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Republished from Training & Racing with a Power Meter by Hunter Allen, Andrew Coggan, PhD, and Stephen McGregor, Phd, with permission of VeloPress.

Training and Racing with a Power Meter, 3rd Ed. by Hunter Allen, Andy Coggan, PhD, and Stephen McGregor, PhD

1. What is Power Profile?

 

Power Profile is telling us more about your abilities in cycling. Four very important values telling us about: sprint abilities (5s), anaerobic capacity described by 1 minute maximum power, 5 minutes to tell us about VO2 max capability and 20 min to describe our FTP. Those four numbers divided by weight are telling us about your talent in cycling. All of them can be trained and improved by specific training.

Count your values with this calculator and compare to others with the table below.

The table includes 5 sec., 1 min., 5 min., and FPT power to weight ratio in different categories separated for women and men.

Men Women
5 sec. 1 min. 5 min. FTP 5 sec. 1 min. 5 min. FTP
25.18 11.50 7.60 6.40 19.42 9.29 6.74 5.69
24.88 11.39 7.50 6.31 19.20 9.20 6.64 5.61
24.59 11.27 7.39 6.22 18.99 9.11 6.55 5.53
24.29 11.16 7.29 6.13 18.77 9.02 6.45 5.44
 World Class 24.00 11.04 7.19 6.04 18.56 8.93 6.36 5.36
23.70 10.93 7.08 5.96 18.34 8.84 6.26 5.28
23.40 10.81 6.98 5.87 18.13 8.75 6.17 5.20
23.11 10.70 6.88 5.78 17.91 8.66 6.07 5.12
22.81 10.58 6.77 5.69 17.70 8.56 5.98 5.03
22.51 10.47 6.67 5.60 17.48 8.47 5.88 4.95
Exceptional 22.22 10.35 6.57 5.51 17.26 8.38 5.79 4.87
21.92 10.24 6.46 5.42 17.05 8.29 5.69 4.79
21.63 10.12 6.36 5.33 16.83 8.20 5.60 4.70
21.33 10.01 6.26 5.24 16.62 8.11 5.50 4.62
21.03 9.89 6.15 5.15 16.40 8.02 5.41 4.54
20.74 9.78 6.05 5.07 16.19 7.93 5.31 4.46
Excellent Cat I 20.44 9.66 5.95 4.98 15.97 7.84 5.21 4.38
20.15 9.55 5.84 4.89 15.76 7.75 5.12 4.29
19.85 9.43 5.74 4.80 15.54 7.66 5.02 4.21
19.55 9.32 5.64 4.71 15.32 7.57 4.93 4.13
19.26 9.20 5.53 4.62 15.11 7.48 4.83 4.05
18.96 9.09 5.43 4.53 14.89 7.39 4.74 3.97
Very Good Cat II 18.66 8.97 5.33 4.44 14.68 7.30 4.64 3.88
18.37 8.86 5.22 4.35 14.46 7.21 4.55 3.80
18.07 8.74 5.12 4.27 14.25 7.11 4.45 3.72
17.78 8.63 5.01 4.18 14.03 7.02 4.36 3.64
17.48 8.51 4.91 4.09 13.82 6.93 4.26 3.55
17.18 8.40 4.81 4.00 13.60 6.84 4.17 3.47
16.89 8.28 4.70 3.91 13.39 6.75 4.07 3.39
Good Cat III 16.59 8.17 4.60 3.82 13.17 6.66 3.98 3.31
16.29 8.05 4.50 3.73 12.95 6.57 3.88 3.23
16.00 7.94 4.39 3.64 12.74 6.48 3.79 3.14
15.70 7.82 4.29 3.55 12.52 6.39 3.69 3.06
15.41 7.71 4.19 3.47 12.31 6.30 3.59 2.98
15.11 7.59 4.08 3.38 12.09 6.21 3.50 2.90
Moderate Cat IV 14.81 7.48 3.98 3.29 11.88 6.12 3.40 2.82
14.52 7.36 3.88 3.20 11.66 6.03 3.31 2.73
14.22 7.25 3.77 3.11 11.45 5.94 3.21 2.65
13.93 7.13 3.67 3.02 11.23 5.85 3.12 2.57
13.63 7.02 3.57 2.93 11.01 5.76 3.02 2.49
13.33 6.90 3.46 2.84 10.80 5.66 2.93 2.40
Fair Cat V 13.04 6.79 3.36 2.75 10.58 5.57 2.83 2.32
12.74 6.67 3.26 2.66 10.37 5.48 2.74 2.24
12.44 6.56 3.15 2.58 10.15 5.39 2.64 2.16
12.15 6.44 3.05 2.49 9.94 5.30 2.55 2.08
11.85 6.33 2.95 2.40 9.72 5.21 2.45 1.99
11.56 6.21 2.84 2.31 9.51 5.12 2.36 1.91
Untrained 11.26 6.10 2.74 2.22 9.29 5.03 2.26 1.83
10.96 5.99 2.64 2.13 9.07 4.94 2.16 1.75
10.67 5.87 2.53 2.04 8.86 4.85 2.07 1.67
10.37 5.76 2.43 1.95 8.64 4.76 1.97 1.58
10.08 5.64 2.33 1.86 8.43 4.67 1.88 1.50

Hunter Allen and Andrew Coggan. (2010) Training and racing with the power meter. Boulder, CO

2. How to Find Your Strengths and Weaknesses? Power Profile Protocol

We recommend to fallow the power profile protocol only if you have experience with cycling training. It is a big effort which will load your body with fatigue. Improper use may end up overtraining or not getting the right results.

Fallow protocol below and pick your top 5 seconds, 1 minute and 5 minutes power. If you want to check your FTP (Functional Threshold Power) check this article.

Time Description % of FTP % of FTHR
Warm-up ~ 45 min. Easy riding 65 < 70
3 x 1 min. (1 min. Rl) Fast pedaling, 110 rpm  80-90  80-90
Main set 5 min. (3-5 min. Rl) FTP effort  100  100
1 min. All-out effort  > 150  > 106
10 min. Easy riding  70  < 68
5 min. (10 min. Rl) An all-out effort from 20 mph.
Hammer in final 45 sec.
 > 115-120  > 106
1 min. (5 min. Rl) An all-out effort from 20 mph. > 150 > 106
1 min. (5 min. Rl) All-out effort > 150 > 106
2 x 15 sec. (2 min. Rl) Out of the saddle, a hard sprint from 15 mph.  max N/A
 Cool down 15 min. Easy riding  65  < 68

Hunter Allen and Andrew Coggan. (2010) Training and racing with a power meter. Boulder, CO, pp. 47

3. What Kind of Rider Are You?

After testing your pick powers and dividing it by your weight (kg), you can check the sample tables below to have a point of view for different types of riders, which one describe you in the best way?

All-Rounder

5 sec. 1 min. 5 min. FTP
21.63 10.12 6.36 5.33
21.33 10.01 6.26 5.24
21.03 9.89 6.15 5.15
20.74 9.78 6.05 5.07
20.44 9.66 5.95 4.98
20.15 9.55 5.84 4.89
19.85 9.43 5.74 4.80
19.55 9.32 5.64 4.71
19.26 9.20 5.53 4.62
18.96 9.09 5.43 4.53
18.66 8.97 5.33 4.44
18.37 8.86 5.22 4.35
18.07 8.74 5.12 4.27
17.78 8.63 5.01 4.18
17.48 8.51 4.91 4.09
17.18 8.40 4.81 4.00
16.89 8.28 4.70 3.91

Sprinter

5 sec. 1 min. 5 min. FTP
21.63 10.12 6.36 5.33
21.33 10.01 6.26 5.24
21.03 9.89 6.15 5.15
20.74 9.78 6.05 5.07
20.44 9.66 5.95 4.98
20.15 9.55 5.84 4.89
19.85 9.43 5.74 4.80
19.55 9.32 5.64 4.71
19.26 9.20 5.53 4.62
18.96 9.09 5.43 4.53
18.66 8.97 5.33 4.44
18.37 8.86 5.22 4.35
18.07 8.74 5.12 4.27
17.78 8.63 5.01 4.18
17.48 8.51 4.91 4.09
17.18 8.40 4.81 4.00
16.89 8.28 4.70 3.91

Time Trialist, Climber, Steady-State Rider

5 sec. 1 min. 5 min. FTP
21.63 10.12 6.36 5.33
21.33 10.01 6.26 5.24
21.03 9.89 6.15 5.15
20.74 9.78 6.05 5.07
20.44 9.66 5.95 4.98
20.15 9.55 5.84 4.89
19.85 9.43 5.74 4.80
19.55 9.32 5.64 4.71
19.26 9.20 5.53 4.62
18.96 9.09 5.43 4.53
18.66 8.97 5.33 4.44
18.37 8.86 5.22 4.35
18.07 8.74 5.12 4.27
17.78 8.63 5.01 4.18
17.48 8.51 4.91 4.09
17.18 8.40 4.81 4.00
16.89 8.28 4.70 3.91

Pursuiter

5 sec. 1 min. 5 min. FTP
21.63 10.12 6.36 5.33
21.33 10.01 6.26 5.24
21.03 9.89 6.15 5.15
20.74 9.78 6.05 5.07
20.44 9.66 5.95 4.98
20.15 9.55 5.84 4.89
19.85 9.43 5.74 4.80
19.55 9.32 5.64 4.71
19.26 9.20 5.53 4.62
18.96 9.09 5.43 4.53
18.66 8.97 5.33 4.44
18.37 8.86 5.22 4.35
18.07 8.74 5.12 4.27
17.78 8.63 5.01 4.18
17.48 8.51 4.91 4.09
17.18 8.40 4.81 4.00
16.89 8.28 4.70 3.91

Below you can find Power Profile ready to download to your Garmin.

Leave a comment if you have any questions. Buy our Cycling Guide if you are looking forward to becoming a faster cyclist.

Coach Damian

Damian is a head coach and founder of Cyklopedia, which was created with one goal to help everyone be faster cyclists by structured training plans, healthy recipes, and nutrition plans. Damian is racing and coaching for over 10 years, working with athletes all around the world.

10 Comments

  • Avatar Matthew Law says:

    Hello, excellent read. Thank you for posting the information. I have not been riding terribly long, but my numbers are as follows – 5 sec = 15.4 w/kg, 1 min = 6.2 w/kg, 5 min = 3.6 w/kg, and FTP = 3.2 w/kg. My numbers appear to be the highest on the sprinting side and at the 5 min / FTP side. For the life of me, I can never improve my 1 minute time. The legs just burn out after 30-40 seconds and power drops off completely. It has been like this for a year – I can increase all of the other categories but never the 1 minute. Any advice about this?

    • Coach Damian Coach Damian says:

      Hi Matthew, those are good numbers, and yes it is important on working on your weaknesses.
      If you are testing 1 min watts and you are not able to hold it for 60 s. it means one thing, you start too hard, try to do 60-second interval withholding for example 6.0 W/kg for all 60 seconds, not 8.0 W/kg for 20 s. and then 5.0 W for 40 s. You need to “feel” your legs and body. With time try to do more intervals but don’t try to do all of them “all-out” just hold specific watts and with the time you will be able to improve your 1-minute intervals.

  • Avatar Lars says:

    Hey there, excellent article.
    I have some confusion about my numbers. I am relatively new to cycling, but. Have done loads of training in my first year. At 73kg (190cm height) my power numbers are 16.1w/kg 5 seconds, 8.4w/kg 1 minute, 5.1w/kg 5 minutes, 4.5 w/kg 20 minutes (or 4.3 w/kg 20min *0.95). I am not sure weather this shows I am TTer, or that I am allrounder, who just happens to be weak in sprints. Any ideas?

    • Coach Damian Coach Damian says:

      Hello Lars, thank you for kind words.
      Those are very good numbers! I would say that you are all-rounder, you can use your abilities to race time trials as well as criteriums and road races. Depends on what are your goals and main focus, you can work on sprints too.
      In the first years of your journey with cycling, it is good to work on all aspects of training as well as do other disciplines, but you can focus on energy systems that are most important for races you really want to do.
      I hope it helps a little, let me know if you have more questions.

  • Avatar DJ Lilford says:

    Great article! Which article did you derive the norms from? Was it from the book from “Training and Racing with a Power Meter”?

  • Avatar Grace says:

    Love your post! Can I ask you where did you get the data in the form and are you sure they are right? The standard seem so harsh, no one in my cycling group could even get to “fair”?

    • Coach Damian Coach Damian says:

      It is from the book “Training and Racing with a Power Meter” and data is based on thousands of cyslits. With the right approach, those numbers are doable.

  • Avatar Thunder says:

    Great article!How do the four factors affect the power profile through the mathematical relationship?

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