Make Grouptraining More Fun And Varied

Below, there is some different kind of trainings you can do if you are training in a group. The preferred size of the group is mentioned right after the name. It can make the training more exiting and challenging for everybody.

Sprint on a line (6 – 20)

The riders’ rides on one straight line (one after one) in a pace they will maintain. On the captain’s signal, the last rider sprints all the way to the front. It is important that this rider after overtaking the rider in the front, goes in front of this rider, and maintain the exact same speed. This way it will go around, and train the sprint abilities for the riders. It is good intervaltraining.

After all riders have done this, they go one gear up, and start again. This is done as many times as the riders wants to do. The captain has to make sure that there is no upcoming traffic behind, and therefore he will not be a part of this training exercise. Remember to have done half an hour of warm up before. In addition, a good trick is that the captain yells the name of the rider, so the riders do not always look back on when it is their turn. That can create some dangerous situations.

Accelerations to the group (6-24)

The riders rides one after one on a straight line in low speed. The last rider stops, clicks out of the pedals, goes of the bike, and then he goes back on, clicks in the pedals, and sprints up to the front of the group. He will have to maintain the exact same speed as before. This way it will go around, and train the sprint abilities for the riders. It is good intervaltraining.

It can be done with pairs so it can be done faster. In addition, a good trick is that the captain yells the name of the rider, so the riders do not always look back on when it is their turn. That can create some dangerous situations.

This can be done early when everybody has done just a slight warm up. Muscles are needed to be fresh to perform this task.

“Race” with individual tasks (14-30)

The riders drives a bikerace with a masstart. Preferable on a 7-10 km route. They drive a couple of laps (20 – 30 km). Before the start, each single rider gets a task they have to follow somewhere in this “race”. The tasks has to be given, so most people can finish the race in the leading group. Therefore, the strongest riders gets the hardest tasks. The riders must not know what the other riders have to do.

The roles can be everything from going into break away, or catching the breakaways. Also, like pushing the peloton as long as no are doing any break away. The roles can be given on a warm up lap on the route.

The captain has to know how strong each of the participants are, in order to make this successful. He can participate himself. It will be good to find a route that doesn’t have much traffic.

“Race” with team tasks (12-30)

The riders rides a 15-20 km race, preferably on a 4-7 km route. Before the start, the riders are made into a team of 3-4 riders. The teams have to be as varied as possible. So weak riders are put along with strong riders. The teams gets different tasks. Typically some offensive and other defensive tasks. Example, a team rides for 1 rider on the team, and has to make sure that no break away can get away. The teams will have to have a tactics meeting before the “race”, which can be done while driving the route as a warm up.

For fun, the teams can get point for how many riders they get in top 10. 10 points for a win, 1 points for a 10^th place.

The captain has to know how strong each of the participants are, in order to make this successful. He can participate himself. It will be good to find a route that does not have much traffic. The task can be done as a ending part of the training, or in the middle of it.

Time trial/hunting (8+)

The riders rides a time trial based on a huntingstart. the slowest rider in that time trial, starts first, and the fastests starts last. The difference between the riders, will be the same as the difference was in the time trial. That way, every rider got just as big a chance to win the race.

It can also be done in groups. Alternatively, the slowest and fastest rider gets send out first, and has to be together. After them the 2^nd worst and 2^nd best gets, send out. The captain has to take time in the time trial, so he cannot drive in that. But he can sit on the wheel of the last rider in the hunting.

The exercise can be placed just after a short warm up, or at the end of the training. But an important thing is, the riders must not know that they have to ride a hunt right after the time trial. Some riders will probably ride slower than they can, just to get an advantage then.

Intervals in pair or groups (8+)

The riders ride on a known route between 5 and 15 km long. The riders drives a huntingstart either individually or in groups up to 5 riders. The riders/teams gets send out so the weakest starts first, and the strongest starts last. The time between the different riders /groups gets send out can vary from everything so they get together before the route is done, or they will ride solo all the way. That way, the riders can be motivated, so they can “win” once a while. If overtaken, its allowed to follow the one overtaking you, if possible.
The captain has to ride with the last team, so he/she can make sure, the timegaps are big enough. Therefore, the captain has to ensure, that he/she is strong enough to ride with the strongest riders. The riders will need a warm up before this can be done.

Sprint with numbers (8+)

The riders ride on a known route with about 5 citysigns, they will sprint to. The captain will give a few riders some numbers before the first sprint is made. The other riders must not know who has been given a number, or what number a person has been given. The captain will yell a number, like “3”, and the rider that has been given the number 3, will have to decide whether he will attack 5 km before the citysign, or 100 meters before. The other riders will then have to try following him, or outsprinting him.

This is easy for the captain; he just needs to point out the ones opening the sprints. This can be done in the start, where the captain gives numbers during the warm up. It is important that the riders knows the route.

Sprint from group to group (5-20)

The riders rides in a single group. At the front there will be a rider who is 200-400 meters in front of the group. The riders will one after one have to close the gap to the rider in front. The rider in front have to try to maintain an agreed speed all the time. The frontgroup that will grow bigger and bigger must not increase this speed.

If there is too many riders, they can do this in a group. The speed of the frontgroup can be increased, if the strongest riders will be the last ones to be send out. The captain will have to be in the group behind, and therefore be the last rider to sprint up to the frontgroup. It is a good idea to have everybody warmed up.

Starrace (10+)

The route will be made into a route with 5-6 spots (like a star). Maybe in every corner of a town. The riders will be send one after one, and they can be send after each spot at the same time. will ride out to one of the spot, and then back to the center, and go after the next one. The winner will be the one to ride to all the spots and back to the center.

It can be done in pairs too. The captain has to stay at the center, so he/she cant participate. If he has to participate, it will demand no cheating from any of the riders. It will usually be ridden as special trainingsession, that will take all of the trainingsession.

Break away corporation (4+)

This is trained best under realistic circumstances, so in groups of 5-6 riders. If the riders are trained in this, they will ride with a bit high intensity. It will usually be ridden as a huntingstart, with the slowest group starting first. The riders will change position, and ride 2 on 2. They will circulate, so they shift to ride in front, but only for  a small time, until the next rider gets in front of you. When you are the front rider, you ride over the other side, in front of the rider that took lead before you, and throws it a gear down. When you are the one to enter the pushing side again, you go a gear up. Remember to maintain a specific pace is important. This way you are having 50% pushing and 50% “relaxing”. That way you as a team can maintain a high speed for a large time, because you are working together. You see pro’s do this too, especially in crosswinds. If the crosswinds are coming from the right side, the left side can relax and fall back, while it is the right side that will do the pushing.

The captain can participate in this as he/she wants too. Alternatively it can be done 5-10km outside a city, and the finishline with be at the citysign. Therefore, groups will have to corporate to get first over the finishline.

Written by René