time trials aren’t your thing, getting over the hump of entering an event can help ease the stress at larger races where things may not be quite as low-key.
Lower cost to entry
The costs associated with entering a time trial race are lower than a typical mass start event (road, gravel, MTB, etc..).
- Lower entry fees (<$25)
- Any bike will work so long as it has front/rear brakes.
- Bike handling skill requirements are the same as they would be during a solo ride on the road
The cost will of course rise if you choose to purchase a time trial specific bike and start upgrading equipment, but the Merckx category can be very competitive and is a great place to start.
How to Enter Your First Time Trial
Step 1 – Find an event
USAC makes this easy with their event finder page. All you need to do is search around your area for events and see what’s available. Promoters will try their best to have events up many months in advance. For Kansas City area riders the best way to stay up to date on upcoming events is to follow the Kansas Cycling Association Facebook page. All local USAC sanctioned events will be posted here. There are also a handful of free events throughout the year. Links to the KCA pages and these events:
Jacomo Classic Team Time Trial
Coach Josh Wolfs’ Downtown Time Trials
Step 2 – Get a race license (if needed)
If entering a USAC event a race license will be required. An annual race license is currently $99 and is good for a calendar year. A one-day license is $10 for beginners and $25 for experienced (Cat 1,2,3,4) riders. One-day licenses can usually be purchased the day of the event during registration. There is also an option to purchase a one-day license during online checkout if you choose to pre-register for the event (recommended).
Step 3 – Show up 90 minutes early to register and warm-up
This is a starting recommendation. Some riders choose to show up a couple of hours early while others show up with barely an hour to spare before their start time. 90 minutes is the Move Up Endurance Coaching recommended sweet spot.
- Once you arrive visit the registration table and get your number
- Pin your number, set up your bike, and get dressed
- Start your warm-up about 45 minutes before the start of the event.
- Finish your warm-up with 15 minutes to spare before your start time
- Use the restroom, double-check equipment, head to the start line
Step 4 – Race!
- Line up 10 minutes before your scheduled start time
- Bring extra clothing to stay warm if needed
- Visualize your pacing plan
- Remember to breath on the start line!
Summary
Time trials aren’t glamorous. They are pure pain from start to finish and contain none of the excitement of a criterium or the adventure of a gravel event. They are the vegetables of the racing world. If you care about improving your bike racing performance then you should eat your vegetables. Questions? www.moveupcoaching.com/