ETAPE DU TOUR PREPARATION: PLANNING

The Etape du Tour preparation by G4 continues! Today, after explaining the importance of physical preparation in your training, let’s talk about the bike training plan. This is obviously the big chunk of the job and we should not get too tired on D-Day but also not lacking in training. Therein lies the difficulty. So how do you get organized? How can you be sure you don’t overdo it? How do you know if you’re training properly?

So many answers which we will try to answer with our partner Michel Garçonnet of the company Performbike! Indeed, like physical preparation, a professional like him is in the best position to guide you. Step by step, we will detail the different work periods that you will have to go through!

Etape du Tour: Endurance for good preparation

Several work cycles will bring your body to the desired performance. Endurance is arguably the most important part of Etape du Tour preparation! It is the foundation of your home. Without it, your preparation is doomed to failure. But you are wondering what is this famous fundamental endurance?

Fundamental endurance is a pace in which the cyclist is in total ease of breathing and therefore only uses the aerobic system (oxygen) to produce his energy. This pace produces very little lactic acid (the reason for muscle pain), so it can be maintained for several hours.

The work of this fundamental endurance in your Etape du Tour preparation will have many benefits. Let us name a few:

• This pace promotes blood flow to the muscles. It’s the blood that supplies oxygen to the muscles!
• In basic endurance, the body uses lipids (fats) rather than carbohydrates (sugar).
• The more you work in this zone, the more your heart rate will drop during your outings
• The heart rate will decrease at rest which will promote your recovery
• The tendons and joints are reinforced at this pace. Add that to proprioception and your risk of injury is almost 0.

This period of your Etape du Tour preparation should last approximately 6 weeks, at the rate of 2 to 3 outings per week. After four weeks, you will couple these outings with resistance. This is one way to create a transition between the two training periods.

Power work!

The main force you are able to exert on the pedals coupled with the speed at which you pedal is the main source of speed when cycling. But how do you work this force in training? strength endurance, or resistance work, is the most effective way to work that power and make your pedaling effective.

This work is carried out on series ranging from 2 to 20 minutes in a row. A multitude of exercises exist and will, therefore, make you work your strength in preparation for the Tour Stage. To define these training series, it is best to turn to a professional like Michel de Performbike who will place them on your training schedule.

Working your strength will last between 1:30 and 3:00. As for the resistance period, it will last about eight weeks. The first two will be linked to basic endurance. After the fifth week of resistance work, it will be interesting to make a slight break of about a week. During this week make two short trips to avoid the fall of VO2 MAX.

But what is VO2 MAX? It represents the maximum oxygen flow that your body is able to absorb to support you during physical exertion. To imagine, the VO2 MAX is the engine displacement of your car. It is the basis of all physical performance.

Let us return to our work of resistance. In the last three weeks you will juggle resistance and intensity for the transition.

Intensity on the bike

There are 7 different intensity zones. They allow you to split your work according to the planned training and criteria. For basic endurance, for example, you will be in zone 1 or 2. Zones 3 and 4 are reserved for resistance and advanced endurance while zones 5 to 7 concern PMA, fractional, sprint work. Intensities.

You should know that these intensities are specific to each person. Indeed, they are based either on your maximum aerobic power (PMA) or on your maximum heart rate (FCM). To be as precise as possible and to ensure that you are working on the right work areas, it is advisable to carry out a stress test. It will help you identify the points to be worked on.

This training period will start over the last two weeks of the resistance cycle. It will then last approximately 8 weeks, two to three times a week. These eight weeks will be coupled with critical stamina.

Oxygenation for the last week

During the last weeks before the event, it is important not to tire the body. That’s why we’re talking about oxygenation. Bike rides are just an interview with work that has been done in the previous months.

You now have a complete idea of ​​a Tour Stage preparation in terms of training. If you wish to have more details and be followed by a professional, do not hesitate to contact Michel Garçonnet who will be happy to accompany you until your due date. Tour stage or not.