Author Tom Bell
Tom Bell

Tom Bell

Tom’s been racing bikes at the highest level for nearly a decade. A regular on both the domestic scene and the UCI MTB World Cup circuit, he’s been national champion in MTB Marathon, as well as a silver medallist at the XCO championships, and will be vying for both titles in the coming years. He’s also an experienced coach and performance consultant, working with and testing athletes from more than 20 countries and having European medallists, national team members and national champions on his roster. He’s partial to using himself as a guinea pig to test out novel training theories and probably gets more excited than he should when it comes to terms like VO2 Max, anaerobic threshold and exercise economy.

Recent articles by Tom Bell

How to train with power – and 7 key metrics to understand

Using a power meter opens up a wealth of training opportunities. Here's how to make the most of them
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The essential training plan for gravel riding and racing

How to get fit for the physical demands of gravel riding
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Detraining explained | How quickly do you lose fitness? And how fast can you get it back?

What happens to your fitness when you stop riding?
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Could Critical Power be a better alternative to FTP for training?

Want a complete picture of your fitness? Critical Power could be the answer
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Are you at risk of indoor training burnout?

Why poorly planned indoor training risks burnout, and how to prevent it
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What is VO2 max and can you improve it?

Everything you need to know about VO2 max – including how to improve yours
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ERG mode explained: what it is, how to use it and when you should turn it off

ERG mode is one of the key features of a smart trainer, but how can you get the most out of it?
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Training with heart rate vs training with power | Which is best for you?

Is heart rate training still have a place or are power meters now essential to success?
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Is Rating of Perceived Exertion the training metric you've been missing?

RPE explained and how to use it to guide your training
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Power-to-weight ratio explained: why W/kg is important and how to improve yours

Power-to-weight ratio is one of the most important indicators of climbing performance. Here's everything you need to know
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Our essential training plan for mountain biking

How to get fit for mountain bike riding and racing
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5 tech talking points from the Olympic cross-country races

A closer look at the XC tech from Tokyo 2020
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