ATHLETE DEVELOPMENT: PROGRESSION FOR CYCLING LONGEVITY
Featured Rider: Jorge Zapata
As the 2025 season draws to a close and we plan for 2026, it is always great to look back on highlights and achievements. In this blog we feature one of our riders – Jorge Zapata.
Jorge joined Phases Cycling two years ago aged 18 years old, riding Cat 4, and had very clear goals for the 2024 and 2025 seasons.
The main goal from our coaching perspective was to ensure Jorge had carefully measured progression for cycling longevity.
Criterium and cyclocross had been the predominant types of racing for Jorge, and this was very clear to see from our first round of critical power (CP) testing when observing W´ (W Prime).
With road racing in Europe as the goal for 2024, we set about creating a plan that was going to increase Jorge’s critical power which was going to be imperative for the type of racing in Europe.
While we would not neglect W´(W Prime), we both discussed that to get the required increases in critical power, then there may be a decrease in W´ (W Prime) while addressing critical power as our limiter for road racing at that time.
Eight months later while in Europe, we saw an increase to critical power (CP) of 100.5 watts, and also riding at 5.5w/kg compared to 3.8w/kg on the first round of testing!
The hard work and compliance throughout all the months prior, was paying off!
Returning from Europe to Chicago in August 2024, there was the opportunity to enjoy some local racing and secure points to be promoted to Cat. 3.
A great end to the 2024 season!
2025
After some well earned end-of-season down time and also a major change of location from Chicago to the higher meters of Colorado to take up residency at Colorado State University; eyes were now set on 2025.
One clear goal for the 2025 season:
Cat. 1 Race License!
Our objectives to make this happen:
- Maintaining a good diet and nutritional strategy from everything learned and gained during the period of racing in Europe, taking into account the cultural challenges relating to food between the U.S.A. and Europe.
- Establishing the best base phase of training possible knowing that the Colorado winter can force more indoor training. But, allowing for a greater emphasis on off-the-bike work: flexibility, mobility and strength training.
- January winter training camp with Colorado State University (CSU) in Tuscan, Arizona to be a great opportunity for some volume outdoors away from winter.
- Road races would start from February, therefore each race was an opportunity to accumulate points towards Cat.1 while ensuring that optimum recovery and subsequent training between races was calculated and factored into the Annual Training Plan. We wanted to still ensure development and progression throughout the season!
- We knew road race opportunities were going to be difficult from June, so criterium racing was going to be the go-to for points. Training needed to be adjusted to meet the event requirements for criteriums with more emphasis on W´ (W Prime).
August 2025 – Category 1 upgrade!! Goal achieved!
Results to hit the goal:
February – Valley of the Sun Stage Race (Cat 3)
9th /61 – Stage 2 (Road Race)
9th /61 – GC
February – Tucson Bicycle Classic (Cat 2/3)
4 th/87 – Stage 3 (Road Race)
7th/94 – Omnium
8 th/46 – Buff Gold Road Race (P1/2/3)
April – Tour of the Gila (Cat 3)
11th /31 – Stage 2 (Road Race)
2nd /31 – Stage 3 (Criterium)
July – Peak to Peak Race Series (P1/2/3)
4th/57 – Week 6 (7/9/25)
4th /55 – Week 12 (8/27/25)
July – Chicago GRIT (Cat 2)
3rd/27 – West Dundee River Challenge (Criterium)
4th /32 – Tour of Lake Ellyn (Criterium)
5th /35 – Winfield Criterium (Criterium)
August – Bommarito Audi Gateway Cup (Cat 2/3)
10th /79 – Tour de Lafayette (Criterium)
6th /87 – Giro della Montagna (Criterium)
The last two seasons have brought great results for Jorge. What has been crucial is adherence to structured training to balance training stress, fatigue and recovery to improve fitness. We have wanted to ensure improved fitness, progression throughout the whole season, and to develop as an athlete. All of which is achieved through a periodised plan that focuses on quality training, and NOT 20 – 30 hours every week, which merely serves to create burnout and overuse injuries – an all too common feature for those who adapt quantity over quality.
For a young rider, opportunities to try new elements & disciplines of the sport are great for development and something we encourage greatly! The opportunities presented by Colorado State University without doubt, play a huge role in Jorge’s development as an athlete. Opportunities include: road, track, cyclocross, training camps, skills & technique training, collegiate racing at national level and super important – a team environment to be immersed in.
We take great pride in supporting our riders at Phases Cycling beyond just the prescription of training. It is crucial for coach and rider to work as a team, to leave no stone left unturned in development, training and preparation. Whether training sessions in the Colorado winter; a dodgy road surface on a bend on stage 3 of a race, or just to simply chat because of a hard stressful week – this is coaching! It´s why we do it at Phases Cycling.
We couldn’t be prouder of Jorge’s journey over the last 2 years! Well done Jorge!
Season 2026?………….stay tuned!
Special thanks to:
Jorge Zapata for permission to feature in this blog and for the images.
Zapata family for continuous support, engagement and being part of the team.
Colorado State University’s Rams Cycling Team for the opportunities.