Finding the Perfect Openers: What Science Says About Pre-Race Cycling Workouts
Finding the Perfect Openers: What Science Says About Pre-Race Cycling Workouts
If you've ever felt sluggish at the start of a race or struggled to hit your rhythm early on, you’re not alone. Many cyclists use openers—short, high-intensity efforts performed the day before or the morning of an event—to activate their muscles and prepare for peak performance. But with so many different strategies, how do you know which pre-race warm-up is best for you?
In this article, we break down four key studies on warm-ups and openers, highlighting their findings and practical applications. Whether you’re racing a time trial, criterium, or road race, you’ll learn how to fine-tune your warm-up routine to maximize race-day performance.
Why We Chose These Four Studies
These studies explore different aspects of pre-race preparation:
-Oxygen uptake and performance improvements (Bailey et al.)
-The effects of warm-up on cycling time trials (Burnley et al.)
-High-intensity, heavy-resistance warm-up methods (Chorley & Lamb)
-The impact of opener workouts 24 hours pre-race (Garvick)
Future research should focus on direct comparisons of different opener strategies, larger sample sizes, and real-world race conditions to refine recommendations for competitive cyclists.
Study Comparison Table
| Workout Type | Duration | Warm-Up | Main Set | Cool-Down |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Day-Before: Short High-Intensity Priming | 45–60 min | 15–20 min easy spin | 3 × 30-sec sprints (~90–95% max, 3 min recovery) 2–3 min at FTP or just above |
5–10 min easy spin |
| Day-Before: Aerobic + Neuromuscular Activation | 60 min | 20 min progressive build (Zone 1–2) | 2 × 3 min at VO₂ max (3 min recovery) 3 × 10-sec max sprints (2 min recovery) |
10–15 min easy spin |
| Race-Day: Time Trial Warm-Up | 30–40 min | 10 min easy spin | 5 min tempo (Zone 3) 3 min threshold (Zone 4) 3 × 30-sec VO₂ max efforts (2 min recovery) |
5 min easy spin |
| Race-Day: Criterium Warm-Up | 20–30 min | 10 min easy spin | 3 × 1 min at threshold (2 min recovery) 2 × 10-sec max sprints (2 min recovery) |
5 min easy spin |
| Race-Day: Road Race Warm-Up | 15–20 min | 10 min easy spin | 1–2 × 30-sec hard effort (~90% max) | 5 min easy spin |
Final Thoughts: Finding Your Best Warm-Up Strategy
🔥 Use day-before openers to activate your system without overloading your muscles.
🚴♂️ Incorporate short, high-intensity efforts in race-day warm-ups for peak power.
📊 Track how different warm-ups impact your performance to personalize your strategy.
⚖ Balance warm-up intensity with recovery—don’t fatigue your legs before the race even starts!
About The Author
Sofia Schugar is a professional cyclist and endurance coach with a background in elite triathlon, road, and gravel racing. She holds a degree in Cognitive Neuroscience from UCSD, applying science-based methods to coaching. She has earned podium finishes in major races like the Belgian Waffle Ride. As a coach, she specializes in structured training programs for time-constrained athletes, helping them achieve peak performance.
Works Cited
Bailey, Stephen J., et al. "Improvement of Oxygen-Uptake Kinetics and Cycling Performance Through Prior Exercise and All-Out Exercise." International Journal of Sports Physiology and Performance, vol. 12, no. 4, 2017, pp. 470–477.
Burnley, Mark, et al. "Effect of Warm-Up on Cycle Time Trial Performance." Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, vol. 37, no. 5, 2005, pp. 838–845.
Chorley, Andy, and Kevin L. Lamb. "The Effects of a Cycling Warm-Up Including High-Intensity Heavy-Resistance Conditioning Contractions on Subsequent 4-km Time Trial Performance." Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, vol. 33, no. 1, 2019, pp. 57–65.
Garvick, Alex. Performance Changes Due to High-Intensity 'Opener' Workout 24 Hours Prior to Race Simulation. 2017. Master's thesis, Appalachian State University.