The World Championships this weekend highlighted two modern cycling abilities that I’ve been coaching athletes on with great success:
*Super high-torque sustained efforts
*Durability: repeating those efforts
In the race, we saw Del Toro and Pogacar distance Ayuso with this type of power. Ayuso, unable to generate that torque, had to spin at a very high cadence just to try and match their speed. But on cobbles, torque wins—lower cadence smooths the ride and gives better traction. Forced to back off, Ayuso was left behind.
Later, we saw the difference between Pogacar and Del Toro. Both could produce massive torque once, but only Pogacar had the durability to repeat it again later in the race. That second punch sealed his second world title.
While Pogacar’s level is out of reach for most of us, these two concepts, torque and durability, can be trained. Whether you’re racing, holding your own in the group ride, or just wanting to enjoy smoother, stronger riding, developing these skills will take your cycling to the next level.