CyclingSprint and anaerobicBeginner 51 min

Rolling sprints on the bike (6 × 12 s)

Rolling sprints on the bike: six all-out sprints of 12 seconds, launched from a moderate pace, with 5 minutes' full recovery between them. A 51-minute session, open to newer riders. For your sprint, your jumps and your accelerations.

Written by Pierre Halloo · Updated 25 October 2026

Session profile15 blocks

At a glance

Duration: 51 min
Main target: 200–400%FTP7 Z7 · Neuromusc.
Time at target: 1 min
Estimated load: 40
Structure: 6 × 12″ at 200–400% FTP, 5′ recovery
Level: Beginner
Equipment: Power meter · Smart trainer

The session in detail

FTP

Time in zone

Z140 min
Z210 min
Z71 min

What the targets mean

The session's targets, in watts for three reference FTPs
Target	Zone	Time	FTP 200 W	FTP 250 W	FTP 300 W
200–400%	7Neuromusc.	1 min	400–800 W	500–1000 W	600–1200 W
40–55%	1Recovery	35 min	80–110 W	100–138 W	120–165 W

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Try this session

What this session is for

A very short, maximal sprint recruits every muscle fibre you have, including the ones endurance riding never wakes up. Repeated in the right conditions, it builds your peak power: for the finishing sprint, but also for closing a gap out of a corner or going with an attack.

It all hinges on the recovery. Five minutes is long, deliberately: a sprint done tired trains your fatigue resistance, not your peak power. Here, every sprint should be as strong as the first.

Who it's for

Any rider who wants a better sprint, and rouleurs who want to accelerate better. It's the most accessible sprint session: no standing start, no built-up fatigue. A recent FTP sets the warm-up and recoveries; the sprint itself has no ceiling.

When to do it

One or two sprint sessions a week is a common guideline. The sprints can also go early in an endurance ride, once you're properly warmed up. Do them on fresh legs, never the day before a long ride, another hard session or a race.

How to do it

Warm-up
15 min
5′ at 45–55% FTP + 5′ at 56–65% FTP + 5′ at 66–75% FTP
15 minutes building from 45 to 75% of FTP, in 5-minute steps. On a smart trainer, switch to resistance or slope mode for what follows: in ERG, the trainer caps your sprint.
Main set
26 min
6 × 12″ at 200–400% FTP, 5′ recovery
Six all-out 12-second sprints. Roll along at a moderate pace in a fairly big gear, then go: out of the saddle to kick, seated to finish if you prefer. The gear is too big if you spend half the sprint winding it up. Power often lands between 200 and 400% of FTP, or 500 to 1,000 W for an FTP of 250 W, but don't cap it. Between sprints, 5 easy minutes at 40–55% of FTP, or 100 to 138 W.
Cool-down
10 min
10′ at 40–55% FTP
10 very easy minutes at 40–55% of FTP. Compare your first and last sprints: if they're close, the recovery did its job. If power dropped clearly, stop the set earlier next time.

How it should feel

Maximal but brief: 12 seconds go quickly, even flat out. Your legs burn towards the end and your breathing races just after. Before each new sprint you should feel fresh again: if not, take another minute. Guide: 10 out of 10 during the sprint.

Common mistakes

Shortening the recovery

With 2 minutes instead of 5, the session looks more serious. Mostly it becomes a different session: your sprints lose power, and you train fatigue resistance instead of peak power.

Picking too big a gear

If the sprint starts at low cadence and barely reaches yours by the end, you've spent the effort winding up the gear. Drop a sprocket: speed should climb from the first pedal strokes.

Carrying on when power drops

The number of sprints isn't the goal. If your fifth sprint is clearly weaker than your first, call it there: a watered-down sprint adds nothing to your peak power.

Sprinting on any old road

An all-out sprint means head down and all your attention on the effort. Pick a safe, straight road with no traffic or junctions, or do it on the turbo.

When to skip it

Before you start

A recently measured FTP, to set the warm-up and recoveries.

Skip it if

You're tired, or a long ride, hard session or race is planned for the next day.
You have knee or back pain: sprinting puts a heavy load on the joints.
You have doubts about your health: get medical advice before maximal efforts.

Origin and evidence

Level of evidence

Moderate evidenceLevel 3 of 5

Carmichael Training Systems' 'High Quality Sprints' session: all-out sprints of 12 to 15 seconds from a rolling pace, at least 5 minutes apart; Chris Carmichael advises starting at around 20–25 km/h in a fairly big gear, but not so big that you go from 50 to 90 rpm during the sprint. Frédéric Grappe's French ESIE scale places short sprints in zone i7, over 4 to 7 seconds, up to 10. Kristoffersen and colleagues (Front Physiol 2019): in 28 trained cyclists, 6 weeks of short sprints improved 6-second sprint power (+4.7%, and +6.1% after prolonged effort) and 30-second power (+3.7%), more than heavy strength training, without harming endurance. The number of sprints, the 200–400% FTP range, the warm-up and the cool-down are Wattson choices. Bottom line: good evidence on the principle, moderate on the exact structure.

Sources

Carmichael Training Systems, séance « High Quality Sprints »
Grappe F. et al., échelle ESIE, 1999
Kristoffersen M. et al., Front Physiol 2019

Frequently asked questions

What power should rolling sprints be ridden at?

Flat out, without aiming for a number. A 12-second sprint often lands between 200 and 400% of FTP: 400 to 800 W for an FTP of 200 W, 500 to 1,000 W for 250 W, 600 to 1,200 W for 300 W. It's a guide for reading your session afterwards, not a limit.

Why 5 minutes' recovery for a 12-second sprint?

Because your fast energy stores take several minutes to rebuild. With a shorter recovery, each sprint is weaker than the last, and the session trains something other than peak power. If you want to work on sprints close together, that's repeated sprint training.

Seated or out of the saddle?

Out of the saddle to launch the sprint: you get more force onto the pedals. Once you're up to speed, many riders sit back down to finish, as they're more efficient at high cadence. Try both and keep whatever gives you the higher average power over your 12 seconds.

Can you really train your sprint?

Yes: in trained cyclists, a few weeks of short sprints improved sprint power without harming endurance. What doesn't change is your starting profile. A rouleur won't become a sprinter, but will gain enough to accelerate and finish better.

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