Signing up to take on your first 100km is a big decision, we know that. That's why we recently caught up with Peter Georgi to hear about Cent-Soulor, a structured and progressive fitness coaching program that can help you get there.

Our cycling fundraiser Zoe spoke to Peter to get the low down on this new coaching programme. 

Peter, how did you get into cycling?

I started cycling when I was 14 in South Devon, riding with the local club, the Mid Devon Road Club.

I very quickly started racing and was quite good at it, so carried on. I have been cycling all my life ever since. As a junior and senior I raced for Great Britain and spent many summers racing with French clubs in both Normandie and Brittany. I raced full-time until I was 24, however, in my 40’s I started training properly again and competed for many years as a master on both the road and track.

And coaching?

I am fascinated by the psychology of training and racing and helping people with the tactics of riding a bike. I have been a coach for over a decade now. I am Level 2, British Cycling qualified and am very good at helping people fit cycle training into their lives. Contrary to what you might expect, it is not just people who race who can improve their riding by thinking about it!

I coach riders at all levels of experience and have helped many people prepare for rides like The Etape du Tour and long Sportives. I find that people aiming for one big ride have to deal with many of the same training issues as people racing at the highest levels.

Tell us more about Cent-Soulor and how can it help our event participants.

The Cent-Soulor came about because I enjoy helping people find the love of riding a bike.

People often want to progress their cycling but do not know how to do so. That is where the Cent-Soulor comes in. It's a 16-week purpose-built training program, designed for people new to cycling who are looking for the challenge of riding 100km in one day. This is a big milestone for new cyclists.

The course tells people what rides to do each week and how to ride them. The lessons are both written and video-led.

The program is progressive in that each week builds on the week before, helping people improve their endurance and cycling skills throughout the course. There are videos to set the scene for each week, introducing new skills and ideas as well as descriptions of how to do each ride.

As well as the training course, the Cent-Soulor has a community element. People can meet up (virtually) with each other to ask questions and share experiences. Starting a training program for a sportive or event offers up many questions and I see it as important that people can learn from both me and other riders.

And on the subject of Sportives, do you have any favourites that stand out for you?

The Tour of Flanders sportive is great because it goes over many of the cobbled climbs I used to race on and now my daughter does.

However, my favourite rides are the long mountain ones in the Pyrenees. Climbs like the Aubisque and the Soulor (no accident the course is called what it is) are just beautiful.

Lastly, what would be your three top tips for preparing for a sportive or first 100km event?

The key skill for getting fit enough to ride 100km is to commit to consistent training. Endurance is built over many weeks and no one long ride will be enough. So, build time into your life to ride the bike regularly. Over the weeks, increase the distance. Your body responds to the work you do but do it gradually.

The next tip is to fuel your rides. As the distance goes up and the time on the bike is more than an hour or so, you will need to take on fuel when riding. The trick is to drink and eat a little and often. Don’t go straight to gels but eat real food like bananas or sandwiches.

Get your clothing right. On long rides, the chances are you will get caught in changeable weather. Always take a waterproof with you. It is very easy to get cold if you get caught in the rain.

Finally, on your big day, don’t set out too fast. It is easy to get excited with all the other riders around you. But keep at a pace you know you can sustain for the whole 4 hours. And also, don’t forget to fuel on your big ride.

Thanks Peter, great advice!

Are you taking on one of our RIDE Series sportives this year? Perhaps you’re undertaking a fundraising ride of your own for Action or have joined one of our corporate industry rides. Whatever your 2024 challenge, you can get a discount on the Cent Soulor 16-week training programme and raise extra funds for Action. Email us to claim your discount code or head to Cent-Soulor Cycle Training Program: 0 to 100km in 16 weeks for more information.

This blog was created in partnership with Cent-Soulor.