Basil Moss

I've been road racing with more success this year than last, my strengths are steady solo efforts, breakaways and climbing. I've realised that my limiter is my finish, and that I need to work on that to win more. I understand that sprinting is largely genetic, but it is still trainable, and apart from that the technique, positioning and timing can be learned. So I'd appreciate any suggestions both for workouts to improve my finish physiologically, and tips for sprinting and how to learn about it. Also I wonder how much I can improve it without compromising my other strengths?

efficiency

Do you do sprint specific workouts? By doing 1 sprint specific workout per week early in the season for about 6 weeks, I improved my 5s power by 15%. When you do sprint intervals, make sure you recover fully between efforts. I waited at least 5 minutes, but I often waited 10. I also didn't do that many efforts: 3-6 efforts per workout.

If your sprint is an actual "limiter," then you only need to maintain your strengths while building your sprint.

waterrockets 

Yeah, train your sprint, but race in a way that limits your need for it. If you're a TT guy, try some thing like: just keep attacking until the only people who are with you can't sprint.

loreley

It is genetic if you are simply doing a drag race. You don't need to put out monster #s to have a good sprint. Timing and strategy go a LOOOONG way in how you place

Braden1550

This. The strongest/fastest man does not always win. If they did, I'd never have won the crit summer series here because I'm 58kg and 170cm tall-not a sprinter.

carpediemracing 

Sprinting has less to do with genetics and more to do with available reserves, tactics, positioning, and, yes, some level of power. Sprinting encompasses both acceleration and top speed at the end of a race. Physiologically you have to be strong to make such efforts, and your acceleration (or "jump") isn't the end all. There's one really good masters rider in the area that used to sprint in the quasi-aero bars (Scott Rakes, Cane Creek Speed Bars) because he never stood when he sprinted - he just went really fast seated, and he could do it in essentially an aero bar position. He won a lot too.

Your JUMP has a lot to do with genetics. I have a good jump (well, relatively speaking, but it's not all that). A lot of folks say to me, "Oh, you have a good sprint". No, I don't necessarily. In fact, it's pretty bad. But I have a decent jump. Big distinction. It's like having a really nice front door on a shack of a house. Your opening is good, but the rest of your sprint needs to be just as high quality.

Size isn't a factor. When I discovered I could sprint with Cat 1s and 2s, I was maybe 120 lbs and 5'7". I could consistently beat the whole group at SUNY Purchase (70-150 riders, most of them 3s and 4s, maybe 10-20 2s, and maybe a few Cat 1s, and on some nights I could win 15 of 15 sprints I contested, out of 30+ sprints for the night). I was winning race field sprints at 110-115 lbs.

(For comparison purposes, when I started with BF I was about 190-200 lbs, and now I'm around 160 lbs, and I'm much, much, much, much slower than I used to be, and I raced regularly every year since I weighed well under 100 lbs).

I have a decent jump that's eroded into a mediocre one. My sprint isn't that powerful, but last year I won an A race sprint leading out at 900 watts with power declining all the way to the line (yes there were 3s, 2s, and maybe a 1 in there). I've won but also gotten demolished when doing a 1200w jump with a 1100-1000 watt sprint (more than 20 seconds, less than 30).

Tactics is critical. I've soft pedaled to the line, literally coasting for much of the sprint due to traffic, and placed as high as 6th (Cat 3s at the Bobby Phillips race in Baltimore). Another time I jammed my front wheel into the curb-to-curb wall of riders and "won" the bike throw for 11th (10 riders curb to curb in the sprint, I got 11th, Tour de Michigan @ Lansing race).

But for actual advice on how to improve your sprint (mainly the speed part - the jump won't change dramatically):
https://sprinterdellacasa.blogspot.co...sprinting.html

And for advice on how to beat someone with a good jump (i.e. "sprinter"):
https://sprinterdellacasa.blogspot.co...-sprinter.html

And finally how a sprinter like me wins from a break:
https://sprinterdellacasa.blogspot.co...meone-out.html

hope this helps,
cdr

grolby

People can't seem to let go of the belief that sprinters are big. The reality is that size means very little.

Voodoo76

Get on the wheel of someone you know has a good finish, and don't let anyone take it from you.

mattm

As others have mentioned, it's not all about size/power. A lot of it is mental.

I like to go into sprints thinking a) that I'm strong enough to win it and b) that even if we all crash the worst that will most likely happen is some road rash.

Don't go into the sprint thinking "if I get lucky I'll take it", think "This is mine". Oh, and try to rip off your handlebars/pedals too, that helps me get an extra kick.