1. You only look at your overall training load
Most of us have a limit to how many hours we can spend on the bike each week. Once you’ve hit that ceiling, piling on more volume isn’t an option. Adding intensity, like structured intervals, works for a while, but eventually that too stops delivering big gains.
If your sessions all look the same, you’re simply repeating training stress your body has already adapted to. In other words, you’ve squeezed all the juice from that particular block of work.
What to do: Mix things up. Think in terms of training phases: blocks of focus on different systems, endurance, threshold, VO₂ max, sprints, separated by recovery. A dip in form at the end of a training block isn’t failure, it’s a signal that you’ve worked that system hard enough and it’s time to shift gears. Basically, you shouldn’t ignore proper periodisation.
2. You haven’t updated your zones in years
Following a plan only works if your training zones are accurate. If your power or heart rate zones are based on an old test, you may be undercooking your efforts, or pushing too hard without realising it. Both scenarios mean wasted training time.
What to do: update your zones regularly. That doesn’t mean after every “good legs” ride, but every couple of months check where your threshold really sits. If you train with both power and heart rate, look at how the two line up: ideally, you should be able to push more watts at the same heart rate over time. That’s a clear sign of progress.
3. You’re undereating
Warmer weather often means longer rides, and higher energy expenditure. At the same time, many cyclists try to lean out for the season. The problem is that under-fuelling over weeks and months doesn’t just burn fat, it compromises your body’s ability to adapt to training.
What to do: think about fuelling in terms of the week, not the day. If your rides are getting longer but your food intake hasn’t changed, it’s time to adjust. Consistently eating too little means your body will prioritise survival over adaptation, exactly the opposite of what you want.
4. You’re skimping on protein
Cyclists love carbs, for good reason, since they fuel hard sessions. But protein often gets overlooked, and without enough of it, recovery slows and muscle repair suffers. Over time that leaves you flat, even if you’re resting.
What to do: aim for around 1,5-2 g of protein per kg of bodyweight per day. Track your intake for a few days, you might be surprised how far off you are. Balancing carbs and protein properly means you can train hard, recover faster, and actually benefit from the work you’re doing.
5. You’re not resting enough
Sometimes the issue isn’t too little training, but too much. Longer days tempt us to ride more, and group rides pile on intensity. But without enough rest, all that training just becomes background fatigue.
What to do: make recovery as much a priority as training. That means sleep, easy rides, and at least one complete day off every week or so. Space out your hard sessions so you hit them fresh, quality beats quantity every time. Think of recovery not as lost time, but as the process that allows training to actually work.
Hitting a plateau doesn’t mean you’re done improving forever. It’s a natural part of training. What matters is recognising the situation and finding out where the issue is. Now you have a checklist of things to look at if you find yourself no improving.
