I’ve interviewed some of the best coaches in the world.

Dan Lorang. John Wakefield. Alan Lim. Stephen Seiler. Joe Friel. Matt Bottrill.

They don’t all agree on zones. Or volume. Or tech. Or marginal gains.

But they do agree on a handful of core principles that matter far more than most riders realise.

This isn’t theory. This is what actually works right now for elite performers, and for cyclists trying to squeeze progress from ten hours or less per week.

These are the three truths I hear repeated behind closed doors.

1. Most of your training should be easy

Not sort-of easy. Actually easy.

The data is clear. Eighty percent of your sessions should be at low intensity. Some coaches even argue for ninety.

But most time-crunched amateurs flip that ratio. They ride too hard, too often, and end up stuck.

The danger zone is the middle. Sitting in that grey zone might feel productive, but it isn’t. It’s just where progress goes to die.

2. You only improve from the work you absorb

John Wakefield says it better than anyone.

The goal isn’t to finish the session. The goal is to adapt to it.

He tests his riders with a submax fatigue check before hard sessions. Three minutes at 85 percent of threshold, while monitoring heart rate, mood, sleep, perceived effort, and stress.

If the body isn’t ready to absorb a session, there’s no point in doing it. The training is the stimulus. The adaptation is what actually matters.

3. Work backwards from success

Top coaches don’t guess.

They start at the finish line, define the demands of the event, and train the exact qualities needed to meet those demands.

That’s how Dan Lorang builds a Tour de France plan for Primož Roglič.
It’s also how you should prepare for your next big goal — even if it’s a local sportive or Gran Fondo.

Every session is either moving you toward the outcome or wasting your time.

There’s one more principle they all stress, though few riders actually act on it.

You need strength training.

Whether that’s on the bike through low cadence work, or in the gym with compound lifts, the consensus is clear. If you want to keep improving — especially as you get older — you can’t afford to skip it.

We’ve got a full video coming this week breaking down the two most effective approaches and how to know which one suits your goals.

And off the back of that, we’ve built a dedicated Roadman Strength Training Plan. Simple. Targeted. Built for time-crunched cyclists who want to ride harder, last longer, and stay injury-free.

If that’s something you know you need, reply here and I’ll send you early access before we publish it.

If this resonated, the full podcast goes even deeper. It’s one of the most valuable episodes we’ve released.

And if you’re still riding in that “sort of hard” zone five times a week, you already know why things aren’t changing.

​— Anthony