Can winter sports improve my cycling fitness?
Cyclists should look to the slopes during the winter off-season to boost core strength and leg power
Every winter many cyclists will temporarily swap their bikes for a pair of skis on a snowy holiday in the mountains of Europe. Around 1.5 million Brits go skiing every year and with the famous cycling cols of France, Spain and Italy blanketed in snow, it’s certainly easier to ski down them than it is to pedal up them right now. But as so many professional skiers ride their bike as a way to stay fit over the summer, it is no surprise that riders can learn from skiers during cycling’s winter off-season, too. Even the pros are catching on.
“Over the winter I have always enjoyed cross-training with cross-country skiing,” explains Adam Hansen of Lotto-Soudal, who completed 20 Grand Tours in a row between 2011 and 2018. “Skiing keeps you fit and strong. You’re using the same heart, lungs and muscles, but it also freshens up your training so you feel more motivated when you get on the bike.”
Professional British skier Paddy Graham believes skiing and cycling offer a raft of mutual benefits. “I like to go cycling. It’s a more enjoyable way to stay in shape and you don’t have to spend your day stuck inside a gym,” he explains. On the flip side, not only will skiing develop your cardiovascular fitness, a few popular ski conditioning drills can also help to boost a cyclist’s core stability, leg power and single-leg strength on the bike.
“If you’ve got good core stability, then you’ll be a lot more balanced and strong,” explains Graham. “In the gym
I do front and side planks as well as Superman and Spiderman holds. And leg strength will help improve your control: the squat is definitely the best exercise for working your hamstrings, quads and glutes.
“I also do one-legged pistol squats on a wobble board or by holding dumbbells in my hands. It means you work your strength and balance at the same time, and build good stability around the knee, so it’s a perfect exercise.”
IT’ S NO SURPRISE THAT RIDERS CAN LEARN FROM SKIERS DURING CYCLING’S WINTER OFF SEASON