Could This Forgotten Training Method Be The Secret Behind Tour Winners’ Success?

You’ve tried everything to boost your cycling performance. Intervals, sweet spot training, polarized training—you name it, you’ve sweated through it. Yet somehow, that breakthrough you’ve been chasing remains frustratingly out of reach.

What if the missing piece isn’t some cutting-edge training protocol or expensive new equipment? What if it’s actually a training method that’s been hiding in plain sight—one that Tour de France winners have quietly relied on for decades while the amateur cycling world chased the next shiny trend?

This forgotten approach isn’t flashy. It doesn’t require a power meter or heart rate monitor. Yet according to coaches who’ve guided multiple Tour champions, it might be the most underutilized performance enhancer in modern cycling.

The Training Secret Hidden in Plain Sight

While you’ve been obsessing over FTP improvements and training zones, professional cyclists at the highest level have been dedicating significant time to a method that rarely makes it into training articles or YouTube videos: technique-focused riding.

“When I look at amateur training plans, I’m always struck by what’s missing,” says Paolo Menchietti, former coach to two Tour de France winners. “There’s endless detail about watts and heart rate zones, but almost nothing about actually improving how you ride the bike.”

This oversight isn’t just a minor gap in training—it might be the single biggest difference between how professionals and amateurs approach cycling improvement.

Professional cyclists typically dedicate 2-3 sessions per week specifically to technique work, focusing on:

Pedaling efficiency across different cadences
Body position optimization for different terrain
Cornering mechanics at various speeds
Energy conservation techniques during group riding
Micro-recovery skills during brief intensity reductions

These sessions aren’t about hitting power targets or staying in specific heart rate zones. They’re entirely focused on the quality of movement, efficiency of effort, and mastery of the machine.

The Efficiency Advantage: Why Technique Trumps Raw Power

When researchers at the University of Lausanne studied elite cyclists, they discovered something surprising: the winners of major tours weren’t necessarily those with the highest VO2max or the best power-to-weight ratios. Instead, the differentiator was often their mechanical efficiency—how effectively they converted physiological capacity into forward motion.

“Two cyclists with identical physiological profiles can have performance differences of up to 15% based solely on technique and efficiency,” explains Dr. Elena Kowalski, sports scientist who has worked with multiple WorldTour teams. “That’s the difference between winning the Tour and not making the selection.”

This efficiency advantage manifests in several ways:

Energy conservation: Elite cyclists use 10-15% less energy for the same output through optimized biomechanics
Fatigue resistance: Better technique delays the onset of form breakdown during extended efforts
Recovery enhancement: Efficient riders require less recovery between hard efforts
Injury prevention: Optimized movement patterns reduce overuse injuries that interrupt training

The cumulative effect of these advantages becomes most apparent in multi-day events—precisely where Tour winners separate themselves from the field.

The Forgotten Sessions: How Tour Winners Train Differently

So what exactly are these technique-focused sessions that Tour winners incorporate but most amateurs neglect? They fall into several distinct categories:

1. Cadence Variation Drills

Unlike the simple “high cadence” advice often given to amateurs, professional cadence work is far more sophisticated.

“We have riders perform efforts at identical power outputs but across dramatically different cadence ranges,” Menchietti explains. “The goal isn’t just to spin faster—it’s to find optimal efficiency across all cadences you might need in competition.”

A typical professional cadence session might include:

5 x 5 minutes at tempo power (75-85% FTP) but at 60 RPM
5 x 5 minutes at identical power but at 90 RPM
5 x 5 minutes at identical power but at 110+ RPM

The focus isn’t on the power output but on developing perfect pedal stroke mechanics at each cadence range. Riders are taught to eliminate “dead spots” in the pedal stroke and maintain upper body stillness regardless of leg speed.

“When you watch footage of Tour winners on the steepest climbs, notice how their upper bodies remain perfectly still while their legs accelerate,” notes Kowalski. “That’s not natural—it’s trained specifically.”

2. Position Optimization Work

Professional cyclists don’t just assume their bike fit is optimal—they actively train their bodies to maximize the efficiency of their position.

“We do specific sessions where the only goal is perfecting how the rider sits on the bike in different situations,” says Menchietti. “It’s not about the watts—it’s about training the body to maintain optimal position even under fatigue.”

These sessions typically include:

Seated climbing with focus on hip angle and back position
Standing climbing with attention to weight distribution and handlebar grip
Descending position drills for aerodynamics and control
Time trial position endurance work

Riders receive constant feedback, often using video analysis during and after these sessions. The goal is to develop position consistency that becomes automatic even during the most intense race situations.

3. Technical Terrain Mastery

While amateur cyclists might view technical descents or corners as simply something to get through, professionals view them as opportunities for significant time gains with minimal physiological cost.

“A rider who can carry just 2kph more speed through corners will save enormous energy over a six-hour race,” explains Menchietti. “That saved energy becomes available for the critical moments that decide races.”

Professional technical training includes:

Cornering drills at progressively higher speeds
Line selection practice on descents
Weight shifting exercises for optimal traction
Brake modulation practice for minimal speed loss

These sessions are typically performed on familiar routes where the technical elements can be repeated multiple times with slight variations in approach.

4. Energy Conservation Skills

Perhaps the most overlooked aspect of professional training is the deliberate practice of energy conservation techniques.

“In the peloton, there are riders who always seem fresh in the finale while others are hanging on for dear life—despite similar fitness levels,” notes Kowalski. “The difference is often their mastery of micro-recovery and energy conservation.”

These specialized sessions focus on:

Drafting position optimization
Micro-recovery techniques during momentary decreases in pace
Terrain reading to anticipate effort changes
Pedaling vs. coasting decisions on rolling terrain

Riders practice these skills during specific group training sessions where the focus isn’t on the workout’s physiological demands but on the tactical and technical elements of energy management.

How to Implement the Forgotten Method in Your Training

The good news is that you don’t need a professional coach or team support to begin incorporating technique-focused training into your routine. Here’s a simple framework to get started:

Step 1: Dedicate Specific Sessions to Technique

Rather than trying to add technique focus to existing workouts, dedicate 1-2 sessions per week entirely to technique work. These sessions should be performed at moderate intensity (65-75% of FTP) to allow complete focus on movement quality rather than physiological stress.

A sample weekly schedule might include:

Monday: Rest or very easy riding
Tuesday: High-intensity interval workout
Wednesday: Technique session #1 (cadence variation)
Thursday: Threshold or sweet spot training
Friday: Active recovery
Saturday: Long endurance ride
Sunday: Technique session #2 (position or terrain focus)

Step 2: Focus on One Element at a Time

Each technique session should have a single, specific focus. Trying to improve multiple technical elements simultaneously leads to diminished returns. For example:

Week 1-2: Cadence variation technique
Week 3-4: Position optimization
Week 5-6: Cornering and descending skills
Week 7-8: Energy conservation in groups

This focused approach allows for measurable improvement in each area before moving to the next.

Step 3: Use Video Analysis for Feedback

Without a coach providing real-time feedback, video becomes your most valuable tool. Set up a phone or camera to record your technique sessions, focusing on:

Side view for pedaling mechanics and position
Front/rear view for upper body movement
Follow footage for cornering lines and position

Review this footage immediately after sessions while the sensations are still fresh in your mind. Look for discrepancies between how you feel and what the video shows.

Step 4: Create Measurable Benchmarks

While technique work isn’t primarily about performance metrics, creating benchmarks helps track improvement:

Time specific descents or technical sections
Measure heart rate at fixed power outputs as efficiency improves
Track perceived exertion at standardized efforts
Note position endurance (how long you can maintain optimal position)

These benchmarks provide objective feedback on your technical development.

The Results: What to Expect

When cyclists begin implementing dedicated technique training, the results typically follow a predictable pattern:

Weeks 1-4: Initial awkwardness as movement patterns are disrupted and rebuilt. Performance may temporarily decrease as new techniques are integrated.

Weeks 5-8: Growing comfort with new techniques and noticeable efficiency improvements, particularly during longer rides where fatigue previously caused technique breakdown.

Weeks 9-12: Significant performance improvements as technical efficiency combines with existing physiological capacity. Many cyclists report “breakthrough” performances during this phase despite minimal changes in traditional fitness metrics.

“The most common feedback we get from riders who adopt this approach is that they suddenly feel like they’ve been riding with the brakes on for years,” says Menchietti. “The same physiological engine simply delivers more speed.”

The Professional Perspective: Why This Method Remains “Forgotten”

If technique-focused training is so effective, why isn’t it more widely adopted in amateur cycling? According to the experts, several factors contribute to its relative obscurity:

It’s difficult to quantify: In an era obsessed with data, technique improvements don’t show up neatly in training apps or power curves.
It requires patience: Unlike high-intensity intervals that produce rapid physiological adaptations, technique development is a longer process with less immediate feedback.
It’s challenging to self-coach: Without expert eyes, many cyclists struggle to identify their own technical limitations.
It’s not marketable: “Improve your pedaling technique” doesn’t sell training plans or equipment as effectively as “Boost your FTP by 30 watts in 6 weeks.”

Yet for those willing to swim against the current of popular training wisdom, this forgotten method offers something increasingly rare in modern cycling: significant performance gains without increased training time or physiological stress.

The Bottom Line: Is This Really the Secret?

While no single training approach can claim to be “the secret” behind Tour success, the evidence suggests that technique-focused training represents a significantly underutilized opportunity for most amateur cyclists.

“If you look at the training of Tour winners over the past two decades, the physiological preparation is remarkably similar across teams,” concludes Kowalski. “Where we see meaningful differences is in their technical development and efficiency optimization.”

For cyclists who have diligently followed conventional training wisdom but found themselves plateauing, this forgotten method might be the missing piece. It doesn’t require more training hours, expensive equipment, or superhuman genetics—just a willingness to temporarily set aside the pursuit of watts and focus on the art of riding itself.

After all, as three-time Tour winner Greg LeMond famously said: “It never gets easier, you just go faster.” Perhaps the path to that speed isn’t just about getting stronger, but about using the strength you already have more effectively.

Could This Forgotten Training Method Be The Secret Behind Tour Winners’ Success