One of the tools used to get riders in shape is high altitude training and it’s been growing more and more popular amongst the riders. However, it’s not just the GC contenders taking advantage of the beautiful heights anymore, the sprinters are joining in.

Giant-Shimano’s got some sprinting machines of their own preparing for the Tour and both John Degenkolb and Marcel Kittel have been taking good use of the beautiful surroundings of Sierra Nevada. As road cycling is an endurance sport and high altitude training is known for the effect it has on endurance athletes one might wonder why the successful team chose to send two of the pelotons most carved out sprinters on a high altitude camp. Cyclingquotes talked to Giant-Shimano’s trainer, Mattias Reck, who’s co-training the successful squad together with Adriaan Helmantel, to find out more.

“A sprinter can usually produce pretty good power in a short sprint all over the year, but coming as fresh as possible to the finish and then be able to keep the power up during the sprint after a tough 200 km stage, is totally different and quite a challenge. The sprinters have to survive some tough stages in the Tour before closing in on the finish line where they’re really put to the test and it’s time for them to finish it off. If a sprinter is in or out of shape depends a lot on endurance”, Reck tells Cyclingquotes.

It’s a known fact that the aerobic capacity rises when training on high altitude but the effect it has on the performance is also being traced with the sprinters.

“The thin air also has an effect on the anaerobic power which is what’s being used when sprinting and that’s why we’ve been at 2300 meters with Degenkolb and Kittel for 3 weeks. It’s a pretty long camp, but that’s what it takes if you want a significant result.”

Reck goes on telling us a bit about the structure of the camp.

“I don’t think we’re doing anything special or unique. Since we’re already in the middle of the season and they had a stage race plus the Nationals coming up after the camp then we didn’t focus too much on intensity, it was more of a hard build-up camp with an extra touch of speed and power. We usually did a three-day-block with the first day focusing on gym and sprints when they we’re fresh. Some sprints were done on high altitude, some in the valley. The following days had more focus on endurance, with individually cut out intervals for both of them. Once or twice we also ended the training with some squats.”

So we’ve got the reason for doing the high altitude camp with their sprinters and we’ve got a hint of the structure of it, but what about the actual period of time chosen to go to Sierra Nevada as preparation for the Tour? To really enjoy the effects of high altitude training one needs to spend at least 3-4 weeks up in thin air, but the effects of it wears of quite quickly; as fast as within 3-4 weeks. So why, as a preparation for the Tour, would the team have their top sprinters on high altitude training as long as 3 weeks before the Tour actually kicks off?

“Of course it would be good to have the camp a bit closer to the Tour if you just take the high altitude effect into account, but I think we’ve found a good balance. You can’t go to the toughest race and competition without some hard racing before, so having the camp 3 weeks ahead off the Tour and then go to Switzerland and ZLM, as late as possible, is a good balance we think.”

Even though the Sierra Nevada camp was first and foremost one of the last and bigger steps in the last fine tunings before the Tour kicks off, Reck who’s known for being a trainer who really emphasizes the importance of balance on every level in life in order to achieve success, highlights other important reasons for the riders to spend time in Spain.

“ It’s also about getting a good overall training camp with nice and quiet atmosphere so they can both focus on training and relax in a good way. We’re not doing it just for the body, but also for the mind,” says Reck before he goes on telling us about the attention their sprinters got when enjoying one of the smaller things in life; ice cream. Social media had a Calippo explosion.

“It got a lot more attention then I’d ever expected. Maybe people think that as a pro rider it’s impossible or simply not allowed to enjoy an ice cream every now and then,” says Reck with a good laugh. “It was really hot that day and when the temperatures is more of the extreme it can be an effective way to cool down. So I sometimes fed them ice cream to see how they reacted.”

We don’t have to wonder for long as Reck amusingly continues;

“They liked it!”

So although even the ice cream played a role in cooling these hot sprinters it’s still important being able to turn the cycling switch off every now and then and Reck believes that both Degenkolb and Kittel are mastering this skill.

“I believe they’re good in finding the balance between being focused on what has to be done when it comes training, getting the right recovery in and analysing the important races in front of them to then totally switch off and just relax doing things that has nothing to do with cycling. It’s crucial being able to do this, otherwise there will be too much focus for too long on the job, which can make you really tired; a mental tiredness and it’s important not to underestimate the effect it can have on the body.”

So just how well in shape can we expect these guys to show up in Leeds? Kittel got sick after a successful start at the Giro d ’Italia and had to abandon the prestigious race and Degenkolb crashed hard at the Tour de Suisse, so both riders have been presented with a few challenges ahead of the Tour. As much as they honour their hashtag #KeepChallenging , they sometimes put passion and heart aside and let their heads handle the decision making.

“Of course it’s always frustrating and maybe also a bit stressful when being sick during important races and it took some time for Kittel to get well again, but already before we left for the camp he had managed some good rides and everything was back to normal,” Reck tells us before telling us about the decision to pull Degenkolb out of the race in Switzerland. “It was a hard crash and he didn’t feel well at all, especially the second day after the crash. Maybe he could have continued, but after putting it all together, plus and minus, and focusing on the bigger picture and not just on Tour de Suisse we decided to play it safe and pull him out.” 

With the Tour just around the corner Reck and Helmantel are now feeling confident about their riders while at the same time being well aware of the fact that succeeding at the Tour isn’t done easily.

“The boys are in good shape. We’re both confident about the form, not just for our sprinters but for the whole team. But as good as they look it’s still the toughest competition of the whole year and especially the first stages are also very nervous, so a lot can happen. The form is good, but even with the form of last year you don’t automatically win a few stages. We don’t take anything for granted. We do our job as well as we can, stay focused, and then we see what happens. Kittel for instance said that winning one stage is great, it’s a goal, and I think that sums it up.”

This year’s Tour has been talked about as being “one for the mountain goats” and there’s been discussions about the first stage kicking off this major event in the racing calender. Is it too hilly for riders like Kittel? Reck is careful not to reveal any thoughts or strategies about the opening stage.

“Both Kittel and Degenkolb have been there and had a look at the first stage and there’s no doubt it’s going to be an interesting and nervous start of the Tour, but the outcome or how we plan to do it, I really can’t say.”

I guess we’ll know soon enough as the Tour de France starts July 5th.