Fabian Cancellara

On a recent visit to London, the Swiss Classics great told us how he spent his off season when he was a professional...

REST FIRST

“Most important was to have a rest and a holiday. I’d cover 30,000km in a year and I needed to have a certain fire to get back on the bike. I’d usually take three or four weeks off the bike once I’d finished racing for the year. I even took six weeks once – that was a bit too long.”

FAMILY TIME

“I always had my own personal training camp where there was warmer weather, aiming to put in the kilometres and more intensive efforts. Gran Canaria was my favourite. There are heaps of roads you can ride there – with no bad roads and so many climbs. I knew how to ride them and I always got stronger during my stay. For me it was important to take my family with me. I’d ride in the morning then spend the afternoon on the beach with them. As a pro you make certain choices and being away from home during the season was a sacrifice.”

PLANNING FOR RACING

“I’d spend one to two weeks on Gran Canaria, usually over Christmas or early January. As the racing would start again by mid January, I’d plan my intensive training around those fixed dates. Now I’m not racing, I train less in the winter; now, I can ride when I want.”

MEASURING PROGRESS

”I’d mostly test my fitness outdoors, on the climbs, looking at my power, heart rate and cadence. Since I’d ridden the climbs repeatedly over the years, I could see how my fitness was progressing during my stay.”

NOT JUST ROAD RIDING

“I wouldn’t spend my off-season training on the road. If the weather was bad in Switzerland in November or December, I’d cross-country ski rather than cycle. I would mountain bike or ride cyclo cross. I’d occasionally use the turbo trainer and once in a while go running”