How to keep your cool on long climbs and not let setbacks throw you off track – inspired by the pros of the Vuelta and the Canadian Classics.
Every cyclist knows this moment: the climb drags on endlessly, your legs are burning, and doubts start creeping into your mind. Whether on a tough mountain stage or after a forced break due to injury – cycling is largely a mental game. How to deal with heavy legs, tactical challenges, and mental setbacks is demonstrated by the pros in the current WorldTour races.
Even the absolute frontrunners do not have perfect legs every day. According to a report by Cyclingnews, Remco Evenepoel openly admitted after his victory at the Grand Prix de Québec that he did not feel good at all during the first 100 kilometres. His legs were heavy. But instead of panicking, he stayed calm, trusted his training experience, and waited for his muscles to loosen up. He only went on the offensive in the final three laps of the race.
For you, this means: if the start of a ride feels sluggish, do not throw your plans overboard straight away. The body sometimes needs time to get up to operating temperature. Do not let an initially bad feeling block you mentally.
How important a controlled pace is on a climb was demonstrated by Eddie Dunbar on stage 19 of the Vuelta a España. When the attacks started on the steep ramps of Peñas Blancas, the Irishman did not follow immediately. He explained to Cyclingnews that he made a conscious effort not to overextend himself and not to ride into the red. He kept his own pace, caught up with the front group again, and saved his decisive energy for a single, explosive attack just before the finish line – with success.
The overall leader of the Vuelta, Enric Mas, and his pursuer Primož Roglič also prepare meticulously for the extreme demands of the mountains. According to reports from Radsport-News and Cyclingnews, the queen stage in the Sierra Nevada features almost 5000 metres of elevation gain. Mas emphasised that the riders know the climbs there, such as the Puerto de El Purche, extremely well from altitude training. This knowledge helps to gauge the effort precisely.
The road back after an injury requires enormous patience. Eddie Dunbar is the prime example of this. As Velo magazine reports, the Irishman looks back on a long series of bad luck with crashes. Only in March, he broke his ankle in an accident with a motorcycle and was not allowed to sit on a bike at all for three months. Before the start of the Vuelta, he firmly expected to suffer extremely in the first week and merely hoped to build up enough form by the third week to fight for a stage win. The fact that he put this plan into action with iron determination impressed fans and colleagues alike.
Primož Roglič also had to struggle with a difficult preparation after colliding with a car in an accident in July. He entered the Vuelta without extremely high expectations, but fought his way back step by step into striking distance of the red jersey.
The pros show that success on climbs and after breaks comes primarily from smart pacing and mental strength. The next time you face a long climb or get back on the bike after a break, these approaches will help you:
Your takeaway: Pace your efforts consciously on long climbs, avoid the red zone, and remain patient with yourself even when your legs are heavy or after breaks.
This article was generated automatically with AI from the sources listed above and has not been editorially reviewed.