Off to the alps

Hi all I’m off to the alps in June for a week with my cycling club although I’ve been on my own a few times never as a group, as I’m the weakest rider in the group I was looking for some extra video work that may help me in my last month of training

Obviously GOAT as a starter but can anyone offer any other advice etc :man_biking:t2::man_biking:t2::dash:
Sending thanks in advance

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Anything that helps with FTP will help. Don’t focus too heavily on anything above that as most Alps climbs are long, so you’ll be sat in the grind for well past any shorter power capability. An FTP block might do you well, just make sure you’re well rested before the holiday, don’t train right up until you travel.

Sit on people’s wheels, even uphill it helps aerodynamically a little and also psychologically, it helps you pace yourself.

Fuel well, eat plenty in the evenings and then sensibly in the morning. Carbs that can be added to your bottles will help because it makes fueling on the climbs easier, this can be as simple as just dumping 3-5 tablespoons of sugar and a quarter teaspoon of salt into a bottle.

If you’re getting spat out the back and your mates wait for you to catch-up, don’t be embarrassed to ask for a short break after you’ve caught up. People forget that waiting for a slower rider to catch-up and then immediately pressing on actually compounds the difference as the stronger riders have had a chance to rest and the weaker rider is being forced to really over-exert themselves.

Most of all, enjoy it.
I grew up riding in the Swiss Alps and they’re gorgeous, it’s just a whole lot of wonderful landscape and a great experience, but it’s also a holiday and you’re there for your enjoyment, not to just hate it slogging after stronger riders if they’re pulling away from you.
If you need to, take a day off the riding if everyone is riding every day, let your legs recover and go and enjoy the local area instead, or most passes will have cable-cars or coaches that will take a bike, skip out just a bit of the climb and meet your group a bit further up, a bit fresher, when the legs have equaled out a bit.

Do whatever it takes to enjoy the experience, not just to say you forced yourself through it.

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Hi Jon thanks for all of that informations did advice
There’s hopefully not going to be an issue with getting up there as have done a few (stelvio ,COL du san Bernard to mention a few ) I’m great at my own pace and with fuelling always keep well on top of it , sugar in a bottle is a good one though :+1:t2:

I shall stop training about a week before but want to make sure I rock up in the best phsyical shape I can and enjoy it

Ps just done french Pyrenees :les baronnies …gotta love big Mike every time