Win the town sign sprint on a group ride this year

Ah, the town sign sprint—beloved, chaotic, and hotly contested. If you’re always just getting pipped at the line, don’t despair. Sprinting is a skill, and you can get faster. Even if you’re not chasing a green jersey, working on your technique will help you launch a better final dash on your local group ride.

Sprinting comes in many forms

Whether it’s a sneaky jump from a breakaway or a full-throttle gallop from the bunch, every sprint is its own kind of thrill. And whether it’s on a solo training ride, a club spin, or a mid-week hammerfest, you can always sharpen your form.

That imaginary finish line by the town sign? It won’t know what hit it.

1. Set yourself up

A good sprint doesn’t start when you launch—it starts well before. You’ve got to prepare. Think of an Olympic weightlifter before a clean and jerk: they don’t just stroll up and yank the bar. They centre themselves, focus, and get into the zone.

Same goes for you.

Get your hands at the top of the drops—right behind the shifters, not too far down. Take a few deep breaths. Engage your core. And when you get out of the saddle, push from the hips. Don’t bend at the waist. This forward drive helps channel your power cleanly into the pedals.

2. Launch it right

The first few pedal strokes are everything. You want to lock yourself into the bike—hands firm on the bars, core tight, and body anchored. Bend at the hips, not your back. From there, drive the pedals down and pull on the bars as you launch.

Sprinting is about coordination as much as raw power.

3. Practice your form

You don’t need to go full gas every time. In fact, when you’re honing technique, it’s better if you don’t. Try low-speed sprints in a bigger gear. Focus on your posture, grip, and rhythm. Practice where your weight sits over the bike and how you engage your core and hips.

Once that feels dialled, start adding power.

Pick a landmark—mailbox, lamp post, road sign—and imagine it’s the finish line.

4. 30 seconds on, 30 seconds off

A dead-simple workout to sharpen your sprint is this: 30 seconds all-out, 30 seconds spin easy. Repeat for 6 to 10 sets. Find a loop or quiet road where you won’t have to brake, then go for it.

The goal isn’t just speed—it’s technique under pressure. Your heart rate won’t fully recover, so it’ll hurt, but it’s an effective way to wake up tired legs, especially the day before a race.

5. Pick the right gear

Your gear choice can make or break a sprint. It doesn’t matter if you’re at the Tour or duking it out on the Tuesday night ride—shifting at the wrong moment can wreck your momentum.

Ideally, shift just before your cranks are parallel to the top tube. That keeps your chain from skipping under load.

Start in a slightly easier gear and shift into a harder one if you need to. Beginning in too big a gear can leave your legs cooked before you’re even halfway through the sprint.

Experiment. Try different gears, and pay attention to wind, gradient, and your own fatigue.

Final tip: Sprinting isn’t just a flex. It’s a skill—and one that’s more fun when you actually win that town sign. So work on it, ride smart, and give it all when it counts.