Sprint and anaerobic sessions for cycling
Sprinting on the bike isn't one effort but three families of sessions. The first targets your peak power: efforts of 6 to 15 seconds flat out, with full recovery, such as rolling sprints or standing starts. The second teaches you to sprint in race conditions: off a lead-out, or repeatedly, with barely time to breathe. The third works your anaerobic capacity over efforts of 20 to 30 seconds, from all-out 30-second sprints to the original Tabata.
The 8 sessions on this page are written in % of your FTP, but most sprints are ridden flat out with no ceiling: the FTP mainly sets the warm-up and recoveries. No recent FTP? Start with a ramp test. Each page gives the exact structure, watts for an FTP of 200, 250 or 300 W, how to ride it and what the sources say.
7Z7 · Neuromusc.
How to choose
You simply want a better sprint
rolling sprints 6 × 12 s, open to newer riders, with 5 minutes' recovery between each.
You lack snap off the line
standing starts in a big gear, or track starts if you have access to a velodrome.
You contest bunch finishes
lead-out sprints, four minutes of rising speed before an all-out sprint.
You race crits, mountain bikes or cyclocross
repeated sprint training, 6-second sprints with 24 seconds' recovery.
You're short on time
all-out 30-second sprints, two minutes of work, with effects studied well beyond sprinting.
You're preparing for a time trial
supramaximal 30-second intervals, studied in highly trained cyclists.
You're advanced and want the most brutal format
the original Tabata, eight lots of 20 seconds, a long way from the gym-class '20/10'.
The sessions
Tabata on the bike (original protocol)
Eight extremely hard 20-second efforts with 10 seconds' rest: the protocol as it was studied on a cycle ergometer, a long way from the gym-class '20/10'.
All-out 30 s sprints (4 × 30 s)
Four all-out 30-second sprints with 4 very easy minutes between: two minutes of work, with effects studied well beyond sprinting.
Repeated sprints 3 × 6 × 6 s
Three sets of six 6-second sprints, with barely 24 seconds to breathe. Power fades from sprint to sprint, and that fade is what you're training.
Standing starts 6 × 10 s
Six all-out 10-second starts from almost a standstill, in a big gear. More force, less speed: a staple for sprinters and crit racers.
Rolling sprints 6 × 12 s
Six all-out 12-second sprints, launched from a moderate pace, with 5 minutes to recover each time. The core session for peak power.
Lead-out sprints 4 × 4 min
Four minutes of rising speed, step by step, then an all-out 15-second sprint. For learning to sprint fast when your legs have already been working.
Supramaximal 12 × 30 s
Twelve 30-second efforts well above your maximal aerobic power, at steady power, with long recoveries. Studied in highly trained cyclists for time-trialling.
Track starts: 10 standing + 5 flying
Ten short standing starts, then five flying sprints: the force to get the bike moving, then top speed once it's rolling. Two track sprinter staples.
Frequently asked questions
How many sprint sessions a week on the bike?
One or two, on fresh legs, after an easy day or a rest day. Short sprints with full recovery are low-fatigue and can even go early in an endurance ride. The 20- to 30-second formats cost more and are usually kept to one session a week. These are common guidelines, not rules drawn from studies.
Why turn ERG mode off for sprinting?
In ERG, the trainer sets the power: it caps your sprint and takes several seconds to change target. Over efforts of 6 to 30 seconds, that rules it out. Switch to resistance or slope mode, or set a high fixed resistance, and pedal against the load.
Short sprint or 30-second effort: what's the difference?
A sprint of 6 to 15 seconds with a long recovery trains your peak power: every sprint should come out as strong as the first. An effort of 20 to 30 seconds drains your fast energy stores and works your anaerobic capacity, with a very different burn. The two complement each other.
Do I need to know my FTP to sprint?
For most sprints, no: they're ridden flat out, and the % FTP range is only a guide for reading your session afterwards. Your FTP sets the warm-up and recoveries. It becomes a real target for supramaximal 30-second intervals, lead-out sprints and Tabata.
Other types of cycling sessions
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