Over/under intervals, where you alternate going just below and just above threshold, are the foundation of many classic workouts. Cash Register is an adaptation of that idea and comes in the format of a sprint/settle/surge session consisting of 4 intervals that get a little shorter (but not easier) each round.
Each interval kicks off with a sprint effort that targets your Neuromuscular (NM) power. Then you settle into a controlled, below-FTP effort that will accelerate the rate at which you can clear lactate from your muscles. You’ll finish each effort off with a big surge based on your Anaerobic Capacity (AC). In just 30 minutes, you’ll be doing efforts targeting your sprint power, FTP, and AC for an exceptionally well-rounded workout.
This may be a short workout, but it packs a serious punch—so lace up those gloves and get ready for 22 powerful 10-second seated sprints! After a gentle warm-up leaving the picturesque village of Sulzberg, we’ll dive straight into our first block: 8 x 10-second high-cadence seated sprints with 50 seconds of recovery. As the road naturally levels out, we’ll catch our breath before hitting the core of the workout—9 x 10-second low-cadence seated sprints with the same 50-second recovery, focusing on maintaining rock-solid form. To close things out, we’ll return to the high-cadence style for a final round of 5 x 10-second sprints. This session is designed to sharpen muscle activation and improve recovery after intense efforts. Finish strong, and I’ll see you in Burgberg!
Remember, you have 50 hours to complete each stage. As long as it’s still today’s date anywhere on earth, you’re golden. Check out the Tour Challenge Page for details on stage open and close times.
Stage 5 completed. I confess. I cheated. I did cash register this morning and completed Burgberg this evening after work.
Sprinting is my weakness and it showed.
That was the second time for Burgberg. It’s too hard to get my trainer in erg or level mode to complete the sprint at the prescribed cadence and power. I guess that’s why it’s called the sufferfest. Small complaint for a great cause.
I have done Cash Register, will do Burgberg tomorrow.
I had to stop in the middle of Cash Register because I had to retighten the skewer holding the bicycle in the trainer. All that sprinting made it very loose - I could feel the bicycle moving in the trainer.
I don’t ride my trainer enough in level mode to have a good sense of which level to use or which gearing. I made it up as I went along, especially on burgberg.
Same - I always ignore / don’t do workouts that ask for Level. I missed the first high cadence, but caught the rest. Then got stuck in the vortex on the low cadence until I gave up and put it in level mode. If I’m not going to use ERG, then I use Zwift!
As a non sprinter and not in the greatest of form I dreaded this.
Csh register was fine. Never had Burgberg before.
I dialled down NM to 75% when I saw ll those 500W + sprints.
When it came to the seconds set, didn’t fancy really low cadence, did the first two at 95 rpm, wound down later to 90, managed one at 85 rpm.
A reminder for SUFF National Team! We’ll be riding Stage 5a/b today with Team DPF and Alex (freaking) Stieda via Zoom call. Starts at 1700 US Mountain Time!
Well, yesterday was leg day at the gym, so I was kind of dreading this stage. But I love Cash Register and I love DPF, so I gave it my best shot. I will never get tired of seeing Davis Phinney raise his arms in victory.
Bergburg… I don’t think this workout makes sense as advertised. There is no way anyone is doing max sprints EMOM. I decided to try it on the first sprint anyway, just to see what it felt like. 5 seconds in:
Then I noticed that Sir Mike isn’t doing max sprints, or anything like it. He’s doing a Z 2/3 ride with surges. He’s talking comfortably through the surges.
So I realized that the problem isn’t the workout, but the misleading graph. It’s a nice little workout as actually performed. So why do they want me to think that I ought to be able to hold 85% of my max watts for 10 seconds, 21 times in 30 minutes?
it’s still “Sufferfest” with “ff” after ‘u’ and not “Suferfest”
