Filippo Ganna

The deceptive reality of pro cyclist strength To the uninitiated, the spindly limbs of a world-class climber suggest a total absence of physical power. We see these athletes dancing up the side of a mountain, looking like they might blow away in a stiff breeze. But looks are a lie. While a UCI WorldTour rider might not look like a linebacker, the wattage they produce is staggering. The real debate isn't about whether they are "weak," but how we define strength versus power. True strength is the ability to overcome resistance—think of a max-effort deadlift. Power, however, introduces the element of time: force times velocity. In the world of high-performance cycling, this translates to torque multiplied by cadence. A rider like Filippo Ganna can average over 500 watts for an extended time trial, reaching speeds exceeding 54.9 km/h. While a gym rat might be able to hit that 500-watt mark for a few seconds on a stationary bike, the pro sustains it until the air itself feels like concrete. The gap isn't in raw force; it's in the metabolic engine that delivers oxygen to the muscles for hours on end. Squats and deadlifts replace traditional core work For decades, the professional peloton viewed the gym with deep suspicion. The prevailing wisdom was that any muscle mass not directly contributing to pedaling was just dead weight to be hauled over the Alps. Training was limited to vague "core stability" movements or bodyweight exercises. That era is dead. Today, even the leanest General Classification contenders are hitting the rack. Teams like UAE Team Emirates have actively shifted their training blocks to prioritize heavy lifting. We are no longer talking about planks and yoga; we are talking about heavy squats and deadlifts. Research indicates that strength training can boost a rider's Functional Threshold Power by 3% to 6%. For a professional holding 400 watts, a 20-watt gain is the difference between winning a Grand Tour and finishing in the bus. This shift towards becoming "gym bros" isn't about aesthetics; it's about building a chassis that can withstand the brutal torque required to win the world's hardest races. SRAM wins legal battle over 10-tooth gear restrictions The UCI recently attempted to enforce gear ratio limits, specifically targeting a 54/11 restriction. The move was framed as a safety measure to reduce top-end speeds in the peloton, but it sparked an immediate legal firestorm. SRAM stood at the forefront of the opposition, arguing that such a mandate was fundamentally biased against their drivetrain architecture, which relies on a 10-tooth cog to achieve its gear range. The Belgian Competition Authority eventually ruled in favor of the component manufacturer, dealing a significant blow to the governing body’s ability to meddle in tech specs without industry consultation. This victory ensures that the 10-tooth cog is here to stay. It also highlights a growing rift between the UCI and the manufacturers pushing the boundaries of speed. When the governing body tries to throttle innovation under the guise of safety, the industry is now proving it has the legal teeth to fight back. Endurance knows no age limit at Unbound 200 While the pros are arguing over gear teeth, the soul of the sport remains in the dirt. This weekend, 93-year-old Fred Schmid is set to tackle the Unbound 200. Most people his age are content with a walk to the mailbox; Schmid is preparing to spend nearly a full day on a gravel bike in the grueling heat of Kansas. A 54-time national champion, Schmid has conquered the 100-mile version of the race but has yet to finish the full 200. His attempt is a middle finger to the concept of biological decline. It proves that the human engine, if maintained with enough grit and miles, doesn't just quit. Whether he finishes or not is almost secondary to the fact that he's at the start line. In a sport often obsessed with the marginal gains of 20-year-olds, Schmid reminds us that the greatest challenge in the wild isn't the competition—it's your own mind's willingness to keep pedaling when the body begs to stop. The verdict on building a bulletproof body If you want to go fast, you need a massive aerobic engine. That is the non-negotiable price of entry. But the consensus among modern experts and former pros is shifting: the gym is the secret weapon for longevity and peak performance. Beyond the wattage gains, lifting creates a resilient body. It fixes the posture destroyed by hours hunched over handlebars and builds the bone density that cyclists notoriously lack. For the amateur rider, the lesson is clear. You don't need to choose between the bike and the gym. Integrating two or three strength sessions a week won't turn you into a bodybuilder, but it will make you a more potent, less injury-prone athlete. The mountains demand everything you've got; the gym ensures you actually have something to give when the road turns upward.