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Backed by ProCyclingCoaching Principles
Tapering is not about doing nothing—it's about doing the right things less. It’s the art of showing up on race day with maximized freshness and preserved form. Done poorly, and you either arrive tired or stale. Done right, and it can be the most performance-enhancing part of your training.
What Is a Taper?
A tapering is a structured reduction in training volume, while maintaining frequency and intensity. The aim is to let your body absorb all the hard training while keeping your legs race-sharp.
Goals of Tapering:
- Reduce fatigue (acute training stress)
- Maintain fitness (chronic training adaptations)
- Increase readiness (sharpness, freshness, motivation)
- Peak mental state (confidence and clarity)
ProCyclingCoaching Taper Model (What Sets It Apart)
At ProCyclingCoaching, tapering is not a one-size-fits-all. We build it on:
✅ Individual weekly load (TSS / training hours)
✅ Race duration and intensity
✅ Athlete’s recovery profile and life stress
✅ Specificity to race terrain and format (road, gravel, MTB)
Key Features of Our Taper Model:
- 3 Weeks Out = Peak Week
→ The hardest and most specific training block finishes here. - 2 Weeks Out = Controlled Drop
→ Volume is reduced (~20–30%), intensity remains. - Race Week = Short & Sharp
→ Volume drops significantly, but high-cadence and neuromuscular prep continues.
📅 Sample Taper Calendar (Race Sunday)
Here’s a real-world example from our athletes:
Week 1 (Race Week Prep -7 days)
Week 2 (8-14 Days)
Data & Tools: How to Quantify the Taper
1. CTL (Chronic Training Load) : Expect ~5–10% drop during taper. Maintain fitness by keeping some intensity (~90–105% FTP intervals)
2. TSB (Training Stress Balance). Aim for +5 to +15 on race day. Monitor daily using TrainingPeaks, WKO5, or Intervals.icu
3. Ramp Rate: Stay between -2 to -5 TSS/day to allow freshness buildup without detraining
Why Race Simulations Matter
A structured event-simulation ride 7-8 days before the race lets you:
- Test fueling strategy
- Practice pacing
- Check your gear and setup
- Gain confidence from knowing “I can do this”
Most athletes underestimate how important the psychological taper is. Knowing you've done the work is half the battle.
Taper Psychology: Don't Panic
Common Fears:
- “I feel flat!” → That’s normal for 2–4 days before race
- “I'm losing fitness!” → CTL drops ≠ loss in performance
- “Should I train more?” → No. Trust the process.
📎 Bonus Downloads
- 📆 Calendar .ics File – import into Google Calendar or Apple Calendar
- TrainingPeaks plan for free - 2 weeks training plan
FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)
Q: I usually only ride 3x per week—should I taper?
A: Yes, even lower-volume athletes benefit from a taper. However, you’ll want to make the adjustments more subtle. When you only ride three times a week, your body isn’t carrying massive fatigue, so the goal is simply to enhance freshness without going flat.
Here’s what to do:
- Maintain your normal frequency of 3 rides—don’t skip rides unless you're sick or overreached.
- Slightly shorten your longest ride (e.g. reduce a 2-hour ride to 75–90 minutes).
- Keep 1 ride with short bursts of intensity (e.g. 3x2min at threshold, a few 10s sprints).
- Ensure at least one complete rest day before the event.
You’re not cutting training to recover from overload—you’re sharpening without losing rhythm.
Q: Should I still go hard during race week?
A: Yes—but very strategically. Taper week is not the time to hammer out high TSS sessions, but you do need to keep the engine ticking. The key is to include short, high-quality efforts that stimulate race-day systems without adding fatigue.
What this might look like:
- 1–2 sweet spot or tempo intervals (e.g. 2x8min @ 90–95% FTP)
- A few 10–20 second sprints or high-cadence accelerations
- One opener ride with bursts 1–2 days before your event
Avoid intervals longer than ~10 minutes or stacking high-intensity sessions. Think “activation,” not exhaustion.
Q: What if I’m doing a stage race?
A: For multi-day events, the taper process still applies, but you’ll need to simulate stage-race fatigue in the final prep. We recommend:
- In the final 10–14 days, include 2 consecutive training days of moderate-to-high load to mimic back-to-back stages.
- Start tapering volume 7–10 days out, but don’t fully drop duration too early.
- Keep longer endurance rides earlier in taper week—your body needs to stay used to sitting on the bike for hours.
- Ensure an opener ride the day before Stage 1 to prepare mentally and physically.
The goal is to arrive on Day 1 feeling fresh—but resilient enough to handle the volume of multiple days.
Q: Can I still commute or go on a group ride?
A: Short, controlled commutes are totally fine during taper week and can even help keep your legs moving without requiring structure. Just keep the intensity in check.
Group rides, however, can be risky. Even if you intend to ride easy, the surges, competitiveness, and lack of control often lead to accidental overreaching.
Ask yourself:
- Can I truly hold back if the pace lifts?
- Is the ride terrain or effort aligned with my taper goals?
- Will I recover easily afterward?
If you're not 100% sure you can ride conservatively, skip the group ride and do a solo session designed around your taper.
Q: How do I know if I over-tapered?
A: Over-tapering happens when you reduce volume or intensity too much, and the body begins to lose rhythm. You’ll notice:
- You feel sluggish or disconnected for more than 2–3 days
- Your heart rate stays unusually low, even when trying to go hard
- You feel mentally off—unmotivated or unsure of your readiness
- Short bursts feel awkward, slow, or underpowered
To fix this, add a "reset session" midweek:
- 1h ride with 2–3 3-min efforts at tempo or threshold
- Include 3x10s high-cadence sprints
- Ride in race gear to build mental readiness
The goal is to wake the system up without accumulating fatigue.
🚀 Ready to Race Your Best?
A well-designed taper is like charging a battery—cut too short, and you're underpowered. Cut too much, and you're flat.
Apply for a Custom Taper Strategy — personalized to your race, training history, and performance goals.
