By Guillaume Plourde, NextGen Para-Cycling Coach (East)

Imagine lying flat on your back, tightly belted in a spaceship-like, three wheeled carbon luge sitting 6 inches above the ground and riding steadily above 35km/h, propelling forward with only the use of your arms. What about putting on a blindfold, hopping on the back of a tandem fixed gear bike, trusting your pilot fully and casually hitting a 43 degree inclined turn at 55km/h? Or attacking the pack going up a hill and pedalling with only one leg? I’ve seen some spectacular bike handling skills during tricycle races; taking a 90 degree turn going full gas at the bottom of a hill when it’s impossible to lean your bike sideways is always exciting to watch!

This is what para-cycling is all about. The sport of para-cycling fosters an inclusive sense of community that is felt within Canada and extends to the greater para-cycling sporting community around the world. Chances are you’ve heard the term “para-cycling,” and you might have seen some funky looking bikes here and there, but never really got a clear idea of what para-cycling really is. Simply put, para-cycling is a UCI cycling discipline on its own; built around a complete classification system to regroup athletes living with eligible physical or visual limitations, into competitive and equitable groupings.

From a coaching perspective, para-cycling presents a combination of all regular cycling aspects: working on physiology, specific strength, mental performance, nutrition, etc. The main challenge comes from the fact that individualization is an absolute necessity, because there is not one single para-cyclist that has the same limitations as another. Para-cycling coaches have to demonstrate a whole lot of creativity when the time comes to adapt and optimize a bike to avoid injuries. Just think about managing all your gears AND brakes with one hand or finding the best cushioning for a handbike when the athlete can’t actually feel where the pressure points are. This is equally true for athletes, as they are the ones providing the most feedback and often come up with ideas that are outside the box to better optimize their set up. Being constantly thrown out of our comfort zone is what drives para-cycling coaches to always stay on top of the latest technological developments and pursue excellence.

Obviously, at the end of the day our athletes represent the core of the team’s success. Even when social distancing wasn’t the flavour of the day, we’ve been operating in a decentralized system. This means that regardless of your location in the country, our network is built to optimize the level of support given to the athletes. This includes having consistent coaching and working with key local practitioners in sports science and sports medicine. Thanks to this, a good number of our top performing athletes also have a professional career and/or a family to take care of, or are full-time students. I am personally always impressed when I realize how the team members are able to manage their schedule and perform at the highest level when needed. Since most athletes and staff don’t get to see each other on a daily basis, this also transforms all national team events into something special, where everybody gets to catch up while sharing the excitement of starting a long training camp or getting ready for a race. The team has a strong family feel where everybody helps push each other to their full potential.

Our para-cycling National Team was particularly successful at the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games, where they won a total of 9 medals. It goes without saying that after the last couple of months of uncertainty due to the COVID-19 pandemic, all athletes are now excited to have a fixed date for the Tokyo 2020(1) Paralympic Games and we are very motivated at the prospect of having the best possible team in attendance at these Games. With a high performance focus on the upcoming Games, it is still extremely important to start thinking ahead to build the foundation for the next 4 years in preparation for the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games.

Cycling Canada is always eager to find new para-cycling talent. With a development program in place that has resources all over the country, we invite anyone interested to contact us directly here. If you have a particular interest or background in endurance sports, para-cycling offers a strong connection with the outdoors and each training experience is unique. In the past few years, we have seen the sport develop rapidly, especially on the women’s side. We have also had the privilege to have athletes who have moved on from other national team programming to join the para program, training and racing with athletes with visual impairments, and helping them reach their full potential while acting as tandem pilots.

As a para-cyclist, riding or training in groups with other cyclists is always possible, it’s only a matter of matching average speeds! For your next Sunday challenge, I would recommend and encourage you to try to hang on behind a handcyclist on a flat road. Remember, that some handcyclists can time trial at an average speed of 40km/h for the full length of a 20km course that has no wind advantage.

The fast-paced and growing community of para-cycling classes represents an incredible and exciting opportunity to be a part of the booming sport of cycling. Hop on and reach out to learn how to get started now!

By Stephen McMullan, Strength & Conditioning Coach at the Canadian Sport Institute Ontario & with the Canadian National Track Program

In many sports, technique is closely linked to performance with cycling being no different. Improving the interaction between the cyclist and their bicycle is of significant value to any rider and there are multiple ways to enhance this relationship. The skill of pedaling involves co-ordinated extension and flexion of the hip, knee, and ankle joints. These joint movements allow for effective torque production during the pedal stroke in order to overcome the resistance of the bicycle gear. Torque is the term used to describe rotational force applied to the pedal by the foot.

Pedaling can be broken down into two main phases. The first 180 degrees of the pedal stroke is known as the propulsive phase which occurs from 12 o’clock to 6 o’clock of the crank, followed by the recovery phase which is the second 180 degrees of the pedal stroke, which occurs from 6 o’clock to 12 o’clock. With peak torque occurring during the propulsive phase, this downward pushing action is an area of importance for cycling performance.

We all know strength training is a modality widely used by cyclists but the question remains, what effect can strength training have on pedaling technique? RØnnestad and colleagues of Lillehammer University College in Norway completed a 25-week study investigating the effects of combined strength and endurance training. Comparison was made to an endurance-only training group. The study was conducted during the off-season and pre-season of the elite road cyclists’ calendar.

The endurance training for both groups involved spending time cycling at various heart rate (HR) zones (60-100%HR_max). There was no significant difference in the training intensity and volume between groups, although the endurance training group spent slightly more time at the lower HR zones (60-83%HR_max), balancing the additional strength training volume of the combined training group. One of the variables analyzed included the crank angle where peak torque occurs. Measured before and after the 25-week training plan, peak torque angle was recorded during a 3-minute period of the blood lactate profile. The intensity of this testing period corresponded to an average power output of 4.3 watts per kilogram of bodyweight. Combined strength and endurance training significantly improved the crank peak torque angle by 3.5%, indicating that peak torque occurred earlier [-3 degrees] in the pedal stroke. In comparison, no changes occurred for endurance-only training.

RØnnestad and coworkers further demonstrated a relationship between the changes in peak torque angle and power output improvement in time trial performance. Earlier peak torque production significantly influenced the increases in average power output during a 40-minute time trial. The combined training group increased maximum strength by 20% over 25 weeks of training. As expected, the endurance training group had no change in maximum strength. The only significant training difference between the groups was the inclusion of strength training, twice per week.

In the absence of cycling based pedaling exercises, strength training can positively influence pedaling technique. Increased strength levels improve the rate that torque is applied to the pedal, reducing the time it takes to reach the required peak torque to maintain a high average power output. These pedaling technique adaptations lead to a more efficient and effective propulsive phase and may allow the cyclist to get their wheel ahead of the opposition when it matters most during a race.

By Jacob Rubuliak, Junior Canadian ITT Champion & member of the Giant Canada Team

COVID-19 has been less than ideal for most people in 2020. Travel, racing and normal life has been put on pause for the last few months with no set date on its return. Initially, this hit me very hard mentally and I was extremely disappointed about the postponement of the season. I had to change my mindset, the goals I had set for the season and I needed to think of new activities to do.

I decided to do things I normally wouldn’t do during the race season in order to find new sources of motivation. I did a couple of bike packing trips; I really enjoyed riding with no real objective, just leaving home with some food, gear and finding new locations I normally wouldn’t explore. I also changed up my training plan, adding a few days of Strava segment hunting. This allowed me to still get a hard ride in, while incorporating a fun aspect and motivating me in a different way. Next up was long-distance riding. I started out with a couple of 200km rides, and then moved up to 300km. These were rides I had not planned for in advance, where I just got out on the bike and rode. If I was feeling good, I would just ride for as long as I felt. If I was having an off day, I took it easier. I have been really enjoying a more flexible training schedule and I’m grateful my coach Richard Wooles (Peak and Valley Coaching) adjusted it to the situation.

My biggest and hardest day so far has been a 500km ride from Kelowna to Victoria, with over 5000m of elevation gain, 170km of gravel and cold and rainy conditions for nearly half the ride. It initially started when I was jokingly asked by my friend Riley Pickrell if I wanted to ride him home to Victoria. With no hesitation I went for it, putting myself in an uncomfortable situation that I knew could make me a better rider. That ride was one of my most fun rides I’ve ever done and I will have stories to tell for the rest of my life. Riding BC backroads in the middle of the night with no car sightings for 5+ hours and sending the road bike down gravel descents at 55-60km/h with only a small cone of light to guide us were crazy experiences. Note: if a moose starts chasing you on a forestry road at 2am, sprint! You only have to beat the slowest rider…unfortunately for me, I was sprinting against Riley.

Next up was the Everest. This challenge had been on my mind for a few weeks and as it became more and more popular during the pandemic, the more my motivation increased. When the weather conditions became somewhat ideal, I set the date and the location: Knox Mountain in Kelowna, BC. I not only want to complete the Everest, but I also wanted to give my best shot at the Canadian Record. I knew it would be one of my hardest days in the saddle. That being said, I prepared as best as I could to succeed; a container of pre-cut CLIF Bars, 15+ bottles, Coke, Red Bull and gels were all prepared the day before. My bike was race ready, with spares ready to go at the side of the road.  When I started my computer at 7am that morning, I was determined to give it my all, and was not stressed whether or not I got the record.

I was up on my preplanned pace from the start, but I knew it would be a challenge to hold it and took the risk. I stuck to my nutrition plan as long as I could (⅓ CLIF Bar per lap + liquid) and only slipped on my pace slightly in the last 10-12 laps. The last 3-5 laps were almost max, it was the deepest I have ever gone on a solo effort. In the end, I completed the challenge in 9 hours 33 minutes, lowering the Canadian record by nearly one hour. I am really proud of what I accomplished that day, which would not have been possible without my parents, brothers, Giant Bicycles Canada, Cyclepath Kelowna, my cheer and support crew on Knox that day.

I would like to encourage all riders, from WorldTour pros to complete beginners, to challenge yourselves during this time. This represents a new opportunity to grow as a rider and as a person. Find new limits and create valuable memories. Don’t worry about race results, now is the time to ride for the fun of it – so just get out there and ride!

By Adam Muys, Head BMX Racing Coach with Cycling Canada

It currently might be a challenge to go out and do the riding you normally would be doing this time of year. Nevertheless, it is also a great opportunity to shift gears from the regular training, rides or races you normally do and to explore and try something different. We are often focused on the next race or training goal and gloss over some of the basic riding skills that lead to success.

We talk a lot about having world class basics and a simple way to build on these basic skills is to work on them in a small confined area. Using Futsal as an example for skill development for soccer, the same can be done on a bicycle. If you are unfamiliar with Fustal, it is a soccer game played on a small court with particular emphasis on the skills of passing, dribbling and close control. In the confined area, players all touch the ball more and have to focus on control.

Before your next ride or just for fun on its own, find an area; it could be a driveway, empty parking lot or a safe spot on the street. Get some cones and set up a course. Don’t have cones? You can get creative with water bottles, sticks, gloves or pop cans. This can be an easy way to work on cycling fundamentals that may be limiting your riding. The fundamentals include cornering, sprinting, bunny hops, manuals and wheelies. It’s recommended that this be done on flat pedals (not clipped in), but it doesn’t have to be. Bunny hops should always be developed on flat pedals, no matter what bike you’re on.

The set up can vary from a single line of cones to weave in and out of, to a complex course that includes figure 8’s, sprint sections, skinnies or obstacles to bunny hop over. The possibilities are endless. You could create dual Ninja Warrior courses for competitive fun.

Examples of drills:

• Weave in and out of cones on two wheels or one
• Figure 8, turning hard and accelerating out of the corners
• Acceleration sprints between cones, you can then add in a quick turn followed by another sprint
• Set cones at 2m intervals and then see how many cones you can manual or wheelie over (bring back the wheelie!)
• Standing start 3 pedal wheelie, try to wheelie for 3 pedal strokes from a standing start

Combine 3 or 4 drills to make an exciting course. This can be done alone or make it a challenge with a friend. Get the whole family involved!

It’s amazing how much fun you can have in a small space, the time will fly by.

Quick tips:

Manual: Shift your weight down and back, like an L. This will pop your wheel up and get you back and low to keep your wheel up. Cycling Canada has a video tutorial you can watch on their Facebook page which explains it in more detail.

Bunny hop: Explode the ground away from you (think of how you jump off the ground with your feet), then scoop the bike up.  Don’t just pull up. I repeat…this MUST be learned while not being clipped in. You will only cheat by pulling up with clips and your max height will only be about 6”.  If you are doing the skill correctly you can easily bunny hop much higher.

Good luck and don’t forget to have fun!