Sharpening for criterium racing

Wheels of Happiness

Rizal Philippines
June 7, 2016

I am no coach but from what I hae read and read, several things can be done to level up the performance of some of our riders who would like to race:

1.  Improving sprinting ability. This should be part of the daily dose of young riders aspiring to race.  5x sprinting at 15 to 30 secs to the max should be part of ride; The ability to sprint at top speed say 50 to 60 kph should be tolerated well by a champion rider wannabee.

2.  Hard interval training.   A champion Filipino rider advised young riders to do hard interval training where ever you are flat, downhill or uphill some 100 metes away from km post.  See how this improve your overall strength and speed.  I found out that those who lose out in the final spring lack #1 and 2

3.  Training in criterium riding.  An out back road race is a constant speed riding.  While criterium rading consist of riding irregular speed, mostly surges and sprint.  Your body should be able to tolerate near heart rate max riding (say 50 to 60 kph) and down to 30 kph on turns.   A famous Dr.Arnie Baker cyclist coach calls for 40 mini sprint practice of 15 seconds surges with step down interval (from 1:30 rest) down to only 15 seconds rest as you end the near of the session (This is for stationary bike)

4.  Team work.  No man is an island.  You need team members to win using strategy and tactical measures:

      1,  To draft and wheel suck so that you are not overspent. Your wise opponents will take turns in tiring you out using different riders (team mates) to confuse and annoy you.

      2.  To use as lead out in final sprint.  The lead out will slingshot you if you are the fastest;  This lead out practice clears the way for the champ to be and confuses further the adversaries

     3.  Two aspirants -  a team mate would sprint at the other side of the road.  This creates dilmenna in the mind of  the opponent as to who will be the sprinter and final  champion rider

    4.  Gapping (this is too long complicated to explain here, but our riders must be briefed on the strategic aspect of racing

How to ride faster and stronger?!

Wheels of Happiness

Angono, Rizal Philippines   |  February 13, 2015



It is Friday the 13th but I biked to Tanay and on the way back I biked through the Cardona bypass.  I had to struggle but that is the way to be prepared for Baguio ride.

So the question is how I a senior can get fit and strong to join the very young kapadyaks (Halimaws if you may) at the their blinding rides.

So I always remember the admonition of Joel  -   keep close to the leaders and ride harder. Do Hard Interval Training.


Dr. Arnie Baker


I read Arnie Baker MD in his book Smart Cycling and here are his advice, which I try to stick to:

1. Equipment:

    1.  Lighten your bike especially the power train:  wheels, tubes, chain, chain ring, cogs, pedals, shoes.   If you can lower the weight of your bike from 23 lbs to below 20 then you can see changes in the way you bike

   2. Clean your bike  - remove grime in the pedal, cogs, derailleur, brakes, changer.  It could get very dirty;

   3. Oil lubricate your moving parts; STI, cables, cogs, pulleys, axle, bearings, BB. A noisy unlubricated bike can cost you minutes or a being dropped

Beyond these, everything else depends on the engine -  YOU.