Ask a Cycling Coach Podcast - Presented by TrainerRoad

THIS IS WHAT PROS DO TO RAISE FTP | Ask a Cycling Coach Podcast 570

Jan 29, 2026
Guest
Hannah Otto
Hannah Otto, pro cyclist and coach with elite racing experience, shares how pros build threshold fitness and why FTP is a functional anchor not a scoreboard. Shorter intervals and progressive overload often beat forcing long tests. They talk racing-specific training choices, handling tradeoffs like drop bars, and practical mountain bike technique tips.
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ANECDOTE

Hannah Heads To Mediterranean Epic

  • Hannah Otto leaves for Spain in less than two weeks to race the Mediterranean Epic.
  • Her early-season racing frames her training choices and practice of event-specific preparation.
INSIGHT

FTP Is A Functional Training Anchor

  • FTP is a functional anchor for training zones, not an exact physiological hourly number.
  • A lower, more functional FTP can produce better workouts and faster, more consistent progress.
ADVICE

Progressively Build Threshold Durations

  • If 20-minute threshold intervals feel easy at block start, lower the interval length or raise FTP to create progressive overload.
  • Build interval duration gradually (e.g., 10 → 12 → 15 → 20 minutes) to hit limits mentally and physically.
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