Cutting the recoveries short
The session runs to nearly an hour and a half because of the recoveries, and that's deliberate. Cut them and your starts lose their snap and your top speed drops: you end up training something other than force and speed.
CyclingSprint and anaerobicIntermediate 89 min
Track starts: 10 standing starts and 5 flying efforts
Track starts: 10 standing starts of 8 seconds, then 5 flying efforts of 7 seconds flat out, each followed by full recovery. A session of nearly an hour and a half, for starting explosively and then reaching your top speed.
Session profile38 blocks
At a glance
- Duration
- 89 min
- Main target
- 100–400%FTP7 Z7 · Neuromusc.
- Time at target
- 3 min
- Estimated load
- 67
- Structure
- 10 × 8″ at 200–400% FTP, 4′ recovery
- Level
- Intermediate
- Equipment
- Power meter · Track (optional)
The session in detail
FTP
Time in zone
- Z176 min
- Z210 min
- Z51 min
- Z72 min
What the targets mean
| Target | Zone | Time | FTP 200 W | FTP 250 W | FTP 300 W |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 200–400% | 7Neuromusc. | 2 min | 400–800 W | 500–1000 W | 600–1200 W |
| 100–120% | 5VO2 Max | 1 min | 200–240 W | 250–300 W | 300–360 W |
| 40–55% | 1Recovery | 66 min | 80–110 W | 100–138 W | 120–165 W |
Put this session on your bike computer or watch
Wattson works out the targets from your FTP and sends the session to your Garmin, Wahoo, Coros or Suunto.
What this session is for
The session brings together two sides of sprinting. The standing start trains force: getting a bike, often a fixed-gear one, moving from a standstill as fast as possible. The flying effort trains top pedalling speed once the bike is rolling. Together, they cover both ends of the force-velocity curve.
Full recovery between efforts is what keeps the quality up. You're not trying to absorb fatigue here: every start should be as explosive as the first, and every sprint as fast.
Who it's for
Track riders and sprinters, intermediate or above. On the road or a turbo, the session is only an approximation of track conditions: no fixed gear, no banking. A recent FTP sets the warm-up, the wind-up before the flying efforts and the recoveries.
When to do it
One session of this kind a week is a common guideline for a track rider, often alongside a speed session on the road. Do it on fresh legs, never the day before a long ride, another hard session or a race. To progress, keep the efforts maximal and the recoveries full, rather than adding reps.
How to do it
Warm-up
15 min5′ 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 the track, do them on the bike you'll use for the session, following the velodrome's flow. On a turbo, set up resistance or slope mode: ERG allows neither a standing start nor a sprint.
Main set
37 min10 × 8″ at 200–400% FTP, 4′ recovery
Ten all-out standing starts of 8 seconds. On the track, start held or from the rail, following the velodrome's rules; on the road, from almost a standstill. Accelerate out of the saddle as hard as you can. Power often lands between 200 and 400% of FTP, or 500 to 1,000 W for an FTP of 250 W, with no ceiling. Between starts, 4 easy minutes at 40–55% of FTP, or 100 to 138 W.
Recovery
5 min5′ at 45–55% FTP
5 easy minutes at 45–55% of FTP, or 113 to 138 W for an FTP of 250 W. You're switching from force to speed: use it to drink and loosen your legs.
Main set
22 min5 × (15″ at 100–120% FTP + 7″ at 200–400% FTP + 5′ at 40–55% FTP)
Five flying efforts. Each starts with a 15-second wind-up at 100–120% of FTP, or 250 to 300 W, to build speed, then 7 seconds flat out at maximum cadence. On the track, wind up high on the banking, then drop down to the black line for the sprint. Sprint power often lands between 200 and 400% of FTP. Between sprints, 5 easy minutes at 40–55%.
Cool-down
10 min10′ at 40–55% FTP
10 very easy minutes at 40–55% of FTP. Compare your first and last efforts in each exercise: if they're close, the recoveries were long enough.
How it should feel
The standing starts are mostly about the legs: the first pedal strokes are heavy and your breathing barely gets going. The flying efforts are shorter and faster, almost exhilarating. Between efforts you should feel fresh again: the session is long, but rarely exhausting.
Common mistakes
Rushing the wind-up
The 15-second wind-up is there so you hit the sprint already fast. A sluggish wind-up means spending the 7 seconds accelerating instead of holding your top speed.
Ignoring the velodrome's rules
On the track, starts happen in a set order and at set places, with other riders around you. Follow the velodrome's safety rules and your coach's instructions before you go.
Treating the time conversion as a rule
The original examples are given as distances, not times. The session's durations are an approximation: on the track, go by the distances your coach sets.
When to skip it
Before you start
- A recently measured FTP.
- For the track version: experience of the velodrome and a fixed gear.
Skip it if
- You're tired, or a long ride, hard session or race is planned for the next day.
- You have knee pain: standing starts load them heavily.
- You have doubts about your health: get medical advice before maximal efforts.
Origin and evidence
Level of evidence
Established practice, no dedicated studyLevel 1 of 5
The ESIE scale (Grappe and colleagues, 1999), used by French Cycling Federation coaches: 10 × 60 m standing starts and 5 × 100 m flying efforts appear as example exercises for zone i7, force-velocity and short sprint. The same source gives 4 × 500 m standing start for zone i6, the long sprint. The scale presents these exercises separately. The approximate durations (about 7 to 9 seconds for a 60 m standing start, about 7 seconds for a flying 100 m at 50–55 km/h), the 15-second wind-up, the 4- and 5-minute recoveries, combining the two exercises in one session, the warm-up and the cool-down are Wattson choices. Bottom line: coaching practice, good confidence in the source, weak on the conversion from distance to time.
Sources
- Grappe F. et al., échelle ESIE, 1999
Frequently asked questions
What's the difference between a standing start and a flying effort?
A standing start begins from a standstill and trains the force to get the bike moving. A flying effort begins with a wind-up to build speed, then trains your top speed. In track sprinting, the first matters for the opening of a race, the second for the final sprint and flying time trials.
Can I do this session without a velodrome?
Yes, on a safe road or on a turbo, in resistance or slope mode. It will only be an approximation: without a fixed gear or banking, it feels different. The session still keeps its principle, force then speed, with full recoveries.
What power should I aim for on the starts?
None: the efforts are maximal. Power 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. Only the wind-up before the flying efforts has a target, at 100–120% of FTP.
Why durations rather than distances?
Because a watch or bike computer follows a time more reliably than a distance over an effort of a few seconds, and the session has to work away from the track too. The examples in the ESIE scale are given in metres; Wattson converted them into approximate durations. On the track, your coach's distances come first.
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