Want to crush your next challenging cycling trip? You need to get S.M.A.R.T.

I’ll start with a confession: I haven’t been on my bike for the last four days. I don’t have a good excuse. The weather was fine, I’m not suffering from any ailment, and I had the time. What I didn’t have, however, was a reason. I just didn’t feel like it. The motivation wasn’t there. Or, to put it another way, I didn’t have a goal.

And I’m definitely one of those people who needs a goal. Maybe not everyone is like that, but without one, it’s too easy for me to convince myself that it doesn’t matter if I have one more beer, or that five out of the ten hill repeats I’d planned are enough. For me, everything starts from the goal. And it needs to be a good one.

How do I know this? What gives me the right to talk about setting goals for cycling events? Let me count the ways: 12 Étape du Tours, 5 Vätternrundan, 3 Maratona dles Dolomites, 2 Nova Eroica, a Sportful Dolomiti Race—the list goes on. Did I crush all of those? Far from it. Some I barely finished. One had me slumped over from sheer exhaustion at a closed gas station only a few miles from the finish, with my helmet pulled over my face like a sombrero. But each event taught me something. And I’m proud to say I finished every one. Because for some years, that was my goal.

“But,” I hear you say, “I don’t actually want to ‘crush’ anything. I just want to enjoy myself.” Sure, but that also requires a goal, even if it’s a less ambitious one. For example, “I want to be able to ride comfortably for four hours on hilly terrain for my Secret Veneto trip in June” may not sound very ambitious, but it could well transform your experience from a slog to a joy. And hey, you could even consider a stretch goal by considering an assault of the mighty Monte Grappa, which is an option on the last day of the trip. Pogacar did it twice in the same day, as did the rest of the mere mortals behind him at the 2024 Giro. But one does not simply ride up the Grappa…

Or…

…Imagine saying, ‘I’ll conquer the Stelvio in under two hours at the Stelvio Bike Day this August.’ Or maybe, 'I’ll ride comfortably through Piedmont’s rolling hills without being the last one to the wine tasting.’ The key is to tailor your goal to what excites you most.

So, what is a ‘good’ goal? Well, to steal a methodology from my tech management past, it should be a S.M.A.R.T. one. I know, I know—another acronym. But I think this one is pretty good. And it has nothing to do with having a phone in your Sidis. In brief, here it is spelled out:

• S = Specific
• M = Measurable
• A = Assignable
• R = Realistic
• T = Time-bound

Let’s use our example above and see if it meets these criteria.

• Specific? “Ride comfortably” is a bit fluffy, so you could substitute “between Zones 2 and 3” or “between 2 and 3 W/Kg average.” No idea what I’m talking about? “Training zones for cycling” is but a Google search away.
• Measurable? If you have a bike computer and a heart rate monitor, you can measure this. Even better if you have a power meter to more accurately measure zones.
• Assignable? Here you go—it’s assigned to YOU.
• Realistic? If it’s already May and your training has primarily involved lifting beers for the last six months, maybe not. But if you have more than three months to prepare, it’s game on.
• Time-bound? Yes, the trip is coming up in June, so there’s a deadline.

S.M.A.R.T isn’t the only methodology out there for creating a quality goal, but it’s pretty easy to remember and quite complete. Fluffy goals create fluffy results because they can be ‘re-interpreted’ to your liking.

Okay, you have your goal—now what? You need a training plan! This is not as daunting as it sounds. There are plenty of options available from Zwift, TrainerRoad, TrainingPeaks, Wahoo X, and more. And if you’ve calibrated your zones properly, they’ll keep you honest.

Of course, the best way to stay motivated is to have a coach. And this doesn’t need to break the bank. Talk to us if you’d like some recommendations.  

So, whether you’re preparing for a bucket-list event or just want to enjoy the climbs without the slog, you should get yourself a goal. Pick something bold, something that gets your heart racing just thinking about it. Then plan, train, and make it happen. And if you see me slumped over at a gas station somewhere in Italy, don’t forget to wave!

Want some help with deciding which of our trips is a worthy goal for you? Reach out to us by email or set up a call at a time that works for you here.