Glood

Cycling sprint workouts

Sprints are brief, very high-effort bursts used to practise acceleration and neuromuscular power. Give them suitable recovery and a place clear of traffic or other riders.

What cycling sprints train

Sprint sessions practise rapid acceleration and the production of high power through brief efforts. They emphasise how forcefully and quickly you turn the pedals, with coordination and technique contributing to the movement. The recovery between sprints allows you to approach the next effort with control; repeated exhausted efforts change the nature of the session.

A sprint is different from a sustained hard aerobic interval. Power changes quickly during acceleration, so a short effort is not defined only by holding a steady percentage of FTP. Read the complete sample pattern, including the easier riding, and prioritise a controlled movement over chasing a single peak value at the expense of the rest of the session.

Choosing a day and setting for sprints

Schedule sprint practice when you can arrive sufficiently fresh to accelerate with control. Fatigue from a demanding previous ride can reduce the quality of the efforts. Sprints can form a focused session or appear within other riding, but their presence changes that ride’s purpose. They should not be added casually to a day intended for recovery.

Choose a suitable setting with clear space and predictable conditions. Warm up before attempting high efforts, and check that gearing and bike control suit the movement. A busy road or a close group leaves little room for abrupt changes of pace. Allow the recovery to serve its purpose instead of using it to compete for speed between repetitions.

Progressing repeated accelerations

Beginners can first practise controlled acceleration and consistent technique with ample recovery. Intermediate progression can build the number of quality efforts or introduce different starting conditions. Advanced and elite structures may demand more repeated accelerations or combine them with other work. The harder structure tests your ability to preserve the quality of the movement as the session develops.

Extending a sprint until it becomes a long, fading effort is not the only way to progress. Consider repetition quality and recovery alongside total duration. If acceleration or control deteriorates, adding more efforts may no longer serve the intended purpose. Choose the level whose complete structure you can execute, rather than judging suitability by how short the sprint blocks look.

Find a session

Beginner: 2 · Intermediate: 2 · Advanced: 2 · Elite: 3

Sample sessions:

Compare the other sessions in the session catalogue by name, level and total duration.

FTP means functional threshold power. The targets below are percentages of your own FTP; use a current personal reference.

Sprint Intro

Intermediate · 50 minutes · Cycling

Sprint Intro: block duration and relative FTP intensityWarm-up: 20 min, 55–70% FTPInterval: 1 min, 150–200% FTPRecovery: 4 min, 50–60% FTPInterval: 1 min, 150–200% FTPRecovery: 4 min, 50–60% FTPInterval: 1 min, 150–200% FTPRecovery: 4 min, 50–60% FTPCool-down: 15 min, 50–55% FTP
Width shows duration; height shows the midpoint of each FTP range.
Sprint Intro — full block sequence
KindMinutes% FTP range
Warm-up2055–70%
Interval — Sprint1150–200%
Recovery450–60%
Interval — Sprint1150–200%
Recovery450–60%
Interval — Sprint1150–200%
Recovery450–60%
Cool-down1550–55%

3 all-out sprints. Develops fast-twitch power and peak wattage.

Advanced Sprints

Advanced · 55 minutes · Cycling

Advanced Sprints: block duration and relative FTP intensityWarm-up: 10 min, 45–60% FTPSteady: 10 min, 60–70% FTPInterval: 1 min, 160–220% FTPRecovery: 5 min, 40–50% FTPInterval: 1 min, 160–220% FTPRecovery: 5 min, 40–50% FTPInterval: 1 min, 160–220% FTPRecovery: 5 min, 40–50% FTPInterval: 1 min, 160–220% FTPRecovery: 5 min, 40–50% FTPInterval: 1 min, 160–220% FTPCool-down: 10 min, 45–60% FTP
Width shows duration; height shows the midpoint of each FTP range.
Advanced Sprints — full block sequence
KindMinutes% FTP range
Warm-up1045–60%
Steady — Build to Peak Power1060–70%
Interval — Max Sprint 11160–220%
Recovery540–50%
Interval — Max Sprint 21160–220%
Recovery540–50%
Interval — Max Sprint 31160–220%
Recovery540–50%
Interval — Max Sprint 41160–220%
Recovery540–50%
Interval — Max Sprint 51160–220%
Cool-down1045–60%

70-minute sprint session with five max-effort bursts for competitive sprint power.

Session catalogue

Session catalogue
NameLevelTotal duration
45' Sprint IntroBeginner51 minutes
50' Sprint DevelopmentBeginner65 minutes
55' Power SprintsIntermediate70 minutes
Sprint TrainAdvanced49 minutes
Elite Sprint SessionElite66 minutes
Full Sprint TrainElite73 minutes
Standing Start PowerElite65 minutes

The full structure of every session opens in Glood.

Compare vo2max cycling workouts and cycling interval workouts for different session purposes. Browse all cycling workout types or read how to choose and build workouts in Glood.