The Grossglockner Challenge | Austria
Posted by Spinning® on Apr 18th 2018
By Christina CastañedaWhen Spinning® and SPINPower® Master Instructor Polona Gosar Rankovic wanted to demonstrate the value of power-based training to her riders, she decided to do it by moving mountains. Literally.
This past June, she challenged her riders at her facility, FITCITY in Ljubljana, Slovenia, with an epic SPINPower challenge; to climb the Grossglockner, the highest mountain in Austria. The 12,000-foot tall peak is home to one of many dream tours for cyclists. The road to the top of the mountain is known as the Grossglockner High Alpine Road and plays host to the King of the Glockner annual event for racers and mountain bikers. Hundreds of riders climb the mountain every year, but Polona challenged her riders to train for the climb without any outside riding.Some riders balked at the idea of training exclusively indoors. But their training soon proved that Spinner® bikes really does replicate the feel a genuine road bike. Not only that, but their Spinning Computers enabled them to track their power and progress when they were training for the ride. By the beginning of July, Polona and her instructors set out for the day and made it all the way to the top. Everyone in their group at FITCITY conquered the Grossglockner. But the time of the climb wasn’t important to Polona. Rather, she says that “the climb wasn’t easy for anyone but it was worth every pedal stroke done.”
So how is the view from the top of the most majestic mountains of the Austrian Alps? When Polona was able to fulfill her lifelong wish to complete the climb, the view is priceless because it was earned with one pedal stroke at a time. And she was grateful for her fellow riders, her facility and the program that helped get her there.Have you been able to move mountains with your Spinning or SPINPower classes? We want to hear your story! Contact us at news@spinning.com or subscribe to our newsletter!
This past June, she challenged her riders at her facility, FITCITY in Ljubljana, Slovenia, with an epic SPINPower challenge; to climb the Grossglockner, the highest mountain in Austria. The 12,000-foot tall peak is home to one of many dream tours for cyclists. The road to the top of the mountain is known as the Grossglockner High Alpine Road and plays host to the King of the Glockner annual event for racers and mountain bikers. Hundreds of riders climb the mountain every year, but Polona challenged her riders to train for the climb without any outside riding.Some riders balked at the idea of training exclusively indoors. But their training soon proved that Spinner® bikes really does replicate the feel a genuine road bike. Not only that, but their Spinning Computers enabled them to track their power and progress when they were training for the ride. By the beginning of July, Polona and her instructors set out for the day and made it all the way to the top. Everyone in their group at FITCITY conquered the Grossglockner. But the time of the climb wasn’t important to Polona. Rather, she says that “the climb wasn’t easy for anyone but it was worth every pedal stroke done.”Choosing the Right Climb
Choosing the right climb was more than just choosing a day and time limit for the challenge. As Polona says, it starts with “choosing the right club and the right trainer that helps you get to the top of the mountain without spending hours on the bike.”To get the most out of each climb, Polona affirms that “it is not always the volume of training, but instead the quality of training.” With SPINPower classes, preparation for the toughest climbs, allows riders to, “shape the body, heart and mind, which in the end is important to reach the goals,” according to Polona.So how is the view from the top of the most majestic mountains of the Austrian Alps? When Polona was able to fulfill her lifelong wish to complete the climb, the view is priceless because it was earned with one pedal stroke at a time. And she was grateful for her fellow riders, her facility and the program that helped get her there.Have you been able to move mountains with your Spinning or SPINPower classes? We want to hear your story! Contact us at news@spinning.com or subscribe to our newsletter!