Training (and Racing) on a Trainer– Vojtěch Hačecký’s Modern Approach to Training

Above All, Don’t Burn Out

When the calendar flips to October, most cyclists need to take a break from their passion—if not physically, then at least mentally—to regain the motivation for the next season. For Central Europeans, who live through changing seasons and can't live without their bikes or the thrill of racing, even in winter, virtual trainer races offer an ideal solution.

Virtual reality has changed and improved indoor training during bad weather—primarily for amateurs. Pros still tend to migrate to warmer places or are simply extremely resilient, like Niki Terpstra, who wouldn't be stopped by any weather.

Still, even among professionals, it's not unusual to spend dozens or even hundreds of hours on the trainer during winter. They might be on it more than they'd like. Nowadays, warming up before races and cooling down after them is standard practice, which wasn't common before. Sometimes they're stuck at altitude camps in bad weather, or they live in snowy Andorra, and simply have to get on the trainer. Others do it to fulfill marketing duties from sponsorship contracts, such as racing on Zwift. Some pro teams even organize remote group rides with their athletes. Virtual platforms allow fans to "ride" with their heroes and see how they train—you could find yourself pedaling alongside someone like Chris Froome.

All of this has led to the rise of virtual racing. This past winter saw a national championship (won by Vojtěch Řepa), and even a world championship, where rower Jason Osborne—now a teammate of this year's world champ Jay Vine at Alpecin—took the rainbow jersey. But one major issue remains: calibration and power transfer into the game. Not all trainers are calibrated correctly, even if manufacturers claim minimal margins of error. Sit on three different trainers, and you'll likely get three different power readings.

Leaving the technical side aside, the concept—if approached properly—is a marketing win. Stories are written about the winners and their teams, creating a win-win situation. But power isn't everything. The first team to offer contracts based on virtual racing was Canyon Sram in the women's peloton, where the competitive risk was smaller. In the men's field, the stakes are higher: the fastest guy on a smart trainer might not know how to handle a real bike or race in the real world. That's a downside. The upside is that you give visibility to riders who'd otherwise fall through the cracks of traditional scouting. Here, they have the chance to prove themselves.

Jay Vine is a perfect example. Even though he broke through at 25, the timing turned out to be just right. His success didn't fall from the sky. Most of these riders have at least some race history—local events, at the very least. With enough skill, the rest can be learned. They might lack race tactics, but in a top-level team, they have a captain and a race radio to guide them. If there's a willingness on both sides, anything can be worked out.

Judging a cyclist purely by numbers is risky, because e-races aren't long. You're comparing one hour of virtual effort at home to a six-hour real-world stage. That’s why talent academies hold series of races, to see how riders perform across multiple days. Without a strong training base, a rider might shine on day one or two, but crack on day three.

For scouting, UAE Team Emirates—home of Tadej Pogačar—uses a five-minute peak power test to assess talent. Personally, I think it's a bit too numbers-heavy, but data lovers may find it useful for predicting long-term performance. It can even help identify unknown talents across the globe.

Most pros ride bikes to be outdoors, not to sit on a trainer in their living room. A specific exception is triathletes, and particularly in the U.S., where urban density limits road access, making virtual cycling a huge market.

Most pros aren't big fans of virtual cycling, so they don't prepare extensively for e-races. They have high enough fitness to get a decent result "off the couch." The prestige might be high, so they go all in, but the stakes are low, and their focus stays elsewhere. Still, even pros need intensity in winter, and a virtual race can serve as a solid interval workout.

The main reason for the decline in interest around virtual racing is market saturation. Sellers expected constant growth, but COVID is (hopefully) gone for good. During lockdown, people had no choice but to ride indoors. Some grew to hate it—too much of a good thing. But to each their own.

That said, if you must use a trainer, virtual reality makes it much easier. For amateur cyclists, it's the simplest way to get in an intense workout. There are tons of virtual races, but that also tempts people into racing too often. It’s important to manage this in your training plan to avoid burning out before the season starts. Racing non-stop might bring you explosive spring form—but by the end of spring, your legs could be gone.

You might find yourself lacking base endurance—the slow, steady miles. Overdoing it shifts your metabolism to run mostly on carbs. Come spring, you’ll hit the road and leave your friends behind… for a while. But they’ll catch up. The one who overtrained indoors may run out of gas when it's time to ramp up.

Racing hard for an hour? Twice a week? Fine, if that works for you. But there are smarter, more effective ways to train. That’s the appeal: it’s easy. Amateurs don’t have to obsess over heart rate or lap splits—they just follow someone else’s wheel. If they fall off, another group comes along. Apps even offer short routes—just 5 km—for a few minutes of high intensity.

Still, I'd limit those races to twice a week, and spend the rest of the time just riding easy. Add in other types of training too. The rest of the season will be bike-heavy, so off-season should include strength work and other endurance sports like hiking, cross-country skiing, or swimming. The goal is to rebuild the body—not stress over training like a pro. They get paid for it. Amateurs should view cycling as a way to take care of their body.

And with that come the health risks of virtual cycling. We assume everyone has had a health check-up and is fit. But virtual races take place in closed rooms, and the hotter it gets, the higher the risk of collapsing. If you have an undiagnosed heart condition—which is not rare today—or even a known one that you ignore, the risk is even greater. Cooling is essential. Ankles, wrists, and the neck are the best places to cool the body. The goal is to keep your internal temperature stable.

Like with outdoor races, preparation for an e-race depends on your goal. If it's just interval training, you can jump in without much prep. Otherwise, treat it like a real race: food, hydration, everything. You’ll need more fluids indoors because of overheating and low airflow. Virtual races are also a good way to train your body to absorb more carbs at race intensity—and to practice drinking while racing. So no, we're not throwing virtual races out the window. But as with everything: moderation is key.