Why cadence and torque matter

Torque and cadence are common features of cycling training programs, but how should you really train them to get the most out of your training? Peter Leo is a sports scientist and high-performance coach working across cycling (Team Jayco-Alula, Cycling Australia) and triathlon (coach of high-level short-course athletes), and since he’s personally researched this topic, and applied it at the highest level, he’s a perfect guest to answer this question. We also discuss training principles, including debunking some common misconceptions and mistakes made when applying training principles in practice. 

HIGHLIGHTS AND KEY TOPICS: 

• The science behind the torque-cadence relationship
• Torque and cadence are performance limiters at different points on the power-duration curve
• Practical application of the science in different contexts (track and road cycling, short and long course triathlon), including specific workout examples
• Peter’s view on three core training principles…
• Individualisation. What are the biggest factors behind needs to individualise training? Is individualisation overrated in certain contexts? 
• Specificity. Is there an over emphasis on race specificity, compared to maximising core physiological capacities and general skills? 
• Progression. What does effective progression really look like in triathlon and cycling training? Are amateur cyclists and triathletes adopting too aggressive progression rates? 
• Evaluating response to training, AI and coaching, and Peter’s top tips for the listeners to improve their cycling and triathlon performance. 

DETAILED EPISODE SHOWNOTES: 

• We have detailed shownotes for all of our episodes. The shownotes are basically the podcast episode in written form, that you can read in 5-10 minutes. They are not transcriptions, but they are also not just surface-level overviews. They provide detailed insights and timestamps for each episode, and are great especially for later review, after you've already listened to an episode. 
• The shownotes for today's episode can be found at https://scientifictriathlon.com/tts686/

LINKS AND RESOURCES: 

• Peter’s ResearchGate
• Power profiling, critical power, and U23 cycling research with Peter Leo | EP#319 - Peter’s previous appearance on That Triathlon Show (January 2022)
• Rethinking Endurance Training: Insights from Peter Leo - Peter’s appearance on Joel Filliol’s podcast

WHAT SHOULD I LISTEN TO NEXT?

If you enjoyed this episode, I think you'll love the following related episodes:

• Dan Lorang | EP#417 - Head of Performance (at the time) at team Bora-hansgrohe, and coach of athletes like Jan Frodeno, Lucy Charles-Barclay and Taylor Knibb, Dan needs no introduction. 
• Training Talk with Ben Day (Team BikeExchange) | EP#289 - Another coach straddling the cycling and triathlon worlds, Ben is (was, at the time) a coach at Team BikeExchange, and coach of professional long distance triathletes like Chris Leiferman.

You can find our full episode archives here, where you can filter for categories such as Training, Racing, Science & Physiology, Swimming, Cycling, Running etc.

You can also find separate archives for specific series of episodes I've done, specifically Q&A episodes, TTS Thursday episodes, and Beginner Tips episodes. 

LEARN MORE ABOUT SCIENTIFIC TRIATHLON: 

• The Scientific Triathlon website is the home of That Triathlon Show and everything else that we do
• Contact us through our contact form or email me directly (note - email/contact form messages get responded to much more quickly than Instagram DMs)
• Subscribe to our Newsletter
• Follow us on Instagram
• Learn more about our coaching, training plans, and training camps. We have something to offer for everybody from beginners to professionals. 

HOW CAN I SUPPORT THAT TRIATHLON SHOW (FOR FREE)? 

I really appreciate you reading this and considering helping the show! If you love the show and want to support it to help ensure it sticks around, there are a few very simple things you can do, at no cost other than a minute of your time. 

• Subscribe to the podcast in your podcast app to automatically get all new episodes as they are released.
• Tell your friends, internet and social media friends, acquaintances and triathlon frenemies about the podcast. Word of mouth is the best way to grow the podcast by far! 
• Rate and review the podcast (ideally five stars of course!) in your podcast app of choice (Spotify and Apple Podcasts are the biggest and most important ones).
• Share episodes online and on social media. Share your favourite episodes in your Instagram stories, start a discussion about interesting episodes on forums, reference them in your blog or Substack. 

SPONSORS: 

• Precision Fuel & Hydration produce our favourite gels, sports drinks, and electrolyte and carbohydrate products here at That Triathlon Show and Scientific Triathlon. Use the free Fuel & Hydration Planner to get a personalised plan for your carbohydrate, sodium and fluid intake in your next event, and get 15% off your first 2026 order by using the code TTS2026 at checkout.

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.