Top tips for tackling Taupo

Nov 26th, 09. Aaron Strong from Kinetic Edge presents a few tips to make your ride around Lake Taupo easier, more enjoyable and fun!

Follow these tips to ensure you finish with a smile on your face and enough energy to enjoy the after party

NUTRITION

How much to eat: the recommended intake when cycling hard is 1g of carbohydrate for every kg of body weight per hour. Work that out…it’s quite a bit really.

When to eat: ideally “snack” every 30mins to keep blood sugar levels even.

What to eat: it's always a good idea to have things in your back pockets to eat what you look forward to eating. Products such as Leppin squeezies and Clif Bars are convenient.

Bananas are large and cumbersome and not as high in carbs as you think.

For a longer event keeping it varied is more enjoyable. Sandwiches are a fantastic cheap alternative, never underestimate the power of a honey or jam sandwhich!

Strategic eating: look at the course profile and try not to be eating right at the start of a long hill for instance. On really hilly races it’s not always possible to follow your 30min rule and eating whenever it flattens may work better for you. Usually in fun rides the pace at the start is prohibitive for eating, so as soon as it settles, get something in.

Fluids : how much for 160k? On a warm day it’s recommended to have 750ml per hour. Options include carrying an extra bottle on your back, picking up bottles at the aid stations, using a camelback drink bladder and having a friend hand you bottles on the course.

BUNCHES

Taking a turn in a big bunch: if you are in a big bunch of riders (bunches at Taupo often exceed 100+ riders) do not feel obliged to take a turn, you can save as much as 30% of your energy sitting in the bunch. No one will notice if you do not take a turn either.

Taking a turn in a small bunch: if you are in a small group (approx 20 riders or less) it is good etiquette to contribute to the pace making and help out. Sharing the work load will allow the group to go faster.

HILLS

Giving yourself room: there is far less (if any) drafting effect up a hill, so don’t feel the need to ride right on the back of someone’s wheel. Give yourself some space to avoid the erratic movements many cyclists make when they get in or out of the seat and when they get fatigued.

Positioning on the hill: if you are a weaker climber you can help yourself by getting towards the front just before any big climbs and “sand-bagging.” This is where you ride your own pace on the climb and let others gradually come by you.

If the bunch is big enough and you start near the front, you won’t have had to go too deep and will still be within the confines of the bunch once over the top. Start the climb near the back and your drifting backwards will see you off the back and losing ground rapidly.

Using your energy wisely: whenever the going is extremely tough, ask yourself what is the purpose of your current predicament. There are right and wrong times to be going beyond your limit. Take a look around you and assess what’s actually going on in the event.

If you find yourself off the back of a group of 200 cyclists by 100m, chasing by yourself, give yourself a couple of minutes to try and regain them and then, sit up and take it easy. Eat and drink and recover and wait for the next group. You are fighting a losing battle 90% of the time here.

If you are trying to get a group of stronger cyclists off the front of the bigger group and that group looks promising and want to help you, then that’s a good time to be putting in a bit of extra effort to establish a gap. Having a sense of where you are is really important.

TACTICS

The first 30mins of any fun ride: is the most intense part of the entire day. This is the time when everyone is trying to sort themselves into smaller groups. Weather the storm as it doesn’t stay at this intensity for the whole event. There will usually be a point where it settles down and then you’re pretty much stuck with the bunch you are now with.

Aaron Strong is a coach at Kinetic Edge – you can get in contact with him at: www.kecycling.com

Other articles on this great weekend of cycling

• Photos: Meshy Holt and the other winners of the WorkoutZone road race
• Photos: Patrick Bevan's win at the Avanti Classic
• RoadCycling.co.nz's ride around the lake
• Local lad wins Avanti Classic
• NZ Road Champion wins WorkoutZone Road Race
• Results: Avanti Classic
• Results: WorkoutZone Women's Road Race
• Photos of the Taupo Elite Street racing
• Bici Vida hunt down the win
• Battle for the Taupo Streets - women
• Results: Taupo Street Race
• When once just isn't enough
• Top tips for tackling Taupo
• Start list for the Elite races
• Small field, big names in Elite Women's race
• Alison Shanks latest Taupo attraction
• Defending champion skips Taupo
• Julian Dean adds to Taupo weekend
• Taupo Cycle Challenge 10,783 and counting
• Street battle looming in Taupo
• Greg Henderson's tips for one day racing