Tadej Pogačar has lifted the lid on the coaching and vitamin methods that powered him to a dominant 2024 season, during which he received the Tour de France–Giro d’Italia double, to call solely his highest profile achievements.
“I like driving in zone two,” he advised Attia. “Round the place I reside in Monaco, it’s actually laborious to get to zone two for a very long time as a result of there’s numerous climbing after which you may have all of the downhills. I attempt to hit a extremely excessive zone two on the climbs, they’re like 20 to 40 minutes lengthy, after which you possibly can actually get better on the downhills.
“However once I go residence to Slovenia or some place else, perhaps Spain after we’re coaching in Calpe the place it’s extra flat, I wish to then keep for 5 hours in zone two. In some coaching periods I like to do simply zone two and simply go nonstop.”
When requested by Attia what his coronary heart price is prone to be in zone two, Pogačar mentioned: “once I’m fatigued it’s like 140 or 145. Once I’m a bit extra recent, perhaps round 150 to 155.”
He then defined that he can preserve “320 to 340 watts” at that very same coronary heart price determine.
“In Monaco on the climbs the place I can actually get better after, you can not take a look at zone two and say that is your zone two since you did two ten minute checks at this energy,” Pogačar added when offering additional readability on his coaching. “In the event you’re doing a 5 hour trip, your zone two after 5 hours will not be your zone two anymore.
The most recent race content material, interviews, options, opinions and skilled shopping for guides, direct to your inbox!
“You at all times must know at what time this zone two won’t be your zone two anymore. As a result of on the flat you’ll not get better and 5 hours of driving 320-340 watts for me additionally signifies that the following day I’m not driving my bike. So when occurring the flat for longer, I drop my energy to 290-300.”
Energy meters and VAM
Celebrating successful the GP Montréal for a second time
(Picture credit score: Getty Photos)
Pogačar went on to say that he considers energy meters to be “unreliable” and revealed that he has monitored his personal coronary heart price since childhood.
“You at all times must be cautious with the temperatures exterior, the calibration, the whole lot. Typically I feel it may be off and it is advisable to watch out about this,” he mentioned when requested to elucidate his view on energy meters.
“I’ve been coaching with a coronary heart price monitor since I used to be about 12 years previous,” he added. “So I’d say that I understand how my coronary heart price responds once I’m drained or once I’m feeling good. I might go by coronary heart price solely, but it surely’s at all times good to check coronary heart price to energy.”
Food plan and vitamin
(Picture credit score: Getty Photos)
It might be straightforward to imagine that champion cyclists like Pogačar completely chorus from consuming chocolate, cake or anything of a candy selection that’s excessive in energy and fats. Nevertheless, Pogačar’s actuality could be very completely different.
“I by no means limit an excessive amount of or I by no means say I can’t eat cake or I can’t eat chocolate, however I do all in measurements and when the time is true,” he mentioned.
“That’s as a result of in the event you limit an excessive amount of and also you don’t contact chocolate for a month or six months then one time you’ll break and you’ll go loopy, and I feel that’s not a very good relationship to have with meals. It’s worthwhile to have steadiness with the unhealthy meals additionally, I feel.
“Then with regards to the off season I don’t have cravings. Once I go on trip, I’ve good, good meals, high quality meals and never loopy quantities, so I don’t acquire an excessive amount of weight.”
