If you invested time in following a Training Plan for a sportive it’s worth taking the time to consider some simple sportive tactics that will make a big difference on race day:
Sportive Tactics
- Starting time: If you want a fast time the start at the front with the quicker groups, if you want to pass people and feel stronger during the day then start further back
- Pace yourself: Your Training Plan has been building progressively so you should have a better understanding of your average speed and your strengths;
- Pace yourself conservatively to finish the race strongly
- Have finishing with a smile on the line as your number one goal
- Use this Cycling Threshold Test to determine your Functional Threshold Power
- Practice Pacing with the second video in this Turbo Training Workouts series
- Create your own group: If you are entering a sportive with mates and have been training together then stick together; you’ll find people have strong moments and weak moments and they’ll often average out of the course of a long day. If you are on your own you might find riders on the Facebook page or through the Twitter feed for that sportive
- Pick the right group: Find a group that are;
- Travelling at a pace that is comfortable for you
- Taking turns to work at the front
- Communicating well and are in good spirits
- Communicate within the group: If you were on a 5 hour train journey or flight you’d probably talk to those around you right? Once you have found the right group you chat with people and be sure to communicate any dangers (holes, road furniture) clearly
- Take your turn: It’s worth reading through these tips on How to Ride in a Group; poor group riding etiquette won’t be appreciated
- Leave the group: When the above rules aren’t being applied maybe it’s time to try to find a more suitable group to ride with; don’t spend five hours pulling other people along!
- Tyre pressure: Get into the habit now of checking that your tyres are pumped up to the recommended pressure before every ride
- When you feel good eat and drink: Don’t wait until you are hungry, thirsty or tired; if you feel good then get some fuel in; aim to eat and drink little and often
- Practice fuelling your ride: Practice your Sportive Nutrition and Hydration in training;
- Ride looped circuits with your house or car at the centre to act as a food and water station
- How many time to you refuel your bottles on your weekly long ride?
- What works best for you towards the end of a long ride – gels or solid food?
Plan to Hit Peak Form
If you are reading this with a few weeks left until your sportive and have been using a cycling computer to record your ride data then you can fine tune the last few weeks of training.
By using the Performance Management Chart feature from our Partners TrainingPeaks you can plan your training load so that you reach your peak fitness with fresh legs and confidence in your form.
Sportive Holidays with Brevet
If you plan your post sportive recovery carefully you could choose another sportive challenge to extend your season:
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Sportive Training Plan
Are you in training for a sportive? Use our free 12 week Sportive Training Plan to get you in the best possible shape for your sportive challenge. Simply fill the form below and we’ll send you your free training plan:
