Semi-Pro Cycling

By Damian Ruse

What's Semi-Pro Cycling about?

Welcome to the Semi-Pro Cycling feed. Home of Ride Better, Faster, and The Cycling Performance Club podcasts. Expert insights and exploration of all things cycling racing and training.

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Semi-Pro Cycling episodes:

09.02.2023
How Much Do Pro Cyclists Make? Shimano 105 12-Speed Mechanical?
On today’s show, and… Damian has news on bike launches from Canyon and Bianchi, a glimpse at the potential next-Generation SRAM AXS Shifters, and some other tasty treats, and Peter Sagan real retirement plans for 2024…but we’re starting this show...
09.02.2023
"From 'Little Guy' to Leader" Jonas Vingegaard Interview
How did Jonas Vingegaard transform from 'the little guy' working at a fish factory to a Jumbo-Visma leader? I have top the top 5 takeaways from a recent Jonas Vingegaard interview before he races in the Vuelta a España 2023. That’s...
09.02.2023
Did Fairings Help Jonas Vingegaard Win the Tour de France?
Jonas Vingegaard and Jumbo-Visma had a secret weapon or two at the Tour de France that could of given him a drag reduction of more than 9% that meant savings of 1.5 seconds a kilometre. We dig into the aero...
09.02.2023
Did Tramadol Help Nairo Quintana at the Tour de France?
Delving into the controversy surrounding Nairo Quintana's positive tests for tramadol during the 2022 Tour de France. We discuss the complex considerations surrounding the substance's classification, its potential impact on performance, and recent developments that have prompted new discussions. Plus, 750D?...
09.02.2023
INEOS using aero undershirts and the Vuelta stuff you missed
In today's QuickSpin Cycling Digest, we dive into new and cool cycling products. We cover Remco Evenepoel's road bike, Lachlan Morton's crazy stem, innovative tools, new aero undershirts, and the stuff you missed at the Vuelta Espana 2023. Watch on Youtube:...
09.02.2023
What is the Specialized Speed Sniffer? And what is Peter Sagan doing in Retirement?
In this week's episode of Quick Spin, Damian provides a comprehensive rundown of the latest happenings in the world of cycling. This show covers the new Specialized Tarmac SL8, featuring the "Speed Sniffer" fat head tube. Find out why they designed...
09.02.2023
The surprising reason Pro MTB rider uses gum before a race
The surprising reason and performance benefit Pro MTB rider Puck Pieterse uses gum before a race. We dive into the fascinating connection between gum and cycling performance. Plus World Championships Recap, the Evolution of Endurance Training, an Altitude Adjust App and...
07.20.2022
Pro Cyclist: Jai Hindley - The making of a Giro d'Italia winner
In this episode we talk with Giro d'Italia winner Jai Hindley to find out what it takes to win a Grand Tour. And we’re not only talking about the 3 weeks during the race, but also the decades of work...
06.23.2022
Cycling Performance Club: Dr. Teun van Erp - How do World Tour cyclists actually train and perform in races? - Part 2 of 2
In this two part series we chat with Dr. Teun van Erp, current data scientist with INEOS Grenadiers, about how World Tour cyclists train and perform during competitions. In our opinion, given Tuen’s extensive research and experience working with World...
05.28.2022
Cycling Performance Club: Dr. Teun van Erp - How do World Tour cyclists actually train and perform in races? - Part 1 of 2
In this two part series we chat with Dr. Teun van Erp, current data scientist with INEOS Grenadiers, about how World Tour cyclists train and perform during competitions. In our opinion, given Tuen’s extensive research and experience working with World...
05.16.2022
Cycling Performance Club: Dr. Elisabetta Borgia- A new emphasis and approach to sport psychology in cycling performance
Welcome to The Cycling Performance Club Podcast! In this day and age of power meters, advanced physiologic metrics, and emphasis on aerodynamics it is very easy to overlook other key components of cycling performance- such as the emotional state...
05.06.2022
Cycling Performance Club: Luke Plapp - From world class track cyclist to World Tour road racer
Welcome to The Cycling Performance Club Podcast! In this episode we chat with Luke Plapp - Olympic bronze medalist on the track, current Australian Road Champion, and Ineos Grenadiers rider- about his transition from a successful track cyclist to...
04.26.2022
Cycling Performance Club: Dr. Nicholas Jamnick- Down the rabbit hole of exercise intensity, Part 2 of 2
Welcome to The Cycling Performance Club Podcast! In this episode we continue our trip down the rabbit hole of exercise intensity with Dr. Nick Jamnick (part 2 of 2). Previously, we critically examined graded exercise tests, VO2max testing, lactate...
04.18.2022
Cycling Performance Club: Dr. Nick Jamnick - Down the rabbit hole of exercise intensity, Part 1 of 2
Welcome to The Cycling Performance Club Podcast! When it comes to performing and prescribing training sessions, there are four main principles to consider: frequency, duration, volume, and intensity. The first three of these principles are relatively simple and agreed upon....
04.05.2022
Cycling Performance Club: Shannon Malseed - Life lessons in mental wellness and high performance
On this show we really enjoy talking about the nuts and bolts of cycling performance. Whether it’s determining thresholds, approaches to training, or race tactics and skills, if you’ve listened to the show before you know we love that stuff....
03.22.2022
Cycling Performance Club: Dr. Dajo Sanders- Research evolved into practice at the highest level of cycling performance, Part 2 of 2
In this episode we continue our discussion with Dr. Dajo Sanders (part 2 of 2), an individual whose skill and expertise in the realm of cycling performance are well developed. Dajo is a prolific researcher in many aspects of endurance...
03.10.2022
Cycling Performance Club: Dr. Dajo Sanders- Research evolved into practice at the highest level of cycling performance, Part 1 of 2
There are many components within endurance training. Take for example field-testing, training intensity distribution, or training load. Each of these components have dozens of papers in the scientific literature that can help guide a cyclist’s training and a coach’s practice....
02.17.2022
Cycling Performance Club: Australian road nats, training apps, the coach’s role in athlete success, and CP musings
Hey there! After a bit of a break in recording at the end of 2021 we (the co-hosts) sat down for a catch-up and to talk some shop. This episode can be best described as a throwback to our roots...
02.01.2022
Cycling Performance Club: Simon Jones- Coaching, science, and a post-marginal gains world
Follow this link to take the listener Survey: Take the Survey Or copy and paste the URL below into your internet browser: https://forms.gle/dCkiBuWDSdetwquH8 This week it’s a meander through some performance-related topics like coaching, marginal gains, performance teams, training load, and...
01.24.2022
Cycling Performance Club: What is best practice for implementing critical power into your training? w/ Jason Bartram, PhDc, Part 2
Follow this link to take the listener Survey: Take the Survey Or copy and paste the URL below into your internet browser: https://forms.gle/dCkiBuWDSdetwquH8 In this part two on critical power (CP) we continue our conversation with Jason Bartram and cover W’...
01.17.2022
Cycling Performance Club: What is best practice for implementing critical power into your training? w/ Jason Bartram, PhDc, Part 1
Follow this link to take the listener Survey: Take the Survey Or copy and paste the URL below into your internet browser: https://forms.gle/dCkiBuWDSdetwquH8 Is there a better measure of threshold for cyclists out there than FTP? Yes! We think there is....
12.17.2021
Cycling Performance Club: Dr. Paolo Menaspà - A master generalist in high-performance sport
Dr. Paolo Menaspà is the current Chief Science Officer at the Australian Institute of Sport and has had a long and interesting career in the world of high-performance. Previously, he worked as the Head of Performance Solutions at AusCycling, was...
12.03.2021
Performance Mind Operating System
The performance mind may be touted as the last frontier of human performance - but what we’re talking about today has nothing to do with the exploration of the various factors that affect endurance and how much -- or how...
11.26.2021
Cycling Performance Club Bonus: How the Cold Impacts Performance
This is a bonus episode where Jason Answers a question from Harry Sweeny on thermoregulation and how it affects WorldTour riders. If you ever ride around in the cold you will find this interesting. This is Jason Boynton, Ph.D. from boyntoncoaching.com...
11.20.2021
Cycling Performance Club: Harry Sweeny - Performance lessons from a World Tour neo-pro
This week we talk to World Tour neo-pro Harry Sweeny about his journey to the top level of the sport. How he has developed as a rider through national programs and Continental racing, and how things are different at the...
11.10.2021
Cycling Performance Club: Jimmy Whelan
We bring our very first guest onto the show, pro cyclist for EF Education Nippo, Jimmy Whelan. We discuss his transition from running to cycling and quick rise through the cycling ranks. Show Sponsor:For a limited time, Semi-Pro Cycling podcast listeners...
11.06.2021
Cycling Performance Club: Paradigms of Performance
In this episode we take a look at the current performance model of cycling at all levels and ask the question - can we do better? Show Sponsor:For a limited time, Semi-Pro Cycling podcast listeners can get a free Hammerhead Heart...
10.28.2021
Lessons from my first year coaching in the World Tour
I’ll be upfront here - it’s a bit of a clickbaity title so to be clear I coach one rider at pro-level - the level under the World Tour. This rider, Jay Vine, won the Zwift Academy and as his...
10.20.2021
Cycling Performance Club: Should we be blood lactate testing cyclists?- Part 2
There’s plenty of information around how to conduct blood lactate tests, but information on why we test blood lactate is often entangled with conflicts of interest. In Part 2 of our blood lactate testing episode, we continue our discussion on...
10.13.2021
Cycling Performance Club: Should we be blood lactate testing cyclists?- Part 1
Lactate and its association with exercise has been known for more than 200 years after Jöns Jakob first observed it in the muscles of hunted stags. Consequently, knowledge of its relationship with exercise is deeply rooted in both popular culture...
10.05.2021
Cycling Performance Club: Everesting Guide
Listen in as we guide you through everything you need to complete a successful Everesting. The idea is fairly simple but climbing 8,848m on a bicycle in one ride is not easy. It can be done with the right knowledge, though....
09.24.2021
Cycling Performance Club: An exercise in intervention evaluation: Does nasal breathing improve performance?
We take a dive into the nasal passage and look at whether there are performance gains to be obtained through nose breathing. This leads to a discussion around how we evaluate interventions and make decisions on whether they’re worth implementing...
09.16.2021
Cycling Performance Club: What you need to consider when testing cyclists- Part 2
Last week we discussed the theory surrounding testing cyclists. This week we build on that discussion and look at ways the underlying theory can be applied to testing cyclists in a practical sense. We investigate how appropriate testing should be...
09.09.2021
Cycling Performance Club: What you need to consider when testing cyclists- Part 1
Testing cyclists is a key component of a science-based approach to improving cycling performance. And there is a surprising amount of important theory to consider and apply when it comes to the practice of testing this cohort of athletes. Indeed,...
08.31.2021
What does it take to prepare for a Grand Tour?
Take a look inside the planning and execution of a 3-week altitude training camp in preparation for a Grand Tour and learn how you can run your own. When you coach an athlete that gets the call up to ride a...
08.25.2021
Cycling Performance Club: Cyclist case study challenge!
This week the co-hosts challenge each other with hypothetical athlete cases. Each cyclist differs in physiology, cycling background, and lifestyle, but they are all seeking to improve performance and reach specific competition goals. What follows for each case is an...
08.19.2021
Cycling Performance Club: Is that true?! Does that even improve cycling performance?!
Your time and money are valuable. That’s why it is important to invest these commodities wisely and carefully consider the claims of products and practices meant to improve your cycling performance. This week each of us deep-dive into a product...
08.10.2021
Cycling Performance Club: Are you pacing your intervals effectively?
1:30 A training advice anecdote 6:40 Interval pacing athlete conversation 9:45 Oxygen-deficit and ‘lag’ in VO2 increase during an interval 15:20 What is the purpose of interval training? 21:55 Which specific intervals are we looking at? 24:00 How much time...
08.03.2021
Cycling Performance Club: What is the Best Cycling Warm Up?
2:10 More momentum for Critical Power over FTP 7:30 What is the research supporting warm-ups for endurance events? 12:30 What happens within the body during a warm-up? 21:10 Psychological benefit to warm-ups 24:25 Effect of warm-ups on performance 28:50 Which...
07.27.2021
Cycling Performance Club: Threshold, Thresholds, Thresholds?
You probably realize that ‘threshold’ is an important measure for endurance athletes. But there seem to be many different types of thresholds measures out there, and that might be confusing for some. In this episode, the panel explores the many...
07.19.2021
Cycling Performance Club: Can we cut ~40% off of race time in one year for a gravel endurance race?
2:55 Listener feedback 6:05 What is SEVEN? 11:05 Race day factors that could be rectified ‘easily’. 15:25 Ride analysis from the 2021 edition of SEVEN. 32:30 How to make the required improvements for a beginner athlete. 40:30 Does CTL correlate...
07.13.2021
Cycling Performance Club: Wasn’t FTP Supposed to be Dead? & The Pathway(s) from Amateur Cyclist to Pro.
Host topics covered in this episode: 1:20 A few years ago it was claimed that FTP was dead. We discuss whether the newer alternatives have any sound scientific rationale behind them and why FTP, despite its flaws, is still being...
07.05.2021
Cycling Performance Club: Layman’s Articles vs. Scientific Articles, Coaching To-Do Lists.
Host topics covered on this episode: 1:30 Listener feedback 4:20 What is a graded exercise test? 8:15 Where do you get your training information? We discuss the differences between layman’s articles (e.g. blogs) and peer-reviewed scientific articles as coach/athlete resources....
06.28.2021
Cycling Performance Club: Session Failure, Training around Carbs & the “Ultimate FTP Builder” Session.
Host topics covered on this episode: 1:25 What happens when an athlete can’t complete a session? What is the role of the athlete and the role of the coach in this scenario? How can sessions be prescribed to prevent this...
06.22.2021
Cycling Performance Club: Does core strength increase FTP, Purpose behind VO2max tests and Rest weeks.
Host topics covered on this episode: 2:05 Is there a correlation between core strength and FTP? At what point does this correlation end and should we be prescribing core strength exercises to all athletes? "Core Strength Increases FTP?" thread. https://groups.google.com/g/wattage/c/UlfL_IzVWYg/m/Ty8Y1TrdzboJ...
06.14.2021
Cycling Performance Club: Skills Training, Openers & Training Plans
Host topics covered on this episode: 1:45 Developing an athlete’s skills. Does skills training find its way into a training program? When is the right time to focus on training skills? 23:30 Do pre-race openers (or primers) give a performance...
06.07.2021
Introducing: The Cycling Performance Club Podcast
Introducing a new podcast called The Cycling Performance Club Podcast and, you might already be able to guess it’s about all things cycling training, performance, and science. The exciting part of this show is the format. It’s a panel show...
05.07.2021
A Look at Sepp Kuss and Consistency
On this show a bit more Strava stalking as we follow the break and build-up for the first 16 weeks of Sepp Kuss’s 2021 season. Following his training from the last stage of the Vuelta in 2020 on Nov 8...
04.02.2021
Preparing for the first race of the season
Today, we go inside the steps I took to get this rider race-ready. It’s a look at my coaching process, like how to determine race demands and fitness targets, it’s also a look at the balance between the glycolytic and...
03.12.2021
Cycling Science Digest Chat + The Future of Training Platforms
In this episode, I sit down with fellow reviews of the cycling science digest to discuss a couple of papers that were released in Feb 2021, and in the chaser, we talk about the future of training platforms, well at...

What's Semi-Pro Cycling about?

Download our free app to listen on your phone

Semi-Pro Cycling episodes:

How Much Do Pro Cyclists Make? Shimano 105 12-Speed Mechanical?

"From 'Little Guy' to Leader" Jonas Vingegaard Interview

Did Fairings Help Jonas Vingegaard Win the Tour de France?

Did Tramadol Help Nairo Quintana at the Tour de France?

INEOS using aero undershirts and the Vuelta stuff you missed

What is the Specialized Speed Sniffer? And what is Peter Sagan doing in Retirement?

The surprising reason Pro MTB rider uses gum before a race

Pro Cyclist: Jai Hindley - The making of a Giro d'Italia winner

Cycling Performance Club: Dr. Teun van Erp - How do World Tour cyclists actually train and perform in races? - Part 2 of 2

Cycling Performance Club: Dr. Teun van Erp - How do World Tour cyclists actually train and perform in races? - Part 1 of 2

Cycling Performance Club: Dr. Elisabetta Borgia- A new emphasis and approach to sport psychology in cycling performance

Cycling Performance Club: Luke Plapp - From world class track cyclist to World Tour road racer

Cycling Performance Club: Dr. Nicholas Jamnick- Down the rabbit hole of exercise intensity, Part 2 of 2

Cycling Performance Club: Dr. Nick Jamnick - Down the rabbit hole of exercise intensity, Part 1 of 2

Cycling Performance Club: Shannon Malseed - Life lessons in mental wellness and high performance

Cycling Performance Club: Dr. Dajo Sanders- Research evolved into practice at the highest level of cycling performance, Part 2 of 2

Cycling Performance Club: Dr. Dajo Sanders- Research evolved into practice at the highest level of cycling performance, Part 1 of 2

Cycling Performance Club: Australian road nats, training apps, the coach’s role in athlete success, and CP musings

Cycling Performance Club: Simon Jones- Coaching, science, and a post-marginal gains world

Cycling Performance Club: What is best practice for implementing critical power into your training? w/ Jason Bartram, PhDc, Part 2

Cycling Performance Club: What is best practice for implementing critical power into your training? w/ Jason Bartram, PhDc, Part 1

Cycling Performance Club: Dr. Paolo Menaspà - A master generalist in high-performance sport

Performance Mind Operating System

Cycling Performance Club Bonus: How the Cold Impacts Performance

Cycling Performance Club: Harry Sweeny - Performance lessons from a World Tour neo-pro

Cycling Performance Club: Jimmy Whelan

Cycling Performance Club: Paradigms of Performance

Lessons from my first year coaching in the World Tour

Cycling Performance Club: Should we be blood lactate testing cyclists?- Part 2

Cycling Performance Club: Should we be blood lactate testing cyclists?- Part 1

Cycling Performance Club: Everesting Guide

Cycling Performance Club: An exercise in intervention evaluation: Does nasal breathing improve performance?

Cycling Performance Club: What you need to consider when testing cyclists- Part 2

Cycling Performance Club: What you need to consider when testing cyclists- Part 1

What does it take to prepare for a Grand Tour?

Cycling Performance Club: Cyclist case study challenge!

Cycling Performance Club: Is that true?! Does that even improve cycling performance?!

Cycling Performance Club: Are you pacing your intervals effectively?

Cycling Performance Club: What is the Best Cycling Warm Up?

Cycling Performance Club: Threshold, Thresholds, Thresholds?

Cycling Performance Club: Can we cut ~40% off of race time in one year for a gravel endurance race?

Cycling Performance Club: Wasn’t FTP Supposed to be Dead? & The Pathway(s) from Amateur Cyclist to Pro.

Cycling Performance Club: Layman’s Articles vs. Scientific Articles, Coaching To-Do Lists.

Cycling Performance Club: Session Failure, Training around Carbs & the “Ultimate FTP Builder” Session.

Cycling Performance Club: Does core strength increase FTP, Purpose behind VO2max tests and Rest weeks.

Cycling Performance Club: Skills Training, Openers & Training Plans

Introducing: The Cycling Performance Club Podcast

A Look at Sepp Kuss and Consistency

Preparing for the first race of the season

Cycling Science Digest Chat + The Future of Training Platforms

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