Andy Critchlow gained the 2023 BBAR [British Best All-Rounder], additionally profitable the UCI Masters Time Trial World Champion in his age group the identical yr. Right here, he tells us the coaching that goes into attaining 400 watts for nearly half-hour.
You’re the present BBAR – what does that entail?
It’s a really historic occasion, over 100 years outdated. The British Greatest All-Rounder [BBAR] is awarded to the rider with the quickest common time achieved in time trialling over three distances: 50 miles, 100 miles and the 12-hour. I gained it final yr, at age 49 – and I gained it by 0.02 of a mile, over 450 miles of racing, which works out to about 30 metres.
You rode at a excessive stage till your mid-20s then stopped using for practically 20 years. How do your energy numbers evaluate?
Weirdly, I’m not far off. I bear in mind after I gained the British universities 4,000m pursuit, beating Chis Newton’s document on the time. Again then, I used to be doing between 450 and 500 watts for 4,000m, and I’m doing about 430 to 450 now. After I gained the Masters World Championship TT Iast yr, I held 400 watts for 27 minutes.
How do you match coaching round your job as a enterprise journalist?
What I’ve come to grasp, and it’s a disgrace it has taken me all my life, is that you just’ve bought to make sacrifices. If getting up at 4.30am and going to mattress early is what it takes to compete, then that’s what you’ve bought to do. I’ve bought higher over time at prioritising and being extra disciplined. Nonetheless, I feel that lots of people can get lulled into a way of getting to do a specific amount of hours on the bike and their complete life revolves round biking. That brings all types of issues that may have an effect on your efficiency.
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How a lot do you prepare and race?
I prepare between 12 and 15 hours per week, however I’ve realized that you could’t try this a lot in case you race each weekend – it’s unattainable and simply grinds you down. So I race much less now and focus on coaching a bit extra, targetting the races I actually wish to win.
When’s your favorite time to coach, and do you trip inside or outdoor?
5 o’clock within the morning, outdoors. It’s a wonderful time of the day to trip. The roads are yours, so it’s a lot safer – you then get again residence and begin your day. Final week, for instance, I bought up, cycled 50-odd miles, got here residence, had a bathe then cycled to the station for work. However I wouldn’t try this two days on the trot.
Critchlow rides round his residence of Reigate, Surrey
(Picture credit score: Brian Jones)
Fast-fire spherical
10-mile TT or 100-mile TT?
10-mile
Favorite TT course within the UK?
GS338 Horne course (Redhill membership TT)
Favorite climb?
Field Hill
Splendid parcours for you?
Rolling
Carb consumption per hour whereas racing?
70g
Publish-ride indulgence?
A Cornetto
Subsequent large goal?
World Masters 4,000m Particular person Pursuit and Workforce Pursuit [in October]
Fast suggestions
Prime tip for lengthy TTs?
The bike set-up is massively necessary, and due to the length, there’s extra potential for issues to go incorrect. The way you react to adversity is necessary – mainly, don’t panic!
The way to gas in lengthy races?
Eat stable meals from the beginning and maintain fuelling even in case you really feel unhealthy. The second you miss a feed or a bottle, you might be in large bother.
