Threshold

The main purpose of threshold training is to enable you to maintain a maximum sustained effort for a longer period of time, or in real-life terms to give you the ability to ride faster for longer. Although it’s similar to performing intervals the main difference is that the sustained effort is generally conducted over a longer period of time, for example 5 minutes up to an hour. Whereas intervals can be as shorts as just a few seconds.

By training at threshold you’ll improve your body’s efficiency to work at higher intensities which can bring many advantages out on the road. A high threshold will see every area of your cycling improve – including climbing, time-trialling and sprinting. You’ll find that as you increase your threshold you’re overall efficiency as a cyclist will also take a step up, allowing you to hang with a faster group in a sportive or push the pace in situations where you may otherwise not have been able to.