Ride Your Way to a Successful Birkie

By Peter O.

My 10+ Elite wave Birkies and years of professional cycling have taught me that you can successfully incorporate cycling into your preparation for a successful Birkie. For those of you who identify as “cyclists first, skiers second,” this blog is for you. And for those of you looking to better balance your passion for skiing and cycling, this blog is for you too.

Now, I’m not saying you should only ride. Absolutely not. Personally, I need at least 30 hours of skiing before the Birkie to feel prepared and confident. These 30 hours are integrated into my cycling training. As a professional cyclist, I can’t forgo an entire winter of cycling, but at the same time, I’d never give up skiing the Birkie! So, I’m here to share what I’ve learned over the years.

Cross-training is a critical element in the training regimen of cross-country skiers, offering a well-rounded approach to improving performance. Cycling, in particular, serves as an excellent cross-training activity, providing a range of physiological benefits that complement the demands of cross-country skiing.

Peter’s Hot Takes:

1. Ski on your endurance days. Days focused on building endurance and your aerobic base are perfect for skiing!
2. Do intensity workouts and leg speed on bike days.
• However, always make sure to incorporate ski-specific speed work as the Birkie approaches. You need to be quick on the Powerlines!
3. Poor weather days are perfect for the bike. Rain, lack of snow, bad conditions, or freezing temperatures are ideal opportunities to jump on the bike.
4. Don’t shy away from two-a-days! On some days, I’ll ski in the morning before work and fit in a shorter bike ride after work.
5. Skiing builds core strength and helps make cycling less injury-prone.

Example Training Week

Monday: Rest
Tuesday: 4 x 10 min Sweet Spot Bike
Wednesday: 2 x 20 min Tempo Bike
Thursday: 2-hour Endurance (Option to Bike or Ski)
Friday: Rest
Saturday: 3-hour Zone 1-2 Ski
Sunday: 3-hour Zone 1-2 Ski

Physiological Benefits of Cycling for Cross-Country Skiers

1. Aerobic Endurance Enhancement: Cycling allows athletes to build a strong aerobic base without the repetitive strain associated with continuous skiing.
2. Muscular Strength and Endurance: Cycling targets lower body muscles such as the quadriceps, hamstrings, and glutes. Strengthening these muscles improves the power and endurance needed for the propulsion phase of skiing.
3. Low-Impact Training: As a low-impact activity, cycling reduces the risk of joint injuries compared to high-impact sports. This makes it an ideal cross-training option for maintaining high training volumes while minimizing the risk of overuse injuries.

Structuring a Training Plan Incorporating Cycling

To effectively integrate cycling into a cross-country skiing program, consider these strategies:

• Periodization: Align cycling sessions with different phases of your skiing training cycle. During the off-season or preparatory phase, focus on longer, steady-state cycling sessions to build aerobic capacity. As the competitive season approaches, incorporate interval training on the bike to boost anaerobic capacity and simulate race conditions.
• Intensity Variation: Include a mix of low-, moderate-, and high-intensity cycling workouts. Low-intensity rides aid recovery and base building, while high-intensity intervals enhance lactate threshold and anaerobic power—both crucial for skiing performance.
• Terrain Simulation: Use varied cycling terrains to mimic cross-country skiing demands. Hill climbs on the bike simulate the resistance encountered during uphill skiing, enhancing muscular strength and endurance.

Case Studies and Evidence

Professional athletes have long recognized the benefits of cycling as cross-training for skiing. For example:

• Nino Schurter, a ten-time XC mountain bike World Champion, incorporates cross-country skiing into his winter training regimen, highlighting how the two sports complement each other.
• Sepp Kuss, winner of the 2023 Vuelta a España, frequently engages in Nordic skiing during the off-season, underscoring the mutual benefits of these endurance activities.

Additionally, research indicates that cross-country skiers often achieve higher VO2 max values compared to cyclists due to the full-body engagement required in skiing. This suggests that while cycling enhances lower body endurance, incorporating skiing provides comprehensive cardiovascular benefits.